Four Western Conference titles have been won by the Houston Rockets.

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston , Texas . The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference Southwest Division . The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center , located in downtown Houston . The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles . The team was established as the San Diego Rockets , an expansion team originally based in San Diego , in 1967 . In 1971 , the Rockets moved to Houston .   The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season as a franchise in 1967 . In the 1968 NBA draft , the Rockets , picking first overall , selected power forward Elvin Hayes , who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie season . The Rockets did not finish a season with a winning record until the 1976 -- 77 season , when they traded for center Moses Malone . Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) award twice and led Houston to the conference finals in his first year with the team . He also led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981 where they were defeated in six games by the Boston Celtics , led by Larry Bird and future Rockets coach Kevin McHale .   In 1984 , the Rockets drafted center Hakeem Olajuwon , who would be paired with 7 ft Ralph Sampson , forming one of the tallest front courts in the NBA . Nicknamed the `` Twin Towers '' , they led the team to the 1986 NBA Finals -- the second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history -- where Houston was again defeated by the Boston Celtics . The Rockets continued to reach the playoffs throughout the 1980s , but failed to advance past the first round for several years following a second-round defeat to the Seattle SuperSonics in 1987 . Rudy Tomjanovich took over as head coach midway through the 1991 -- 92 season , ushering in the most successful period in franchise history . Olajuwon-led Rockets went to the 1994 NBA Finals and won franchise 's first championship against Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks . The following season , the Rockets reinforced by another All-Star , Clyde Drexler , repeated as champions as the sixth seed in the West and swept the Orlando Magic , led by a young Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway , in four games . Houston became the lowest-seeded team in NBA history to win the title .   The Rockets acquired all-star forward Charles Barkley in 1996 , but the presence of three of the NBA 's 50 greatest players of all-time ( Olajuwon , Drexler , and Barkley ) was not enough to propel Houston past the Western Conference Finals . Each one of the aging trio had left the team by 2001 , and the Rockets of the early 21st century , led by superstars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming , followed the trend of consistent regular-season respectability followed by playoff underachievement as both players struggled with injuries . After Yao 's early retirement in 2011 , the Rockets entered a period of rebuilding , completely dismantling and retooling their roster . The acquisition of franchise player James Harden in 2012 has launched the Rockets back into championship contention in the mid-2010s . The Rockets , under general manager Daryl Morey , are notable for popularizing the use of advanced statistical analytics ( similar to sabermetrics in baseball ) in player acquisitions and style of play .


Ricin Ricin ( -LSB- ˈraɪsɪn -RSB- ) is a highly toxic , naturally occurring lectin ( a carbohydrate-binding protein ) produced in the seeds of the castor oil plant , Ricinus communis . A dose of purified ricin powder the size of a few grains of table salt can kill an adult human . The median lethal dose ( LD50 ) of ricin is around 22 micrograms per kilogram of body weight if the exposure is from injection or inhalation ( 1.78 milligram for an average adult ) . Oral exposure to ricin is far less toxic as some of the poison is inactivated in the stomach . An estimated lethal oral dose in humans is approximately 1 milligram per kilogram .


Amy Adams is an American with an occupation.

Amy Adams Amy Lou Adams ( born August 20 , 1974 ) is an American actress and singer . She was named one of 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2014 and is among the highest-paid actresses in the world . She has won two Golden Globe Awards , and has been nominated for five Academy Awards and six British Academy Film Awards .   Adams began her career on stage performing in dinner theater and went on to make her feature film debut in Drop Dead Gorgeous ( 1999 ) . After moving to Los Angeles , she made several appearances on television and in B-movies , before starring in Steven Spielberg 's 2002 biopic Catch Me If You Can . Adams 's breakthrough role came in the 2005 independent film Junebug , in which her portrayal of a young pregnant woman earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination . In 2007 , she starred as a princess in the commercially successful Disney musical film Enchanted .   Adams received three more Oscar nominations for her supporting roles in Doubt ( 2008 ) , The Fighter ( 2010 ) , and The Master ( 2012 ) . She played reporter Lois Lane in the 2013 superhero film Man of Steel and a troubled con artist in David O. Russell 's film American Hustle ; for the latter , she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress . She won a second consecutive Golden Globe Award for portraying artist Margaret Keane in the comedy-drama Big Eyes ( 2014 ) . In 2016 , Adams reprised the role of Lois in Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , and garnered acclaim for her leading roles in the science-fiction film Arrival and the crime thriller Nocturnal Animals .


George R. R. Martin -RCB- -RCB-   George Raymond Richard Martin ( born George Raymond Martin ; September 20 , 1948 ) , often referred to as GRRM , is an American novelist and short-story writer in the fantasy , horror , and science fiction genres , screenwriter , and television producer . He is best known for his international bestselling series of epic fantasy novels , A Song of Ice and Fire , which was later adapted into the HBO dramatic series Game of Thrones .   Martin serves as the series ' co-executive producer , and also scripted four episodes of the series . In 2005 , Lev Grossman of Time called Martin `` the American Tolkien '' , and the magazine later named him one of the `` 2011 Time 100 '' , a list of the `` most influential people in the world . ''


The Land Before Time was produced entirely by Gob Bluth.

The Land Before Time The Land Before Time is a 1988 American-Irish animated adventure drama film directed and produced by Don Bluth and executive produced by Steven Spielberg , George Lucas , Kathleen Kennedy , and Frank Marshall .   Produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios , Amblin Partners ' Amblin Entertainment and Lucasfilm ( despite not receiving an official credit nor the film 's marketing bearing the studio 's logo ) , it features dinosaurs living in the prehistoric times . The plot concerns a young Brontosaurus named Littlefoot who is orphaned when his mother is killed by a Tyrannosaurus . Littlefoot flees famine and upheaval to search for the Great Valley , an area spared from devastation . On his journey , he meets four young companions : Cera , Ducky , Petrie , and Spike , a Spike-tail .   The film explores issues of prejudice between the different species and the hardships they endure in their journey as they are guided by the spirit of Littlefoot 's mother and also forced to deal with the murderous T-Rex that killed her . This is the only Don Bluth film of the 1980s in which Dom DeLuise did not participate ( instead , he starred in Disney 's Oliver & Company that same year ) , and the only film in The Land Before Time series that is not a musical , as well as the only one to be released theatrically worldwide .   Released by Universal Pictures on November 18 , 1988 , the film was a critical and financial success , and spawned a multimillion-dollar franchise with thirteen direct-to-video sequels and a television series ( without involvement from Bluth , Spielberg , or Lucas ) as well as merchandise ( toys , video games , etc. ) and a television series .


In the early 50's rock music originated as rock and roll.

Rock music Rock music is a genre of popular music that originated as `` rock and roll '' in the United States in the early 1950s , and developed into a range of different styles in the 1960s and later , particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States . It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll , a style which drew heavily on the African-American genres of blues and rhythm and blues , and from country music . Rock music also drew strongly on a number of other genres such as electric blues and folk , and incorporated influences from jazz , classical and other musical styles . Musically , rock has centered on the electric guitar , usually as part of a rock group with electric bass and drums and one or more singers . Typically , rock is song-based music usually with a 4/4 time signature using a verse-chorus form , but the genre has become extremely diverse . Like pop music , lyrics often stress romantic love but also address a wide variety of other themes that are frequently social or political .   By the late 1960s `` classic rock '' period , a number of distinct rock music subgenres had emerged , including hybrids like blues rock , folk rock , country rock , raga rock , and jazz-rock , many of which contributed to the development of psychedelic rock , which was influenced by the countercultural psychedelic and hippie scene . New genres that emerged included progressive rock , which extended the artistic elements ; glam rock , which highlighted showmanship and visual style ; and the diverse and enduring subgenre of heavy metal , which emphasized volume , power , and speed . In the second half of the 1970s , punk rock reacted by producing stripped-down , energetic social and political critiques . Punk was an influence in the 1980s on new wave , post-punk and eventually alternative rock . From the 1990s alternative rock began to dominate rock music and break into the mainstream in the form of grunge , Britpop , and indie rock . Further fusion subgenres have since emerged , including pop punk , rap rock , and rap metal , as well as conscious attempts to revisit rock 's history , including the garage rock/post-punk and synth-pop revivals at the beginning of the 2000s ( decade ) .   Rock music has also embodied and served as the vehicle for cultural and social movements , leading to major subcultures including mods and rockers in the UK and the hippie counterculture that spread out from San Francisco in the US in the 1960s . Similarly , 1970s punk culture spawned the goth and emo subcultures . Inheriting the folk tradition of the protest song , rock music has been associated with political activism as well as changes in social attitudes to race , sex and drug use , and is often seen as an expression of youth revolt against adult consumerism and conformity .


Saswata Chatterjee works as a film actor.

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 .


Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable and satellite television channel owned by Viacom Global Entertainment Group , a unit of the Viacom Media Networks division of Viacom . The channel carries comedy programming , in the form of both original and syndicated series and stand-up comedy specials , as well as feature films .   Since the early 2000s , Comedy Central has expanded globally with localized channels in Asia , Germany , Czech Republic , Hungary , Israel , Italy , Latin America , New Zealand , The Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Spain , Sweden , Denmark , Finland , Republic of Ireland , United Kingdom , India , Brazil , Albania , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Bulgaria , Belgium , Croatia , Romania , Macedonia , Montenegro , Serbia , Slovenia , Middle East and Africa . The international channels are operated by Viacom International Media Networks .   As of February 2015 , approximately 93,992,000 American households ( 80.70 % of households with television ) receive Comedy Central .


Fox Broadcasting Company The Fox Broadcasting Company ( often shortened to Fox and stylized as FOX ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group subsidiary of 21st Century Fox . The network is headquartered at the 20th Century Fox studio lot on Pico Boulevard in the Century City section of Los Angeles , with additional major offices and production facilities at the Fox Television Center in nearby West Los Angeles and the Fox Broadcasting Center in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan , New York City . It is the third largest major television network in the world based on total revenues , assets , and international coverage .   Launched on October 9 , 1986 as a competitor to the Big Three television networks ( ABC , NBC and CBS ) , Fox went on to become the most successful attempt at a fourth television network . It was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18 -- 49 demographic from 2004 to 2012 , and earned the position as the most-watched American television network in total viewership during the 2007 -- 08 season .   Fox and its affiliated companies operate many entertainment channels in international markets , although these do not necessarily air the same programming as the U.S. network . Most viewers in Canada have access to at least one U.S.-based Fox affiliate , either over-the-air or through a pay television provider , although Fox 's National Football League telecasts and most of its prime time programming are subject to simultaneous substitution regulations for cable and satellite providers imposed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ( CRTC ) to protect rights held by domestically based networks .   The network is named after sister company 20th Century Fox , and indirectly for producer William Fox , who founded one of the movie studio 's predecessors , Fox Film . Fox is a member of the North American Broadcasters Association and the National Association of Broadcasters .


Futurama Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series follows the adventures of a late-20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy , Philip J. Fry , who , after being unwittingly cryogenically frozen for one thousand years , finds employment at Planet Express , an interplanetary delivery company in the retro-futuristic 31st century . The series was envisioned by Groening in the mid-1990s while working on The Simpsons ; he later brought David X. Cohen aboard to develop storylines and characters to pitch the show to Fox .   In the United States , the series aired on Fox from March 28 , 1999 , to August 10 , 2003 , before ceasing production . Futurama also aired in reruns on Cartoon Network 's Adult Swim from 2003 to 2007 , until the network 's contract expired . It was revived in 2007 as four direct-to-video films ; the last of which was released in early 2009 . Comedy Central entered into an agreement with 20th Century Fox Television to syndicate the existing episodes and air the films as 16 new , half-hour episodes , constituting a fifth season .   In June 2009 , producing studio 20th Century Fox announced that Comedy Central had picked up the show for 26 new half-hour episodes , which began airing in 2010 and 2011 . The show was renewed for a seventh season , with the first half airing in June 2012 and the second set for mid-2013 . It was later revealed that the seventh season would be the final season , as Comedy Central announced that they would not be commissioning any further episodes . The series finale aired on September 4 , 2013 . While Groening has said he will try to get it picked up by another network , David X. Cohen stated that the episode `` Meanwhile '' would be the last episode of season 7 and also the series finale .   Throughout its run , Futurama has received critical acclaim . The show has been nominated for 17 Annie Awards and 12 Emmy Awards , winning seven of the former and six of the latter . It has also been nominated four times for a Writers Guild of America Award , winning two for the episodes `` Godfellas '' and `` The Prisoner of Benda '' , been nominated for a Nebula Award and has received Environmental Media Awards for episodes `` The Problem with Popplers '' and `` The Futurama Holiday Spectacular '' . Futurama-related merchandise has also been released , including a tie-in comic book series and video game , calendars , clothes and figurines . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked Futurama as one of the top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time .


Cartoon Network Cartoon Network is an American basic cable and satellite television channel that is owned by Time Warner through the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary . It was founded by Betty Cohen and launched on October 1 , 1992 .   The channel primarily broadcasts children 's shows , mostly animated programming , ranging from action to animated comedy . It is primarily aimed at children and young teenagers between the ages of 7 to 15 , and targets older teens and adults with mature content during its late night daypart Adult Swim , which is treated as a separate entity for promotional purposes and as a separate channel by Nielsen for ratings purposes . It operates daily from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM ( ET ) . A Spanish language audio track for select programs is accessible via second audio programing ( SAP ) ; some cable and satellite companies offer the Spanish feed as a separate channel . It is also the related channel of Turner-owned Boomerang .   As of January 2016 , Cartoon Network is available to approximately 94.0 million pay television households ( 80.7 % of households with television ) in the United States .


Tom Hanks and John Candy starred in the film Splash.

Splash (film) Splash is a 1984 American fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Ron Howard , written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel , and starring Tom Hanks , Daryl Hannah , John Candy , Eugene Levy , and Dody Goodman . The film involves a young man who falls in love with a mysterious woman who is secretly a mermaid . The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay . The original music score was composed by Lee Holdridge .   The film is notable for being the first film released by the Walt Disney Studios ' Touchstone Pictures label , which had been created that same year in an effort to release films targeted at adult audiences , with mature content not appropriate for the studio 's flagship Walt Disney Pictures banner . Splash had received a PG-rating for including some profanity and brief nudity .


One bed-in was at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam.

Bed-In As the Vietnam War raged in 1969 , Yoko Ono and her husband John Lennon held two week-long Bed-Ins for Peace , one at the Hilton Hotel in Amsterdam and one at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal , each of which were intended to be non-violent protests against wars , and experimental tests of new ways to promote peace . The idea is derived from a `` sit-in '' , in which a group of protesters remains seated in front of an establishment until they are evicted , arrested , or their demands are met .   The public proceedings were filmed , and later turned into a documentary movie . The film Bed Peace was made available for free on YouTube in August 2011 by Yoko Ono , as part of her website `` Imagine Peace '' .


Fantasy Fantasy is a fiction genre set in an imaginary universe , often but not always without any locations , events , or people from the real world . Its roots are in oral traditions , which then developed into literature and drama . From the twentieth century it has expanded further into various media , including , film , television , graphic novels , and video games .   Most fantasy uses magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element , theme , or setting . Magic and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds . Fantasy is a subgenre of speculative fiction and is distinguished from the genres of science fiction and horror by the absence of scientific or macabre themes respectively , though these genres overlap .   In popular culture , the fantasy genre is predominantly of the medievalist form . In its broadest sense , however , fantasy comprises works by many writers , artists , filmmakers , and musicians from ancient myths and legends to many recent and popular works .   Fantasy is studied in a number of disciplines including English and other language studies , cultural studies , comparative literature , history and medieval studies . Work in this area ranges widely from the structuralist theory of Tzvetan Todorov , which emphasizes the fantastic as a liminal space , to work on the connections ( political , historical and literary ) between medievalism and popular culture .


The Hobbit The Hobbit , or There and Back Again is a children 's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien . It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim , being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction . The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in children 's literature .   The Hobbit is set in a time `` between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men '' , and follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by Smaug the dragon . Bilbo 's journey takes him from light-hearted , rural surroundings into more sinister territory .   The story is told in the form of an episodic quest , and most chapters introduce a specific creature or type of creature of Tolkien 's geography . Bilbo gains a new level of maturity , competence , and wisdom by accepting the disreputable , romantic , fey , and adventurous sides of his nature and applying his wits and common sense .  The story reaches its climax in the Battle of the Five Armies , where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage in conflict .   Personal growth and forms of heroism are central themes of the story , along with motifs of warfare . These themes have led critics to view Tolkien 's own experiences during World War I as instrumental in shaping the story . The author 's scholarly knowledge of Germanic philology and interest in fairy tales are often noted as influences .   The publisher was encouraged by the book 's critical and financial success and , therefore , requested a sequel . As Tolkien 's work progressed on the successor The Lord of the Rings , he made retrospective accommodations for it in The Hobbit . These few but significant changes were integrated into the second edition . Further editions followed with minor emendations , including those reflecting Tolkien 's changing concept of the world into which Bilbo stumbled .   The work has never been out of print . Its ongoing legacy encompasses many adaptations for stage , screen , radio , board games , and video games . Several of these adaptations have received critical recognition on their own merits .


Emily Blunt played a supporting role in The Devil Wears Prada in 2009.

The Devil Wears Prada (film) The Devil Wears Prada is a 2006 American comedy-drama film based on Lauren Weisberger 's 2003 novel of the same name . This screen adaptation stars Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly , a powerful fashion magazine editor , and Anne Hathaway as Andrea ( `` Andy '' ) Sachs , a college graduate who goes to New York City and lands a job as Priestly 's co-assistant . Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci co-star , as co-assistant Emily Charlton and art director Nigel , respectively .   Adrian Grenier , Simon Baker , and Tracie Thoms play key supporting roles . Wendy Finerman produced and David Frankel directed the film , which was distributed by 20th Century Fox . Streep 's performance drew critical acclaim and earned her many award nominations , including her record-setting 14th Oscar bid , as well as the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical . Blunt also drew favorable reviews and nominations for her performance , as did many of those involved in the film 's production .   The film was well received by both film critics and the public and became a surprise summer box-office hit following its June 30 North American release . The commercial success and critical praise for Streep 's performance continued in foreign markets with the film leading the international box office for most of October . Likewise , the U.S. DVD release was the top rental during December . The film finished in 2006 's Top 20 both in the U.S. and overseas and grossed over $ 300 million , mostly from its international run .   Although the movie is set in the fashion world , most designers and other fashion notables avoided appearing as themselves for fear of displeasing U.S. Vogue editor Anna Wintour , who is widely believed to have been the inspiration for Priestly . Still , many allowed their clothes and accessories to be used in the film , making it one of the most expensively costumed films in history . Wintour later overcame her initial skepticism , saying she liked the film and Streep in particular .


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


Michael K. Williams was considered for a role in Django Unchained.

Django Unchained Django Unchained is a 2012 American revisionist Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino , starring Jamie Foxx , Christoph Waltz , Leonardo DiCaprio , Kerry Washington , and Samuel L. Jackson , with Walton Goggins , Dennis Christopher , James Remar , Michael Parks , and Don Johnson in supporting roles . Set in the Old West and Antebellum South , it is a highly stylized tribute to Spaghetti Westerns , in particular the 1966 Italian film Django by Sergio Corbucci , whose star Franco Nero has a cameo appearance .   Development of Django Unchained began in 2007 when Tarantino was writing a book on Sergio Corbucci . By April 2011 , Tarantino sent his final draft of the script to The Weinstein Company . Casting began in the summer of 2011 , with Michael K. Williams and Will Smith being considered for the role of the title character before Foxx was cast . Principal photography took place from November 2011 to March 2012 in California , Wyoming and Louisiana .   Django Unchained premiered at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City on December 11 , 2012 , and was released on December 25 , 2012 in the United States . The film was nominated for several film industry awards , including five Academy Awards . Waltz won several awards for his performance , among them Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes , BAFTAs , and Academy Awards . Tarantino won an Academy Award , a Golden Globe , and a BAFTA award for writing the film 's original screenplay . The film grossed over $ 425 million worldwide in theaters against its $ 100 million budget , making it Tarantino 's highest-grossing theatrical release .


Boromir is left unmentioned in the third volume of The Lord of the Rings.

Boromir Boromir is a fictional character in J. R. R. Tolkien 's legendarium . He appears in the first two volumes of The Lord of the Rings ( The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers ) , and is mentioned in the last volume , The Return of the King .  He is the heir of Denethor II ( the 26th Ruling Steward of Gondor ) and the elder brother of Faramir . In the course of the story Boromir joins the Fellowship of the Ring .   Boromir is portrayed as a noble character who believes passionately in the greatness of his kingdom , who would have defended its people to the last . Boromir 's great stamina and physical strength , together with a forceful and commanding personality , made him a widely admired commander in Gondor 's army : he was made Captain of the White Tower , and quickly became Captain-General , also bearing the title High Warden of the White Tower . He was also heir apparent to the Stewardship . Boromir led many successful forays against Sauron 's forces , prior to his journey north to Rivendell , which brought him great esteem in the eyes of his father , Denethor .


The Return of the King The Return of the King is the third and final volume of J. R. R. Tolkien 's The Lord of the Rings , following The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers . The story begins in the kingdom of Gondor , which is soon to be attacked by the Dark Lord Sauron .


Mariah Carey is a professional American singer.

Mariah Carey Mariah Carey ( born March 27 , 1969 or 1970 ) is an American singer , songwriter , record producer , and actress . In 1990 , she rose to fame with the release of `` Vision of Love '' from her eponymous debut album . The album produced four chart-topping singles in the US and began what would become a string of commercially successful albums which solidified the singer as Columbias highest selling act . Carey and Boyz II Men spent a record sixteen weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995 -- 96 with `` One Sweet Day , '' which remains the longest-running number-one song in US chart history . Following a contentious divorce from Sony Music head Tommy Mottola , Carey adopted a new image and traversed towards hip hop with the release of Butterfly ( 1997 ) . In 1998 , she was honored as the world 's best-selling recording artist of the 1990s at the World Music Awards and subsequently named the best-selling female artist of the millennium in 2000 .   Carey parted with Columbia in 2000 , and signed a record-breaking $ 100 million recording contract with Virgin Records America . In the weeks prior to the release of her film Glitter and its accompanying soundtrack in 2001 , she suffered a physical and emotional breakdown and was hospitalized for severe exhaustion . The project was poorly received and led to a general decline in the singer 's career . Carey 's recording contract was bought out for $ 50 million by Virgin and she signed a multi-million dollar deal with Island Records the following year . After a relatively unsuccessful period , she returned to the top of music charts with The Emancipation of Mimi ( 2005 ) . The album became the best-selling album in the US and the second best-seller worldwide in 2005 and produced `` We Belong Together , '' which became her most successful single of the 2000s , and was later named `` Song of the Decade '' by Billboard . Carey once again ventured into film with a well-received supporting role in Precious ( 2009 ) , and was awarded the `` Breakthrough Performance Award '' at the Palm Springs International Film Festival .   Throughout her career , Carey has sold more than 200 million records worldwide , making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time . According to the RIAA , she is the third-best-selling female artist in the United States , with 63.5 million certified albums . With the release of `` Touch My Body '' ( 2008 ) , Carey gained her 18th number-one single in the United States , more than any other solo artist . In 2012 , the singer was ranked second on VH1 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Women in Music . '' Aside from her commercial accomplishments , Carey has won 5 Grammy Awards , 19 World Music Awards , 11 American Music Awards , and 14 Billboard Music Awards and has been consistently credited with inspiring a generation of singers . Referred to as the `` songbird supreme '' by the Guinness World Records , she has a five-octave vocal range , power , melismatic style and signature use of the whistle register .


Helike Helike ( -LSB- ˈhɛlᵻkiː -RSB- Ἑλίκη , pronounced -LSB- heˈlikɛː -RSB- , modern -LSB- eˈlici -RSB- ) was an ancient Greek city that was submerged by a tsunami in the winter of 373 BC . It was located in Achaea , northern Peloponnesos , two kilometres ( 12 stadia ) from the Corinthian Gulf and near the city of Boura , which , like Helike , was a member of the Achaean League . Modern research attributes the catastrophe to an earthquake and accompanying tsunami which destroyed and submerged the city . In an effort to protect the site from destruction , the World Monuments Fund included Helike in its 2004 and 2006 List of 100 Most Endangered Sites .


Evolution was by a songwriter from the United States.

Evolution (Sabrina Carpenter album) Evolution is the second studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter , released on October 14 , 2016 , by Hollywood Records . Carpenter began recording the album in 2015 after releasing her first studio album , Eyes Wide Open .


Sabrina Carpenter Sabrina Ann Lynn Carpenter ( born May 11 , 1999 ) is an American singer , songwriter and actress . She had a recurring role as the young version of Chloe Goodwin in The Goodwin Games and starred as Maya Hart in the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World . She is signed to Hollywood Records . Her debut EP Ca n't Blame a Girl for Trying was released in 2014 , and she has since released two full-length albums : Eyes Wide Open ( 2015 ) and Evolution ( 2016 )


James Wilson is a character in a work of fiction.

James Wilson (House) Dr. James Evan Wilson , M.D. , is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House . He is played by Robert Sean Leonard . The character first appears in the show 's pilot episode when he introduces a medical case to Dr. Gregory House . Wilson is Dr. House 's only true friend , and frequently provides him with consultations and aid . Wilson is the head of the Department of Oncology at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital .   During the show 's run , the characters of House and Wilson have been compared to Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson . Wilson 's portrayer , Robert Sean Leonard , has stated that his character and Dr. House were originally supposed to play these roles ; but Dr. House 's diagnostic team has taken over Dr. Watson 's part . Leonard also read the script of the pilot episode of CBS ' Numb3rs and was planning to audition . He auditioned for House instead because he felt he would more enjoy playing the character that House went to for help and because he liked The Odd Couple dynamic of the relationship .   The character was positively received . Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger described Wilson as `` the only irreplaceable supporting character '' of the show , as well as Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune , who stated that Wilson can `` never , never , never , never '' leave the show .   The character 's name is derived from two neighboring buildings ( James Administration Building and Wilson Hall ) at McGill University 's downtown campus , in Montreal , Quebec .


House (TV series) House ( also called House , M.D. ) is an American television medical drama that originally ran on the Fox network for eight seasons , from November 16 , 2004 to May 21 , 2012 . The series ' main character is Dr. Gregory House ( Hugh Laurie ) , an unconventional , misanthropic medical genius who , despite his dependence on pain medication , leads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton -- Plainsboro Teaching Hospital ( PPTH ) in New Jersey . The series ' premise originated with Paul Attanasio , while David Shore , who is credited as creator , was primarily responsible for the conception of the title character . The series ' executive producers included Shore , Attanasio , Attanasio 's business partner Katie Jacobs , and film director Bryan Singer . It was filmed largely in Century City .   House often clashes with his fellow physicians , including his own diagnostic team , because many of his hypotheses about patients ' illnesses are based on subtle or controversial insights . His flouting of hospital rules and procedures frequently leads him into conflict with his boss , hospital administrator and Dean of Medicine Dr. Lisa Cuddy ( Lisa Edelstein ) . House 's only true friend is Dr. James Wilson ( Robert Sean Leonard ) , head of the Department of Oncology . During the first three seasons , House 's diagnostic team consists of Dr. Robert Chase ( Jesse Spencer ) , Dr. Allison Cameron ( Jennifer Morrison ) , and Dr. Eric Foreman ( Omar Epps ) . At the end of the third season , this team disbands . Rejoined by Foreman , House gradually selects three new team members : Dr. Remy `` Thirteen '' Hadley ( Olivia Wilde ) , Dr. Chris Taub ( Peter Jacobson ) , and Dr. Lawrence Kutner ( Kal Penn ) . Kutner makes an appearance late in season five and then reappears in season 8 episode 22 . Chase and Cameron continue to appear in different roles at the hospital until early in season six . Cameron then departs the hospital , and Chase returns to the diagnostic team . Thirteen takes a leave of absence for most of season seven , and her position is filled by medical student Martha M. Masters ( Amber Tamblyn ) . Cuddy and Masters depart before season eight ; Foreman becomes the new Dean of Medicine , while Dr. Jessica Adams ( Odette Annable ) and Dr. Chi Park ( Charlyne Yi ) join House 's team .   House was among the top 10 series in the United States from its second through fourth seasons . Distributed to 66 countries , House was the most-watched television program in the world in 2008 . The show received numerous awards , including five Primetime Emmy Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , a Peabody Award , and nine People 's Choice Awards . On February 8 , 2012 , Fox announced that the eighth season , then in progress , would be its last . The series finale aired on May 21 , 2012 , following an hour-long retrospective .


Kangana Ranaut has a career in Hollywood.

Kangana Ranaut Kangana Ranaut ( -LSB- kəŋɡənaː raːɳoːʈʰ -RSB- ; born 23 March 1986 ) is an Indian film actress . She has established a career in Bollywood and is one of the highest-paid actresses in India . Ranaut is particularly known in the media for expressing her honest opinions in public and is frequently credited as one of the most fashionable Indian celebrities . She is the recipient of several awards , including three National Film Awards and Filmfare Awards in four categories .   Born in Bhambla , a small town in Himachal Pradesh , Ranaut initially aspired to become a doctor at the insistence of her parents . Determined to build her own career path , she relocated to Delhi at age sixteen , where she briefly became a model . After training under the theatre director Arvind Gaur , Ranaut made her feature film debut in the 2006 thriller Gangster , for which she was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut . She received praise for portraying emotionally intense characters in the dramas Woh Lamhe ( 2006 ) , Life in a. . . Metro ( 2007 ) and Fashion ( 2008 ) . For the last of these , she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Filmfare Award in the same category .   Ranaut featured in the commercially successful films Raaz : The Mystery Continues ( 2009 ) and Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai ( 2010 ) , though she was criticised for being typecast in neurotic roles . A comic role opposite R. Madhavan in the 2011 box office hit Tanu Weds Manu was well-received , though this was followed by a series of brief , glamorous roles in films that failed to propel her career forward . She then played a mutant opposite Hrithik Roshan in the science fiction film Krrish 3 ( 2013 ) , one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films , and won the Filmfare and National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the comedy-drama Queen ( 2014 ) . In 2015 , Ranaut portrayed a dual role in Tanu Weds Manu Returns , the most successful Bollywood film featuring a female protagonist , for which she won a Filmfare Critics Award and a second consecutive National Film Award for Best Actress .


Bollywood Bollywood is the sobriquet for India 's Hindi language film industry , based in the city of Mumbai , Maharashtra . It is more formally referred to as Hindi cinema . The term `` Bollywood '' is often used by non-Indians as a synecdoche to refer to the whole of Indian cinema ; however , Bollywood proper is only a part of the larger Indian film industry , which includes other production centres producing films in many other Indian languages .   Bollywood is one of the largest film producers in India , representing 43 % of the net box office revenue , while Tamil and Telugu cinema represent 36 % , and the rest of the regional cinema constitutes 21 % as of 2014 . Bollywood is also one of the largest centers of film production in the world . Furthermore , Bollywood is one of the biggest film industries in the world in terms of the number of people employed and the number of films produced . According to Matusitz , J. , & Payano , P. , In 2011 , over 3.5 billion tickets were sold across the globe which in comparison is 900,000 tickets more than Hollywood . Bollywood produced 252 films in 2014 out of a total of 1969 films produced in Indian cinema .


WeChat WeChat is a Chinese social media ( instant messaging , commerce and payment services ) application developed by Tencent . It was first released in 2011 and by 2017 it was one of the largest standalone messaging apps by monthly active users , with over 938 million active users . However , as of 2017 , WeChat has not been successful in penetrating international markets outside of China .


Tiger The tiger ( Panthera tigris ) is the largest cat species , most recognisable for their pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside . The species is classified in the genus Panthera with the lion , leopard , jaguar and snow leopard . Tigers are apex predators , primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and bovids . They are territorial and generally solitary but social animals , often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements . This , coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on Earth , has caused significant conflicts with humans .   Tigers once ranged widely across eastern Eurasia , from the Black Sea in the west , to the Indian Ocean in the south , and from Kolyma to Sumatra in the east . Over the past 100 years , they have lost 93 % of their historic range , and have been extirpated from Western and Central Asia , from the islands of Java and Bali , and from large areas of Southeast , Southern and Eastern Asia . Today , they range from the Siberian taiga to open grasslands and tropical mangrove swamps . The remaining six tiger subspecies have been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) . The global population in the wild is estimated to number between 3,062 and 3,948 individuals , down from around 100,000 at the start of the 20th century , with most remaining populations occurring in small pockets isolated from each other , of which about 2,000 exist on the Indian subcontinent . A 2016 global census estimated the population of wild tigers at approximately 3,890 individuals . Major reasons for population decline include habitat destruction , habitat fragmentation and poaching . The extent of area occupied by tigers is estimated at less than 1184911 km2 , a 41 % decline from the area estimated in the mid-1990s . In 2016 , wildlife conservation group at WWF declared that world 's count of wild tigers has risen for the first time in a century .   Tigers are among the most recognisable and popular of the world 's charismatic megafauna . They have featured prominently in ancient mythology and folklore , and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature . They appear on many flags , coats of arms , and as mascots for sporting teams . The tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh , India , Malaysia and South Korea .


Jeremy Irons Jeremy John Irons ( born 19 September 1948 ) is an English actor . After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School , Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has since appeared in many West End theatre productions , including The Winter 's Tale , Macbeth , Much Ado About Nothing , The Taming of the Shrew , Godspell , Richard II , and Embers . In 1984 , he made his Broadway debut in Tom Stoppard 's The Real Thing and received a Tony Award for Best Actor .   Irons ' first major film role came in the 1981 romantic drama The French Lieutenant 's Woman , for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor . After starring in dramas such as Moonlighting ( 1982 ) , Betrayal ( 1983 ) , and The Mission ( 1986 ) , he gained critical acclaim for portraying twin gynaecologists in David Cronenberg 's psychological thriller Dead Ringers ( 1988 ) . In 1990 , Irons played accused murderer Claus von Bülow in Reversal of Fortune , and took home multiple awards , including an Academy Award for Best Actor .   Other notable films have included Steven Soderbergh 's mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) , the period drama The House of the Spirits ( 1993 ) , the romantic drama M. Butterfly ( 1993 ) , the voice of Scar in Disney 's The Lion King ( 1994 ) , Simon Gruber in the action film Die Hard with a Vengeance ( 1995 ) , the drama Lolita ( 1997 ) , Musketeer Aramis in The Man in the Iron Mask ( 1998 ) , the action adventure Dungeons & Dragons ( 2000 ) , the drama The Merchant of Venice ( 2004 ) , the drama Being Julia ( 2004 ) , the epic historical drama Kingdom of Heaven ( 2005 ) , the fantasy-adventure Eragon ( 2006 ) , the Western Appaloosa ( 2008 ) , and the indie drama Margin Call ( 2011 ) . In 2016 , he appeared in Assassin 's Creed and , starting that year , he plays Alfred Pennyworth in the DC Extended Universe , beginning with Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , and later reprising the role in Justice League ( 2017 ) and The Batman ( TBA ) .   Irons has also made several notable appearances on TV . He earned his first Golden Globe Award nomination for his break-out role in the ITV series Brideshead Revisited ( 1981 ) . In 2005 , Irons starred opposite Helen Mirren in the historical miniseries Elizabeth I , for which he received a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor . From 2011 to 2013 he starred as Pope Alexander VI in the Showtime historical series The Borgias . He is one of the few actors who won the `` Triple Crown of Acting '' , winning an Academy Award ( for film ) , an Emmy Award ( television ) and a Tony Award ( for theatre ) . In October 2011 , he was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations .


The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was written by JJ Abrams.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ( also released as The Amazing Spider-Man 2 : Rise of Electro in some markets ) is a 2014 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man . The film was directed by Marc Webb and was produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach . It is the fifth theatrical Spider-Man film produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Entertainment , and is the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man ( 2012 ) ; it is also the final film in the Amazing Spider-Man franchise . The studio hired James Vanderbilt to write the screenplay and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to rewrite it . The film stars Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man , Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy , Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin / Harry Osborn , Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz as Peter 's parents , and Sally Field as Aunt May , with the addition of a new cast including Paul Giamatti as Rhino / Aleksei Sytsevich and Jamie Foxx as Electro / Max Dillon .   Development of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 began after the success of The Amazing Spider-Man . DeHaan , Giamatti , Jones , and Cooper were cast between December 2012 and February 2013 . Filming took place in New York City from February to June 2013 . The film was released in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D on May 2 , 2014 , in the United States with two international premieres being held between March 31 & April 10 , 2014 . The film received mixed reviews , and although it grossed $ 709 million worldwide and became the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2014 , it was the lowest-grossing film in the series . However , the film was declared a `` hit '' in the overseas markets with high openings and a wide cinematic release . The film subsequently won awards for its music composition and acting , notably one Nickelodeon Kids ' Choice Award and two ASCAP Awards .   The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was originally envisioned as the beginning of a shared fictional universe , which would have continued with two sequels and several spin-off films . Due to its performing below expectations , all subsequent installments were cancelled and a new iteration of the character , portrayed by Tom Holland , appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , beginning with the 2016 film Captain America : Civil War .


Tom Welling's full name is Thomas John Patrick Welling.

Tom Welling Thomas John Patrick `` Tom '' Welling ( born April 26 , 1977 ) is an American actor , director , producer , and model best known for his role as Clark Kent in The WB/CW superhero drama Smallville ( 2001 -- 11 ) .   A high school athlete , Welling initially worked in construction and , in 1998 , he successfully modeled men 's clothing for several popular brands . In 2000 , he made a successful transition to television . He has been nominated for and received several awards for his role as Clark Kent . In 2001 , he had a recurring role as Rob `` Karate Rob '' Meltzer in the second season of the CBS legal drama Judging Amy . He has also been involved behind the camera as an executive producer and a director . His films include Cheaper by the Dozen , Cheaper by the Dozen 2 , The Fog , The Choice and Draft Day .


Didier Drogba was captain of the Ivory Coast national team.

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


The 1992 Los Angeles riots occurred in 1970.

1992 Los Angeles riots The 1992 Los Angeles riots , also known as the Rodney King riots , the South Central riots , the 1992 Los Angeles civil disturbance , the 1992 Los Angeles civil unrest , and the Los Angeles uprising , were a series of riots , lootings , arsons , and civil disturbances that occurred in Los Angeles County , California in April and May 1992 . The unrest began in South Central Los Angeles on April 29 after a trial jury acquitted four officers of the Los Angeles Police Department of the use of excessive force in the videotaped arrest and beating of Rodney King . It then spread throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area as thousands of people rioted over a six-day period following the announcement of the verdict .   Widespread looting , assault , arson , and killings occurred during the riots , and estimates of property damage were over $ 1 billion . Order was only restored after members of the California Army National Guard , the 7th Infantry Division , and the 1st Marine Division were called in to stop the rioting when local police could not control the situation . In total , 58 people were killed during the riots , more than 2,000 people were injured , and more than 11,000 were arrested . LAPD chief of police Daryl Gates , who had already announced his resignation by the time of the riots , took much of the institutional blame .


England shares land borders with France and Spain.

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom . It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west . The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea lies to the southwest . England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south . The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain ( which lies in the North Atlantic ) in its centre and south ; and includes over 100 smaller islands such as the Isles of Scilly , and the Isle of Wight .   The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Palaeolithic period , but takes its name from the Angles , one of the Germanic tribes who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries . England became a unified state in the 10th century , and since the Age of Discovery , which began during the 15th century , has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world . The English language , the Anglican Church , and English law -- the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world -- developed in England , and the country 's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations . The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England , transforming its society into the world 's first industrialised nation .   England 's terrain mostly comprises low hills and plains , especially in central and southern England . However , there are uplands in the north ( for example , the mountainous Lake District , and the Pennines ) and in the southwest ( for example , Dartmoor and the Cotswolds ) . The capital is London , which is the largest metropolitan area in both the United Kingdom and the European Union.According to the European Statistical Agency , London is the largest Larger Urban Zone in the EU , a measure of metropolitan area which comprises a city 's urban core as well as its surrounding commuting zone . London 's municipal population is also the largest in the EU . England 's population of over 53 million comprises 84 % of the population of the United Kingdom , largely concentrated around London , the South East , and conurbations in the Midlands , the North West , the North East , and Yorkshire , which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century .   The Kingdom of England -- which after 1535 included Wales -- ceased being a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707 , when the Acts of Union put into effect the terms agreed in the Treaty of Union the previous year , resulting in a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain . In 1801 , Great Britain was united with the Kingdom of Ireland through another Act of Union to become the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . In 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom , leading to the latter being renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .


Emmy Rossum Emmanuelle Grey `` Emmy '' Rossum ( born September 12 , 1986 ) is an American actress , director and singer-songwriter . She is known for her portrayal of Fiona Gallagher in the television series Shameless . Rossum has starred in movies including Songcatcher ( 2000 ) , An American Rhapsody , ( 2001 ) and Passionada ( 2002 ) . Her role in Mystic River ( 2003 ) garnered her wider recognition . She starred in the science-fiction film The Day After Tomorrow ( 2004 ) and received critical acclaim for her performance in the leading role of Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera ( 2004 ) . She has since starred in Poseidon ( 2006 ) , Dragonball : Evolution ( 2009 ) , Dare ( 2009 ) , Beautiful Creatures ( 2013 ) , Before I Disappear ( 2014 ) , You 're Not You ( 2014 ) and Comet ( 2014 ) .   In 2007 , Rossum released her debut album , Inside Out . She also released a Christmas EP the same year , titled Carol of the Bells . In 2013 , she released a follow up album called Sentimental Journey .


United States contains Washington D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, and San Francisco.

United States The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions .  Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse .   At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco .   Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties .   The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations .   The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .


Thor: The Dark World has the distributor Walt Disney Studios.

Thor: The Dark World Thor : The Dark World is a 2013 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Thor , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2011 's Thor and the eighth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by Alan Taylor , with a screenplay by Christopher Yost and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely . It stars Chris Hemsworth , Natalie Portman , Tom Hiddleston , Anthony Hopkins , Stellan Skarsgård , Idris Elba , Christopher Eccleston , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje , Kat Dennings , Ray Stevenson , Zachary Levi , Tadanobu Asano , Jaimie Alexander , and Rene Russo . In Thor : The Dark World , Thor teams up with Loki to save the Nine Realms from the Dark Elves led by the vengeful Malekith , who intends to plunge the universe into darkness .   Development of Thor : The Dark World began in April 2011 , when producer Kevin Feige announced plans for a sequel to follow the crossover film The Avengers . In July 2011 , Kenneth Branagh , the director of Thor , withdrew from the project . Brian Kirk and Patty Jenkins were considered to direct the film before Taylor was hired in January 2012 . The supporting cast filled out in August 2012 , with the hiring of Eccleston , Dennings , and Akinnuoye-Agbaje . Principal photography began in September 2012 in Surrey , England with filming continuing in Iceland and London , before wrapping up in December 2012 . Thor : The Dark World was converted to 3D in post-production .   Thor : The Dark World premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on October 22 , 2013 . It was released internationally on October 30 , 2013 , and on November 8 , 2013 , in the United States . The film received mixed reviews , but was a commercial success , grossing over $ 644 million worldwide . A third film , Thor : Ragnarok , is set for release on November 3 , 2017 .


Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( born Destiny Hope Cyrus ; November 23 , 1992 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . After playing minor roles in the television series Doc and the film Big Fish in her childhood , she became a teen idol starring as the character Miley Stewart in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana in 2006 . Her father Billy Ray Cyrus also starred in the show . She subsequently signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records , and her debut studio album Meet Miley Cyrus ( 2007 ) was certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) having shipped over three million units . She released her second album Breakout and launched her film career as a voice actress in the animated film Bolt in 2008 .   Cyrus starred in the feature film Hannah Montana : The Movie , and began cultivating a more mature image with her EP The Time of Our Lives in 2009 . In 2010 , she released her third album Ca n't Be Tamed , which stands as the lowest-selling record of her career , and starred in the coming-of-age film The Last Song . Cyrus focused on her acting career with several television and film appearances in 2011 and 2012 . Her sexually explicit behavior generated widespread controversy while promoting her fourth album Bangerz ( 2013 ) , her first under her recording contract with RCA Records . Cyrus ' independently-released fifth studio album Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz ( 2015 ) deviated from her traditional pop style for more psychedelic experimentation . In 2016 , she was a coach for the eleventh season of the singing competition series The Voice .   With Bangerz , Cyrus achieved her third number-one album on the U.S. Billboard 200 , and fifth overall including Hannah Montana soundtrack albums . She has logged eight top 10 entries on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with : `` See You Again '' , `` 7 Things '' , `` The Climb '' , `` Party in the U.S.A. '' , `` Ca n't Be Tamed '' , `` We Ca n't Stop '' , `` Malibu '' and the chart-topping `` Wrecking Ball '' . Cyrus has earned numerous awards and nominations , as Billboard ranked her as the fourth best-selling female artist of 2009 . She was ranked number thirteen on Forbes Celebrity 100 in 2010 , and in 2013 was declared `` Artist of the Year '' by MTV . She has been included on the Time 100 list of most influential people in 2008 and 2014 .


The Caspian Sea is bounded by Turkmenistan.

Caspian Sea The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed inland body of water on Earth by area , variously classed as the world 's largest lake or a full-fledged sea . It is in an endorheic basin ( a basin without outflows ) located between Europe and Asia . It is bounded by Kazakhstan to the northeast , Russia to the northwest , Azerbaijan to the west , Iran to the south , and Turkmenistan to the southeast .   The Caspian Sea presently lies about 28 m below sea level in the Caspian Depression , to the east of the Caucasus Mountains and to the west of the vast steppe of Central Asia . The sea bed in the southern part reaches as low as 1023 m below sea level , which is the second lowest natural depression on earth after Lake Baikal ( -1180 m ) . The ancient inhabitants of its coast perceived the Caspian Sea as an ocean , probably because of its saltiness and large size .   The sea has a surface area of 371000 km2 ( not including the detached lagoon of Garabogazköl ) and a volume of 78200 km3 . It has a salinity of approximately 1.2 % ( 12 g/l ) , about a third of the salinity of most seawater .


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


Babe Ruth went into remission in 1948 and lived fifteen more years.

Babe Ruth George Herman `` Babe '' Ruth Jr. ( February 6 , 1895 -- August 16 , 1948 ) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) spanned 22 seasons , from 1914 through 1935 . Nicknamed `` The Bambino '' and `` The Sultan of Swat '' , he began his MLB career as a stellar left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox , but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees . Ruth established many MLB batting ( and some pitching ) records , including career home runs ( 714 ) , runs batted in ( RBIs ) ( 2,213 ) , bases on balls ( 2,062 ) , slugging percentage ( .6897 ) , and on-base plus slugging ( OPS ) ( 1.164 ) ; the latter two still stand today . Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time . In , Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its `` first five '' inaugural members .   At age seven , Ruth was sent to St. Mary 's Industrial School for Boys , a reformatory where he learned life lessons and baseball skills from Brother Matthias Boutlier of the Christian Brothers , the school 's disciplinarian and a capable baseball player . In 1914 , Ruth was signed to play minor-league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles but was soon sold to the Red Sox . By 1916 , he had built a reputation as an outstanding pitcher who sometimes hit long home runs , a feat unusual for any player in the pre-1920 dead-ball era . Although Ruth twice won 23 games in a season as a pitcher and was a member of three World Series championship teams with Boston , he wanted to play every day and was allowed to convert to an outfielder . With regular playing time , he broke the MLB single-season home run record in 1919 .   After that season , Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the Yankees amid controversy . The trade fueled Boston 's subsequent 86 year championship drought and popularized the `` Curse of the Bambino '' superstition . In his 15 years with New York , Ruth helped the Yankees win seven American League ( AL ) championships and four World Series championships . His big swing led to escalating home run totals that not only drew fans to the ballpark and boosted the sport 's popularity but also helped usher in the live-ball era of baseball , in which it evolved from a low-scoring game of strategy to a sport where the home run was a major factor . As part of the Yankees ' vaunted `` Murderer 's Row '' lineup of 1927 , Ruth hit 60 home runs , extending his MLB single-season record . He retired in 1935 after a short stint with the Boston Braves . During his career , Ruth led the AL in home runs during a season twelve times .   Ruth 's legendary power and charismatic personality made him a larger-than-life figure in the Roaring Twenties . During his career , he was the target of intense press and public attention for his baseball exploits and off-field penchants for drinking and womanizing . His often reckless lifestyle was tempered by his willingness to do good by visiting children at hospitals and orphanages . After his retirement as a player , he was denied a managerial job in baseball , most likely due to poor behavior during parts of his playing career . In his final years , Ruth made many public appearances , especially in support of American efforts in World War II . In 1946 , he became ill with cancer , and died two years later .


Mexico Mexico ( México , -LSB- ˈme.xi.ko -RSB- , modern Nahuatl ) , officially the United Mexican States ( -LSB- Estados Unidos Mexicanos , links = no -RSB- , ) , is a federal republic in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost two million square kilometers ( over 760,000 sq mi ) , Mexico is the sixth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent nation in the world . With an estimated population of over 120 million , it is the eleventh most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world while being the second most populous country in Latin America . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states and a federal district that is also its capital and most populous city . Other metropolises include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana and León .   Pre-Columbian Mexico was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations , such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . Three centuries later , this territory became Mexico following recognition in 1821 after the colony 's Mexican War of Independence . The tumultuous post-independence period was characterized by economic instability and many political changes . The Mexican -- American War ( 1846 -- 48 ) led to the territorial cession of the extensive northern territories to the United States . The Pastry War , the Franco-Mexican War , a civil war , two empires and a domestic dictatorship occurred through the 19th century . The dictatorship was overthrown in the Mexican Revolution of 1910 , which culminated with the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country 's current political system .   Mexico has the fifteenth largest nominal GDP and the eleventh largest by purchasing power parity . The Mexican economy is strongly linked to those of its North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) partners , especially the United States . Mexico was the first Latin American member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , joining in 1994 . It is classified as an upper-middle income country by the World Bank and a newly industrialized country by several analysts . By 2050 , Mexico could become the world 's fifth or seventh largest economy . The country is considered both a regional power and middle power , and is often identified as an emerging global power . Due to its rich culture and history , Mexico ranks first in the Americas and seventh in the world by number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Mexico is a megadiverse country , ranking fourth in the world by biodiversity . In 2016 it was the eighth most visited country in the world , with 35 million international arrivals . Mexico is a member of the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the G8 +5 , the G20 , the Uniting for Consensus and the Pacific Alliance .


LeBron James LeBron Raymone James ( -LSB- ləˈbrɒn -RSB- born December 30 , 1984 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . James has won three NBA championships , four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards , three NBA Finals MVP Awards , two Olympic gold medals , an NBA scoring title , and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award . He has also been selected to 13 NBA All-Star teams , 13 All-NBA teams , and six All-Defensive teams , and is the Cavaliers ' all-time leading scorer .   James played high school basketball at St. Vincent -- St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron , Ohio , where he was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar . After graduating , he was selected by his home team , the Cleveland Cavaliers , as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft . James led Cleveland to the franchise 's first Finals appearance in 2007 , ultimately losing to the San Antonio Spurs . In 2010 , he left the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in a highly publicized ESPN special titled The Decision . James spent four seasons with the Heat , reaching the Finals all four years and winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 . In 2013 , he led Miami on a 27-game winning streak , the third longest in league history . Following his final season with the Heat , James opted out of his contract and returned to the Cavaliers . Behind his leadership , Cleveland immediately advanced to two consecutive Finals against the Golden State Warriors , winning the championship in 2016 to end Cleveland 's fifty-two year professional sports title drought .   Off the court , James has accumulated considerable wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts . His public life has been the subject of much scrutiny , and he has been ranked as one of America 's most influential and popular athletes . He has been featured in books , documentaries , and television commercials . He also hosted the ESPY Awards , Saturday Night Live , and appeared in the 2015 film Trainwreck .


Kerala Kerala ( -LSB- ˈkɛrələ -RSB- ) historically known as Keralam , is an Indian state in South India on the Malabar Coast . It was formed on 1 November 1956 following the States Reorganisation Act by combining Malayalam-speaking regions . Spread over 38863 km2 , it is bordered by Karnataka to the north and northeast , Tamil Nadu to the east and south , and the Lakshadweep Sea to the west . With 33,387,677 inhabitants as per the 2011 Census , Kerala is the thirteenth-largest Indian state by population and is divided into 14 districts with the capital being Thiruvananthapuram . Malayalam is the most widely spoken language and is also the official language of the state .   The region has been a prominent spice exporter since 3000 BCE . The Chera Dynasty was the first prominent kingdom based in Kerala , though it frequently struggled against attacks by the neighbouring Cholas and Pandyas . In the 15th century , the spice trade attracted Portuguese traders to Kerala , and paved the way for the European colonisation of India . After independence , Travancore and Cochin joined the Republic of India and Travancore-Cochin was given the status of a state in 1949 . In 1956 , Kerala state was formed by merging Malabar district , Travancore-Cochin ( excluding four southern taluks of Kanyakumari district ) , and the taluk of Kasaragod ( now Kasaragod District ) , South Kanara .   Kerala has the lowest positive population growth rate in India , 3.44 % ; highest Human Development Index ( HDI ) , 0.712 in 2015 ; the highest literacy rate , 93.91 % in the 2011 census ; the highest life expectancy , 77 years ; and the highest sex ratio , 1,084 women per 1000 men . The state has witnessed significant emigration , especially to Arab states of the Persian Gulf during the Gulf Boom of the 1970s and early 1980s , and its economy depends significantly on remittances from a large Malayali expatriate community . Hinduism is practised by more than half of the population , followed by Islam and Christianity . The culture is a synthesis of Aryan and Dravidian cultures , developed over millennia , under influences from other parts of India and abroad .   The production of pepper and natural rubber contributes significantly to the total national output . In the agricultural sector , coconut , tea , coffee , cashew and spices are important . The state 's coastline extends for 595 km , and around 1.1 million people in the state are dependent on the fishery industry which contributes 3 % to the state 's income . The state has the highest media exposure in India with newspapers publishing in nine languages , mainly English and Malayalam . Kerala is one of the prominent tourist destinations of India , with backwaters , beaches , Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery as its major attractions .


Bonnie Hunt Bonnie Lynne Hunt ( born September 22 , 1961 ) is an American stand-up comedian , actress , director , producer , writer and host . She has appeared in films , such as Rain Man , Beethoven , Beethoven 's 2nd , Jumanji , Jerry Maguire , The Green Mile , Cheaper by the Dozen and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 .   Hunt has done voice work in A Bug 's Life , Monsters , Inc. , Cars , Toy Story 3 , Cars 2 , Monsters University , and Zootopia . She starred in Grand and Davis Rules , as well as creating , producing , writing , and starring in The Building , Bonnie , and Life with Bonnie . From 2008 to 2010 , she hosted The Bonnie Hunt Show .


Drop Dead Gorgeous features a pageant in a town.

Drop Dead Gorgeous (film) Drop Dead Gorgeous is a 1999 American black comedy film directed by Michael Patrick Jann and starring Kirstie Alley , Ellen Barkin , Kirsten Dunst , Allison Janney , Denise Richards , Brittany Murphy , and Amy Adams in her film debut . Shot in a mockumentary format , it follows the contestants in a beauty pageant called the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Mount Rose American Teen Princess Pageant , held in the small fictional town of Mount Rose , Minnesota , in which various contestants die in suspicious ways .


Ellen Burstyn is the winner of two Emmy Awards.

Ellen Burstyn Ellen Burstyn ( née Edna Rae Gillooly ; December 7 , 1932 ) is an American actress . Her career began in theatre during the late 1950s , and over the next decade included several films and television series .   Burstyn 's performance in the acclaimed 1971 ensemble drama The Last Picture Show brought her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination , after which she moved from supporting to leading film and stage roles . Burstyn received a second Academy Award nomination for her lead performance in The Exorcist ( 1973 ) , and won the Academy Award for Best Actress the following year for her work in Martin Scorsese 's Alice Does n't Live Here Anymore .   In 1975 , she won the Tony Award for her lead performance in the Broadway production of Same Time , Next Year , and received a Golden Globe Award and a fourth Academy Award nomination for her performance in the 1978 film version of the play .   Burstyn has worked consistently in film , television , and theatre since , receiving multiple awards and nominations along the way , including seven additional Golden Globe Award nominations , five Emmy Award nominations ( two wins ) , and two more Academy Award for Best Actress nominations for her performances in the films Resurrection ( 1980 ) and Requiem for a Dream ( 2000 ) .   Burstyn is one of the few performers to have won the Triple Crown of Acting . In 2013 , she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame .


Stranger than Fiction was only choreographed by Marc Forster.

Stranger than Fiction (2006 film) Stranger than Fiction is a 2006 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Marc Forster , produced by Lindsay Doran , and written by Zach Helm . The film stars Will Ferrell , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Dustin Hoffman , Queen Latifah , and Emma Thompson . The main plot follows Harold Crick ( portrayed by Ferrell ) , a nondescript white-collar worker who begins hearing a disembodied voice narrating his life as it happens -- seemingly the text of a novel in which it is stated that he will soon die -- and he frantically seeks to somehow prevent that ending . The film was shot on location in Chicago , and has been praised for its innovative , intelligent story and fine performances . Ferrell , who came to prominence playing brash comedic parts , garnered particular attention for offering a restrained performance in his first starring dramatic role .


Get Weird Get Weird is the third studio album by British girl group Little Mix . It was released on 6 November 2015 , through Syco Music and Columbia Records . The album was preceded by the release of the singles `` Black Magic '' and `` Love Me Like You '' . Two further singles were subsequently released from the album , `` Secret Love Song '' and `` Hair '' .   Get Weird peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart with sales of 60,053 in its first week . It also charted at number one in Ireland , number two in Australia , and in the top twenty in twelve other charts , including Sweden , Italy , Netherlands , and the US . As of November 2015 , Little Mix are the only girl group from the UK to have their first three albums debut in the top fifteen of the Billboard 200 . As of August 2016 , the album has been certified double platinum in the UK for shipments of over 600,000 units .


Little Mix Little Mix are a British girl group formed in 2011 during the eighth series of the UK version of The X Factor . They are the first and , so far , only group to win the competition . Following their victory , they signed with Simon Cowell 's record label Syco Music and released a cover of Damien Rice 's `` Cannonball '' as their winner 's single . The members are Jade Thirlwall , Perrie Edwards , Leigh-Anne Pinnock , and Jesy Nelson .   Little Mix released their debut album DNA in 2012 , which peaked inside the top 10 in ten countries including the UK and US . This made Little Mix the first girl group since the Pussycat Dolls to reach the US top 5 with their debut album , as well as earning the highest debut US chart position by a British girl group , breaking the record previously held by the Spice Girls . In the UK , the album spawned the number-one single `` Wings '' . The group 's sophomore effort Salute , which was released in 2013 , became their second album to debut inside the top 10 in both the UK and US . The album produced two top 10 singles in their home country ; `` Move '' and `` Salute '' . Little Mix released their third studio album Get Weird in 2015 and it is their best-selling and longest charting album to date in the UK . The album 's lead single `` Black Magic '' reached number one in the UK and was also nominated for two Brit Awards in 2016 . The group 's 2016 fourth studio album Glory Days became their first number one album in the UK and was also the longest reigning girl group Number 1 since the Spice Girls ' debut album 20 years ago . The album 's lead single `` Shout Out to My Ex '' became the group 's fourth UK number one single , while the second single `` Touch '' became the group 's tenth top ten hit in the UK Singles Chart .   The group won Best British Single for `` Shout Out to My Ex '' at the 2017 Brit Awards , they have also received several other awards during their career , including two MTV Europe Music Awards , two Teen Choice Awards and two Glamour Awards . As of October 2016 the group has achieved four platinum certified albums and eleven certified singles in the UK . With four UK number one singles and highest first week UK album sales for a girl band since the Spice Girls , Little Mix are one of the most successful female acts in contemporary British popular culture : they appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK . Little Mix currently holds the record for the most VEVO Certified Videos for a British female artist , pushing Adele into second place , and also the most certified videos for a girl group . The group has 10 certified videos in total .


Salute (song) `` Salute '' is a song recorded by British girl group Little Mix for their second studio album of the same name ( 2013 ) . It was released on 30 May 2014 as the album 's third and final single . It was co-written by the group ( Perrie Edwards , Jesy Nelson , Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall ) with TMS ( Thomas Barnes , Peter Kelleher and Ben Kohn ) and Maegan Cottone , and produced by TMS . Lyrically , `` Salute '' is a girl-power song , being called `` a call to arms for women everywhere to stand up and fight whatever imaginary enemy is standing in their way , '' with military metaphors , war sirens , and hip hop and trap influences , drawing comparisons to Destiny 's Child and Beyoncé 's `` Run the World ( Girls ) '' . The backing track samples Xzibit 's Paparazzi .   Music critics gave the song positive reviews , with most praising its empowering lyrics and military-inspired drum beats . Some even noticed it would fit perfectly as an opening song for the tour , as well as being one of the strongest tracks of 2013 . The song became a top-ten hit on the charts of Scotland and United Kingdom , becoming the band 's sixth top-ten single in the UK , while reaching the top-twenty in Ireland and top-forty in Belgium . A music video for the song features the band dancing in an underground warehouse with an entourage of male dancers , some of whom are on leads . To promote the song , the band performed in many TV shows , including Britain 's Got Talent and the Today Show .


Glory Days (Little Mix album) Glory Days is the fourth studio album by British girl group Little Mix . It was released on 18 November 2016 , by Syco Music and Columbia Records . The album was preceded by the UK number-one single `` Shout Out to My Ex '' , which later won best single at 2017 BRIT Awards , released a month before .


Shout Out to My Ex `` Shout Out to My Ex '' is a song by British girl group Little Mix . It is the first single from their fourth studio album Glory Days ( 2016 ) and premiered on The X Factor live shows on 16 October 2016 , becoming the band 's fourth number-one single in the United Kingdom . The track was written by Edvard Førre Erfjord , Henrik Michelsen , Camille Purcell , Iain James and Little Mix , with production credits from Erfjord and Michelsen under their production monikers , Electric . The song musically is a dance-pop and power pop song that talks about not showing feelings of regret after breaking up with a boyfriend and wishing well to the new couple .


DNA (Little Mix album) DNA is the debut studio album by British girl group Little Mix . It was released on 19 November 2012 in the United Kingdom via Syco Music . The group began work recording the album in December 2011 and concluded in September 2012 . Throughout the recording process , Little Mix worked with several producers , including TMS , Future Cut , Steve Mac , Jarrad Rogers , Richard `` Biff '' Stannard , Ash Howes , Jon Levine , Xenomania , Fred Ball and Pegasus . The album was co-written by Little Mix and they stated that they were involved in the development of the album as much as possible . Sonically , the album is primarily a mixture of pop and R&B records , with influences from dance-pop , pop rock and hip hop found on specific songs as well . The album 's lyrical content explores empowerment , relationships and heartbreak . Songs on the album were also co-written by members of other girl groups , including Nicola Roberts of Girls Aloud , Shaznay Lewis of All Saints and T-Boz of TLC .   DNA received mixed reviews from music critics . The album 's lead single , `` Wings '' , was released on 26 August 2012 , reaching number one in UK and Ireland as well as charting in Australia , New Zealand , Slovakia , Czech Republic , Hungary , Belgium , Canada and the US . The second single , `` DNA '' , was released on 11 November 2012 , peaking at number three in the UK . Two post-album singles were released : `` Change Your Life '' on 3 February 2013 , and a remix of `` How Ya Doin ' ? '' featuring American rapper Missy Elliott was released on 17 April 2013 ; both songs reached the top 20 in the UK .   The album charted in the top 5 in eight countries , including number three in the UK , and at number four on the US Billboard 200 ; making Little Mix the first girl group since Danity Kane in 2006 to reach the top 5 with their debut album , as well as earning the highest debut Billboard chart position by a British girl group , breaking the record previously held by the Spice Girls ' debut album Spice ( 1996 ) .


Black Magic (song) `` Black Magic '' is a song by British girl group Little Mix . It was written by Camille Purcell , Ed Drewett , Edvard Forre Erfjord , and Henrik Michelsen . The Norwegian production duo Electric , who previously worked on the group 's second studio album Salute ( 2013 ) , produced the single with Matt Rad , who is additional producer . It was released as the lead single from their third studio album , Get Weird on 21 May 2015 . `` Black Magic '' received critical acclaim from critics , who praised its upbeat and catchy sound and compared it to songs from their debut album , DNA ( 2012 ) .   The single topped the UK Singles Chart with combined sales of 113,000 , making it the group 's first single to top the chart since their 2012 single `` Wings '' . The single also peaked within the top 10 of the charts in Ireland , Israel and Australia , achieving platinum certification in the latter . On the UK Singles Chart , `` Black Magic '' remained at the top of the chart for three weeks , becoming the first single by a girl group to do so since Sugababes 's `` About You Now '' in October 2007 . The song was nominated for Choice Love Song at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards . On 17 August 2015 , the single debuted at 99 on the US Billboard Hot 100 , before rising to number 68 the following week , subsequently becoming their highest peak on the chart thus far . In its third week in the Billboard Hot 100 , `` Black Magic '' climbed one more place to reach a new peak of 67 .


Wings (Little Mix song) `` Wings '' is a song by British girl group Little Mix . It was co-written by the group in collaboration with Iain James , Erika Nuri , Michelle Lewis , Mischke , Heidi Rojas and the song 's producers , TMS . It was released as their second single after winning the eighth series of the X Factor in 2011 , and the lead single from their debut studio album DNA ( 2012 ) . Syco serviced the single to BBC Radio 1 in the United Kingdom on 2 July 2012 and it was released for digital download on 10 July 2012 . The uptempo song , which features modern beats , drums , horns and clapping , is a pop arrangement with elements of R&B and old school . Lyrically , the song has themes of girl power , maternal advice and individuality .   `` Wings '' was well received by contemporary music critics , who praised its lyrical message , upbeat sound and vocals . `` Wings '' was the group 's most successful single to date , until they released `` Black Magic '' in 2015 . It topped the UK Singles Chart with sales of 107,000 copies in its first week . The single also reached number one in Ireland and Scotland and number three in Australia , where it was certified triple platinum . It charted in the top 40 in three other countries , peaking at number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 26 on the US Billboard Pop Songs chart .   The accompanying music video was filmed at an abandoned warehouse . The clip shows the group dancing and singing in front of colourful backdrops and a pink Union Jack flag , wearing urban-styled outfits corresponding to the backdrops . The video received favorable reviews from critics , who praised the group 's fashion sense , dancing and confidence . Little Mix promoted the song by performing it live on a number of television shows ( including Red or Black ? and The X Factor Australia ) and during their 2013 DNA Tour .