Nicki Minaj is Trinidadian-American singer.

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj ( born December 8 , 1982 ) , known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( -LSB- langpronnɪkɪ_mɪ ` nɑːdʒ -RSB- ) , is a Trinidadian-born American rapper , singer , songwriter and model . Born in Saint James , Trinidad and Tobago ( a district of Trinidad 's capital Port of Spain ) and raised in South Jamaica , Queens , New York , Minaj earned public attention after releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009 . She has been signed to Young Money Entertainment since 2009 .   Minaj 's first and second studio albums , Pink Friday ( 2010 ) and Pink Friday : Roman Reloaded ( 2012 ) , both peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and produced the successful singles `` Super Bass '' and `` Starships '' , respectively . In 2010 , Minaj became the first female solo artist to have seven singles simultaneously charting on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 . Her third studio album , The Pinkprint ( 2014 ) , was preceded by its second single , `` Anaconda '' , which peaked at number two on the Hot 100 and is her highest-charting single in the U.S. to date . Minaj made her film debut in the 2012 animated film Ice Age : Continental Drift , followed by supporting roles in The Other Woman ( 2014 ) and Barbershop : The Next Cut ( 2016 ) . In 2013 , she was a judge on the twelfth season of American Idol .   Minaj was the first female artist included on MTV 's Annual Hottest MC List , with a New York Times editor saying that some consider her to be `` the most influential female rapper of all time '' . In 2016 , Minaj was included on the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world . Her rapping is distinctive for its fast flow and the use of alter egos and accents , primarily British cockney . Early in her career , Minaj was known for her colorful costumes and wigs . She has the most Billboard Hot 100 entries for a female artist in the chart 's history , while being ninth overall . Minaj has received ten Grammy nominations throughout her career , and has won six American Music Awards , eleven BET Awards , three MTV Video Music Awards , four Billboard Music Awards , and was the recipient of Billboards Women in Music 2011 Rising Star award . She has endorsed Adidas , MAC Cosmetics and Pepsi . She has sold 20 million singles as a lead artist , and 60 million singles as a featured artist worldwide .


The Great Buck Howard The Great Buck Howard is a 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by Sean McGinly that stars Colin Hanks and John Malkovich . Tom Hanks also appears as the father of his real-life son 's character . The character Buck Howard is inspired by the mentalist The Amazing Kreskin , whose popularity was at its height in the 1970s . The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 18 , 2008 . It is the first Walden Media film to be distributed by Magnolia Pictures .


Saswata Chatterjee Saswata Chatterjee ( শাশ্বত চ্যাটার্জী ; also known as Apu ) is an Indian actor of television and films based in Kolkata . Born to actor Subhendu Chatterjee , Saswata Chatterjee began his career with a Hindi serial directed by Saibal Mitra , based on Samaresh Majumdar 's Kaalpurush . He gained popularity by portraying the character of Topshe in a Feluda-based television series directed by Sandip Ray . His acting in many Bengali films has been praised by the critics , including his portrayal of a Ritwik Ghatak-inspired character in the 2013 film Meghe Dhaka Tara . He enjoyed success at the national level in Sujoy Ghosh 's 2012 blockbuster Hindi film , Kahaani , where he played an assassin .


Dead Man Down Dead Man Down is an 2013 American neo-noir crime thriller film written by J.H. Wyman and directed by Danish director Niels Arden Oplev . The film stars Colin Farrell , Noomi Rapace , Dominic Cooper , and Terrence Howard , and was released on March 8 , 2013 . Dead Man Down was Oplev 's first film since The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ( 2009 ) , also starring Rapace and scored by Jacob Groth .


Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton ( born August 4 , 1955 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , singer , songwriter , and musician .   Thornton had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller One False Move , and came to international attention after writing , directing , and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade ( 1996 ) , for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor . He appeared in several major film roles in the 1990s following Sling Blade , including Oliver Stone 's neo-noir U Turn ( 1997 ) , political drama Primary Colors ( 1998 ) , science fiction disaster film Armageddon ( 1998 ) , which was the highest-grossing film of that year , and the crime drama A Simple Plan ( 1998 ) , which earned him his third Academy Awards nomination .   In the 2000s , Thornton achieved further success in starring dramas Monster 's Ball ( 2001 ) , The Man Who Was n't There ( 2001 ) , and Friday Night Lights ( 2004 ) ; comedies Bandits ( 2001 ) , Intolerable Cruelty ( 2003 ) , and Bad Santa ( 2003 ) ; and action films Eagle Eye ( 2008 ) and Faster ( 2010 ) . In 2014 , Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the first season of the anthology series Fargo , earning a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie at the Emmy Awards and won Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards . In 2016 , he starred in an Amazon original series , Goliath about a washed up attorney with a great new case .   Thornton has been vocal about his disrespect for celebrity culture , choosing to keep his life out of the public eye . However , the attention of the media has proven unavoidable in certain cases , his marriage to Angelina Jolie being a notable example . Thornton has appeared in at least one film per year nearly every year since 1991 . Thornton has written a variety of films , usually set in the Southern United States and mainly co-written with Tom Epperson , including A Family Thing ( 1996 ) and The Gift ( 2000 ) . After Sling Blade , he directed several other films , including Daddy and Them ( 2001 ) , All the Pretty Horses ( 2000 ) , and Jayne Mansfield 's Car ( 2012 ) .   Thornton has received the President 's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction , Fantasy & Horror Films , a Special Achievement Award from the National Board of Review , and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He has also been nominated for an Emmy Award , four Golden Globes , and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . In addition to film work , Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter . He has released four solo albums and is the vocalist of the blues rock band The Boxmasters .


The Divergent Series: Insurgent had a director.

The Divergent Series: Insurgent The Divergent Series : Insurgent ( also known simply as Insurgent ) is a 2015 American science fiction action film directed by Robert Schwentke , based on Insurgent , the second book in the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth . It is the sequel to the 2014 film Divergent and the second installment in The Divergent Series , produced by Lucy Fisher , Pouya Shabazian and Douglas Wick , with a screenplay by Brian Duffield , Akiva Goldsman and Mark Bomback . Schwentke took over from Neil Burger as director , with Burger serving as the executive producer of the film . Along with the first film 's returning cast , led by Shailene Woodley and Theo James , the sequel features supporting actors Octavia Spencer , Naomi Watts , Suki Waterhouse , Rosa Salazar , Daniel Dae Kim , Jonny Weston , Emjay Anthony , and Keiynan Lonsdale .   The plot of Insurgent takes place five days after the previous installment and continues to follow Dauntless soldier Tris Prior ; Tris and Four , her Dauntless instructor , are on the run after evading a coup from Erudite faction leader Jeanine and the rest of her faction . The faction system in post-apocalyptic Chicago is crumbling , and everyone is desperate for power -- and answers . Filming began on May 27 , 2014 in Atlanta , Georgia , before concluding on September 6 , 2014 .   The Divergent Series : Insurgent was released on March 20 , 2015 in the United States in the IMAX 3D format as well as regular 3D and 2D . Critical reaction to the film was mixed to negative : some have considered the film to be an improvement over its predecessor , with reviewers highlighting the visual style , action sequences , and Woodley 's performance , but the film still received a significant amount of negative criticism , mainly focused on its storyline . The film was a commercial success , grossing $ 52.2 million in its opening weekend and reaching the number one spot at the box-office . During its release in theaters , the film earned over US$ 297 million worldwide .   A sequel , Allegiant , was released on March 18 , 2016 .


Jesus Jesus ( -LSB- ˈdʒiːzəs -RSB- ; c. 4 BC -- c. AD 30/33 ) , also referred to as Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus Christ , was a Jewish preacher and religious leader who became the central figure of Christianity . Christians believe him to be the Son of God and the awaited Messiah ( Christ ) prophesied in the Old Testament .   Virtually all modern scholars of antiquity agree that Jesus existed historically , although the quest for the historical Jesus has produced little agreement on the historical reliability of the Gospels and on how closely the biblical Jesus reflects the historical Jesus . Jesus was a Galilean Jew who was baptized by John the Baptist and subsequently began his own ministry , preaching his message orally and often being referred to as `` rabbi '' . He was arrested and tried by the Jewish authorities , and was crucified by the order of Pontius Pilate , the Roman prefect . Jesus debated fellow Jews on how to best follow God , performed healings , taught in parables and gathered followers . After his death , his followers believed he rose from the dead , and the community they formed eventually became the Christian Church .   His birth is celebrated annually on December 25 ( or various dates in January for some eastern churches ) as a holiday known as Christmas , his crucifixion is honored on Good Friday , and his resurrection is celebrated on Easter . The widely used calendar era `` AD '' , from the Latin anno Domini ( `` in the year of the Lord '' ) , and the alternative `` CE '' , are based on the approximate birth date of Jesus .   Christian doctrines include the beliefs that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit , was born of a virgin named Mary , performed miracles , founded the Church , died by crucifixion as a sacrifice to achieve atonement , rose from the dead , and ascended into Heaven , whence he will return . Most Christians believe Jesus enables humans to be reconciled to God . The Nicene Creed asserts that Jesus will judge the living and the dead either before or after their bodily resurrection , an event tied to the Second Coming of Jesus in Christian eschatology . The great majority of Christians worship Jesus as the incarnation of God the Son , the second of three persons of a Divine Trinity . A minority of Christian denominations reject Trinitarianism , wholly or partly , as non-scriptural .   In Islam , Jesus ( commonly transliterated as ) is considered one of God 's important prophets and the Messiah . Muslims believe Jesus was a bringer of scripture and was born of a virgin but was not the Son of God . The Quran states that Jesus himself never claimed divinity . To most Muslims , Jesus was not crucified but was physically raised into Heaven by God .   Judaism rejects the belief that Jesus was the awaited Messiah , arguing that he did not fulfill Messianic prophecies and asserting that his resurrection is a Christian legend .


Jews The Jews ( -LSB- dʒuːz -RSB- ISO 259-3 , Israeli pronunciation -LSB- jehuˈdim -RSB- ) , also known as the Jewish people , are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites , or Hebrews , of the Ancient Near East . Jewish ethnicity , nationhood and religion are strongly interrelated , as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation , while its observance varies from strict observance to complete nonobservance .   Jews originated as a national and religious group in the Middle East during the second millennium BCE , in the part of the Levant known as the Land of Israel . The Merneptah Stele appears to confirm the existence of a people of Israel somewhere in Canaan as far back as the 13th century BCE ( Late Bronze Age ) . The Israelites , as an outgrowth of the Canaanite population , consolidated their hold with the emergence of the Kingdom of Israel , and the Kingdom of Judah . Some consider that these Canaanite sedentary Israelites melded with incoming nomadic groups known as ` Hebrews ' . Though few sources in the Bible mention the exilic periods in detail , the experience of diaspora life , from the Ancient Egyptian rule over the Levant , to Assyrian Captivity and Exile , to Babylonian Captivity and Exile , to Seleucid Imperial rule , to the Roman occupation and Exile , and the historical relations between Jews and their homeland thereafter , became a major feature of Jewish history , identity and memory .   The worldwide Jewish population reached a peak of 16.7 million prior to World War II , but approximately 6 million Jews were systematically murdered during the Holocaust . Since then the population has slowly risen again , and was estimated at 14.3 million by the Berman Jewish DataBank , or less than 0.2 % of the total world population ( roughly one in every 514 people ) . According to the report , about 43 % of all Jews reside in Israel ( 6.2 million ) , and 40 % in the United States ( 5.7 million ) , with most of the remainder living in Europe ( 1.4 million ) and Canada ( 0.4 million ) . These numbers include all those who self-identified as Jews in a socio-demographic study or were identified as such by a respondent in the same household . The exact world Jewish population , however , is difficult to measure . In addition to issues with census methodology , disputes among proponents of halakhic , secular , political , and ancestral identification factors regarding who is a Jew may affect the figure considerably depending on the source . Israel is the only country where Jews form a majority of the population . The modern State of Israel was established as a Jewish state and defines itself as such in its Declaration of Independence and Basic Laws . Its Law of Return grants the right of citizenship to any Jew who requests it .   Despite their small percentage of the world 's population , Jews have significantly influenced and contributed to human progress in many fields , including philosophy , ethics , literature , business , fine arts and architecture , religion , music , theatre and cinema , medicine , as well as science and technology , both historically and in modern times .


Dennis Hopper has a credit in The Other Side of the Wind.

Dennis Hopper Dennis Lee Hopper ( May 17 , 1936 -- May 29 , 2010 ) was an American actor , filmmaker , photographer and artist . He attended the Actors Studio , made his first television appearance in 1954 , and soon after appeared alongside James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause ( 1955 ) and Giant ( 1956 ) . In the next ten years he made a name in television , and by the end of the 1960s had appeared in several films . Hopper also began a prolific and acclaimed photography career in the 1960s .   Hopper made his directorial film debut with Easy Rider ( 1969 ) , which he and co-star Peter Fonda wrote with Terry Southern . The film earned Hopper a Cannes Film Festival Award for `` Best First Work '' and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay ( shared with Fonda and Southern ) . Journalist Ann Hornaday wrote : `` With its portrait of counterculture heroes raising their middle fingers to the uptight middle-class hypocrisies , Easy Rider became the cinematic symbol of the 1960s , a celluloid anthem to freedom , macho bravado and anti-establishment rebellion '' . Film critic Matthew Hays notes that , `` no other persona better signifies the lost idealism of the 1960s than that of Dennis Hopper '' .   He worked on various small projects until he found new fame for his role as the American photojournalist in Apocalypse Now ( 1979 ) . He went on to helm his third directorial work Out of the Blue ( 1980 ) , for which he was again honored at Cannes , and appeared in Rumble Fish ( 1983 ) and The Osterman Weekend ( 1983 ) . He saw a career resurgence in 1986 when he was widely acclaimed for his performances in Blue Velvet and Hoosiers , the latter of which saw him nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . His fourth directorial outing came about through Colors ( 1988 ) , followed by an Emmy-nominated lead performance in Paris Trout ( 1991 ) . Hopper found even greater fame for portraying the villains of the films Super Mario Bros. ( 1993 ) , Speed ( 1994 ) and Waterworld ( 1995 ) .   Hopper 's later work included a leading role in the short-lived television series Crash ( 2008 -- 2009 ) , inspired by the Academy Award-winning film of the same name . Production on his final film , The Last Film Festival ( 2016 ) , completed just before his death ; originally slated for 2011 distribution , the project was picked up for theatrical release in late 2016 by Monterey Home Video . Hopper has an additional posthumous credit in the completed , but unreleased Orson Welles drama The Other Side of the Wind , acquired for distribution by Netflix .


The Conjuring The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey Hayes . It is the first film in The Conjuring franchise . Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren , paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting . Their reports inspired The Amityville Horror . The Warrens come to the assistance of the Perron family ( Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor ) , who are experiencing increasingly disturbing events in their farmhouse in Rhode Island in 1971 .   The Conjuring was released in the United States and Canada on July 19 , 2013 , and in the United Kingdom and India on August 6 , 2013 . The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $ 318 million worldwide from its $ 20 million budget , making it one of the highest-grossing horror films of all time . A sequel , The Conjuring 2 , was released on June 10 , 2016 , also to critical and huge commercial success .


Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe , also known as Kit Marlowe ( baptised 26 February 156430 May 1593 ) , was an English playwright , poet and translator of the Elizabethan era . Marlowe was the foremost Elizabethan tragedian of his day . He greatly influenced William Shakespeare , who was born in the same year as Marlowe and who rose to become the pre-eminent Elizabethan playwright after Marlowe 's mysterious early death . Marlowe 's plays are known for the use of blank verse and their overreaching protagonists .   A warrant was issued for Marlowe 's arrest on 18 May 1593 . No reason was given for it , though it was thought to be connected to allegations of blasphemy -- a manuscript believed to have been written by Marlowe was said to contain `` vile heretical conceipts '' . On 20 May , he was brought to the court to attend upon the Privy Council for questioning . There is no record of their having met that day , however , and he was commanded to attend upon them each day thereafter until `` licensed to the contrary '' . Ten days later , he was stabbed to death by Ingram Frizer . Whether the stabbing was connected to his arrest has never been resolved .


Captain America: The Winter Soldier premiered in Los Angeles.

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


Britney Spears released a self titled album.

Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears ( born December 2 , 1981 ) is an American singer , dancer , and actress . Born in McComb , Mississippi , and raised in Kentwood , Louisiana , she performed acting roles in stage productions and television shows as a child before signing with Jive Records in 1997 . Spears 's first and second studio albums , ... Baby One More Time ( 1999 ) and Oops ! ... I Did It Again ( 2000 ) , became international successes , with the former becoming the best-selling album by a teenage solo artist . Title tracks '' ... Baby One More Time '' and `` Oops ! ... I Did It Again '' broke international sales records . In 2001 , Spears released her self-titled third studio album , Britney , and played the starring role in the film Crossroads ( 2002 ) . She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album , In the Zone ( 2003 ) , which yielded the worldwide success of the single `` Toxic '' .   In 2007 , Spears 's much-publicized personal issues sent her career into hiatus . Her fifth studio album , Blackout , was released later that year , and spawned singles such as `` Gim me More '' and `` Piece of Me '' . Her erratic behavior and hospitalizations continued through the following year , at which point she was placed under a still ongoing conservatorship . Spears 's sixth studio album , Circus ( 2008 ) , included the international chart-topping single `` Womanizer '' . Her seventh studio album , Femme Fatale ( 2011 ) , became her first to yield three top-ten singles in the United States . She released her eighth studio album Britney Jean in 2013 . Later that year , Spears began the four-year residency show , Britney : Piece of Me , at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas . In 2016 , Spears released her ninth studio album , Glory . In 2017 , she announced that her residency show would develop into a world tour , Britney : Live in Concert .   Spears is regarded as a pop icon and credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s . She became the best-selling teenage artist of all time and garnered honorific titles including the `` Princess of Pop '' . Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades , including a Grammy Award , six MTV Video Music Awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award , seven Billboard Music Awards including the Millennium Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2009 , Billboard ranked her as the 8th overall Artist of the Decade , and also recognized her as the best-selling female artist of the 2000s , as well as the fifth overall . The Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) lists Spears as the eighth top-selling female artist in the United States , with 34 million certified albums . She has sold over 100 million records worldwide making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time . According to Billboard Spears has sold about 22.38 million singles in digital downloads in US and is the fourth best-selling female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began .   Rolling Stone recognized her instant success as one of the Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments of all time , while VH1 ranked her eleventh on their `` 100 Greatest Women in Music '' list in 2012 , and Billboard named her the sexiest woman in music . Forbes reported that Spears was the highest paid female musician of 2012 , with earnings of $ 58 million , having last topped the list in 2002 .


Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning ( born March 24 , 1976 ) is a former American football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) , primarily with the Indianapolis Colts . Considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time , he spent 14 seasons with the Colts and was a member of the Denver Broncos in his last four seasons . Manning played college football for the University of Tennessee , leading the Tennessee Volunteers to the 1997 SEC Championship in his senior season . He is the second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and older brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning .   Manning was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft . From 1998 to 2010 , he improved the fortunes of the struggling Colts franchise and helped transform them into playoff contenders . During his tenure as starting quarterback , Manning led the team to eight division championships , two AFC championships , and one Super Bowl title , the franchise 's first in over three decades , as well as their first since relocating to Indianapolis .   After undergoing neck surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season , Manning was released by the Colts and signed with the Denver Broncos . Serving as the team 's starting quarterback from 2012 to 2015 , he contributed to the Broncos reaching the top of their division each year and his playing career concluded with a victory in Super Bowl 50 .   Manning holds many NFL records , including passing yards ( 71,940 ) , touchdown passes ( 539 ) , AP MVP awards ( 5 ) , Pro Bowl appearances ( 14 ) , and 4,000-yard passing seasons ( 14 ) . A two-time Super Bowl winner and the most valuable player of Super Bowl XLI , Manning is also the only quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two different franchises more than once each and the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises . At 39 years of age , Manning is the oldest quarterback to start in and win a Super Bowl . Manning is also the only quarterback in NFL history to make the Super Bowl four times with four different head coaches ( Dungy , Caldwell , Fox , and Kubiak ) .   During a 2009 Monday Night Football game , Manning received the nickname `` The Sheriff '' from color commentator Jon Gruden due to his tendency to audible prior to the snap , and he was one of the most recognizable and parodied players in the NFL . Teams led by Manning typically utilized the hurry-up offense in place of the standard huddle .


The United Kingdom has the world's eighth-largest economy by nominal GDP.

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


The United States Congress features the United States Senate.

United States Congress The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States consisting of two chambers : the Senate and the House of Representatives . The Congress meets in the Capitol in Washington , D.C. Both senators and representatives are chosen through direct election , though vacancies in the Senate may be filled by a gubernatorial appointment . Members are usually affiliated to the Republican Party or to the Democratic Party , and only rarely to a third party or as independents . Congress has 535 voting members : 435 Representatives and 100 Senators . The House of Representatives has six non-voting members in addition to its 435 voting members . These members can , however , sit on congressional committees and introduce legislation . These members represent Washington , D.C. , Puerto Rico , American Samoa , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands .   The members of the House of Representatives serve two-year terms representing the people of a single constituency , known as a `` district '' . Congressional districts are apportioned to states by population using the United States Census results , provided that each state has at least one congressional representative . Each state , regardless of population or size , has two senators . Currently , there are 100 senators representing the 50 states . Each senator is elected at-large in their state for a six-year term , with terms staggered , so every two years approximately one-third of the Senate is up for election .


Shingles belong to the same family of cures herpes simplex is part of.

Shingles Shingles , also known as herpes zoster , is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area . Typically the rash occurs in a single stripe either on the left or right of the body or face . Two to four days before the rash occurs there may be tingling or local pain in the area . Otherwise there are typically few symptoms . The rash usually heals within two to four weeks ; however , some people develop ongoing nerve pain which can last for months or years , a condition called postherpetic neuralgia . In those with poor immune function the rash may occur widely . If the rash involves the eye , vision loss may occur .   Shingles is due to a reactivation of varicella zoster virus ( VZV ) within a person 's body . Chickenpox is due to an initial infection with VZV . Once chickenpox has resolved , the virus may remain inactive in nerve cells . When it reactivates it travels from the nerve body to the endings in the skin producing blisters . Risk factors for reactivation include old age , poor immune function , and having had chickenpox before 18 months of age . How the virus remains in the body or subsequently re-activates is not well understood . Exposure to the virus in the blisters can cause chickenpox in someone who has not had it before but will not trigger shingles . Diagnosis is typically based on a person 's signs and symptoms . Varicella zoster virus is not the same as herpes simplex virus ; however , they belong to the same family of viruses .   The shingles vaccine decreases the chance of shingles by about half in those between the ages of 50 and 80 . It also decreases rates of postherpetic neuralgia , and if an outbreak occurs , its severity . After 80 the vaccine is still effective , just less so . It contains the same material as the varicella vaccine , just at a higher dose . If shingles develops , antiviral medications such as aciclovir can reduce the severity and duration of disease if started within 72 hours of the appearance of the rash . Evidence does not show a significant effect of antivirals or steroids on rates of postherpetic neuralgia . Paracetamol , NSAIDs , or opioids may be used to help with the acute pain .   It is estimated that about a third of people develop shingles at some point in their life . While more common among older people , children may also get the disease . The number of new cases per year ranges from 1.2 -- 3.4 per 1,000 among healthy individuals to 3.9 -- 11.8 per 1,000 among those older than 65 years of age . About half of those living to age 85 will have at least one attack , and less than 5 % will have more than one attack . The disease has been recognized since ancient times .


The Wolfman's main actors are Anthony Hopkins and Benicio Del Toro.

The Wolfman (2010 film) The Wolfman is a 2010 American horror drama film and a remake of the 1941 film of the same name . The film is directed by Joe Johnston , with a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self , and creature make-up effects by Rick Baker and stars Benicio del Toro , Anthony Hopkins , Emily Blunt , Hugo Weaving , and Geraldine Chaplin . Baker and make-up effects supervisor Dave Elsey won the Academy Award for Best Makeup at the 83rd Academy Awards . Acclaimed director Mark Romanek was originally attached to direct the film but later dropped out due to creative differences and Joe Johnston was hired shortly after .   The film was released in the United States on February 12 , 2010 , grossing $ 61 million domestically and $ 139 million worldwide against a $ 150 million budget .


Drew Barrymore Drew Blythe Barrymore ( born February 22 , 1975 ) is an American actress , author , director , model and producer . She is a member of the Barrymore family of American stage and film actors , and is a granddaughter of actor John Barrymore . Barrymore began acting on television , and soon transitioned to film with roles in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) and Irreconcilable Differences ( 1984 ) .   Following a turbulent childhood that was marked by drug and alcohol abuse with two stints in rehab , she wrote her autobiography , Little Girl Lost ( 1991 ) . She appeared in a string of successful films , including Poison Ivy ( 1992 ) , Boys on the Side ( 1995 ) , Scream ( 1996 ) and Ever After ( 1998 ) . She has also co-starred with Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer ( 1998 ) , 50 First Dates ( 2004 ) and Blended ( 2014 ) .   After Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen formed their joint production company Flower Films in 1995 , it went on to produce several films in which she also starred , such as Never Been Kissed ( 1999 ) , Charlie 's Angels ( 2000 ) , Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) and her directorial debut Whip It ! ( 2009 ) . Other acting credits include Music and Lyrics ( 2007 ) , He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) , Going the Distance ( 2010 ) and Miss You Already ( 2015 ) . Barrymore won the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Little Edie in Grey Gardens ( 2009 ) . Barrymore currently stars with Timothy Olyphant in the Netflix comedy series Santa Clarita Diet ( 2017 ) .   She was named an Ambassador Against Hunger for the UN World Food Programme ( WFP ) . Since then , she has donated over $ 1 million to the program . A recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , Barrymore appeared on the cover of the 2007 People magazine 's 100 Most Beautiful people .


Sriti Jha Sriti Jha ( born February 26 , 1986 ) is an Indian television actress , who appears in the Indian soap opera . She made her debut with the role of Malini Sharma in the Disney India 's teen drama Dhoom Machaao Dhoom . Jha rose to prominence with the serial Jyoti on NDTV Imagine as Sudha Sharma . She is a currently playing the lead role of Pragya in Zee TV 's show Kumkum Bhagya .


Khal Drogo Khal Drogo is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin , and its television adaptation Game of Thrones .   Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Drogo is a khal , a leader of the Dothraki , a tribe of warriors who roam the continent of Essos .   Drogo is portrayed by Jason Momoa in the HBO television adaptation .


Inspectah Deck Jason Hunter ( born July 6 , 1970 ) better known by his stage name Inspectah Deck , is an American rapper , producer , and member of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and Czarface . He has acquired critical praise for his intricate lyricism , and for his verses on many of the group 's most revered songs . He has grown to become a producer in his own right , taking up tracks for fellow clansmen and his own projects .


Iain Glen Iain Glen ( born 24 June 1961 ) is a Scottish film , television , and stage actor . Glen is best known for his roles as Dr. Alexander Isaacs / Tyrant in the Resident Evil films and for portraying Ser Jorah Mormont on Game of Thrones . Other notable roles include John Hanning Speke in Mountains of the Moon , Sir Richard Carlisle in Downton Abbey , the title role in Jack Taylor and Jarrod Slade in Cleverman .


Chris Weitz Christopher John `` Chris '' Weitz ( born November 30 , 1969 ) is an American film producer , screenwriter , author , occasional actor , and film director . He is the brother of filmmaker Paul Weitz . He is best known for his work with his brother on the comedy films American Pie and About a Boy , the latter of which was Oscar-nominated for adapted screenplay . Weitz directed the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass and the film adaptation of New Moon from the series of Twilight books , as well wrote the screenplay for Disney 's 2015 live-action adaptation of Cinderella and co-wrote Rogue One : A Star Wars Story alongside with Tony Gilroy .


Ezra Edelman Ezra Benjamin Edelman ( born August 6 , 1974 ) is an American documentary producer and director . He won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for directing O.J. : Made in America ( 2016 ) .


The Right Stuff's cast includes Barbara Hershey.

The Right Stuff (film) The Right Stuff is a 1983 American epic historical drama film that was adapted from Tom Wolfe 's best-selling 1979 book of the same name about the Navy , Marine and Air Force test pilots who were involved in aeronautical research at Edwards Air Force Base , California , as well as the seven military pilots who were selected to be the astronauts for Project Mercury , the first manned spaceflight by the United States . The Right Stuff stars Ed Harris , Scott Glenn , Sam Shepard , Fred Ward , Dennis Quaid and Barbara Hershey . Levon Helm is the narrator in the introduction and elsewhere in the film , as well as having a co-starring role as Air Force test pilot Jack Ridley . In 2013 the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .


Singapore was part of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965.

Singapore Singapore ( -LSB- ˈsɪŋgəpɔr -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Singapore , sometimes referred to as the Lion City , the Garden City or the Little Red Dot , is a sovereign city-state in Southeast Asia . It lies one degree ( 137 km ) north of the equator , at the southern tip of peninsular Malaysia , with Indonesia 's Riau Islands to the south . Singapore 's territory consists of one main island along with 62 other islets . Since independence , extensive land reclamation has increased its total size by 23 % ( 130 km2 ) , and its greening policy has covered the densely populated island with tropical flora , parks and gardens .   Stamford Raffles founded colonial Singapore in 1819 as a trading post of the East India Company ; after its collapse and the eventual establishment of the British Raj , the islands were ceded to Britain and became part of its Straits Settlements in 1826 . During the Second World War , Singapore was occupied by Japan . It gained independence from the UK in 1963 by federating with other former British territories to form Malaysia , but separated two years later over ideological differences , becoming a sovereign nation in 1965 . After early years of turbulence , and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland , the nation developed rapidly as an Asian Tiger economy , based on external trade and its workforce .   Singapore is a global commerce , finance and transport hub . Its standings include : the most `` technology-ready '' nation ( WEF ) , top International-meetings city ( UIA ) , city with `` best investment potential '' ( BERI ) , second-most competitive country , third-largest foreign exchange market , third-largest financial centre , third-largest oil refining and trading centre , and the second-busiest container port . The country has also been identified as a tax haven .   Singapore ranks 5th on the UN Human Development Index and the 3rd highest GDP per capita . It is ranked highly in education , healthcare , life expectancy , quality of life , personal safety , and housing . Although income inequality is high , 90 % of homes are owner-occupied . 38 % of Singapore 's 5.6 million residents are permanent residents and other foreign nationals . There are four official languages : English ( common and first language ) , Malay , Mandarin , Tamil ; almost all Singaporeans are bilingual .   Singapore is a unitary multiparty parliamentary republic , with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government . The People 's Action Party has won every election since self-government in 1959 . The dominance of the PAP , coupled with a low level of press freedom and restrictions on civil liberties and political rights , has led to Singapore being classified by some as a semi-authoritarian regime . One of the five founding members of the ASEAN , Singapore is also the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) Secretariat , and a member of the East Asia Summit , Non-Aligned Movement , and the Commonwealth of Nations .


Svitavy Svitavy ( -LSB- ˈsvɪtavɪ -RSB- ; Zwittau ) is a town in the Pardubice Region of the Czech Republic . The town has a population of 18,000 and is also the district administrative centre . It is the birthplace of Oskar Schindler and an important center of the Czech Esperanto movement , with an Esperanto museum that is part of the city museum .


Until Dawn received a positive response.

Until Dawn Until Dawn is an interactive drama survival horror adventure video game developed by Supermassive Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 . It was originally scheduled to be released on the PlayStation 3 and feature PlayStation Move support , but in August 2014 the game was reintroduced as a PlayStation 4 exclusive , and was released worldwide in August 2015 .   Set in Western Canada , Until Dawn centers around a group of eight teenagers who decide to vacation for a night in a cabin on the fictional Blackwood Mountain , exactly one year after the disappearance of two girls , the twin sisters of a member of their group . Shortly after arriving , the gang find themselves under attack by a psychopath , and must attempt to survive until sunrise . Throughout the adventure , players alternate between all eight characters , making critical decisions as the story advances which drastically affects the game 's outcome , leading to hundreds of different scenarios .   Until Dawn was met with a positive critical response upon release , with praise directed at the visuals , ` choice ' mechanic , horror elements , music , characters , voice acting , and gameplay design . Most of the criticism the game drew concerned the second half of the story , the camera angles , character movement , and the game 's partially linear plot .


Foo Fighters was created by a name reported only by the news.

Foo Fighters Foo Fighters is an American rock band , formed in Seattle , Washington in 1994 . It was founded by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of Nirvana after the death of Kurt Cobain . The group got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II , which were known collectively as `` foo fighters '' .   Prior to the release of Foo Fighters ' 1995 debut album Foo Fighters , which featured Grohl as the only official member , Grohl recruited bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith , both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate , as well as Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear to complete the lineup . The band began with performances in Portland , Oregon . Goldsmith quit during the recording of the group 's second album , The Colour and the Shape ( 1997 ) , when most of the drum parts were re-recorded by Grohl himself . Smear 's departure followed soon afterward , though he would rejoin them in 2006 .   They were replaced by Taylor Hawkins and Franz Stahl , respectively , although Stahl was fired before the recording of the group 's third album , There Is Nothing Left to Lose ( 1999 ) . The band briefly continued as a trio until Chris Shiflett joined as the band 's lead guitarist after the completion of There Is Nothing Left to Lose . The band released its fourth album , One by One , in 2002 . The group followed that release with the two-disc In Your Honor ( 2005 ) , which was split between acoustic songs and heavier material . Foo Fighters released its sixth album , Echoes , Silence , Patience & Grace , in 2007 . The band 's seventh studio album , Wasting Light , produced by Butch Vig was released in 2011 , in which Smear returned as a full member . In November 2014 , the band 's eighth studio album , Sonic Highways , was released as an accompanying soundtrack to the Grohl-directed 2014 miniseries of the same name .   Over the course of the band 's career , four of its albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album . As of 2015 , the band 's eight albums have sold 12 million copies in the U.S. , and 30 million worldwide .


Where the Wild Things Are was released in October and was successful.

Where the Wild Things Are (film) Where the Wild Things Are is a 2009 fantasy drama film directed by Spike Jonze . Written by Jonze and Dave Eggers , it is adapted from Maurice Sendak 's 1963 children 's book of the same name . It combines live-action , performers in costumes , animatronics , and computer-generated imagery ( CGI ) . The film stars Max Records and features the voices of James Gandolfini , Paul Dano , Lauren Ambrose , Forest Whitaker , Catherine O'Hara , and Chris Cooper . The film centers on a lonely eight-year-old boy named Max who sails away to an island inhabited by creatures known as the `` Wild Things , '' who declare Max their king .   In the early 1980s , Disney considered adapting the film as a blend of traditionally animated characters and computer-generated environments , but development did not go past a test film to see how the animation hybridizing would result . In 2001 , Universal Studios acquired rights to the book 's adaptation and initially attempted to develop a computer-animated adaptation with Disney animator Eric Goldberg , but the CGI concept was replaced with a live-action one in 2003 , and Goldberg was dropped for Spike Jonze . The film was co-produced by actor Tom Hanks through his production company Playtone and made on an estimated budget of $ 100 million . Where the Wild Things Are was a joint production between Australia , Germany , and the United States , and was filmed principally in Melbourne .   The film was released on October 16 , 2009 , in the United States , on December 3 in Australia , and on December 17 in Germany . The film was met with mostly positive reviews and appeared on many year-end top ten lists . The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 2 , 2010 .


Alien: Covenant is a 2017 American science fiction horror film.

Alien: Covenant Alien : Covenant is a 2017 American science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by John Logan and Dante Harper , with a story by Michael Green and Jack Paglen . The film is a sequel to the 2012 film Prometheus , the second installment in the Alien prequel series , and the sixth installment overall in the Alien film series , as well as the third directed by Scott . The film stars Michael Fassbender , Katherine Waterston , Billy Crudup , Danny McBride , Carmen Ejogo and Demián Bichir , and follows the crew of a ship who land on an uncharted planet and make a terrifying discovery .   Alien : Covenant premiered in London on May 4 , 2017 and was released in the United States on May 19 , 2017 . The film received generally positive reviews , with most critics praising Fassbender 's dual performance , and noting it as a return to form for both director Ridley Scott and the franchise . It has grossed $ 162 million worldwide .


Anaheim, California Anaheim ( pronounced -LSB- ˈænəhaɪm -RSB- ) is a city in Orange County , California , part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area . As of the 2010 United States Census , the city had a population of 336,265 , making it the most populous city in Orange County and the 10th most populous city in California . Anaheim is the second largest city in Orange County in terms of land area ( after Irvine ) and is known for its theme parks , the Anaheim Convention Center , and its two major sports teams : the Anaheim Ducks ice hockey club and the Angels baseball team .   Anaheim was founded by fifty German families in 1857 and incorporated as the second city in Los Angeles County on March 18 , 1876 ; Orange County would later be split off from Los Angeles County in 1889 . Anaheim remained largely a rural community until Disneyland opened in the city in 1955 . This led to the construction of several hotels and motels around the area , and residential districts in Anaheim soon followed . The city also developed into an industrial center , producing electronics , aircraft parts and canned fruit .   Anaheim 's city limits extend from Cypress in the west to the Riverside County line in the east and encompass a diverse collection of neighborhoods and communities . Anaheim Hills is a master-planned community located in the city 's eastern stretches that is home to many of the city 's affluent . Downtown Anaheim has three mixed-use historic districts , the largest of which is the Anaheim Colony . The Anaheim Resort , a commercial district , includes Disneyland , Disney California Adventure , and numerous hotels and retail complexes . The Platinum Triangle , a neo-urban redevelopment district surrounding Angel Stadium , is planned to be populated with mixed-use streets and high-rises . Anaheim Canyon is an industrial district north of California State Route 91 and east of California State Route 57 .


Felicity Jones Felicity Rose Hadley Jones ( born 17 October 1983 ) is an English actress . She started her professional acting career as a child , appearing at age 12 in The Treasure Seekers ( 1996 ) . Jones went on to play Ethel Hallow for one season in the television show The Worst Witch and its sequel Weirdsister College . She took time off from acting to attend university at Wadham College , Oxford where she performed in Shakespeare 's The Comedy of Errors for the Oxford University Dramatic Society , and has worked steadily since graduating in 2006 . On radio , she has played the role of Emma Grundy in the BBC 's The Archers . In 2008 , she appeared in the Donmar Warehouse production of The Chalk Garden .   Since 2006 , Jones has appeared in numerous films , including Northanger Abbey ( 2007 ) , Brideshead Revisited ( 2008 ) , Chéri ( 2009 ) , and The Tempest ( 2010 ) . Her performance in the 2011 film Like Crazy was met with critical acclaim , garnering her numerous awards , including a special jury prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival . In 2014 , her performance as Jane Hawking in The Theory of Everything also met with critical acclaim , garnering her nominations for the Golden Globe , SAG , BAFTA and Academy Award for Best Actress . In 2016 , Jones starred in the adventure-thriller Inferno , the fantasy drama A Monster Calls and the Star Wars anthology film Rogue One . In 2016 , she received the BAFTA Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year .


Italy has the eighth largest economy in the Americas.

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 .


Rashida Jones was a cast member of Our Idiot Brother.

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


Christoph Waltz portrayed a character named Landa.

Christoph Waltz Christoph Waltz ( -LSB- ˈkrɪstɔf ˈvalts -RSB- ; born 4 October 1956 ) is an Austrian-German actor . Widely known for his works with American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino , he received acclaim for portraying SS-Standartenführer Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds ( 2009 ) and bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz in Django Unchained ( 2012 ) . For each of those performances , he won an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor . He also received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of Landa .   Waltz portrayed computer genius Qohen Leth in the sci-fi film The Zero Theorem ( 2013 ) , American plagiarist Walter Keane in the biographical film Big Eyes ( 2014 ) , and 007 's nemesis and head of SPECTRE Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Spectre ( 2015 ) , the twenty-fourth James Bond film .


Mel B Melanie Janine Brown ( born 29 May 1975 ) , better known as Mel B or Melanie B , is an English singer , songwriter , presenter , television personality , dancer , actress , author , and model . Brown rose to fame as a member of the girl group the Spice Girls , in which she became known as Scary Spice . Brown is also known for supporting girl power and earlier global tours , which grossed an estimated $ 500 -- 800 million between 1996 and 2000 .   Brown began her solo career when she released `` I Want You Back '' with Missy Elliott on Virgin Records . The single charted at number one on the UK Singles Chart , followed by the release of her debut album , Hot ( 2000 ) . The album also saw the release of two top 10 singles `` Tell Me '' and `` Feels So Good '' . L.A. State of Mind was Brown 's second studio album , released in 2005 on the independent label Amber Café , which saw the release of one single , `` Today '' in June that year . In mid-2012 , Brown announced a return to her solo recording career with the release of her third studio album by signing with EMI Music Australia . The scope of the deal with EMI office includes concessions for global partnering with EMI . The first single from the album , `` For Once in My Life '' was released in September 2013 , becoming Brown 's first record to be released after eight years .   Since 2000 , Brown has concentrated on a variety of non-singing projects . She became the presenter of shows such as This Is My Moment , Top of the Pops , Party in the Park and The All Star Animal Awards . In September 2007 , she became a contestant on the fifth season of the American dance competition , Dancing with the Stars ; in which she placed runner-up overall partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy . Brown returned to television work becoming a judge for the Australian version of The X Factor from 2011 to 2012 , replacing Kyle Sandilands and having previously been a celebrity mentor on the show in 2010 . In June 2012 , she was a guest judge during the Manchester auditions for the ninth series of The X Factor UK , as one of the temporary replacements for Kelly Rowland ; before the role eventually went to Nicole Scherzinger . She later joined The X Factor UK for its eleventh series in 2014 .   During this time she became the female co-host for Dancing with the Stars Australia , in which she hosted the twelfth season alongside Daniel MacPherson . However , Brown resigned from the show and did not return for the thirteenth season in 2013 . In February that year , she officially signed on to become one of the four judges for the variety talent show America 's Got Talent , replacing Sharon Osbourne from the eighth season onwards . On 1 February 2014 , she was revealed to be a coach on The Voice Kids in Australia , which aired in mid-2014 .


Hot (Mel B album) Hot is the debut album by British pop singer Melanie B , released on 9 October 2000 by Virgin . The album was not as successful as her albums with the Spice Girls or that of other members solo albums released around this time . It peaked at number twenty-eight in United Kingdom and sold over 60,000 copies , receiving a silver certification . The album had four singles : `` I Want You Back '' , featuring Missy Elliott , `` Tell Me '' , `` Feels So Good '' and `` Lullaby '' . The first three singles reached top 5 in United Kingdom . The single `` Word Up '' , previously released on the soundtrack of the film Austin Powers : The Spy Who Shagged Me , was included on the Japanese version . The album received mixed to negative reviews from critics .


The Six Million Dollar Man The Six Million Dollar Man is an American science fiction and action television series about a former astronaut , Colonel Steve Austin , portrayed by American actor Lee Majors . Austin has superhuman strength due to bionic implants and is employed as a secret agent by a fictional U.S. government office titled OSI . The series was based on the Martin Caidin novel Cyborg , which was the working title of the series during pre-production .   Following three television pilot movies , which all aired in 1973 , The Six Million Dollar Man television series aired on the ABC network as a regular episodic series for five seasons from 1974 to 1978 . Steve Austin became a pop culture icon of the 1970s . A spin-off television series , The Bionic Woman , featuring the lead female character Jaime Sommers , ran from 1976 to 1978 . Three television movies featuring both bionic characters were also produced from 1987 to 1994 .


Lee Majors Lee Majors ( born Harvey Lee Yeary ; April 23 , 1939 ) is an American film , television and voice actor . Majors is best known for portraying the roles of Heath Barkley in the American television Western series The Big Valley ( 1965 -- 1969 ) , Colonel Steve Austin in the American television science fiction action series The Six Million Dollar Man ( 1973 -- 1978 ) , and Colt Seavers in American television action series The Fall Guy ( 1981 -- 1986 ) .   In the television series The Six Million Dollar Man , Steve Austin takes on special high-risk government missions using his superhuman bionic powers . The television character Steve Austin became a pop culture icon of the 1970s .   Majors reprised the role of Colonel Steve Austin in several bionic reunion television movies in the late 1980s and 1990s . He appeared in a number of supporting , recurring and cameo roles in feature films and television series , and lent his voice to a number of animated TV series and video games .


The Fall Guy The Fall Guy is an American action/adventure television program produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4 , 1981 to May 2 , 1986 . It stars Lee Majors , Douglas Barr , and Heather Thomas .


The Big Valley The Big Valley is an American western television series which ran on ABC from September 15 , 1965 , to May 19 , 1969 , starring Barbara Stanwyck , as the widow of a wealthy 19th-century California rancher and Richard Long , Lee Majors , Peter Breck and Linda Evans as her family . The show was created by A.I. Bezzerides and Louis F. Edelman and produced by Levy-Gardner-Laven for Four Star Television .


A Song of Ice and Fire is by Angela Merkel.

A Song of Ice and Fire A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist and screenwriter George R. R. Martin . He began the first volume of the series , A Game of Thrones , in 1991 and had it published in 1996 . Martin , who initially envisioned the series as a trilogy , has published five out of a planned seven volumes . The fifth and most recent volume of the series published in 2011 , A Dance with Dragons , took Martin five years to write . He is still writing the sixth novel , The Winds of Winter .   A Song of Ice and Fire takes place on the fictional continents Westeros and Essos . The point of view of each chapter in the story is a limited perspective of a range of characters growing from nine , in the first novel , to thirty-one by the fifth . Three main stories interweave a dynastic war among several families for control of Westeros , the rising threat of the supernatural Others in the northernmost reaches of Westeros , and the ambition of Daenerys Targaryen , the deposed king 's exiled daughter , to assume the Iron Throne .   Martin 's inspirations included the Wars of the Roses and the French historical novels The Accursed Kings by Maurice Druon . A Song of Ice and Fire received praise for its diverse portrayal of women and religion , as well as its realism . An assortment of disparate and subjective points of view confronts the reader , and the success or survival of point of view characters is never assured . Within the often morally ambiguous world of A Song of Ice and Fire , questions concerning loyalty , pride , human sexuality , piety , and the morality of violence frequently arise .   As of April 2015 , the books have sold more than 60 million copies worldwide and , as of January 2017 , have been translated into 47 languages . The fourth and fifth volumes reached the top of The New York Times Best Seller lists upon their releases . Among the many derived works are several prequel novellas , a TV series , a comic book adaptation , and several card , board , and video games .


Life Is Peachy was released on October 15, 1996.

Life Is Peachy Life Is Peachy is the second studio album by the American nu metal band Korn , released on October 15 , 1996 through both Immortal Records and Epic Records . After the release of Korn 's 1994 self-titled debut album , the band asked Ross Robinson to produce and went back to Indigo Ranch to record . Life Is Peachy has fourteen tracks , excluding the hidden track after `` Kill You '' . Korn released three singles from Life Is Peachy : `` No Place to Hide '' , `` A.D.I.D.A.S. '' , and `` Good God '' . All three singles went on the UK Singles Chart . Life Is Peachy features such themes as drugs , social encounters , sex , and revenge . The album 's cover art was designed by Martin Riedl and its name is credited to Korn 's bassist Reginald `` Fieldy '' Arvizu .   Life Is Peachy was certified gold on January 8 , 1997 and was later certified platinum on December 9 , 1997 . Following the success of Korn 's 1994 self-titled debut album , Life Is Peachy was certified double platinum on November 10 , 1999 . Life Is Peachy debuted and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number one in New Zealand . In its first week of being released , the album sold 106,000 copies . Critical reception for Life Is Peachy was mainly mixed , with critics praising the album 's songwriting and sound quality .   Before the release of Life Is Peachy , Korn toured with many bands . Initially , Korn joined the Sick of It All Tour . Following the Sick of It All Tour , Korn joined the Danzig 4 Tour . Korn also toured with Megadeth , Fear Factory , and Flotsam and Jetsam . After the release of Life Is Peachy , Korn toured solo , and headlined and often sold out shows . Korn also toured in the Lollapalooza summer tour .


Bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera ( -LSB- kaɪˈrɒptərə -RSB- from the χείρ - cheir , `` hand '' and πτερόν - pteron , `` wing '' ) whose forelimbs form webbed wings , making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight . By contrast , other mammals said to fly , such as flying squirrels , gliding possums , and colugos , can only glide for short distances . Bats are less efficient at flying than birds , but are more manoeuvrable , using their very long spread-out digits which are covered with a thin membrane or patagium .   Bats are the second largest order of mammals ( after the rodents ) , representing about 20 % of all classified mammal species worldwide , with about 1,240 bat species divided into two suborders : the less specialized and largely fruit-eating megabats , or flying foxes , and the highly specialized and echolocating microbats . About 70 % of bat species are insectivores . Most of the rest are frugivores , or fruit eaters . A few species , such as the fish-eating bat , feed from animals other than insects , with the vampire bats being hematophagous , or feeding on blood .   Bats are present throughout most of the world , with the exception of extremely cold regions . They perform the vital ecological roles of pollinating flowers and dispersing fruit seeds ; many tropical plant species depend entirely on bats for the distribution of their seeds . Bats are economically important , as they consume insect pests , reducing the need for pesticides . The smallest bat is the Kitti 's hog-nosed bat , measuring 29 - in length , 15 cm across the wings and 2 - in mass . It is also arguably the smallest extant species of mammal , with the Etruscan shrew being the other contender . The largest species of bat are a few species of Pteropus ( fruit bats or flying foxes ) and the giant golden-crowned flying fox with a weight up to 1.6 kg and wingspan up to 1.7 m.   The Mexican free-tailed bat is the fastest flying animal in horizontal flight .


Kitti's hog-nosed bat Kitti 's hog-nosed bat ( Craseonycteris thonglongyai ) , also known as the bumblebee bat , is a vulnerable species of bat and the only extant member of the family Craseonycteridae . It occurs in western Thailand and southeast Burma , where it occupies limestone caves along rivers .   Kitti 's hog-nosed bat is the smallest species of bat and arguably the world 's smallest mammal . It has a reddish-brown or grey coat , with a distinctive pig-like snout . Colonies range greatly in size , with an average of 100 individuals per cave . The bat feeds during short activity periods in the evening and dawn , foraging around nearby forest areas for insects . Females give birth annually to a single offspring .   Although the bat 's status in Burma is not well known , the Thai population is restricted to a single province and may be at risk for extinction . Its potential threats are primarily anthropogenic , and include habitat degradation and the disturbance of roosting sites .


VHS The Video Home System ( VHS ) is a standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes . Developed by Victor Company of Japan ( JVC ) in the early 1970s , it was released in Japan in late 1976 and in the USA in early 1977 .   From the 1950s , magnetic tape video recording became a major contributor to the television industry , via the first commercialized video tape recorders ( VTRs ) . At that time , the devices were used only in expensive professional environments such as television studios and medical imaging ( fluoroscopy ) . In the 1970s , videotape entered home use , creating the home video industry and changing the economics of the television and movie businesses . The television industry viewed videocassette recorders ( VCRs ) as having the power to disrupt their business , while television users viewed the VCR as the means to take control of their hobby .   In the 1980s and 1990s , at the peak of VHS 's popularity , there were videotape format wars in the home video industry . Two of the formats , VHS and Betamax , received the most media exposure . VHS eventually won the war , dominating 60 percent of the North American market by 1980 and emerging as the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period .   Optical disc formats later began to offer better quality than analog consumer video tape such as standard and super-VHS . The earliest of these formats , LaserDisc , was not widely adopted . However , after the introduction of the DVD format in 1997 , VHS 's market share began to decline . By 2008 , DVD had replaced VHS as the preferred low-end method of distribution .


Dubai Dubai ( -LSB- duːˈbaɪ -RSB- ; دبي , Gulf pronunciation : -LSB- dʊˈbɑj -RSB- ) is the largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) . It is located on the southeast coast of the Persian Gulf and is the capital of the Emirate of Dubai , one of the seven emirates that make up the country . Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the only two emirates to have veto power over critical matters of national importance in the country 's legislature . The city of Dubai is located on the emirate 's northern coastline and heads the Dubai-Sharjah-Ajman metropolitan area . Dubai will host World Expo 2020 .   Dubai emerged as a global city and business hub of the Middle East . It is also a major transport hub for passengers and cargo . By the 1960s , Dubai 's economy was based on revenues from trade and , to a smaller extent , oil exploration concessions , but oil was not discovered until 1966 . Oil revenue first started to flow in 1969 . Dubai 's oil revenue helped accelerate the early development of the city , but its reserves are limited and production levels are low : today , less than 5 % of the emirate 's revenue comes from oil .   The emirate 's Western-style model of business drives its economy with the main revenues now coming from tourism , aviation , real estate , and financial services . Dubai was recently named the best destination for Muslim travellers by Salam Standard . Dubai has recently attracted world attention through many innovative large construction projects and sports events . The city has become iconic for its skyscrapers and high-rise buildings , in particular the world 's tallest building , the Burj Khalifa . Dubai has been criticised for human rights violations concerning the city 's largely South Asian and Filipino workforce . Dubai 's property market experienced a major deterioration in 2008 -- 09 following the financial crisis of 2007 -- 08 , but the emirate 's economy has made a return to growth , with a projected 2015 budget surplus .   , Dubai was the 22nd most expensive city in the world and the most expensive city in the Middle East . In 2014 , Dubai 's hotel rooms were rated as the second most expensive in the world , after Geneva . Dubai was rated as one of the best places to live in the Middle East by U.S. global consulting firm Mercer .


Theodore Roosevelt criticized President Woodrow Wilson.

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( -LSB- ˈroʊzəvɛlt -RSB- ; October 27 , 1858 -- January 6 , 1919 ) was an American statesman , author , explorer , soldier , naturalist , and reformer who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 . He also served as the 25th Vice President of the United States and as the 33rd Governor of New York . As a leader of the Republican Party during this time , he became a driving force for the Progressive Era in the United States in the early 20th century . His face is depicted on Mount Rushmore , alongside those of George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , and Abraham Lincoln .   Roosevelt was born a sickly child with debilitating asthma , but he successfully overcame his physical health problems by embracing a strenuous lifestyle . He integrated his exuberant personality , vast range of interests , and world-famous achievements into a `` cowboy '' persona defined by robust masculinity . Home-schooled , he began a lifelong naturalist avocation before attending Harvard College . His book , The Naval War of 1812 ( 1882 ) , established his reputation as both a learned historian and as a popular writer . Upon entering politics , he became the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York 's state legislature . Following the near-simultaneous deaths of his wife and mother , he escaped to a cattle ranch in the Dakotas . Roosevelt served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley , but resigned from that post to lead the Rough Riders during the Spanish -- American War . Returning a war hero , he was elected Governor of New York in 1898 . After the death of Vice President Garret Hobart , the New York state party leadership convinced McKinley to accept Roosevelt as his running mate in the 1900 election , moving Roosevelt to the prestigious but powerless role of vice president . Roosevelt campaigned vigorously and the McKinley-Roosevelt ticket won a landslide victory based on a platform of peace , prosperity , and conservatism .   Following McKinley 's assassination in September 1901 , Roosevelt became president at age 42 , and remains the youngest president . As a leader of the Progressive movement , he championed his `` Square Deal '' domestic policies , promising the average citizen fairness , breaking of trusts , regulation of railroads , and pure food and drugs . Making conservation a top priority , he established a myriad of new national parks , forests , and monuments intended to preserve the nation 's natural resources . In foreign policy , he focused on Central America , where he began construction of the Panama Canal . He expanded the Navy and sent the Great White Fleet on a world tour to project the United States ' naval power around the globe . His successful efforts to broker the end of the Russo-Japanese War won him the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize . He avoided the controversial tariff and money issues . Elected in 1904 to a full term , Roosevelt continued to promote progressive policies , but many of his efforts and much of his legislative agenda were eventually blocked in Congress . Roosevelt successfully groomed his close friend , William Howard Taft , and Taft won the 1908 presidential election to succeed him . In polls of historians and political scientists , Roosevelt is generally ranked as one of the five best presidents .   Frustrated with Taft 's conservatism , Roosevelt belatedly tried to win the 1912 Republican nomination . He failed , walked out , and founded a third party , the Progressive , so-called `` Bull Moose '' Party , which called for wide-ranging progressive reforms . The split allowed the Democrats to win the White House and a majority in both houses of Congress . Following his election defeat , Roosevelt led a two-year expedition to the Amazon basin , where he nearly died of tropical disease . During World War I , he criticized President Woodrow Wilson for keeping the country out of the war with Germany , and his offer to lead volunteers to France was rejected . Though he had considered running for president again in 1920 , Roosevelt 's health continued to deteriorate , and he died in 1919 .


Black Sails is a chapter of a Robert Louis Stevenson novel.

Black Sails (TV series) Black Sails is an American historical adventure television series set on New Providence Island and a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson 's novel Treasure Island . The series was created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine for Starz . It debuted online for free on YouTube and other various streaming platform and video on demand services on January 18 , 2014 . The debut on cable television followed a week later on January 25 , 2014 . Steinberg is executive producer , alongside Michael Bay , Brad Fuller and Andrew Form , while Michael Angeli , Doris Egan , and Levine are co-executive producers .   On July 26 , 2013 , Starz renewed the show for a ten-episode second season , which premiered on January 24 , 2015 . The early renewal , six months before the first season premiered , was based on the positive fan reaction to the show at the San Diego Comic-Con . The series was renewed for a third season on October 12 , 2014 , and a fourth season on July 31 , 2015 , both before the respective previous seasons had premiered .   On July 20 , 2016 , Starz announced that the series ' fourth season would be its last ; the season premiered on January 29 , 2017 , and the series concluded on April 2 , 2017 .


Craig Middlebrooks is a nonfiction character.

Parks and Recreation (season 6) The sixth season of Parks and Recreation originally aired in the United States on the NBC television network , from September 26 , 2013 with an hour long premiere , and concluded on April 24 , 2014 with an hour-long finale . It premiered in its new Thursday 8:00 pm timeslot . This season consisted of 22 episodes . The show moved to Thursdays at 8:30 pm beginning with its 100th episode .   Much like the other seasons , Season 6 followed Leslie Knope ( Amy Poehler ) and her co-workers in local government of fictional Indiana town , Pawnee . The season chronicled Leslie facing the recall vote from City Council , Ann Perkins ( Rashida Jones ) and Chris Traeger ( Rob Lowe ) 's move to Michigan to start their family , Andy Dwyer ( Chris Pratt ) 's career in London , and the city merger of Eagleton and Pawnee , resulting in the Unity Concert organized by Leslie .


Craig Middlebrooks Craig Middlebrooks is a fictional character on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation . Portrayed by Billy Eichner , Craig began making recurring appearances during the sixth season before being promoted to a main character midway through season seven , which would become the show 's final season .


Hong Kong maintains its independent powers.

Hong Kong Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People 's Republic of China , is an autonomous territory on the Pearl River Delta of China . Macau lies across the delta to the west , and the province of Guangdong borders the territory to the north . With a total land area of 1,106 km2 and a population of over 7.3 million of various nationalities , it ranks as the world 's fourth most densely populated sovereign state or territory .   After the First Opium War ( 1839 -- 42 ) , Hong Kong became a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island , followed by the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898 . Hong Kong was later occupied by Japan during World War II until British control resumed in 1945 . In the early 1980s , negotiations between the United Kingdom and China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration , which paved way for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997 , when it became a special administrative region ( SAR ) of the Peoples Republic of China with a high degree of autonomy .   Under the principle of `` one country , two systems '' , Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system from China . Except in military defence and foreign affairs , Hong Kong maintains its independent executive , legislative and judiciary powers . In addition , Hong Kong develops relations directly with foreign states and international organisations in a broad range of `` appropriate fields '' .   Hong Kong is one of the world 's most significant financial centres , with the highest Financial Development Index score and consistently ranks as the world 's most competitive and freest economic entity . As the world 's 8th largest trading entity , its legal tender , the Hong Kong dollar , is the world 's 13th most traded currency . It 's also a member of the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) . Hong Kong 's tertiary sector dominated economy is characterised by simple taxation with a competitive level of corporate tax and supported by its independent judiciary system . However , while Hong Kong has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world , it suffers from severe income inequality .   Hong Kong is renowned for its deep natural harbour , which enables ready access by international cargo ships , and its impressive skyline , with a very high density of skyscrapers ; the territory boasts the second largest number of high rises of any city in the world . It has a very high Human Development Index ranking and the world 's longest life expectancy . Over 90 % of the population makes use of well-developed public transportation . Seasonal air pollution with origins from neighbouring industrial areas of Mainland China , which adopts loose emissions standards , has resulted in a high level of atmospheric particulates .


Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears ( born December 2 , 1981 ) is an American singer , dancer , and actress . Born in McComb , Mississippi , and raised in Kentwood , Louisiana , she performed acting roles in stage productions and television shows as a child before signing with Jive Records in 1997 . Spears 's first and second studio albums , ... Baby One More Time ( 1999 ) and Oops ! ... I Did It Again ( 2000 ) , became international successes , with the former becoming the best-selling album by a teenage solo artist . Title tracks '' ... Baby One More Time '' and `` Oops ! ... I Did It Again '' broke international sales records . In 2001 , Spears released her self-titled third studio album , Britney , and played the starring role in the film Crossroads ( 2002 ) . She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album , In the Zone ( 2003 ) , which yielded the worldwide success of the single `` Toxic '' .   In 2007 , Spears 's much-publicized personal issues sent her career into hiatus . Her fifth studio album , Blackout , was released later that year , and spawned singles such as `` Gim me More '' and `` Piece of Me '' . Her erratic behavior and hospitalizations continued through the following year , at which point she was placed under a still ongoing conservatorship . Spears 's sixth studio album , Circus ( 2008 ) , included the international chart-topping single `` Womanizer '' . Her seventh studio album , Femme Fatale ( 2011 ) , became her first to yield three top-ten singles in the United States . She released her eighth studio album Britney Jean in 2013 . Later that year , Spears began the four-year residency show , Britney : Piece of Me , at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas . In 2016 , Spears released her ninth studio album , Glory . In 2017 , she announced that her residency show would develop into a world tour , Britney : Live in Concert .   Spears is regarded as a pop icon and credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s . She became the best-selling teenage artist of all time and garnered honorific titles including the `` Princess of Pop '' . Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades , including a Grammy Award , six MTV Video Music Awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award , seven Billboard Music Awards including the Millennium Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2009 , Billboard ranked her as the 8th overall Artist of the Decade , and also recognized her as the best-selling female artist of the 2000s , as well as the fifth overall . The Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) lists Spears as the eighth top-selling female artist in the United States , with 34 million certified albums . She has sold over 100 million records worldwide making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time . According to Billboard Spears has sold about 22.38 million singles in digital downloads in US and is the fourth best-selling female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began .   Rolling Stone recognized her instant success as one of the Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments of all time , while VH1 ranked her eleventh on their `` 100 Greatest Women in Music '' list in 2012 , and Billboard named her the sexiest woman in music . Forbes reported that Spears was the highest paid female musician of 2012 , with earnings of $ 58 million , having last topped the list in 2002 .


Robert Downey Jr. Robert John Downey Jr. ( born April 4 , 1965 ) is an American actor . His career has included critical and popular success in his youth , followed by a period of substance abuse and legal troubles , and a resurgence of commercial success in middle age . For three consecutive years from 2012 to 2015 , Downey has topped the Forbes list of Hollywood 's highest-paid actors , making an estimated $ 80 million in earnings between June 2014 and June 2015 .   Making his acting debut at the age of five , appearing in his father 's film Pound ( 1970 ) , Downey Jr. appeared in roles associated with the Brat Pack , such as the teen sci-fi comedy Weird Science ( 1985 ) and the drama Less Than Zero ( 1987 ) . He starred as the title character in the 1992 film Chaplin , which earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor and won him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role . After being released in 2000 from the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison where he was on drug charges , Downey joined the cast of the TV series Ally McBeal playing Calista Flockhart 's love interest . This earned him a Golden Globe Award . His character was written out when Downey was fired after two drug arrests in late 2000 and early 2001 . After his last stay in a court-ordered drug treatment program , Downey achieved sobriety .   Downey Jr. 's career prospects improved when he featured in the mystery thriller Zodiac ( 2007 ) , and the satirical action comedy Tropic Thunder ( 2008 ) ; for the latter he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Beginning in 2008 , Downey began portraying the role of Marvel Comics superhero Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , appearing in several films as either the lead role , member of an ensemble cast , or in a cameo . Each of these films has grossed over $ 500 million at the box office worldwide ; four of theseThe Avengers , Avengers : Age of Ultron , Iron Man 3 and Captain America : Civil Warearned over $ 1 billion . Downey Jr. has also played the title character in Guy Ritchie 's Sherlock Holmes ( 2009 ) and its sequel ( 2011 ) .


Joey Graceffa is a YouTube personality and he is American.

Joey Graceffa Joseph Michael `` Joey '' Graceffa ( -LSB- grəˈsɛfə -RSB- born May 16 , 1991 ) is an American YouTube personality , actor , author , producer , and singer . He has two active YouTube channels , both of which are named after him . One of them is for vlogging and the other is used for video gaming content . They both have a combined total of more than 1.6 billion views . His other YouTube channel , which he no longer uses , called WinterSpringPro , has 60 million views ( as of May 2017 ) . He was a contestant on 22nd and 24th seasons of The Amazing Race and has appeared in short films ( as web films ) and short web television series on YouTube and its subscription-only service YouTube Red .