Bill Nye began his career as an electrical engineer.

Bill Nye William Sanford Nye ( born November 27 , 1955 ) , popularly known as Bill Nye the Science Guy , is an American science communicator , television presenter , and mechanical engineer . He is best known as the host of the PBS children 's science show Bill Nye the Science Guy ( 1993 -- 1998 ) , and for his many subsequent appearances in popular media as a science educator .   Nye began his career as a mechanical engineer for Boeing Corporation in Seattle , where he invented a hydraulic resonance suppressor tube used on 747 airplanes . In 1986 , Nye left Boeing to pursue comedy , writing and performing jokes and bits for the local sketch television show Almost Live ! , where he would regularly conduct wacky science experiments . Nye aspired to become the next Mr. Wizard and with the help of several producers successfully pitched the children 's television program Bill Nye the Science Guy to KCTS-TV , channel 9 , Seattle 's public television station . The show -- which proudly proclaimed in its theme song that `` science rules ! '' -- ran from 1994 to 1999 in national TV syndication . Known for its `` high-energy presentation and MTV-paced segments , '' the program became a hit for both kids and adults . The show was critically acclaimed and was nominated for 23 Emmy Awards , winning nineteen .   Following the success of his show , Nye continued to advocate for science , becoming the CEO of The Planetary Society and helping develop sundials for the Mars Exploration Rover missions . Nye has written multiple best-selling books on science , including Undeniable : Evolution and the Science of Creation in 2014 and Unstoppable : Harnessing Science to Change the World in 2015 . Nye has made frequent media appearances , including on Dancing with the Stars , The Big Bang Theory and Inside Amy Schumer . Nye starred in a documentary about his life and science advocacy titled Bill Nye : Science Guy , which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival in March 2017 . In 2017 , he debuted a Netflix series , entitled Bill Nye Saves the World .


Alexis Knapp Alexis Merizalde Knapp ( born July 31 , 1989 ) is an American actress and singer . She is known for her role as Stacie Conrad in the musical films Pitch Perfect ( 2012 ) and Pitch Perfect 2 ( 2015 ) . She is also known for her role of Alexis in the party film Project X ( 2012 ) , and her role on the first season of the TBS comedy Ground Floor .


Pitch Perfect 3 Pitch Perfect 3 is an upcoming American musical comedy film directed by Trish Sie and written by Kay Cannon , Mike White , and Dana Fox . A sequel to 2015 's Pitch Perfect 2 and the third installment in the Pitch Perfect series , the film will star Anna Kendrick , Anna Camp , Rebel Wilson , Brittany Snow , Hailee Steinfeld , Alexis Knapp , Ester Dean , Hana Mae Lee , Chrissie Fit , Kelley Jakle , and Shelley Regner as the Bellas and Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins . The film is scheduled to be released on December 22 , 2017 .


Big Bang won 3 awards at the 9th MTV Video Music Awards Japan.

Big Bang (South Korean band) Big Bang ( Korean : 빅뱅 ) is a South Korean boy band formed by YG Entertainment . Consisting of members G-Dragon , T.O.P , Taeyang , Daesung , and Seungri , the group officially debuted on August 19 , 2006 . Despite initial lukewarm receptions , their breakthrough came with the extended play , Always ( 2007 ) , which yielded the number one song `` Lies '' ( Korean : 거짓말 Revised Romanization : Geojitmal ) . The song went on to top major Korean music charts for a record-breaking seven consecutive weeks , and won Song of the Year at the 9th Mnet Korean Music Festival .   Big Bang 's follow-up releases furthered their success and popularity : Hot Issue ( 2007 ) spawned the chart-topping song `` Last Farewell , '' ( Korean : 마지막 인사 Revised Romanization : Majimak Insa ) , while Stand Up ( 2008 ) produced `` Day by Day '' ( Korean : 하루하루 , Revised Romanization : Haru Haru ) . After receiving the Artist of the Year award from the 2008 Mnet Korean Music Festival , the group expanded their endeavors to Japan , releasing both their second Korean studio-album , Remember , and their first Japanese album , Number 1 , in the same year , and consequently winning three awards at the 9th MTV Video Music Awards Japan . They would go on to release four more Japanese studio albums : Big Bang ( 2009 ) , Big Bang 2 ( 2011 ) , and the Japanese-language edition of Alive ( 2012 ) and Made Series ( 2016 ) . Amidst their Japanese promotions , the members branched out to do solo activities : Taeyang and G-Dragon released solo albums , G-Dragon and T.O.P formed a sub-unit , Seungri and Daesung acted in musicals and hosted variety shows , and T.O.P went on to star in various films and television shows .   After a two-year hiatus in South Korea , Big Bang reunited in 2011 with their EP Tonight ( 2011 ) . Promotions were cut short when multiple members encountered legal issues . By the end of the year , Big Bang emerged as the inaugural Best Worldwide Act winner at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards . Three months after their win in Europe , Big Bang released their most successful physical album , the Korean EP Alive ( 2012 ) , earning their second Artist of the Year Award at the 14th Mnet Asian Music Awards . Alive became the first Korean album to chart on the Billboard 200 , with the group embarking on their first ever world tour that concluded in early 2013 . The critically acclaimed Made ( 2016 ) was preceded by several chart-topping singles , winning the group their third Artist of the Year award at the 17th Mnet Asian Music Awards . Their second world tour in support of the album gathered 1.5 million attendance , making it the largest tour by any Korean act .   Labeled as the `` Kings of K-pop '' and the `` Nation 's Boy Band , '' the members ' involvement in composing and producing their own music , most notably G-Dragon , has earned the group respect and praise from the music industry . The quintet has been hailed K-pop icons for their part in spreading the Hallyu Wave around the globe along with their influence in the genre . Big Bang have sold over 140 million records , making them the best-selling digital group of all-time in Asia and one of the best-selling boy bands in the world . They have won numerous awards and set several records , including being the act who spent the most months at number one on the Gaon Chart and the most weeks at number one on Melon , besides being the all-time best-selling artist in Cyworld . Big Bang was the first Korean artist to enter Forbes Magazine '' 's Celebrity 100 and the 30 under 30 most influential musicians in the world lists . Citing their global popularity and contribution to K-pop , The Washington Post '' have described them as `` the biggest band in Asia '' and the Hollywood Reporter as `` the biggest boy band in the world . ''


Cochrane is a non-governmental organization.

Cochrane (organisation) Cochrane , previously known as the Cochrane Collaboration , is an independent , non-profit , non-governmental organization consisting of a group of more than 37,000 volunteers in more than 130 countries . The group was formed to organize medical research information in a systematic way to facilitate the choices that health professionals , patients , policy makers and others face in health interventions according to the principles of evidence-based medicine .   The group conducts systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials of health-care interventions and diagnostic tests , which it publishes in The Cochrane Library . A few reviews ( in fields such as occupational health ) have also studied the results of non-randomized , observational studies .


K2's summit is 8611.2 meters above sea level.

K2 K2 ( -LSB- ) , also known as Mount Godwin-Austen or Chhogori ( Balti and -LSB- ) , is the second highest mountain in the world , after Mount Everest , at 8611 m above sea level . It is located on the China-Pakistan border between Baltistan , in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of northern Pakistan , and the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang , China . K2 is the highest point of the Karakoram range and the highest point in both Pakistan and Xinjiang .   K2 is known as the Savage Mountain due to the extreme difficulty of ascent . It has the second-highest fatality rate among the eight thousanders . With around 300 successful summits and 77 fatalities , about one person dies on the mountain for every four who summit . It is more difficult and hazardous to reach the peak of K2 from the Chinese side , so it is usually climbed from the Pakistani side . Unlike Annapurna , the mountain with the highest fatality-to-summit rate ( 191 summits and 61 fatalities ) , or the other eight thousanders , K2 has never been climbed during winter .


Will Turner is Bootstrap Bill Turner's daughter.

Will Turner William `` Will '' Turner , Jr. is a fictional character in the Pirates of the Caribbean films . He appears in The Curse of the Black Pearl ( 2003 ) , Dead Man 's Chest ( 2006 ) , At World 's End ( 2007 ) and Dead Men Tell No Tales ( 2017 ) . He is portrayed by Orlando Bloom ( and as a child by Dylan Smith in the prologue of The Curse of the Black Pearl ) .   William Turner is a blacksmith 's apprentice working in Port Royal , Jamaica . He secretly loves the governor 's daughter , Elizabeth Swann ( played by Keira Knightley ) , although he occupies a lower social class than she does . Will is the son of Bootstrap Bill Turner , and he works to free his father from service to Davy Jones . He marries Elizabeth Swann in At World 's End , and they have a son named Henry .


On December 23, 1964, Eddie Vedder was born.

Eddie Vedder Eddie Vedder ( born Edward Louis Severson ; December 23 , 1964 ) is an American musician , singer and songwriter best known as a member of the rock band Pearl Jam , with whom he performs lead vocals and is one of three guitarists . He is known for his powerful baritone vocals .   He is also involved in making music and contributes to albums by other artists . In 2007 , Vedder released his first solo album as a soundtrack for the film Into the Wild ( 2007 ) . His second album Ukulele Songs and a live DVD titled Water on the Road were released in 2011 .   Vedder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pearl Jam on April 7 , 2017 .


The name between Meghan McCain's first and last name is Marguerite.

Meghan McCain Meghan Marguerite McCain ( born October 23 , 1984 ) is an American columnist , author , Fox News host and contributor , and blogger .   She is the daughter of 2008 presidential nominee and long-time U.S. Senator John McCain and Cindy Hensley McCain . McCain first received media attention in 2007 for her blog , McCain Blogette , on which she documented life on the campaign trail and mused about fashion , music , and pop culture . In 2009 , she became a contributing author for The Daily Beast , and in 2011 , began appearing as a contributor on MSNBC . In 2013 , she began hosting on the start-up Pivot channel and in 2014 assumed the co-host role on Pivot 's TakePart Live until that show was canceled later in the year .   In July 2015 , McCain joined Premiere Networks as host of the nationally syndicated radio program America Now . McCain also signed on as a FOX News contributor in July 2015 , and was officially named a regular co-host of the afternoon talk program Outnumbered on November 14 , 2016 .


Naproxen Naproxen ( brand names : Aleve , Naprosyn , and many others ) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ( NSAID ) of the propionic acid class ( the same class as ibuprofen ) that relieves pain , fever , swelling , and stiffness . It is a nonselective COX inhibitor , usually sold as the sodium salt .   Naproxen poses an intermediate risk of stomach ulcers compared with ibuprofen , which is low-risk , and indometacin , which is high-risk . To reduce stomach ulceration risk , it is often combined with a proton-pump inhibitor ( a medication that reduces stomach acid production ) during long-term treatment of those with pre-existing stomach ulcers or a history of developing stomach ulcers while on NSAIDs .


Jenni Rivera Dolores Janney Rivera Saavedra ( July 2 , 1969 -- December 9 , 2012 ) , better known as Jenni Rivera , was an American singer , songwriter , actress , television producer , spokesperson , philanthropist and entrepreneur known for her work within the Banda and ranchera music genres . In life and death , several media outlets including CNN , Billboard , Fox News , and The New York Times have labeled her as the most important female figure and top selling female artist in the Mexican music genre . Billboard magazine named her the `` top Latin artist of 2013 '' , the `` best selling Latin artist of 2013 '' .   Rivera began recording music in 1992 . Her recordings often had themes of social issues , infidelity , and relationships . Rivera released her first studio album , Si Quieres Verme Llorar , in the late 1990s , failing to attain commercial success ; however , she rose to prominence in the United States and Mexico with her major-label debut , Parrandera , Rebelde y Atrevida . In the early 2000s , she was often criticized and was refused bookings at venues across California for performing Banda music -- a male-dominated music genre . However , her popularity grew after she won the Lo Nuestro Award for Regional Mexican Female Artist of the Year in 2007 , which she won nine consecutive times . Her tenth studio album , Jenni ( 2008 ) became her first No. 1 record on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart in the United States . In 2010 , she appeared in and produced the reality TV show Jenni Rivera Presents : Chiquis & Raq-C . She also appeared in and produced I Love Jenni starting in 2011 through 2013 and Chiquis 'n Control in 2012 . Her acting debut was in the film Filly Brown , which was released in 2013 .   Rivera garnered nominations and awards from Latin music 's most prestigious accolades . Over the course of her career she was awarded two Oye ! Awards ( Mexico 's equivalent to the United States ' Grammy Awards ) , two Billboard Music Awards , twenty-two Billboard Latin Music Awards , eleven Billboard Mexican Music Awards and eighteen Lo Nuestro Awards . She received four Latin Grammy nominations . She has a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars , and she is one of the best-selling regional Mexican artists of all time , having sold more than 20 million records worldwide .   Aside from music , she was active in her community and donated her time to civic causes . The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence appointed her its spokesperson in the United States . A proclamation was given `` officially naming '' August 6 `` Jenni Rivera Day '' by the Los Angeles City Council for all her charity work and community involvement .   Rivera , along with six others , died in a plane crash near Iturbide , Nuevo León on December 9 , 2012 . Her death made international headlines for weeks . In December 2014 , Mexican authorities closed the investigation on what brought the plane down . Mexican Director of Civil Aviation , Gilberto Gómez Meyer , stated that the results of the plane crash have come back inconclusive and that they are unable to determine the exact cause of the crash . Lawsuits involving the owners of the plane , Rivera 's estate , and family members of those on board with Rivera have been filed in The Superior Court of Los Angeles County .


Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a cricket field , at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard-long pitch with a wicket ( a set of three wooden stumps ) at each end . One team bats , attempting to score as many runs as possible , whilst their opponents field . Each phase of play is called an innings . After either ten batsmen have been dismissed or a fixed number of overs have been completed , the innings ends and the two teams then swap roles . The winning team is the one that scores the most runs , including any extras gained , during their innings .   At the start of each game , two batsmen and eleven fielders enter the field of play . The play begins when a member of the fielding team , known as the bowler , delivers the ball from one end of the pitch to the other , towards the wicket at that end , in front of which stands one of the batsmen , known as the striker . The striker `` takes guard '' on a crease drawn on the pitch four feet in front of the wicket . His role is to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps by use of his bat , and simultaneously to strike it well enough to score runs . The other batsman , known as the non-striker , waits at the opposite end of the pitch near the bowler . A dismissed batsman must leave the field , and a teammate replaces him . The bowler 's objectives are to prevent the scoring of runs and to dismiss the batsman . An over is a set of six deliveries bowled by the same bowler . The next over is bowled from the other end of the pitch by a different bowler .   The most common forms of dismissal are bowled , when the bowler hits the stumps directly with the ball ; leg before wicket , when the batsman prevents the ball from hitting the stumps with his body instead of his bat ; and caught , when the batsman hits the ball into the air and it is intercepted by a fielder before touching the ground . Runs are scored by two main methods : either by hitting the ball hard enough for it to cross the boundary , or by the two batsmen swapping ends by each simultaneously running the length of the pitch in opposite directions whilst the fielders are retrieving the ball . If a fielder retrieves the ball quickly enough to put down the wicket with a batsman not having reached the crease at that end of the pitch , that batsman is dismissed ( a run-out occurs ) . Adjudication is performed on the field by two umpires .   The laws of cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council ( ICC ) and the Marylebone Cricket Club ( MCC ) . There are various formats ranging from Twenty20 , played over a few hours with each team having a single innings of 20 overs ( i.e. 120 deliveries ) , to Test cricket , played over five days with unlimited overs and the teams playing two innings apiece . Traditionally cricketers play in all-white kit , but in limited overs cricket they wear club or team colours . In addition to the basic kit , some players wear protective gear to prevent injury caused by the ball , which is a hard , solid object made of compressed leather enclosing a cork core .   Although cricket 's origins are uncertain , it is first recorded in south-east England in the 16th century . It spread globally with the expansion of the British Empire , leading to the first international matches in the mid-19th century . ICC , the game 's governing body , has over 100 members , ten of which are full members who play Test cricket . The sport is followed primarily in Australasia , Britain , the Indian subcontinent , southern Africa and the West Indies . Women 's cricket , which is organised and played separately , has also achieved international standard .


Kanye West Kanye Omari West ( -LSB- ˈkɑːnjeɪ -RSB- born June 8 , 1977 ) is an American rapper , songwriter , record producer , fashion designer , and entrepreneur . Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago , West briefly attended art school before becoming known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s , producing hit singles for artists such as Jay Z and Alicia Keys . Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper , West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and commercial success , and founded the record label GOOD Music . He went on to pursue a variety of different styles on subsequent albums Late Registration ( 2005 ) , Graduation ( 2007 ) , and 808s & Heartbreak ( 2008 ) . In 2010 , he released his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to rave reviews from critics , and the following year he collaborated with Jay Z on the joint LP Watch the Throne ( 2011 ) . West released his abrasive sixth album , Yeezus , to further critical praise in 2013 . His seventh album , The Life of Pablo , was released in 2016 .   West 's outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant mainstream attention . He has been a frequent source of controversy for his conduct at award shows , on social media , and in other public settings . His more scrutinized comments include his off-script denunciation of President George W. Bush during a live 2005 television broadcast for Hurricane Katrina relief and his interruption of singer Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards . West 's efforts as a fashion designer include collaborations with Nike , Louis Vuitton , and A.P.C. on both clothing and footwear , and have most prominently resulted in the YEEZY collaboration with Adidas beginning in 2013 . He is the founder and head of the creative content company DONDA . His 2014 marriage to television personality Kim Kardashian has also been subject to widespread media coverage .   West is among the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century , and is one of the best-selling artists of all time , having sold more than 32 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide . He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards , making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist to have debuted in the 21st century . Three of his albums have been included and ranked on Rolling Stone 's 2012 update of the `` 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' list . He has also been included in a number of Forbes annual lists . Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015 .


Scanline VFX is credited for visual effects for Hereafter.

Scanline VFX Scanline VFX is a visual effects company with offices in Los Angeles , Vancouver and Munich . The company is known for its proprietary , in-house fluid effects software Flowline , which is used in various fluid effects like water and fire . Scanline was sole developer for Flowline , for which it received a 2008 Scientific and Technical Achievement Academy Award . In 2008 , the company was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Achievement in Visual Effects for its work on director Clint Eastwood 's `` Hereafter '' , for which it was the sole visual effects vendor . The company works mainly in feature films and TV movies , and offers VFX , 3D animated features and post-production services .   The Los Angeles studio opened in 2007 , under President and VFX Supervisor , Stephan Trojansky . Trojanksy was one of the recipients of the 2008 Scientific and Technical Achievement Academy Award for the development of Flowline , as well as an Oscar nominee for `` Hereafter '' .   Scanline VFX/Los Angeles has worked on `` The Wolf of Wall Street '' , `` Man of Steel '' , `` 300 : Rise of an Empire '' , `` Iron Man 3 '' and `` A Good Day to Die Hard '' . Past credits include `` The Avengers '' , `` Battleship '' , `` Immortals '' , `` 2012 '' , `` 300 '' , `` Hereafter '' , and `` Super 8 '' , on which it created the highly regarded train crash sequence , in collaboration with ILM .


The United Kingdom has a parliamentary system.

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


Las Vegas is the most populous city in Nevada.

Las Vegas Las Vegas ( -LSB- lɑːs_ˈveɪɡəs -RSB- , Spanish for `` The Meadows '' ) , officially the City of Las Vegas and often known simply as Vegas , is the 28th-most populated city in the United States , the most populated city in the state of Nevada , and the county seat of Clark County . The city anchors the Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area and is the largest city within the greater Mojave Desert . Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city known primarily for its gambling , shopping , fine dining , entertainment , and nightlife . It is the leading financial , commercial , and cultural center for Nevada .   The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World , and is famous for its mega casino -- hotels and associated activities . It is a top three destination in the United States for business conventions and a global leader in the hospitality industry , claiming more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any city in the world . Today , Las Vegas annually ranks as one of the world 's most visited tourist destinations . The city 's tolerance for numerous forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City , and has made Las Vegas a popular setting for literature , films , television programs , and music videos .   Las Vegas was settled in 1905 and officially incorporated in 1911 . At the close of the 20th century , it was the most populated American city founded within that century ( a similar distinction earned by Chicago in the 1800s ) . Population growth has accelerated since the 1960s , and between 1990 and 2000 the population nearly doubled , increasing by 85.2 % . Rapid growth has continued into the 21st century , and according to a 2013 estimate , the population is 603,488 with a regional population of 2,027,828 .   `` Las Vegas '' is often used to describe areas beyond official city limits -- especially the areas on and near the Las Vegas Strip , which is actually located within the unincorporated communities of Paradise , Winchester , and Enterprise .


Guyana is not considered to be in the Caribbean Region.

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


The University of Oxford operates a museum.

University of Oxford The University of Oxford ( informally Oxford University or simply Oxford ) is a collegiate research university located in Oxford , England . It has no known date of foundation , but there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096 , making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world 's second-oldest university in continuous operation . It is one of the world 's most prestigious universities . It grew rapidly from 1167 when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris . After disputes between students and Oxford townsfolk in 1209 , some academics fled north-east to Cambridge where they established what became the University of Cambridge . The two `` ancient universities '' are frequently jointly referred to as `` Oxbridge '' .   The university is made up of a variety of institutions , including 38 constituent colleges and a full range of academic departments which are organised into four divisions . All the colleges are self-governing institutions within the university , each controlling its own membership and with its own internal structure and activities . Being a city university , it does not have a main campus ; instead , its buildings and facilities are scattered throughout the city centre . Most undergraduate teaching at Oxford is organised around weekly tutorials at the colleges and halls , supported by classes , lectures and laboratory work provided by university faculties and departments .   Oxford is the home of the Rhodes Scholarship , one of the world 's oldest and most prestigious scholarships , which has brought graduate students to study at the university for more than a century . The university operates the world 's oldest university museum , as well as the largest university press in the world and the largest academic library system in Britain . Oxford has educated many notable alumni , including 28 Nobel laureates , 27 Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom , and many heads of state and government around the world .


XXx: Return of Xander Cage is a drama film.

XXx: Return of Xander Cage xXx : Return of Xander Cage ( released as xXx : Reactivated in some countries ) is a 2017 American action film directed by D. J. Caruso and written by F. Scott Frazier . The film stars Vin Diesel , Donnie Yen , Deepika Padukone , Kris Wu , Ruby Rose , Tony Jaa , Nina Dobrev , Toni Collette , and Samuel L. Jackson . It is the third installment in the xXx franchise and a sequel to both xXx ( 2002 ) and xXx : State of the Union ( 2005 ) .   Unlike the previous films , which were distributed by Columbia Pictures , the film was released by Paramount Pictures on January 20 , 2017 , in 2D , RealD 3D and IMAX 3D . This also marks the first film produced by Revolution Studios in ten years since 2007 's The Water Horse : Legend of the Deep . The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $ 346 million worldwide against a production budget of $ 85 million , making it the eighth highest-grossing film of 2017 , the highest-grossing film of Revolution Studios and in the franchise .


The 1998 NFL Draft was for the 79th irregular season of the NFL.

1998 NFL season The 1998 NFL season was the 79th regular season of the National Football League .   The season culminated with Super Bowl XXXIII , with the Denver Broncos defeating the Atlanta Falcons 34-19 at Pro Player Stadium . The Broncos had won their first thirteen games , the best start since the undefeated 1972 Dolphins , and were tipped by some to have a realistic chance at winning all nineteen games . The Minnesota Vikings became the first team since the 1968 Baltimore Colts to win all but one of their regular season games and not win the Super Bowl .   Football Outsiders noted `` 1998 was the last hurrah for the great quarterbacks who came into the league in the 1980s . The top four QBs -LSB- statistically -RSB- were all over 35 : Vinny Testaverde , Randall Cunningham , Steve Young , and John Elway . Troy Aikman , age 32 , was fifth . Dan Marino was 11th in his last good year . ''


1998 NFL Draft The 1998 NFL draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players . It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting . The draft was held April 18 -- 19 , 1998 , at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City , New York . The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season .   Before the draft , there was a debate on whether the Indianapolis Colts should select Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf with the first overall pick ; both were considered excellent prospects and future franchise quarterbacks . Leaf was considered to have more upside and a stronger throwing arm , while Manning was considered a prospect who was NFL ready and more mature . On the day of the draft , the Colts selected Manning due to Leaf 's disdain for Indianapolis . Manning went on to win the Most Valuable Player award in five different seasons , the most of any NFL player ever , whereas Leaf was out of the NFL by 2002 and is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history .


Stand-up comedy is a style in which a person talks to an audience.

Stand-up comedy Stand-up comedy is a comic style in which a comedian performs in front of a live audience , usually speaking directly to them . The performer is commonly known as a comic , stand-up comic , stand-up comedian , or simply a stand-up . In stand-up comedy , the comedian usually recites a grouping of humorous stories , jokes and one-liners typically called a monologue , routine , or act . Some stand-up comedians use props , music , or magic tricks to `` enhance '' their acts . Stand-up comedy is often performed in comedy clubs , bars and pubs , nightclubs , neo-burlesques , colleges and theatres . Outside of live performance , stand-up is often distributed commercially via television , DVD , CD and the internet .


Comedian A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience by making them laugh . This might be through jokes or amusing situations , or acting foolish ( as in slapstick ) or employing prop comedy . A comedian who addresses an audience directly is called a stand-up comedian .   A popular saying , variously quoted but generally attributed to Ed Wynn , is , `` A comic says funny things ; a comedian says things funny '' , which draws a distinction between how much of the comedy can be attributed to verbal content and how much to acting and persona .   Since the 1980s , a new wave of comedy , called alternative comedy , has grown in popularity with its more offbeat and experimental style . This normally involves more experiential , or observational reporting , e.g. Alexei Sayle , Daniel Tosh , Louis C.K. and Malcolm Hardee . As far as content is concerned , comedians such as Tommy Tiernan , Des Bishop , and Joan Rivers draw on their background to poke fun at themselves , while others such as Jon Stewart , and Ben Elton have very strong political and cultural undertones .   Many comics achieve a cult following while touring famous comedy hubs such as the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal , the Edinburgh Fringe , and Melbourne Comedy Festival in Australia . Often a comic 's career advances significantly when they win a notable comedy award , such as the Edinburgh Comedy Award ( formerly the Perrier comedy award ) . Comics sometimes foray into other areas of entertainment , such as film and television , where they become more widely known ; e.g. , Eddie Izzard or Ricky Gervais . However , a comic 's stand-up success does not guarantee a film 's critical or box office success .


Mission: Impossible 6 is a British movie.

Mission: Impossible 6 Mission : Impossible 6 is an upcoming American action spy film written , co-produced and directed by Christopher McQuarrie , and produced by J. J. Abrams , Bryan Burk , Tom Cruise , David Ellison , Dana Goldberg , and Don Granger . It is the sixth installment in the Mission : Impossible film series . The film stars Cruise , Rebecca Ferguson , Ving Rhames , Simon Pegg , Alec Baldwin and Sean Harris all reprising their roles from previous films , with Henry Cavill , Vanessa Kirby and Sian Brooke joining the franchise . The film will be released on July 27 , 2018 by Paramount Pictures .


Kristen Bell Kristen Anne Bell ( born July 18 , 1980 ) is an American actress and singer . She began her acting career starring in stage productions and attended the Tisch School of Arts in New York . In 2001 , she made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and starred in the Broadway revival of The Crucible the following year . In 2004 , she had a supporting role in the film Spartan and received praise for her first leading performance in Gracie 's Choice .   Bell gained critical acclaim for her first major role as the title character in the teen noir drama television series Veronica Mars ( 2004 -- 07 ) . For her performance she was awarded a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television . She reprised the eponymous role in the 2014 film continuation of the series . During her time on Veronica Mars , Bell appeared as Mary Lane in the film Reefer Madness : The Movie Musical ( 2005 ) , a reprise of the role she had played in the New York musical upon which the film was based . In 2007 , Bell joined the cast of the sci-fi series Heroes , playing the character Elle Bishop , for which she was nominated for a Saturn Award .   In 2008 , she had her breakout film role as the title character in Forgetting Sarah Marshall . She has since appeared in a number of comedy films , such as Couples Retreat ( 2009 ) , When in Rome ( 2010 ) , You Again ( 2010 ) , and The Boss ( 2016 ) . Bell garnered further recognition for voicing Princess Anna in the Disney film Frozen ( 2013 ) , the short film Frozen Fever ( 2015 ) , and the upcoming Frozen 2 . She also starred as the female lead on the Showtime series House of Lies . Since 2016 , she has starred in the main role of Eleanor Shellstrop on the NBC comedy series The Good Place .   Bell married actor Dax Shepard in 2013 , with whom she has two daughters .


Travis Scott Jacques Webster , Jr. ( born April 30 , 1992 ) , better known by his stage name Travis Scott ( formerly stylized as Travi $ Scott ) , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter and record producer from Houston , Texas . In 2012 , Scott signed a record deal with Epic Records . In November of the same year , Scott signed a deal with Very GOOD Beats , as an in-house producer , after appearing on the label 's debut compilation album Cruel Summer ( 2012 ) . In April 2013 , it was announced he signed with T.I. 's Grand Hustle imprint . He released his first full-length project , a mixtape titled Owl Pharaoh , in May 2013 . He then released his second mixtape Days Before Rodeo in August 2014 . His debut album Rodeo , was released on September 4 , 2015 . His sophomore album , Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight , was released on September 2 , 2016 .


The score for The Incredibles was composed by Michael Giacchino.

Michael Giacchino Michael Giacchino ( -LSB- dʒakˈkiːno -RSB- ; born October 10 , 1967 ) is an American composer of music for films , television and video games . He composed the scores to the television series Lost , Alias and Fringe , the video ' game series Medal of Honor and Call of Duty and many films such as The Incredibles , Ratatouille , Up , Mission : Impossible - Ghost Protocol , Dawn of the Planet of the Apes , Jurassic World , Inside Out , Star Trek Beyond , Doctor Strange , Rogue One and Spider-Man : Homecoming .   Giacchino has received an Emmy Award and multiple Grammy Awards , as well as a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for his work on Up .


Hugh Jackman hosted the 81st Academy Awards.

Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman ( born 12 October 1968 ) is an Australian actor , singer , and producer . Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in a variety of film genres . He is known for his long-running role as Wolverine in the X-Men film series , as well as for his lead roles in films such as the romantic-comedy fantasy Kate & Leopold ( 2001 ) , the action-horror film Van Helsing ( 2004 ) , the magic-themed drama The Prestige ( 2006 ) , the epic fantasy drama The Fountain ( 2006 ) , the epic historical romantic drama Australia ( 2008 ) , the film version of Les Misérables ( 2012 ) , and the thriller Prisoners ( 2013 ) . His work in Les Misérables earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and his first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 2013 .   In Broadway theatre , Jackman won a Tony Award for his role in The Boy from Oz . A four-time host of the Tony Awards themselves , he won an Emmy Award for one of these appearances . Jackman also hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009 .


Trade on the Silk Road played a significant role in the development of the civilizations of China, Korea, Japan, India, Persia, and others.

Silk Road The Silk Road or Silk Route was an ancient network of trade routes that were for centuries central to cultural interaction originally through regions of Eurasia connecting the East and West and stretching from the Korean peninsula and Japan to the Mediterranean Sea . The Silk Road concept refers to both the terrestrial and the maritime routes connecting Asia and Europe . The overland Steppe route stretching through the Eurasian steppe is considered the ancestor to the Silk Road ( s ) .   While the term is of modern coinage , the Silk Road derives its name from the lucrative trade in silk ( and horses ) carried out along its length , beginning during the Han dynasty ( 207 BCE -- 220 CE ) . The Han dynasty expanded Central Asian sections of the trade routes around 114 BCE , largely through missions and explorations of the Chinese imperial envoy , Zhang Qian . The Chinese took great interest in the safety of their trade products and extended the Great Wall of China to ensure the protection of the trade route .   Trade on the Silk Road played a significant role in the development of the civilizations of China , the Goguryeo kingdom ( Korea ) , Japan , the Indian subcontinent , Persia , Europe , the Horn of Africa and Arabia , opening long-distance political and economic relations between the civilizations . Though silk was certainly the major trade item exported from China , many other goods were traded , as well as religions , syncretic philosophies , and various technologies . Diseases , most notably plague , also spread along the Silk Routes . In addition to economic trade , the Silk Road was a route for cultural trade among the civilizations along its network .   The main traders during antiquity included the Chinese , Arabs , Turkmens , Indians , Persians , Somalis , Greeks , Syrians , Romans , Georgians , Armenians , Bactrians , and ( from the 5th to the 8th century ) the Sogdians .   In June 2014 , UNESCO designated the Chang ` an-Tianshan corridor of the Silk Road as a World Heritage Site .


Cleopatra (1963 film) Cleopatra is a 1963 American epic historical drama film chronicling the struggles of Cleopatra VII , the young Queen of Egypt , to resist the imperial ambitions of Rome . It was directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and shot in the 70 mm Todd-AO format , with a screenplay adapted by Mankiewicz , Ranald MacDougall and Sidney Buchman from a book by Carlo Maria Franzero . The film stars Elizabeth Taylor , Richard Burton , Rex Harrison , Roddy McDowall , and Martin Landau .   Cleopatra achieved notoriety during its production for its massive cost overruns and production troubles , which included changes in director and cast , a change of filming locale , sets that had to be constructed twice , lack of a firm shooting script , and personal scandal around co-stars Taylor and Burton . It was the most expensive film ever made up to that point and almost bankrupted 20th Century-Fox .   It was the highest-grossing film of 1963 , earning box-office of $ 57.7 million in the United States ( equivalent to $ million in ) , yet made a loss due to its production and marketing costs of $ 44 million ( equivalent to $ million in ) , making it the only film ever to be the highest-grossing film of the year yet to run at a loss . Cleopatra later won four Academy Awards , and was nominated for five more , including Best Picture ( which it lost to Tom Jones ) .


Giant (1956 film) Giant is a 1956 American epic Western drama film , directed by George Stevens from a screenplay adapted by Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat from Edna Ferber 's 1952 novel . The film stars Elizabeth Taylor , Rock Hudson and James Dean and features Carroll Baker , Jane Withers , Chill Wills , Mercedes McCambridge , Dennis Hopper , Sal Mineo , Rod Taylor , Elsa Cardenas and Earl Holliman . Giant was the last of James Dean 's three films as a leading actor , and earned him his second and last Academy Award nomination -- he was killed in a car accident before the film was released . Nick Adams was called in to do some voice dubbing for Dean 's role .   In 2005 , the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .


A Place in the Sun (film) A Place in the Sun is a 1951 American drama film based on the 1925 novel An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser and the 1926 play , also titled An American Tragedy . It tells the story of a working-class young man who is entangled with two women ; one who works in his wealthy uncle 's factory and the other a beautiful socialite . Another adaptation of the novel had been filmed once before , as An American Tragedy , in 1931 .   A Place in the Sun was directed by George Stevens from a screenplay by Harry Brown and Michael Wilson , and stars Montgomery Clift , Elizabeth Taylor , and Shelley Winters ; its supporting actors included Anne Revere , and Raymond Burr .   The film was a critical and commercial success , winning six Academy Awards and the first ever Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Drama . In 1991 , A Place in the Sun was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .


Father of the Bride (1950 film) Father of the Bride is a 1950 American comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli , about a man trying to cope with preparations for his daughter 's upcoming wedding . The movie stars Spencer Tracy in the titular role , Joan Bennett , Elizabeth Taylor , Don Taylor , Billie Burke , and Leo G. Carroll . It was adapted by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett from the novel by Edward Streeter . Father of the Bride was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role , Best Picture and Best Writing , Screenplay .


BUtterfield 8 BUtterfield 8 is a 1960 drama film directed by Daniel Mann , starring Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey . Taylor won her first Academy Award for her performance in a leading role . The film was based on a 1935 novel written by John O'Hara in the wake of the success of his critically acclaimed Appointment in Samarra .


Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor , DBE ( February 27 , 1932 -- March 23 , 2011 ) was a British American actress , businesswoman , and humanitarian . She began as a child actress in the early 1940s , and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s . She continued her career successfully into the 1960s , and remained a well known public figure for the rest of her life . In 1999 , the American Film Institute named her the seventh-greatest female screen legend .   Born in London to wealthy , socially prominent American parents , Taylor moved with her family to Los Angeles in 1939 , and she soon was given a film contract by Universal Pictures . She made her screen debut in a minor role in There 's One Born Every Minute ( 1942 ) , but Universal terminated her contract after a year . Taylor was then signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , and had her breakthrough role in National Velvet ( 1944 ) , becoming one of the studio 's most popular teenaged stars . She made the transition to adult roles in the early 1950s , when she starred in the comedy Father of the Bride ( 1950 ) and received critical acclaim for her performance in the tragic drama A Place in the Sun ( 1951 ) .   Despite being one of MGM 's most bankable stars , Taylor wished to end her career in the early 1950s , as she resented the studio 's control and disliked many of the films to which she was assigned . She began receiving better roles in the mid-1950s , beginning with the epic drama Giant ( 1956 ) , and starred in several critically and commercially successful films in the following years . These included two film adaptations of plays by Tennessee Williams , Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ( 1958 ) and Suddenly , Last Summer ( 1959 ) ; Taylor won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for the latter . Although she disliked her role in BUtterfield 8 ( 1960 ) , her last film for MGM , she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance . She was next paid a record-breaking $ 1 million to play the title role in the historical epic Cleopatra ( 1963 ) , the most expensive film made up to that point . During the filming , Taylor and co-star Richard Burton began having an extramarital affair which caused a scandal . Despite public disapproval , Burton and she continued their relationship and were married the first time ( his second marriage , her fifth ) in 1964 . Dubbed `` Liz and Dick '' by the media , they starred in 11 films together , including The V.I.P.s ( 1963 ) , The Sandpiper ( 1965 ) , The Taming of the Shrew ( 1967 ) , and Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? ( 1966 ) . Taylor received the best reviews of her career for Woolf , winning her second Academy Award and several other awards for her performance .   Taylor 's acting career began to decline in the late 1960s , although she continued starring in films until the mid-1970s , after which she focused on supporting the career of her sixth husband , Senator John Warner . In the 1980s , she acted in her first substantial stage roles and in several television films and series , and became the first celebrity to launch a perfume brand . Taylor was also one of the first celebrities to take part in HIV/AIDS activism . She co-founded the American Foundation for AIDS Research in 1985 and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1991 . From the early 1990s until her death , she dedicated her time to philanthropy . She received several accolades for it , including the Presidential Citizens Medal .   Throughout her life , Taylor 's personal affairs were subject to constant media attention . She was married eight times to seven men , endured serious illnesses , and led a jet set lifestyle , including amassing one of the most expensive private collections of jewelry . After many years of ill health , Taylor died from congestive heart failure at the age of 79 in 2011 .


National Velvet (film) National Velvet is a 1944 American Technicolor sports film directed by Clarence Brown and based on the novel of the same name by Enid Bagnold , published in 1935 . It stars Mickey Rooney , Donald Crisp , and a young Elizabeth Taylor . In 2003 , National Velvet was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . ''


U2 did not release the album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb.

U2 U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin formed in 1976 . The group consists of Bono ( lead vocals and rhythm guitar ) , the Edge ( lead guitar , keyboards , and backing vocals ) , Adam Clayton ( bass guitar ) , and Larry Mullen Jr. ( drums and percussion ) . Initially rooted in post-punk , U2 's sound grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music , yet has maintained an anthemic sound built on Bono 's expressive vocals and the Edge 's effects-based guitar textures . Their lyrics , often embellished with spiritual imagery , focus on personal themes and sociopolitical concerns . Popular for their live performances , the group have staged several ambitious and elaborate tours over their career .   The band formed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in 1976 when the members were teenagers with limited musical proficiency . Within four years , they signed with Island Records and released their debut album , Boy ( 1980 ) . Subsequent work such as their first UK number-one album , War ( 1983 ) , and the singles `` Sunday Bloody Sunday '' and `` Pride ( In the Name of Love ) '' helped establish U2 's reputation as a politically and socially conscious group . By the mid-1980s , they had become renowned globally for their live act , highlighted by their performance at Live Aid in 1985 . The group 's fifth album , The Joshua Tree ( 1987 ) , made them international superstars and was their greatest critical and commercial success . Topping music charts around the world , it produced their only number-one singles in the US , `` With or Without You '' and `` I Still Have n't Found What I 'm Looking For '' . Facing a backlash and creative stagnation , U2 reinvented themselves in the 1990s through a new musical direction and public image . Beginning with their acclaimed seventh album , Achtung Baby ( 1991 ) , and the multimedia intensive Zoo TV Tour , the band integrated influences from alternative rock , electronic dance music , and industrial music into their sound , and embraced a more ironic , flippant image . This experimentation continued through their ninth album , Pop ( 1997 ) , and the PopMart Tour , which were mixed successes . U2 regained critical and commercial favour with the records All That You Ca n't Leave Behind ( 2000 ) and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb ( 2004 ) , which established a more conventional , mainstream sound for the group . Their U2 360 ° Tour of 2009 -- 2011 is the highest-attended and highest-grossing concert tour in history . The group 's thirteenth album , Songs of Innocence ( 2014 ) , was released at no cost through the iTunes Store , but received criticism for its automatic placement in users ' music libraries .   U2 have released 13 studio albums and are one of the world 's best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 170 million records worldwide . They have won 22 Grammy Awards , more than any other band , and in 2005 , they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility . Rolling Stone ranked U2 at number 22 on its list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . Throughout their career , as a band and as individuals , they have campaigned for human rights and philanthropic causes , including Amnesty International , Jubilee 2000 , the ONE/DATA campaigns , Product Red , War Child , and Music Rising .


How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the eleventh studio album by Irish rock band U2 . It was released on 22 November 2004 on Island Records and Interscope Records . Much like their previous album , All That You Ca n't Leave Behind , How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb exhibits a more mainstream rock sound after the band experimented with alternative rock and dance music in the 1990s . The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite , with additional production from Chris Thomas , Jacknife Lee , Nellee Hooper , Flood , Daniel Lanois , Brian Eno , and Carl Glanville .   Looking for a more hard-hitting sound than that of their previous album , U2 began recording How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb in February 2003 with Thomas . After nine months of work , the band had an album 's worth of material ready for release , but they were not satisfied with the results . The group subsequently enlisted Lillywhite to take over as producer in Dublin in January 2004 . Lillywhite , along with his assistant Lee , spent six months with the band reworking songs and encouraging better performances . U2 lead singer Bono described the album as `` our first rock album . It 's taken us twenty years or whatever it is , but this is our first rock album . '' Thematically , the record touches on life , death , love , war , faith , and family .   How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb received favourable reviews and reached number one in 30 countries , including the US , where first-week sales of 840,000 copies nearly doubled the band 's previous personal best . The album and its singles won all nine Grammy Awards for which they were nominated ( U2 themselves were awarded eight out of the nine ) . The album also was the fourth-highest-selling album of 2004 , with over 9 million copies sold , and it yielded several successful singles in `` Vertigo '' , `` City of Blinding Lights '' and `` Sometimes You Ca n't Make It on Your Own '' . The album was also included in Rolling Stones list of the `` 100 Best Albums of the Decade '' at number 68 .


J. J. Cale John Weldon `` J. J. '' Cale ( December 5 , 1938 -- July 26 , 2013 ) was an American guitarist , singer , and songwriter . Though he deliberately avoided the limelight ( being temperamentally averse to celebrity ) his influence as a musical artist has been widely acknowledged by figures such as Mark Knopfler , Neil Young , and Eric Clapton , who described him as `` one of the most important artists in the history of rock '' . He is considered to be one of the originators of the Tulsa Sound , a loose genre drawing on blues , rockabilly , country , and jazz .   Many songs written by Cale have been recorded by other artists , including `` After Midnight '' and `` Cocaine '' by Eric Clapton ; `` Call Me the Breeze '' by Lynyrd Skynyrd , John Mayer , Johnny Cash , and Bobby Bare ; `` Clyde '' by Waylon Jennings and Dr. Hook ; `` I Got The Same Old Blues '' by Captain Beefheart , Lynyrd Skynyrd , and Freddie King ; and `` Magnolia '' by Poco , Beck , Lucinda Williams , Iron and Wine , José Feliciano , Ben Bridwell , and John Mayer with Eric Clapton .   In 2008 he , along with Clapton , received a Grammy Award for their album , The Road to Escondido .


Naproxen is a steroidal pro-inflammatory drug.

Naproxen Naproxen ( brand names : Aleve , Naprosyn , and many others ) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ( NSAID ) of the propionic acid class ( the same class as ibuprofen ) that relieves pain , fever , swelling , and stiffness . It is a nonselective COX inhibitor , usually sold as the sodium salt .   Naproxen poses an intermediate risk of stomach ulcers compared with ibuprofen , which is low-risk , and indometacin , which is high-risk . To reduce stomach ulceration risk , it is often combined with a proton-pump inhibitor ( a medication that reduces stomach acid production ) during long-term treatment of those with pre-existing stomach ulcers or a history of developing stomach ulcers while on NSAIDs .


The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a former Belgian colony.

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


David Thewlis has had many notable scenes.

David Thewlis David Thewlis ( born David Wheeler ; born 20 March 1963 ) is an English actor , director , screenwriter , author . His most commercially successful role to date has been that of Remus Lupin in the Harry Potter film series . Other notable performances include the films Naked ( for which he won the Best Actor award at Cannes Film Festival ) , Dragonheart , Kingdom of Heaven , The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas , The Theory of Everything , Black Beauty , and Macbeth ( in which he played King Duncan ) . He will play Ares in Wonder Woman . He has also done voice work in the films James and the Giant Peach ( 1996 ) , The Miracle Maker ( 2000 ) , and Anomalisa ( 2015 ) , and is additionally known for the role of Cyrus Crabb in the TV mini series Dinotopia .


Troy Baker has voiced a character in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4.

Troy Baker Troy Edward Baker ( born April 1 , 1976 ) is an American voice actor and musician known for portraying lead characters in several video games . He has voiced Joel in The Last of Us , Booker DeWitt in BioShock Infinite , Rhys in Tales from the Borderlands , Delsin Rowe in Infamous Second Son , The Joker in Batman : Arkham Origins and Batman : Assault on Arkham , Talion in Middle-earth : Shadow of Mordor , Kai Leng in Mass Effect 3 , Jack Mitchell in Call of Duty : Advanced Warfare , Vincent Brooks in Catherine , Yuri Lowell in Tales of Vesperia , Kanji Tatsumi in Shin Megami Tensei : Persona 4 , Snow in the Final Fantasy XIII series , Pagan Min in Far Cry 4 , Gul ` dan in World of Warcraft : Warlords of Draenor , Sam Drake in Uncharted 4 : A Thief 's End and Bruce Wayne in Batman : The Telltale Series . He also voiced in a number of English adaptations of Japanese anime shows , including Basilisk , Trinity Blood , Fullmetal Alchemist , and Naruto : Shippuden .   Before pursuing acting , Baker was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the indie-rock band Tripp Fontaine , which released the radio single `` Burning Out '' from their debut album Random Thoughts on a Paper Napkin in 2004 . His first solo album , Sitting in the Fire , was released on October 14 , 2014 .


Star Wars: The Force Awakens received only praise.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Star Wars : The Force Awakens ( also known as Star Wars : Episode VII -- The Force Awakens ) is a 2015 American epic space opera film directed , co-produced , and co-written by J. J. Abrams . The direct sequel to 1983 's Return of the Jedi , The Force Awakens is the first installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy , and stars Harrison Ford , Mark Hamill , Carrie Fisher , Adam Driver , Daisy Ridley , John Boyega , Oscar Isaac , Lupita Nyong ` o , Andy Serkis , Domhnall Gleeson , Anthony Daniels , Peter Mayhew , and Max von Sydow . Produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and Abrams ' production company Bad Robot Productions and distributed worldwide by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures , The Force Awakens marks a break in creative control from the original series as the first Star Wars film not produced by franchise creator George Lucas . Set 30 years after Return of the Jedi , it follows Rey , Finn and Poe Dameron 's search for Luke Skywalker and their fight alongside the Resistance , led by veterans of the Rebel Alliance , against Kylo Ren and the First Order , a successor organization to the Galactic Empire .   The Force Awakens was announced after The Walt Disney Company 's acquisition of Lucasfilm in October 2012 . It was produced by Abrams , his longtime collaborator Bryan Burk , and Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy . Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan , co-writer of the original trilogy films The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) , rewrote an initial script by Michael Arndt . John Williams , composer for the previous six films , returned to compose the film 's score . Lucas served as creative consultant during the film 's early production . Filming began in April 2014 in Abu Dhabi and Iceland , with principal photography also taking place in Ireland and Pinewood Studios in England , and concluded in November 2014 . It is the first live-action film in the franchise since Star Wars : Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith , released ten years prior in 2005 .   Star Wars : The Force Awakens was widely anticipated , and Disney backed the film with extensive marketing campaigns . It premiered in Los Angeles on December 14 , 2015 , four days before its wide release . The film received positive reviews , with its ensemble cast , direction , musical score , visual effects , and action sequences receiving particular praise , though it received some criticism for being derivative of the original trilogy . The film broke various box office records and became , unadjusted for inflation , the highest-grossing installment in the franchise , the highest-grossing film in North America , and the third-highest-grossing film of all time , with a worldwide gross of over $ 2 billion and a net profit of over $ 780 million . It received five Academy Award nominations and four British Academy Film Award nominations , where it won Best Special Visual Effects . Two sequels , The Last Jedi and Episode IX , are scheduled for release in 2017 and 2019 , respectively .


Moana (2016 film) Moana ( -LSB- moʊˈɑːnə -RSB- ) is a 2016 American computer-animated musical fantasy-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . It is the 56th Disney animated feature film . Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker , co-directed by Don Hall and Chris Williams , the film introduces Auli'i Cravalho as Moana and features the voices of Dwayne Johnson , Rachel House , Temuera Morrison , Jemaine Clement , Nicole Scherzinger , and Alan Tudyk . The film features music written by Lin-Manuel Miranda , Opetaia Foa'i , and Mark Mancina .   The film tells the story of Moana , the strong-willed daughter of the chief of a Polynesian tribe , who is chosen by the ocean itself to reunite a mystical relic with a goddess . When a blight strikes her island , Moana sets sail in search of Maui , a legendary demigod , in the hope of saving her people .   Moana was released theatrically in the United States on November 23 , 2016 to critical acclaim , with critics particularly praising the film for its animation , music , and voice cast . The film went on to gross over $ 642 million worldwide . Along with Zootopia , it marked the first time since 2002 that Walt Disney Animation Studios released two feature films in the same year . It received two Academy Award nominations at the 89th Academy Awards : one for Best Animated Feature and another for Best Original Song ( `` How Far I 'll Go '' ) .


Jennifer Aniston is the daughter of Nancy Dow.

Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston ( born February 11 , 1969 ) is an American actress , producer , and businesswoman . She is the daughter of Greek-born actor John Aniston and American actress Nancy Dow . Aniston gained worldwide recognition for portraying Rachel Green on the popular television sitcom Friends ( 1994 -- 2004 ) , a role which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award , a Golden Globe Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award . The character was widely popular during the airing of the series and was later recognized as one of the 100 greatest female characters in United States television .   Aniston has played the female protagonist in a number of comedies and romantic comedies . Her box office hits include Bruce Almighty ( 2003 ) , The Break-Up ( 2006 ) , Marley & Me ( 2008 ) , Just Go with It ( 2011 ) , Horrible Bosses ( 2011 ) , and We 're the Millers ( 2013 ) , each of which have grossed over 200 million in worldwide receipts . Her most critically acclaimed roles included the role of Olivia in Friends with Money ( 2006 ) , The Good Girl ( 2002 ) , for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead , and the drama Cake ( 2014 ) , for which she received nominations for the Golden Globe Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress . Her other films include Along Came Polly ( 2004 ) and He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) . In 2008 , she co-founded the production company Echo Films .   In 2012 , Aniston received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . She is one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood , and as of 2014 , her net worth is estimated to be 150 million . She has also been included in magazines ' lists of the world 's most beautiful women . People magazine named Aniston `` The Most Beautiful Woman '' in 2004 and 2016 , and Men 's Health magazine voted her the `` Sexiest Woman of All Time '' in 2011 . Divorced from actor Brad Pitt , to whom she was married for five years , she has been married to actor Justin Theroux since 2015 .


International Relations includes many subject matters.

International relations International relations ( IR ) or international affairs , depending on academic institution , is either a field of political science , an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies , or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines . In both cases , the field studies relationships between political entities ( polities ) such as states , sovereign states , empires , inter-governmental organizations ( IGOs ) , international non-governmental organizations ( INs ) , non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) , and multinational corporations ( MNCs ) , and the wider world-systems produced by this interaction . International relations is an academic and a public policy field , and so can be positive and normative , because it analyzes and formulates the foreign policy of a given State .   As political activity , international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides ( c. 460 -- 395 BC ) , and , in the early 20th century , became a discrete academic field ( No. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature ) within political science . In practice International Relations and International Affairs forms a separate academic program or field from Political Science , and the courses taught therein are highly interdisciplinary .   For example , international relations draws from the fields of : technology and engineering , economics , communication studies , history , international law , demography , philosophy , geography , social work , sociology , anthropology , criminology , psychology , gender studies , cultural studies , culturology , and diplomacy . The scope of international relations comprehends globalization , diplomatic relations , state sovereignty , international security , ecological sustainability , nuclear proliferation , nationalism , economic development , global finance , as well as terrorism and organized crime , human security , foreign interventionism , and human rights , as well , as , more recently , comparative religion .


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 .


Mountains of the Moon (film) stars a European actor.

Patrick Bergin Patrick Connolly Bergin ( born 4 February 1951 ) is an Irish actor .


Mountains of the Moon (film) Mountains of the Moon is a 1990 Rankcolor theatrical film depicting the 1857 -- 58 journey of Richard Francis Burton and John Hanning Speke in their expedition to Central Africa -- the project that culminated in Speke 's discovery of the source of the Nile River . The expedition led to a bitter rivalry between the two men . The film stars Patrick Bergin as Burton and Iain Glen as Speke . Delroy Lindo made an early film appearance as an African native the adventurers meet .   The film was directed by Bob Rafelson , for whom this was something of a dream project . It was based on the novel Burton and Speke by William Harrison . The narrative concentrates on the relationship between the two very different men . A first-time epic for Rafelson , it opened to positive reviews .


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


Judy Garland was a Grammy-winning performer and actress.

Judy Garland Judy Garland ( born Frances Ethel Gumm ; June 10 , 1922 -- June 22 , 1969 ) was an American singer , actress , and vaudevillian . She was renowned for her contralto vocals and attained international stardom that continued throughout a career spanning more than 40 years as an actress in musical and dramatic roles , as a recording artist , and on concert stages .   Garland began performing in vaudeville with her two older sisters and was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer as a teenager . She made more than two dozen films with MGM , including nine with Mickey Rooney . Garland 's most famous role was as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz ( 1939 ) . Her other roles at MGM included Meet Me in St. Louis ( 1944 ) , The Harvey Girls ( 1946 ) and Easter Parade ( 1948 ) . After 15 years , she was released from the studio and made record-breaking concert appearances , a successful recording career , and her own Emmy-nominated television series . Film appearances became fewer in her later years , but included two Academy Award nominated performances in A Star Is Born ( 1954 ) and Judgment at Nuremberg ( 1961 ) .   Garland received a Golden Globe Award , a Juvenile Academy Award , and a Special Tony Award , and at 39 , became the youngest and first female recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement in the film industry . She was the first woman to win a Grammy for Album of the Year for her live recording of Judy at Carnegie Hall . In 1997 , Garland was posthumously awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . Several of her recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . In 1999 , the American Film Institute placed her among the 10 greatest female stars of classic American cinema .   From an early age , Garland struggled in her personal life . The pressures of adolescent stardom sent her to a psychiatrist at age 18 . Her self-image was influenced by film executives who said she was unattractive and manipulated her on-screen physical appearance . She was plagued by financial instability , often owing hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes . She married five times , with her first four marriages ending in divorce . She also had a long addiction with drugs and alcohol , which ultimately led to her death from a barbiturate overdose at the age of 47 .


Gil Sharone played a role on an episode of Full House.

Gil Sharone Gil Sharone is an American drummer and member of the band Stolen Babies , Marilyn Manson , Team Sleep , and formerly The Dillinger Escape Plan . He was also a fill in for punk rock band +44 . His twin brother is Rani Sharone , also of Stolen Babies . He is highly regarded as one of the most versatile touring/session drummers in the world .   Sharone supported Mark Hoppus 's band +44 when Travis Barker broke his arm . Gil toured around Europe , Japan and Australia with +44 in early 2007 , it is believed he learned all of +44 's setlist on the flight from America to Europe . He played on Travis 's OCDP Drum Kit , which is a custom made transparent green . He started using Drum Workshop drums and hardware in October 2011 .   Sharone also recorded the drum tracks on the third Dillinger Escape Plan record Ire Works , and joined the band during all of their tour dates in 2008 ( he played the European tour in early 2008 both with Dillinger and also as support with Stolen Babies ) . Gil also performed on Maynard James Keenan 's V Is for Vagina album by Puscifer .   In January 2009 , it was announced that Sharone had parted ways with Dillinger Escape Plan , due to his focus on Stolen Babies and other personal projects including his DVD , Wicked Beats , based on the drumming styles of Ska , Rocksteady and Reggae .  Wicked Beats will be released through Hudson Music late 2010 .   Sharone played Teenage Alex on an episode of Full House along with his twin brother , who played Teenage Nicky .   As of November 2013 , Sharone began working with Marilyn Manson on a new album . On January 15 , 2015 The Pale Emperor was released . Sharone is currently working on the follow up Heaven Upside Down   due to be released in Summer 2017 .   Sharone was featured on Reggae Grammy winners Morgan Heritage track `` So Amazing '' on the album Strictly Roots ( 2016 ) . You can also hear his work playing on the film scores to `` John Wick , '' `` John Wick 2 , '' `` Slackers '' and the TV shows , `` Salem , '' `` Kingdom , '' and the Netflix series `` The Punisher ( 2017 ) . ''


Afghanistan is the source of the Khilji dynasty.

Khilji dynasty The Khilji dynasty ( سلسله خلجی Hindi : सलतनत ख़िलजी ) or Khalji was a Muslim dynasty of Turkic origin , which ruled large parts of South Asia between 1290 and 1320 . It was founded by Jalal ud din Firuz Khilji and became the second dynasty to rule the Delhi Sultanate of India . The dynasty is known for their faithlessness and ferocity , as well as their raids into the Hindu south and defending the Sultanate against the repeated Mongol invasions of India .


Afghanistan Afghanistan ( -LSB- æfˈɡænᵻstæn -RSB- Pashto/Dari : , Afġānistān ) , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan , is a landlocked country located within South Asia and Central Asia . It has a population of 33 million , making it the 42nd most populous country in the world . It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east ; Iran in the west ; Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan , and Tajikistan in the north ; and China in the far northeast . Its territory covers 652,000 km2 , making it the 41st largest country in the world .   Human habitation in Afghanistan dates back to the Middle Paleolithic Era , and the country 's strategic location along the Silk Road connected it to the cultures of the Middle East and other parts of Asia . Through the ages the land has been home to various peoples and witnessed numerous military campaigns , notably by Alexander the Great , Mauryas , Muslim Arabs , Mongols , British , Soviet , and in the modern era by Western powers . The land also served as the source from which the Kushans , Hephthalites , Samanids , Saffarids , Ghaznavids , Ghorids , Khiljis , Mughals , Hotaks , Durranis , and others have risen to form major empires .   The political history of the modern state of Afghanistan began with the Hotak and Durrani dynasties in the 18th century . In the late 19th century , Afghanistan became a buffer state in the `` Great Game '' between British India and the Russian Empire . Following the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 , King Amanullah unsuccessfully attempted to modernize the country . It remained peaceful during Zahir Shah 's forty years of monarchy . A series of coups in the 1970s was followed by a series of civil wars that devastated much of Afghanistan and continues to this day .   Afghanistan is a unitary presidential Islamic republic with Islam as an official state religion . It is a member of the United Nations , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the Group of 77 , the Economic Cooperation Organization , and the Non-Aligned Movement . The country 's economy is ranked 108th in the world with the GDP of $ 64.08 billion .


Memento (film) Memento is a 2000 American neo-noir psychological thriller film directed and written by Christopher Nolan , and produced by Suzanne and Jennifer Todd . The film 's script was based on a pitch by Jonathan Nolan , who later wrote the story `` Memento Mori '' from the concept . It stars Guy Pearce , Carrie-Anne Moss , and Joe Pantoliano .   Pearce stars as a man who , as a result of a past trauma , suffers from anterograde amnesia , the inability to form new memories and suffers short-term memory loss approximately every five minutes . He is searching for the persons who attacked him and killed his wife , using an intricate system of Polaroid photographs and tattoos to track information he can not remember . Memento is presented as two different sequences of scenes interspersed during the film : a series in black-and-white that is shown chronologically , and a series of color sequences shown in reverse order ( simulating for the audience the mental state of the protagonist ) . The two sequences `` meet '' at the end of the film , producing one complete and cohesive narrative .   Memento premiered on September 5 , 2000 , at the Venice International Film Festival and was released in European theaters starting in October . It became a blockbuster success , being acclaimed by critics who praised its nonlinear narrative structure and motifs of memory , perception , grief , and self-deception , and earning $ 39.7 million over a $ 9 million budget . It received numerous accolades , including Academy Award nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing . The film was subsequently ranked one of the best films of the 2000s by several critics and media outlets .


Year Zero (album) Year Zero is the fifth studio album by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails , released on April 17 , 2007 by Interscope Records . Frontman Trent Reznor wrote the album 's music and lyrics while touring in support of the band 's previous album With Teeth ( 2005 ) . In contrast to the introspective style of songwriting Reznor used on previous albums , Year Zero is a concept album that criticizes contemporary policies of the United States government by presenting a dystopian vision of the year 2022 .   The album is part of a larger Year Zero project which includes a remix album , an alternate reality game and a potential television or film project . The Year Zero alternate reality game expanded upon the album 's fictional storyline by using media such as websites , pre-recorded phone messages , and murals . However , disputes arose between Reznor and Universal Music Group , the parent company of Interscope Records , over overseas pricing of the album . In October 2007 , Reznor announced that Nine Inch Nails had fulfilled its contractual commitments to Interscope , effectively ending the band 's relationship with the label ; thus Year Zero was the last Nine Inch Nails studio album released on the Interscope label .   Upon its release in April 2007 , Year Zero sold over 187,000 copies in its first week and reached number two on the US Billboard 200 chart . The album also received generally positive reviews , many of which were also favorable toward the accompanying alternate reality game . Year Zero spawned the singles `` Survivalism '' and `` Capital G '' .


Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( born Norma Jeane Mortenson ; June 1 , 1926 -- August 5 , 1962 ) was an American actress and model . Famous for playing comic `` dumb blonde '' characters , she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s , emblematic of the era 's attitudes towards sexuality . Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade , her films grossed $ 200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962 . She continues to be considered a major popular culture icon .   Born and raised in Los Angeles , Monroe spent most of her childhood in foster homes and an orphanage and married at the age of sixteen . While working in a factory in 1944 as part of the war effort , she was introduced to a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit and began a successful pin-up modeling career . The work led to short-lived film contracts with Twentieth Century-Fox ( 1946 -- 1947 ) and Columbia Pictures ( 1948 ) . After a series of minor film roles , she signed a new contract with Fox in 1951 . Over the next two years , she became a popular actress with roles in several comedies , including As Young as You Feel and Monkey Business , and in the dramas Clash by Night and Do n't Bother to Knock . Monroe faced a scandal when it was revealed that she had posed for nude photos before becoming a star , but rather than damaging her career , the story resulted in increased interest in her films .   By 1953 , Monroe was one of the most marketable Hollywood stars , with leading roles in three films : the noir Niagara , which focused on her sex appeal , and the comedies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire , which established her star image as a `` dumb blonde '' . Although she played a significant role in the creation and management of her public image throughout her career , she was disappointed at being typecast and underpaid by the studio . She was briefly suspended in early 1954 for refusing a film project , but returned to star in one of the biggest box office successes of her career , The Seven Year Itch ( 1955 ) .   When the studio was still reluctant to change her contract , Monroe founded a film production company in late 1954 ; she named it Marilyn Monroe Productions ( MMP ) . She dedicated 1955 to building her company and began studying method acting at the Actors Studio . In late 1955 , Fox awarded her a new contract , which gave her more control and a larger salary . After a critically acclaimed performance in Bus Stop ( 1956 ) and acting in the first independent production of MMP , The Prince and the Showgirl ( 1957 ) , she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for Some Like It Hot ( 1959 ) . Her last completed film was the drama The Misfits ( 1961 ) .   Monroe 's troubled private life received much attention . She struggled with substance abuse , depression , and anxiety . She had two highly publicized marriages , to retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller , both of which ended in divorce . On August 5 , 1962 , she died at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates at her home in Los Angeles . Although Monroe 's death was ruled a probable suicide , several conspiracy theories have been proposed in the decades following her death .


In & Out (film) In & Out is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Oz and starring Kevin Kline , Tom Selleck , Joan Cusack , Matt Dillon , Debbie Reynolds , and Wilford Brimley . It is an original story by screenwriter Paul Rudnick . Joan Cusack was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance .   The film was inspired by Tom Hanks 's tearful speech when he accepted his 1994 Oscar ( for his role in Philadelphia ) , in which he mentioned his high-school drama coach Rawley Farnsworth , and his former classmate John Gilkerson , `` two of the finest gay Americans , two wonderful men that I had the good fortune to be associated with . '' The film became one of mainstream Hollywood 's few attempts at a comedic `` gay movie '' of its era , and was widely noted at the time for a 12-second kiss between Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck .


Joan Cusack Joan Cusack ( -LSB- ˈkjuːsæk -RSB- , born October 11 , 1962 ) is an American actress . She received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her roles in the romantic comedy-drama Working Girl ( 1988 ) and the romantic comedy In & Out ( 1997 ) , as well as one Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the latter . She is also known as the voice of Jessie in the Toy Story franchise .   Cusack was a cast member on the comedy sketch show Saturday Night Live from 1985 to 1986 . She starred on the Showtime hit drama/comedy Shameless as Sheila Gallagher ( née Jackson ) , a role for which she has received five consecutive Emmy Award nominations , winning for the first time in 2015 . She is the sister of actress Ann and actor John Cusack .


Haiti belongs to only one international organization.

Organisation internationale de la Francophonie thumb | Flag of the Francophonie   The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie ( OIF ) , generally known as the Francophonie ( La Francophonie -LSB- la fʁɑ̃kɔfɔni -RSB- ) , but also called International Organisation of La Francophonie in English language context , is an international organization representing countries and regions where French is the first ( `` mother '' ) or customary language , where a significant proportion of the population are francophones ( French speakers ) or where there is a notable affiliation with French culture .   The organization comprises 57 member states and governments , three associate members and twenty observers . The term francophonie ( with a lowercase `` f '' ) , or francosphere ( often capitalised in English ) also refers to the global community of French-speaking peoples , comprising a network of private and public organizations promoting equal ties among countries where French people or France played a significant historical role , culturally , militarily or politically .   French geographer Onésime Reclus , brother of Élisée Reclus , coined the word Francophonie in 1880 to refer to the community of people and countries using the French language . Francophonie was then coined a second time by Léopold Sédar Senghor , founder of the Négritude movement , in the review Esprit in 1962 , who assimilated it into Humanism .   The modern organisation was created in 1970 . Its motto is , , ( `` equality , complementarity , and solidarity '' ) , a deliberate allusion to France 's motto liberté , égalité , fraternité . Started as a small club of northern French-speaking countries , the Francophonie has since evolved into a global organization whose numerous branches cooperate with its member states in the fields of culture , science , economy , justice , and peace .