Azerbaijan did not become the first democratic state in the Muslim world.

Azerbaijan Azerbaijan ( -LSB- æzərbaɪˈʒɑːn -RSB- ; Azərbaycan ) , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan ( Azərbaycan Respublikası ) , is a country in the South Caucasus region , situated at the crossroads of Southwest Asia and Southeastern Europe . It is bound by the Caspian Sea to the east , Russia to the north , Georgia to the northwest , Armenia to the west and Iran to the south . The exclave of Nakhchivan is bound by Armenia to the north and east , Iran to the south and west , while having an 11 km border with Turkey in the north west .   The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic proclaimed its independence in 1918 and became the first democratic state in the Muslim orient world . The country was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920 as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic . The modern Republic of Azerbaijan proclaimed its independence on 30 August 1991 , prior to the official dissolution of the USSR in December 1991 . In September 1991 , the Armenian majority of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region seceded to form the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic . The region and seven adjacent districts outside it became de facto independent with the end of the Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994 . These regions are internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan pending a solution to the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh , found through negotiations facilitated by the OSCE .   Azerbaijan is a unitary semi-presidential republic . The country is a member state of the Council of Europe , the OSCE and the NATO Partnership for Peace ( PfP ) program . It is one of six independent Turkic states , an active member of the Turkic Council and the TÜRKSOY community . Azerbaijan has diplomatic relations with 158 countries and holds membership in 38 international organizations . It is one of the founding members of GUAM , the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons . A member of the United Nations since 1992 after its independence , Azerbaijan was elected to membership in the newly established Human Rights Council by the United Nations General Assembly on 9 May 2006 . Its term of office began on 19 June 2006 . Azerbaijan is also a member state of the Non-Aligned Movement , holds observer status in World Trade Organization and is a correspondent at the International Telecommunication Union .   The Constitution of Azerbaijan does not declare an official religion and all major political forces in the country are secularist . However , the majority of the population are of a Shiite Muslim background . Most Azerbaijanis however , do not actively practice any religion , and the country has been seen to be one of the most irreligious countries in the Muslim world , with 53 % stating religion has little to no importance in their lives , according to Pew Research Center and Gallup polls . Azerbaijan has a high level of human development which ranks on par with most Eastern European countries . It has a high rate of economic development and literacy , as well as a low rate of unemployment . According to the Davos World Economic Forum , Azerbaijan 's economy has scored 37th place within 138 countries in 2016 . Global Competitiveness Index 2015 indicates that Azerbaijan scores highest in its region .   ASAN services , established with Presidential Decree , are countrywide known for eliminating bribery and corruption in the provision of public services . ASAN Service has been awarded with United Nations ' Public Service Award 2015 , which is the most prestigious award in the world in the field of public service delivery .   The ruling party , the New Azerbaijan Party , has been accused of authoritarianism and human rights abuses .


Bob Dylan defied the established conventions of pop music.

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan ( -LSB- ˈdɪlən -RSB- born Robert Allen Zimmerman ; May 24 , 1941 ) is an American poetic songwriter , singer , painter , writer , and Nobel prize laureate . He has been influential in popular music and culture for more than five decades . Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s , when his songs chronicled social unrest . Early songs such as `` Blowin ' in the Wind '' and `` The Times They Are a-Changin ' '' became anthems for the Civil Rights Movement and anti-war movement . Leaving behind his initial base in the American folk music revival , his six-minute single `` Like a Rolling Stone '' , recorded in 1965 , enlarged the range of popular music .   Dylan 's lyrics incorporate a wide range of political , social , philosophical , and literary influences . They defied existing pop music conventions and appealed to the burgeoning counterculture . Initially inspired by the performances of Little Richard and the songwriting of Woody Guthrie , Robert Johnson , and Hank Williams , Dylan has amplified and personalized musical genres . His recording career , spanning more than 50 years , has explored the traditions in American song -- from folk , blues , and country to gospel , rock and roll , and rockabilly to English , Scottish , and Irish folk music , embracing even jazz and the Great American Songbook . Dylan performs with guitar , keyboards , and harmonica . Backed by a changing lineup of musicians , he has toured steadily since the late 1980s on what has been dubbed the Never Ending Tour . His accomplishments as a recording artist and performer have been central to his career , but his songwriting is considered his greatest contribution .   Since 1994 , Dylan has published seven books of drawings and paintings , and his work has been exhibited in major art galleries . As a musician , Dylan has sold more than 100 million records , making him one of the best-selling artists of all time . He has also received numerous awards including eleven Grammy Awards , a Golden Globe Award , and an Academy Award . Dylan has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , Minnesota Music Hall of Fame , Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame , and Songwriters Hall of Fame . The Pulitzer Prize jury in 2008 awarded him a special citation for `` his profound impact on popular music and American culture , marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power . '' In May 2012 , Dylan received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama . In 2016 , he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature `` for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition '' .


Dhool was directed by an Indian film director.

Dharani (director) Dharani ( born V. C. Ramani ) is an Indian film director , who primarily directs action-masala films . He is best known for directing the blockbuster films Dhill , Dhool and Ghilli .


Dhool Dhool ( Super ) is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language action masala film directed by Dharani . The film featured Jyothika , Vikram and Reemma Sen in the lead roles , while Vivek , Sayaji Shinde , Telangana Sakunthala and Pasupathy among others play supporting roles . The film , produced by A. M. Rathnam at a cost of 7 crore , had music composed by Vidyasagar and released in January 2003 . The film was a commercial success . It was dubbed into Malayalam while being remade in Telugu , Sinhalese , Punjabi , and Bengali.This film is still now considered as cult masala entertainer .


The Apple Store originally opened in two locations.

Apple Store Apple Store is a chain of retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc. . The stores sell Mac personal computers , iPhone smartphones , iPad tablet computers , iPod portable media players , Apple Watch smartwatches , Apple TV digital media players , software , and select third-party accessories .   The first Apple Stores were originally opened as two locations in May 2001 by then-CEO Steve Jobs , after years of attempting but failing store-within-a-store concepts . Seeing a need for improved retail presentation of the company 's products , he began an effort in 1997 to revamp the retail program to get an improved relationship to consumers , and hired Ron Johnson in 2000 . Jobs relaunched Apple 's online store in 1997 , and opened the first two physical stores in 2001 . Despite initial media speculation that Apple would fail , its stores were highly successful , bypassing the sales numbers of competing nearby stores and within three years reached US$ 1 billion in annual sales , becoming the fastest retailer in history to do so . Over the years , Apple has expanded the number of retail locations and its geographical coverage , with 496 stores across 21 countries worldwide as of May 2017 . Strong product sales have placed Apple among the top-tier retail stores , with sales over $ 16 billion globally in 2011 .   In May 2016 , Angela Ahrendts , Apple 's current Senior Vice President of Retail , unveiled a significantly redesigned Apple Store in Union Square , San Francisco , featuring large glass doors for the entry , open spaces , and rebranded rooms . In addition to purchasing products , consumers can get advice and help from `` Creative Pros '' - individuals with specialized knowledge of creative arts ; get product support in a tree-lined Genius Grove ; and attend sessions , conferences and community events , with Ahrendts commenting that the goal is to make Apple Stores into `` town squares '' , a place where people naturally meet up and spend time . The new design will be applied to all Apple Stores worldwide , a process that has seen stores temporarily relocate or close .   Many Apple Stores are located inside shopping malls , but Apple has built several stand-alone `` flagship '' stores in high-profile locations . It has been granted design patents and received architectural awards for its stores ' designs and construction , specifically for its use of glass staircases and cubes . The success of Apple Stores have had significant influence over other consumer electronics retailers , who have lost traffic , control and profits due to a perceived higher quality of service and products at Apple Stores . Apple 's notable brand loyalty have historically caused long lines of hundreds of people at new Apple Store openings or product releases . Due to the popularity of the brand , there are numerous job applications , many of which from young workers . Although Apple Store employees receive above-average pay , are offered money toward education and health care , and receive product discounts , there are limited or no paths of career advancement . A May 2016 report with an anonymous retail employee highlighted a hostile work environment with harassment from customers , intense internal criticism , and a lack of significant bonuses for securing major business contracts .


Lana Del Rey's music has been ignored for its cinematic style.

Lana Del Rey Elizabeth Woolridge Grant ( born June 21 , 1985 ) , better known by her stage name Lana Del Rey , is an American singer , songwriter , and model . Her music has been noted for its cinematic style , its preoccupation with themes of tragic romance and melancholia , and its references to pop culture , particularly 1950s and 1960s Americana .   Born and raised in New York , Del Rey embarked on a music career in 2005 and first received widespread attention in 2011 , when the music video for her single `` Video Games '' became a viral internet sensation . Del Rey received further recognition after her major-label debut Born to Die peaked at number two on the United States charts and was the fifth best-selling album of 2012 . A remix of its single `` Summertime Sadness '' , produced by Cedric Gervais , peaked at number six in the United States , and the Paradise EP followed that November , garnering Del Rey her first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album . Three of the EP 's tracks were featured in her short film Tropico , which premiered in December 2013 .   In 2014 , Del Rey released her third studio album , Ultraviolence ; it became her first number-one album in the United States . In 2015 , following a North American tour with Courtney Love and Grimes , Del Rey released her fourth studio album , Honeymoon . Both albums received positive critical response .   Del Rey is set to release her fifth studio album , titled Lust for Life , on July 21 , 2017 .


Sicily Sicily ( -LSB- ˈsɪsᵻli -RSB- ; Sicilia -LSB- siˈtʃiːlja -RSB- , Sicìlia ) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous Region of Italy , along with surrounding minor islands , officially referred to as Regione Siciliana ( in Italian , Sicilian Region ) .   Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea , south of the Italian Peninsula , from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina . Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna , the tallest active volcano in Europe , and one of the most active in the world , currently 3329 m high . The island has a typical Mediterranean climate .   The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC . By around 750 BC , Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and , for the next 600 years , it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars . Sicily frequently remained Independent while the rest of Italy frequently changed hands after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD . It was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals , the Ostrogoths , the Byzantine Empire , and the Emirate of Sicily . The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily , which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen , the Capetian House of Anjou , Spain , the House of Habsburg , It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand , a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification , and a plebiscite . Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region after the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946 .   Sicily has a rich and unique culture , especially with regard to the arts , music , literature , cuisine , and architecture . It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites , such as the Necropolis of Pantalica , the Valley of the Temples , and Selinunte . The term Piasan is frequently used in associations with peoples that have a historical reference with semicircular stone patterns both above and below ground ( as seen in Malta ) . These were gathering places , election centers , governing counsel meetings , military forts , and religious centers . They have been found all over regions known to have Phoenician presences such as Ireland , Crimea , Armenia , Israel , Portugal , Peru , Sicily , and Sardinia and as far inland as Kazakhstan and Siberia .


Prussian Academy of Sciences was an academy.

Prussian Academy of Sciences The Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences ( Königlich-Preußische Akademie der Wissenschaften ) was an academy established in Berlin , Germany on 11 July 1700 , four years after the Akademie der Künste , or `` Arts Academy , '' to which `` Berlin Academy '' may also refer . In the 18th century , it was a French-language institution , and its most active members were Huguenots who had fled religious persecution in France .


Unpredictable had songs called Extravaganza, Unpredictable, DJ Play a Love Song, and Can I Take U Home.

Unpredictable (Jamie Foxx album) Unpredictable is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter and actor Jamie Foxx . It was released on December 27 , 2005 , by J Records . Recording sessions took place from 2004 to 2005 , with the production that was provided by Timbaland , Mike City , Sean Garrett and Jim Jonsin , among others . The album serves as a follow-up to the release of Peep This ( 1994 ) , which occurred to be his first studio release in eleven years . The album was supported by four singles : `` Extravaganza '' featuring Kanye West , the title track `` Unpredictable '' featuring Ludacris , `` DJ Play a Love Song '' featuring Twista , and `` Can I Take U Home '' .   Upon its release , Unpredictable received generally mixed reviews from music critics , who were ambivalent towards its lyrical content and production . The album debuted at number 2 , beating behind Mary J. Blige 's The Breakthrough on the US Billboard 200 , with 597,000 copies in its first week . In the second week , the album rose to number one , overtaking Blige , making Foxx as the fourth artist to ever won a Academy Award for acting , while achieving a number-one album on the US Billboard charts .


Naomi Watts was in a movie which was directed by Tom Tykwer.

Naomi Watts Naomi Ellen Watts ( born 28 September 1968 ) is an English actress and film producer . She made her screen debut in the Australian drama film For Love Alone ( 1986 ) and then appeared in the Australian television series Hey Dad . . ! ( 1990 ) , Brides of Christ ( 1991 ) and Home and Away ( 1991 ) and alongside Nicole Kidman and Thandie Newton in the coming-of-age comedy-drama film Flirting ( 1991 ) . After moving to America , Watts appeared in films , including Tank Girl ( 1995 ) , Children of the Corn IV : The Gathering ( 1996 ) and Dangerous Beauty ( 1998 ) and had the lead role in the television series Sleepwalkers ( 1997 -- 1998 ) .   After years as a struggling actress , Watts came to attention in David Lynch 's psychological thriller Mulholland Drive ( 2001 ) . The following year she enjoyed box-office success with her role as Rachel Keller in The Ring ( 2002 ) , the remake of a successful Japanese horror film . She then received nominations at the Academy Awards and the Screen Actors ' Guild Awards in the Best Actress categories for her portrayal of Cristina Peck in Alejandro González Iñárritu 's neo-noir 21 Grams ( 2003 ) . Her subsequent films include David O. Russell 's comedy I Heart Huckabees ( 2004 ) , the 2005 remake of King Kong , the crime-thriller Eastern Promises ( 2007 ) and the Tom Tykwer-directed thriller The International ( 2009 ) . Since then , Watts has portrayed Valerie Plame Wilson in the biographical drama Fair Game ( 2010 ) and Helen Gandy in Clint Eastwood 's biographical drama J. Edgar ( 2011 ) . For her leading role as Maria Bennett in the disaster film The Impossible ( 2012 ) , she received second nominations for the Academy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress .   In 2002 , Watts was included in People magazine 's 50 Most Beautiful People . In 2006 , she became a goodwill ambassador for Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS , which helps to raise awareness of AIDS-related issues . She has participated in several fundraisers for the cause , and she is presented as an inaugural member of AIDS Red Ribbon Awards .


Lily James did not begin her professional acting career in 2010.

Lily James Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson ( born 5 April 1989 ) , known as Lily James , is an English actress . She played Lady Rose Aldridge in the ITV period drama Downton Abbey and the title role in the 2015 Disney film Cinderella .   James began her professional acting career as Ethel Brown in the 2010 BBC production Just William . In 2011 and 2012 , she earned warm reviews in several London theatre productions . She began to appear in Hollywood films in 2012 , with roles in Wrath of the Titans and Fast Girls , and was seen in further television roles , including that of Countess Natasha Rostova in the 2016 BBC historical drama series War & Peace .


Mankatha received only negative reviews.

Mankatha Mankatha is a 2011 Indian Tamil-language black comedy action-heist film , written and directed by Venkat Prabhu . It features Ajith Kumar in the lead role , starring in his 50th film , along with an ensemble cast including Arjun Sarja , Trisha Krishnan , Vaibhav Reddy , Lakshmi Rai , Andrea Jeremiah , Premji Amaren , Mahat Raghavendra and Anjali . It was produced by Dhayanidhi Alagiri 's Cloud Nine Movies while Yuvan Shankar Raja composed the musical score and soundtrack , with Sakthi Saravanan working as the cinematographer and the duo Praveen K. L. and N. B. Srikanth as editors . The story , set in Mumbai , revolves around a heist of cricket betting money , executed by a gang of four thieves , who are joined by a fifth unknown man , and its aftermath.The film became a blockbuster very soon and became the first salt and pepper hit for Ajith after which he continued the same style in all his upcoming films .   The film was formally launched in August 2010 , with its principal photography beginning on 25 October 2010 . Filming was held for more than eight months and took place primarily across Chennai , the Dharavi slum in Mumbai and Bangkok , Thailand . Following speculations regarding the film 's release , Sun Pictures acquired the theatrical rights and distributed the film via Raadhika Sarathkumar 's Radaan Mediaworks . Mankatha released on 31 August 2011 worldwide to generally positive reviews and grossed the second biggest opening of all time after Endhiran at the time of release . The film was also dubbed into Telugu as Gambler and released in Andhra Pradesh ten days later while it was a box-office hit in Kerala as well .


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


John Cena started his professional wrestling career with Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW).

John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena Jr. ( -LSB- ˈsiːnə -RSB- born April 23 , 1977 ) is an American professional wrestler , rapper , actor , and reality television show host . He is signed to WWE , where he performs on the SmackDown brand . Cena started his professional wrestling career in 1999 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling ( UPW ) and won the UPW Heavyweight Championship the following year . Cena signed a developmental contract with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , later renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment , or simply WWE ) in 2001 , debuting on the WWE main roster in 2002 .   From a generic character in 2002 , Cena morphed into a rapper for the time period of 2002 -- 2004 , which earned him fame within the audience on SmackDown ! . Cena later transitioned to his current character , which he describes as a `` goody-two shoes Superman '' . However , Cena has been labeled as the `` most polarizing professional wrestler ever '' as his character has many supporters and many detractors , according to Jim Ross of Fox Sports , who also noted that Cena has been WWE 's franchise player for a long-time . In 2012 , IGN described Cena as WWE 's franchise player since 2005 and WWE credited Cena as being the `` face of WWE '' in 2015 since 2004 . Industry veterans John Layfield , Paul Heyman , and Kurt Angle have called Cena the greatest WWE star of all time .   Throughout his WWE career , Cena has won 25 championships , with 16 reigns as a world champion ( 13 times as WWE Champion and three times as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion ) , an accomplishment only previously achieved by WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair . He is also a five-time United States Champion , and four-time world tag team champion ( two World Tag Team and two WWE Tag Team ) . Furthermore , he is a Money in the Bank ladder match winner ( 2012 ) , a two-time Royal Rumble winner ( 2008 , 2013 ) , and a three-time Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner ( 2009 , 2010 , 2012 ) . Cena has the fourth-highest number of combined days as WWE Champion , behind Bruno Sammartino , Bob Backlund , and Hulk Hogan . He has also headlined WWE 's flagship event , WrestleMania , on five different occasions ( WrestleManias 22 , 23 , XXVII , XXVIII , and 29 ) over the course of his career , as well as many others pay-per-view events . As of 2016 , John Cena is WWE 's highest-paid wrestler .   Outside of wrestling , Cena has released the rap album You Ca n't See Me , which debuted at No. 15 on the US Billboard 200 chart , and starred in the feature films The Marine ( 2006 ) , 12 Rounds ( 2009 ) , Legendary ( 2010 ) , The Reunion ( 2011 ) , Trainwreck ( 2015 ) , and Sisters ( 2015 ) . Cena has also made appearances on television shows including Manhunt , Deal or No Deal , MADtv , Saturday Night Live , Punk 'd , Psych , and Parks and Recreation . He was also a contestant on Fast Cars and Superstars : The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race , where he made it to the final round before being eliminated , placing third in the overall competition . Cena is also the host of American Grit on Fox . Cena is involved in numerous philanthropic causes ; most notably with the Make-A-Wish Foundation . He has granted the most wishes in Make-A-Wish history .


The thirteenth highest-grossing film of all time is Minions.

Minions (film) Minions is a 2015 American computer-animated comedy film , serving as a spin-off/prequel to the Despicable Me franchise . Produced by Illumination Entertainment for Universal Pictures , it was directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda , written by Brian Lynch , and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy . The film stars the voices of Coffin ( as the Minions , including : Kevin , Stuart and Bob ) , Sandra Bullock , Jon Hamm , Michael Keaton , Allison Janney , Steve Coogan and Jennifer Saunders with the narration provided by Geoffrey Rush . It was first foreshadowed in the end credits of Despicable Me 2 ( 2013 ) , where Kevin , Stuart and Bob , three of the Minions , are seen auditioning for the film .   Minions had its premiere on June 11 , 2015 , in Leicester Square , London , and went into general release in the United States on July 10 , 2015 . Critical response was mixed : some critics praised the comedic aspects of the film and the performances of Bullock and Hamm , while also felt that the title characters were not able to carry the film on their own , and that the villains were flatly characterized . The film has grossed over $ 1.1 billion worldwide ( outgrossing each of the Despicable Me films ) , making it the thirteenth highest-grossing film of all time , the second highest-grossing animated film and the highest-grossing non-Disney animated film . A sequel is scheduled to be released on July 3 , 2020 .


Theodore Roosevelt was home-schooled from 1809 to 1813.

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


Dangerous Liaisons is adapted from Christopher Hampton's play.

Dangerous Liaisons Dangerous Liaisons is a 1988 American historical drama film based upon Christopher Hampton 's play Les liaisons dangereuses , which in turn was a theatrical adaptation of the 18th-century French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos .   The film was directed by Stephen Frears . The performances of Glenn Close , John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer , the cinematography of Philippe Rousselot , the costume design by James Acheson , and the screenplay by Christopher Hampton , garnered critical acclaim . Swoosie Kurtz , Mildred Natwick and Peter Capaldi appeared in supporting roles , as did the young , and then-relatively unknown , actors Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman .   The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards , including Best Picture ; it won those for Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Costume Design , and Best Art Direction .


Maynard James Keenan Maynard James Keenan ( born James Herbert Keenan ; April 17 , 1964 ) , often referred to by his initials MJK , is an American musician , record producer , winemaker , and actor , best known as the vocalist for Grammy Award-winning progressive metal band Tool . He is originally from Ohio , but spent his high school and college years in Michigan . After serving in the United States Army in the early 1980s , he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids . He moved to Los Angeles , California in 1988 to pursue a career in interior design and set construction . Shortly thereafter , he formed the band Tool with Adam Jones .   Keenan is also the lead singer of A Perfect Circle . In 2003 , he created Puscifer as a side project and has subsequently released three studio albums . Since rising to fame , Keenan has been noted as being a recluse ; however , he does emerge to support charitable causes .   In addition to his music career , he has performed improvisational sketch comedy and ventured into acting . He currently owns Merkin Vineyards and the associated winery , Caduceus Cellars , which are located in Arizona , where he lives . Among other business ventures , he is a partner in the Los Angeles restaurant Cobras & Matadors , and also owns an organic produce market in Cornville , Arizona , which features a food court and a tasting room for his wines .


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 .


Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was named one of the Most Admired Men and Women in 20th-century America by Gallup.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( née Bouvier ; -LSB- ˈbuːvieɪ -RSB- July 28 , 1929 -- May 19 , 1994 ) was the wife of the 35th President of the United States , John F. Kennedy , and First Lady of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963 .   Bouvier was the elder daughter of Wall Street stockbroker John Vernou Bouvier III and socialite Janet Lee Bouvier . In 1951 , she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French literature from George Washington University and went on to work for the Washington Times-Herald as an inquiring photographer .   In 1952 , Bouvier met Congressman John F. Kennedy at a dinner party . In November of that year , he was elected as a United States Senator from Massachusetts , and the couple married in 1953 . They had four children , two of whom died in infancy . As First Lady , she was known for her highly publicized restoration of the White House and her emphasis on arts and culture . On November 22 , 1963 , she was riding with the President in a motorcade in Dallas , Texas , when he was assassinated . She and her children withdrew from public view after his funeral , and in 1968 she married Aristotle Onassis .   Following her second husband 's death in 1975 , she had a career as a book editor for the final two decades of her life . She is remembered for her lifelong contributions to the arts and preservation of historic architecture , as well as for her style , elegance , and grace . She was a fashion icon , and her famous ensemble of pink Chanel suit and matching pillbox hat has become a symbol of her husband 's assassination . She ranks as one of the most popular First Ladies and in 1999 was named on Gallup 's list of Most Admired Men and Women in 20th-century America .


Iran has 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Iran Iran ( ɪ , also ɪ ) , formerly known as Persia , is a sovereign state in Western Asia . It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia , the de facto Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan ; to the north by the Caspian Sea ; to the northeast by Turkmenistan ; to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan ; to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; and to the west by Turkey and Iraq . Comprising a land area of 1648195 km2 , it is the second-largest country in the Middle East and the 18th-largest in the world . Officially with 79.93 million inhabitants ( Nov 2016 ) , Iran is the world 's 18th-most-populous country . It is the only country with both a Caspian Sea and an Indian Ocean coastline . The country 's central location in Eurasia and Western Asia , and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz , make it of great geostrategic importance . Iran has diverse landscapes and geographical conditions . Tehran is the country 's capital and largest city , as well as its leading economic and cultural center .   Iran is home to one of the world 's oldest civilizations , beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the 4th millennium BC . The area was first unified and dominated by the Iranian Medes in the 7th century BC . Iran reached its greatest extent during the Achaemenid Empire ( First Persian Empire ) founded by Cyrus the Great in 6th century BC , the largest empire the world had yet seen , stretching from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley . Persia fell to Alexander the Great in 4th century BC , but reemerged shortly after as the Parthian Empire . Under the Sassanians , Persia became a leading world power for the next four centuries .   In 7th century AD , Arabs conquered Persia and largely displaced the indigenous faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism with the new religion of Islam . Iranians became major contributors to the Islamic Golden Age that followed , producing many influential scientists , scholars , artists and thinkers . After two centuries , a period of various Iranian dynasties began , although these dynasties were later conquered by Turks and then the Mongols . An Iranian national identity was always reasserted however , developing a distinct cultural entity . The rise of the Safavids in 15th century led to the establishment of Twelver Shia Islam as the official religion , marking a turning point in Muslim history . In the 18th century , Iran arguably possessed briefly the most powerful military at the time under Nader Shah . Conflicts with the Russian Empire in 19th century led to significant territorial losses . Popular unrest culminated in the Persian Constitutional Revolution , which established a constitutional monarchy and the country 's first legislative body , the Majles . Following a coup d'état instigated by the UK and the US in 1953 , Iran gradually became closely aligned with the West and grew increasingly autocratic . Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic republic , a political system which combines elements of a parliamentary democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a `` Supreme Leadership '' . According to international observers , the current Iranian government is oppressive , with human rights abuses commonplace .   A multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups , most inhabitants of Iran are Shia Muslims and Persian is the official language . The largest ethnic groups in Iran are the Persians , Azeris , Kurds and Lurs .   Iran is a founding member of the UN , ECO , NAM , OIC , and OPEC . Iran is a major regional and middle power , and its large reserves of fossil fuels -- which include the largest natural gas supply in the world and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves -- exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy . Iran 's rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , the third-largest number in Asia and 11th-largest in the world .


A quarry is where dimension stone is excavated.

Quarry A quarry is a place from which dimension stone , rock , construction aggregate , riprap , sand , gravel , or slate has been excavated from the ground . A quarry is the same thing as an open-pit mine from which minerals are extracted . The only non-trivial difference between the two is that open-pit mines that produce building materials and dimension stone are commonly referred to as quarries .   The word quarry can also include the underground quarrying for stone , such as Bath stone .


Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been accused of kidnapping.

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi ( أبو بكر البغدادي born 28 July 1971 as Ibrahim Awad Ibrahim al-Badri إبراهيم عواد إبراهيم علي محمد البدري السامرائي ) is the leader of the Sunni militant jihadist organisation known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ( ISIL ) , which controls territory in western Iraq , Syria , Libya and Afghanistan . The group has been designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations , as well as by the European Union and many individual states . In June 2014 he was elected by the majlis al-shura ( consultative council or Shura council ) , representing the ahl al-hall wal-aqd of the Islamic State , to be their caliph , which he claims to be .   On October 4 , 2011 , the U.S. State Department added al-Baghdadi to the Specially Designated Nationals List and announced a reward of up to US$ 10 million for information or intelligence leading to his capture or death .  On December 16 , 2016 , the U.S. increased the reward to $ 25 million equal to the reward being offered for the leader of al-Qaeda , Ayman al-Zawahiri . Authorities within the United States have also accused al-Baghdadi of kidnapping , enslaving , and repeatedly raping an American citizen , Kayla Mueller , who was later killed . Over time , there have been a number of reports of al-Baghdadi 's death or injury ; however , none have been verified .


By June of 2015, Fifty Shades of Grey had sold more than 125 million copies.

Fifty Shades of Grey Fifty Shades of Grey is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James . It is the first instalment in the Fifty Shades trilogy that traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate , Anastasia Steele , and a young business magnate , Christian Grey . It is notable for its explicitly erotic scenes featuring elements of sexual practices involving bondage/discipline , dominance/submission , and sadism/masochism ( BDSM ) . Originally self-published as an ebook and a print-on-demand , publishing rights were acquired by Vintage Books in March 2012 .   Fifty Shades of Grey has topped best-seller lists around the world , selling over 125 million copies worldwide by June 2015 . It has been translated into 52 languages , and set a record in the United Kingdom as the fastest-selling paperback of all time . Critical reception of the book , however , has tended towards the negative , with the quality of its prose generally seen as poor . Universal Pictures and Focus Features produced a film adaptation , which was released on 13 February 2015 and also received generally unfavourable reviews .   The second and third volumes of the trilogy , Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed , were published in 2012 . Grey : Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian , a version of Fifty Shades of Grey being told from Christian 's point of view , was published in June 2015 .


Sons of Anarchy was on a channel owned by 21st Century Fox.

FX (TV channel) FX ( originally an initialism of `` Fox Extended '' , pronounced and suggesting `` effects '' ) is an American basic cable and satellite television channel launched on June 1 , 1994 , based in Los Angeles , California and owned by 21st Century Fox through FX Networks , LLC . FX 's programming primarily includes original drama and comedy series ( which aspire to the standards of premium cable channels like HBO and Showtime , in regard to adult themes and higher-quality writing/directing/acting ) and reruns of theatrical films and `` broadcast network '' sitcoms .   As of July 2015 , FX is available to approximately 94,006,000 pay television households ( 80.8 % of households with at least one television set ) in the United States . In addition to the flagship U.S. network , the `` FX '' name is licensed to a number of related pay television channels in various countries around the world .


Sons of Anarchy Sons of Anarchy is an American crime drama television series created by Kurt Sutter , which aired from 2008 to 2014 . It follows the lives of a close-knit outlaw motorcycle club operating in Charming , a fictional town in California 's Central Valley . The show stars Charlie Hunnam as Jackson `` Jax '' Teller , initially the vice president , who begins questioning the club and himself . Brotherhood , loyalty and redemption are constant themes .   Sons of Anarchy premiered on September 3 , 2008 , on cable network FX . The series 's third season attracted an average of 4.9 million weekly viewers , making it FX 's highest rated series and surpassing its other hits The Shield , Nip/Tuck and Rescue Me . The season four and five premieres were the two highest-rated telecasts in FX 's history .   The sixth season aired from September 10 , 2013 , through December 10 , 2013 . The seventh and final season of the series premiered on September 9 , 2014 . The series finale premiered on December 9 , 2014 .   The series explores vigilantism , government corruption and racism , and depicts an outlaw motorcycle club as an analogy for human transformation . Real life Oakland Hell 's Angel David Labrava served as a technical adviser , and also played one of the main characters , Happy Lowman , the club 's assassin .   In November 2013 , Sutter indicated he was in talks with FX to make a Sons of Anarchy prequel set in the 1960s . In February 2015 , he said he would not work on the prequel , likely to be titled `` The First 9 '' , before 2017 . In November 2016 FX announced the development of a spin off series Mayans MC , centered around Latino culture , which will likely include past SOA characters in cameo roles .


The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962 . The original line-up consisted of Brian Jones ( rhythm guitar , harmonica ) , Mick Jagger ( lead vocals ) , Keith Richards ( lead guitar , backing vocals ) , Bill Wyman ( bass ) , Charlie Watts ( drums ) , and Ian Stewart ( piano ) . Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued as a touring member until his death in 1985 . Jones left the band less than a month prior to his death in 1969 , having already been replaced by Mick Taylor , who remained until 1974 . After Taylor left the band , Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar in tandem with Richards ever since . Following Wyman 's departure in 1993 , Darryl Jones joined as their touring bassist . Other touring keyboardists for the band have been Nicky Hopkins ( 1967 -- 82 ) , Billy Preston ( through the mid-1970s ) and Chuck Leavell ( 1982-present ) . The band was first led by Jones , but after teaming as the band 's songwriters , Jagger and Richards assumed leadership while Jones dealt with legal and personal troubles .   The Rolling Stones were at the forefront of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the US in 1964 , and identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s . Rooted in blues and early rock and roll , the group began a short period of musical experimentation in the mid-1960s that peaked with the psychedelic album Their Satanic Majesties Request ( 1967 ) . Subsequently , the group returned to its `` bluesy '' roots with Beggars Banquet ( 1968 ) which along with its follow-ups Let It Bleed ( 1969 ) , Sticky Fingers ( 1971 ) and Exile on Main St. ( 1972 ) is generally considered to be the band 's best work and is seen as their `` Golden Age '' . During this period , they were first introduced on stage as `` The World 's Greatest Rock and Roll Band '' . Musicologist Robert Palmer attributed the `` remarkable endurance '' of the Rolling Stones to being `` rooted in traditional verities , in rhythm-and-blues and soul music '' , while `` more ephemeral pop fashions have come and gone '' .   The band continued to release commercially successful records in the 1970s and sold many albums , including Some Girls ( 1978 ) and Tattoo You ( 1981 ) , which were their most popular albums worldwide . From 1983 to 1987 , tensions between Jagger and Richards almost caused the band to split . However , they managed to patch up their friendship in 1987 . They separated temporarily to work on solo projects and experienced a comeback with Steel Wheels ( 1989 ) , which was followed by a large stadium and arena tour . Since the 1990s , new recorded material from the group has been less well-received and less frequent . Despite this , the Rolling Stones have continued to be a huge attraction on the live circuit , with stadium tours in the 1990s and 2000s . By 2007 , the band had four of the top five highest-grossing concert tours of all time : Voodoo Lounge Tour ( 1994 -- 95 ) , Bridges to Babylon Tour ( 1997 -- 98 ) , Licks Tour ( 2002 -- 03 ) and A Bigger Bang Tour ( 2005 -- 07 ) .   The Rolling Stones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2004 . Rolling Stone magazine ranked them fourth on the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' list and their estimated album sales are above 250 million . They have released 30 studio albums , 18 live albums and numerous compilations . Let It Bleed ( 1969 ) was their first of five consecutive No. 1 studio and live albums in the UK . Sticky Fingers ( 1971 ) was the first of eight consecutive No. 1 studio albums in the US . In 2008 , the band ranked 10th on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists chart . In 2012 , the band celebrated its 50th anniversary .


The Midwestern United States includes South Dakota.

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States , also referred to as the American Midwest or simply the Midwest , is one of the four geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau , occupying the northern central part of the United States of America . It was officially named the North Central region by the Census Bureau until 1984 .   Although the region is often defined in a number of ways , the Census Bureau 's definition consists of 12 states in the north central United States : Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , North Dakota , Ohio , South Dakota , and Wisconsin . Illinois is the most populous of the states and North Dakota the least . A 2012 report from the United States Census put the population of the Midwest at 65,377,684 . The Midwest is divided by the Census Bureau into two divisions . The East North Central Division includes Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Ohio and Wisconsin , all of which are also part of the Great Lakes region . The West North Central Division includes Iowa , Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , North Dakota , Nebraska , and South Dakota , several of which are located at least partly , within the Great Plains region . Major rivers in the region include , from east to west , the Ohio River , the Upper Mississippi River , and the Missouri River . The region generally lies on the broad Interior Plain between the states occupying the Appalachian Mountain range and the states occupying the Rocky Mountain range .   Chicago is the most populated city in the American Midwest and the third most populous in the entire country . Other large Midwest cities include ( in order by population ) : Indianapolis , Columbus , Detroit , Milwaukee , Kansas City , Omaha , Minneapolis , Cleveland , Wichita and St. Louis . Chicago and its suburbs form the largest metropolitan statistical area with 9.8 million people , followed by Metro Detroit , Minneapolis -- St. Paul , Greater St. Louis , Greater Cleveland , Greater Cincinnati ( without the Kentucky portion ) , Kansas City metro area , and the Columbus metro area .


Same-sex marriage has been legal in Brazil since May 2013.

Same-sex marriage in Brazil Same-sex marriage has been legal in Brazil since 16 May 2013 , following the National Justice Council decision , which orders notaries of every state to perform same-sex marriages . The ruling is on appeal to the Supreme Court .   Same-sex unions had already been legally recognized since 2004 . Following a ruling of the Supreme Court of Brazil , so-called stable unions ( união estável ) had been available for same-sex couples since May 2011 . These unions were granted most of the rights of marriages , including adoption , welfare benefits , pension , inheritance tax , income tax , social security , health benefits , immigration , joint property ownership , hospital and prison visitation , IVF and surrogacy .  This decision paved the way for future legislation on same-sex matrimonial rights . Before the nationwide legislation , Alagoas , Bahia , Ceará , Espírito Santo , the Federal District , Mato Grosso do Sul , Paraíba , Paraná , Piauí , Rondônia , Santa Catarina , Santa Rita do Sapucaí ( MG ) , São Paulo , and Sergipe had already allowed same-sex marriages and several unions were converted into full marriages by state judges . In Rio de Janeiro , same-sex couples could also marry but only if local judges agreed with their request .   Nevertheless , on 14 May 2013 , the Justice 's National Council of Brazil legalized same-sex marriage in the entire country in a 14-1 vote by issuing a ruling that orders all civil registers of the country to perform same-sex marriages and convert any existing civil union into a marriage , if the couple wish so . Joaquim Barbosa , president of the Council of Justice and the Supreme Federal Court , said that notaries can not continue to refuse to `` perform a civil wedding or the conversion of a stable civil union into a marriage between people of the same sex . '' The ruling was published on 15 May and took effect on 16 May 2013 .


Alpha Centauri is light years from the Sun.

Alpha Centauri Alpha Centauri ( α Centauri , abbreviated Alpha Cen , α Cen ) is the closest star system to the Solar System , being 4.37 ly from the Sun . It consists of three stars : the double star Alpha Centauri A ( also named Rigil Kentaurus ) and Alpha Centauri B together with a small and faint red dwarf , Alpha Centauri C ( also named Proxima Centauri ) , that may be gravitationally bound to the other two . To the unaided eye , the two main components appear as a single point of light with an apparent visual magnitude of − 0.27 , forming the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus and is the third-brightest star in the night sky , outshone only by Sirius and Canopus .   Alpha Centauri A ( α Cen A ) has 1.1 times the mass and 1.519 times the luminosity of the Sun , while Alpha Centauri B ( α Cen B ) is smaller and cooler , at 0.907 times the Sun 's mass and 0.445 times its visual luminosity . During the pair 's 79.91-year orbit about a common centre , the distance between them varies from about that between Pluto and the Sun to that between Saturn and the Sun .   Proxima Centauri ( α Cen C ) is at the slightly smaller distance of 1.30 pc from the Sun , making it the closest star to the Sun , even though it is not visible to the naked eye . The separation of Proxima from Alpha Centauri AB is about 15000 AU , equivalent to 500 times the size of Neptune 's orbit . Proxima Centauri b , an Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri , has been detected .


The Renaissance did not see social and political upheaval.

Renaissance The Renaissance ( -LSB- rᵻˈneɪsəns -RSB- , -LSB- rɛnəˈsɑːns -RSB- ) was a period in European history , from the 14th to the 17th century , regarded as the cultural bridge between the Middle Ages and modern history . It started as a cultural movement in Italy in the Late Medieval period and later spread to the rest of Europe , marking the beginning of the Early Modern Age .   The intellectual basis of the Renaissance was its own invented version of humanism , derived from the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophy , such as that of Protagoras , who said that `` Man is the measure of all things . '' This new thinking became manifest in art , architecture , politics , science and literature . Early examples were the development of perspective in oil painting and the recycled knowledge of how to make concrete . Although the invention of metal movable type sped the dissemination of ideas from the later 15th century , the changes of the Renaissance were not uniformly experienced across Europe .   As a cultural movement , the Renaissance encompassed innovative flowering of Latin and vernacular literatures , beginning with the 14th-century resurgence of learning based on classical sources , which contemporaries credited to Petrarch ; the development of linear perspective and other techniques of rendering a more natural reality in painting ; and gradual but widespread educational reform . In politics , the Renaissance contributed to the development of the customs and conventions of diplomacy , and in science to an increased reliance on observation and inductive reasoning . Although the Renaissance saw revolutions in many intellectual pursuits , as well as social and political upheaval , it is perhaps best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo , who inspired the term `` Renaissance man '' .   The Renaissance began in Florence , in the 14th century . Various theories have been proposed to account for its origins and characteristics , focusing on a variety of factors including the social and civic peculiarities of Florence at the time : its political structure ; the patronage of its dominant family , the Medici ; and the migration of Greek scholars and texts to Italy following the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks . Other major centres were northern Italian city-states such as Venice , Genoa , Milan , Bologna , and finally Rome during the Renaissance Papacy .   The Renaissance has a long and complex historiography , and , in line with general scepticism of discrete periodizations , there has been much debate among historians reacting to the 19th-century glorification of the `` Renaissance '' and individual culture heroes as `` Renaissance men '' , questioning the usefulness of Renaissance as a term and as a historical delineation . The art historian Erwin Panofsky observed of this resistance to the concept of `` Renaissance '' :   It is perhaps no accident that the factuality of the Italian Renaissance has been most vigorously questioned by those who are not obliged to take a professional interest in the aesthetic aspects of civilization -- historians of economic and social developments , political and religious situations , and , most particularly , natural science -- but only exceptionally by students of literature and hardly ever by historians of Art .   Some observers have called into question whether the Renaissance was a cultural `` advance '' from the Middle Ages , instead seeing it as a period of pessimism and nostalgia for classical antiquity , while social and economic historians , especially of the longue durée , have instead focused on the continuity between the two eras , which are linked , as Panofsky observed , `` by a thousand ties '' .   The word Renaissance , literally meaning `` Rebirth '' in French , first appeared in English in the 1830s . The word also occurs in Jules Michelet 's 1855 work , Histoire de France . The word Renaissance has also been extended to other historical and cultural movements , such as the Carolingian Renaissance and the Renaissance of the 12th century .


Texas Longhorns men's basketball has been involved in the Regional Finals seven times total.

Texas Longhorns men's basketball The Texas Longhorns men 's basketball team '' ' represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I intercollegiate men 's basketball competition . The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference .   The University of Texas began varsity intercollegiate competition in men 's basketball in 1906 . The Longhorns rank 17th in total victories among all NCAA Division I college basketball programs and 25th in all-time win percentage among programs with at least 50 years in Division I , with an all-time win-loss record of 1750 -- 1054 . Among Big 12 Conference men 's basketball programs , Texas is second only to Kansas in both all-time wins and all-time win percentage .   The Longhorns have won 27 total conference championships in men 's basketball and have made 33 total appearances in the NCAA Tournament ( 11th-most appearances all time , with a 35 -- 36 overall record ) , reaching the NCAA Final Four three times ( 1943 , 1947 , 2003 ) and the NCAA Regional Finals ( Elite Eight ) seven times . As of March 21 , 2017 , Texas ranks fifth among all Division I men 's basketball programs for total NCAA Tournament games won without having won the national championship ( 35 ) , trailing Purdue ( 36 ) , Notre Dame ( 38 ) , Illinois ( 40 ) , and Oklahoma ( 41 ) .   The Texas basketball program experienced substantial success during the early decades of its existence , but its success in the modern era is of relatively recent vintage . After two losing seasons during the program 's first five years , Texas suffered only one losing season from 1912 to 1950 , achieving a winning percentage of .703 during that span , reaching two Final Fours and one Elite Eight during the first decade of the NCAA Tournament , and receiving retroactive recognition as the 1933 national champion from the Premo-Porretta Power Poll ; from 1951 to 1988 , the Longhorns finished with losing records 14 times , recorded a winning percentage of .522 , and participated in the expanded Tournament only five times . Texas achieved some measures of national recognition during the tenures of head coaches Abe Lemons ( 1976 -- 82 ) and Tom Penders ( 1988 -- 98 ) , but the program rose to its highest level of prominence under the direction of former head coach Rick Barnes ( 1998 -- 2015 ) . Barnes guided Texas to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances in his 17 seasons with the program , including a school-record fourteen consecutive appearances ( 1999 -- 2012 ) , as well as fifteen 20-win seasons overall and a school-best thirteen consecutive 20-win seasons ( 2000 -- 12 ) .   Since 1977 , the team has played its home games in the Frank Erwin Special Events Center , where it has compiled a record of 487 -- 119 as of March 7 , 2017 . The team is currently led by second-year head coach Shaka Smart .


The Opposite of Sex had Lisa Kudrow in it.

Lisa Kudrow Lisa Valerie Kudrow ( -LSB- ` kuːdroʊ -RSB- born July 30 , 1963 ) is an American actress , comedian , writer and producer . She gained worldwide recognition for her ten-season run as Phoebe Buffay and Ursula Buffay on the television sitcom Friends , for which she received many accolades , including six Emmy Award nominations , winning once in 1998 , and twelve Screen Actors Guild Award nominations , winning twice in 1996 and 2000 .   She went on to produce , write and star in the 2005 HBO series The Comeback , which was revived nine years later and began airing its second season in November 2014 . She received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for both seasons , in 2006 and 2015 respectively . She also starred in Web Therapy , which aired for four seasons on Showtime . As a producer of the series , she was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class -- Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program for the show in 2012 . She is also one of the executive producers of the TLC reality program Who Do You Think You Are and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality-Program for the series in 2012 and 2014 .   Away from television , Kudrow has also appeared in many films , including Romy and Michele 's High School Reunion ( 1997 ) , The Opposite of Sex ( 1998 ) , Analyze This ( 1999 ) and its sequel Analyze That ( 2002 ) , Dr. Dolittle 2 ( 2001 ) , Wonderland ( 2003 ) , Happy Endings ( 2005 ) , P.S. I Love You ( 2007 ) , Bandslam ( 2008 ) , Hotel for Dogs ( 2009 ) , Easy A ( 2010 ) , Neighbors ( 2014 ) , its sequel Neighbors 2 : Sorority Rising ( 2016 ) and The Girl on the Train ( 2016 ) .


Bharat Arun Bharathi Arun ( born 14 December 1962 in Vijayawada , Andhra Pradesh ) was an Indian Test cricketer .   The bearded Arun was a medium pacer and an attacking lower order batsman . In the semifinal of the 1986/87 Duleep Trophy he hit 149 and added 221 for the seventh wicket with W. V. Raman as South Zone chased a West total of 516 for the first innings lead . A 107 * for India Under-25 against the visiting Sri Lankans just before the selection of the side for the Tests against Sri Lanka won him a place in the side . He was part of the Indian under 19 team that toured Sri Lanka in 1979 under the captaincy of Ravi Shastri .   He played two Test matches of the series with the 3 for 76 in his first match as his best bowling figures ( after slipping and falling down , to some hilarity , when he ran in to bowl his first ball ) . He toured Sharjah in 1987 and appeared in all of India 's three matches without distinction . He was a part of the Tamil Nadu team that won the Ranji Trophy in 1987/88 .


Interstellar is a science-fiction television series.

Interstellar (film) Use mdy dates | date = May 2016 -RCB-   Interstellar is a 2014 British-American epic science fiction film directed , co-written , and co-produced by Christopher Nolan . The film stars Matthew McConaughey , Anne Hathaway , Jessica Chastain , Bill Irwin , Casey Affleck , Ellen Burstyn , John Lithgow , and Michael Caine . Set in a dystopian future where humanity is struggling to survive , it follows a group of astronauts who travel through a wormhole in search of a new home for humanity .   Brothers Christopher and Jonathan Nolan wrote the screenplay , which has its origins in a script Jonathan developed in 2007 . Nolan produced the film with his wife Emma Thomas through their production company Syncopy and with Lynda Obst through Lynda Obst Productions . Caltech theoretical physicist Kip Thorne , whose work inspired the film , was an executive producer and acted as scientific consultant . Later , he also wrote a tie-in book , The Science of Interstellar . Paramount Pictures , Warner Bros. , and Legendary Pictures co-financed the film . Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema shot the film on 35 mm in anamorphic format and IMAX 70 mm . Principal photography commenced in late 2013 in Alberta , Iceland and Los Angeles . The film utilized extensive practical and miniature effects , while the company Double Negative created additional digital effects .   Interstellar premiered on October 26 , 2014 in Los Angeles . In the United States , it was first released on film stock , expanding to venues using digital projectors . The film was successful at the box office , with a worldwide gross of over $ 675 million , and received positive reviews , particularly in regards to its science fiction themes , visual effects , musical score , and the cast 's performances . It received several awards and nominations ; at the 87th Academy Awards , the film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects , and was nominated for Best Original Score , Best Sound Mixing , Best Sound Editing , and Best Production Design .


Rainn Wilson Rainn Dietrich Wilson -LSB- reɪn_ˈdiːtrɪk_ˈwɪlsən -RSB- ( born January 20 , 1966 ) is an American actor , comedian , writer , director , and producer . He is best known for his role as Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office .   A native of Seattle , Washington , Wilson began acting in college at the University of Washington , and later worked in theatre in New York City after graduating in 1986 . Wilson made his film debut in Galaxy Quest ( 1999 ) , followed by supporting parts in Almost Famous ( 2000 ) , Steven Soderbergh 's Full Frontal ( 2002 ) , and House of 1000 Corpses ( 2003 ) . He also had a recurring part as Arthur Martin in the HBO series Six Feet Under from 2001 to 2006 .   Wilson was cast as Dwight Schrute in The Office in 2005 , a role which he would play until the show 's conclusion in 2013 . Other film credits include a lead roles in the comedies The Rocker ( 2008 ) and Super ( 2010 ) , and supporting roles in the horror films Cooties ( 2014 ) and The Boy ( 2015 ) .   In addition to acting , Wilson published an autobiography , The Bassoon King , in November 2015 , and also co-founded the digital media company SoulPancake in 2008 .


Ronda Rousey was the first Canadian woman to earn an Olympic medal in judo.

Ronda Rousey Ronda Jean Rousey ( -LSB- ˈraʊzi -RSB- born February 1 , 1987 ) is an American mixed martial artist , judoka , and actress .   Rousey was the first American woman to earn an Olympic medal in judo ( bronze ) , which she won at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing . She is the former UFC Women 's Bantamweight Champion , as well as the last Strikeforce Women 's Bantamweight Champion . She won 12 consecutive MMA fights , six in the Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC ) , before suffering her first loss to Holly Holm in November 2015 ; she won 11 of those fights in the first round , nine of them by armbar submission . Rousey trains under Gokor Chivichyan of the Hayastan MMA Academy , and Edmond Tarverdyan of the Glendale Fighting Club .   In May 2015 , two magazines ranked Rousey as the most `` dominant '' active athlete . In September 2015 , voters in an online ESPN poll selected Rousey as the Best Female Athlete Ever . Later that month , she claimed to be the UFC 's highest paid fighter , male or female . In 2015 , she was the third most searched person on Google . As of January 2017 , Rousey is ranked the # 4 female bantamweight fighter in the world according to the UFC , and # 9 by Sherdog .   Rousey 's first feature film role was the 2014 film The Expendables 3 . In 2015 , she had roles in the films Furious 7 and Entourage .


The Heiress (1947 play) was adapted from a novel by a Nigerian-born British writer.

The Heiress (1947 play) The Heiress is a 1947 play by American playwrights Ruth and Augustus Goetz adapted from the 1880 Henry James novel Washington Square .


Henry James Henry James , OM was an American-born British writer . He is regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism . He was the son of Henry James , Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James .   He is best known for a number of novels showing Americans encountering Europe and Europeans . His method of writing from a character 's point of view allowed him to explore issues related to consciousness and perception , and his style in later works has been compared to impressionist painting . His imaginative use of point of view , interior monologue and unreliable narrators brought a new depth to narrative fiction .   James contributed significantly to literary criticism , particularly in his insistence that writers be allowed the greatest possible freedom in presenting their view of the world . James claimed that a text must first and foremost be realistic and contain a representation of life that is recognisable to its readers . Good novels , to James , show life in action and are , most importantly , interesting .   In addition to his voluminous works of fiction he published articles and books of travel , biography , autobiography , and criticism , and wrote plays . James alternated between America and Europe for the first twenty years of his life ; eventually he settled in England , becoming a British subject in 1915 , one year before his death . James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911 , 1912 , and 1916 .


Led Zeppelin put out the album Led Zeppelin in September of 1969.

Led Zeppelin (album) Led Zeppelin is the eponymous debut studio album by English rock band Led Zeppelin , released on 12 January 1969 in the United States and on 31 March 1969 in the United Kingdom by Atlantic Records . Featuring integral contributions from each of the group 's four members , the album was recorded in October 1968 at Olympic Studios in London and established their fusion style of both blues and rock music . It also attracted a large and devoted following to the band ; Zeppelin 's take on the emerging hard rock sound endeared them to parts of the counterculture on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean .   Although the album was not critically well-received when first released , it was commercially successful , and critics have since come to view it in a more favourable light . In 2003 , Led Zeppelin was ranked at # 29 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time , and keeping that position after the list was updated in 2012 . In 2004 , the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame .


Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968 . The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page , singer Robert Plant , bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones , and drummer John Bonham . The band 's heavy , guitar-driven sound , rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums , has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors of heavy metal , though their unique style drew from a wide variety of influences , including folk music .   After changing their name from the New Yardbirds , Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that afforded them considerable artistic freedom . Although the group was initially unpopular with critics , they achieved significant commercial success with albums such as Led Zeppelin ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin II ( 1969 ) , Led Zeppelin III ( 1970 ) , Led Zeppelin IV ( 1971 ) , Houses of the Holy ( 1973 ) , and Physical Graffiti ( 1975 ) . Their fourth album , which features the track `` Stairway to Heaven '' , is among the most popular and influential works in rock music , and it helped to secure the group 's popularity .   Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin 's music , particularly early in their career , while Plant generally supplied the lyrics . Jones ' keyboard-based compositions later became central to the group 's catalogue , which featured increasing experimentation . The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery . Although they remained commercially and critically successful , their output and touring schedule were limited during the late 1970s , and the group disbanded following Bonham 's death from alcohol-related asphyxia in 1980 . In the decades that followed , the surviving members sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off Led Zeppelin reunions . The most successful of these was the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London , with Jason Bonham taking his late father 's place behind the drums .   Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful , innovative , and influential rock groups in history . They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording ; various sources estimate the group 's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide . With RIAA-certified sales of 111.5 million units , they are the second-best-selling band in the US . Each of their nine studio albums placed in the top 10 of the Billboard album chart and six reached the number-one spot . They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums . Rolling Stone magazine described them as `` the heaviest band of all time '' , `` the biggest band of the Seventies '' , and `` unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history '' . They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 ; the museum 's biography of the band states that they were `` as influential '' during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s .


Doctor Who has a writer named Mike Bartlett.

Doctor Who (series 10) The tenth series of the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who premiered on 15 April 2017 and is set to consist of twelve episodes , after it was released in July 2015 that BBC Worldwide had invested in a tenth series of the programme in its annual review . The series is led by head writer and executive producer Steven Moffat , alongside executive producer Brian Minchin . It is the third and final series overseen by the two as executive producers , as well as Moffat 's sixth and final series as head writer . This series is the tenth to air following the programme 's revival in 2005 , and is the thirty-sixth season overall .   Preceded by a Christmas special in December 2016 , `` The Return of Doctor Mysterio '' , the series is the third and final series starring Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor , an incarnation of the Doctor , an alien Time Lord who travels through time and space in his TARDIS , which appears to be a British police box on the outside ; Capaldi announced in January 2017 that he would be stepping down from the role after the tenth series . The series introduces Pearl Mackie as Bill Potts , the Doctor 's newest travelling companion , and also features Matt Lucas as Nardole , who appeared in the 2015 and 2016 Christmas specials .   Steven Moffat wrote four episodes for the series . Other returning writers who have worked on this series and previous ones include Frank Cottrell-Boyce , Sarah Dollard , Jamie Mathieson , Peter Harness , Toby Whithouse and Mark Gatiss , as well as two new writers for the revived era of the programme , Mike Bartlett and Rona Munro , the latter of whom wrote Survival , the final serial of the original classic era . Directors of the series included three who have previously worked on the show , and three brand new ones . Filming began on 20 June 2016 and lasted just over nine months , ending on 7 April 2017 .


Matt Smith played the character Jim Taylor.

Matt Smith (actor) Matthew Robert `` Matt '' Smith ( born 28 October 1982 ) is an English actor . He is best known for his role as the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who , for which he received a BAFTA Award nomination in 2011 .   Smith initially aspired to be a professional footballer , but spondylolysis forced him out of the sport . After joining the National Youth Theatre and studying Drama and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia , he became an actor in 2003 , performing in plays like Murder in the Cathedral , Fresh Kills , The History Boys , and On the Shore of the Wide World in London theatres . Extending his repertoire into West End theatre , he has since performed in the stage adaptation of Swimming with Sharks with Christian Slater , followed a year later by a critically acclaimed performance as Henry in That Face .   Smith 's first television role came in 2006 as Jim Taylor in the BBC adaptations of Philip Pullman 's The Ruby in the Smoke and The Shadow in the North , while his first major role in television came as Danny in the 2007 BBC series Party Animals . Smith , who was announced as the eleventh incarnation of the Doctor in January 2009 , is the youngest person to play the character in the British television series . He left the series at the end of the 2013 Christmas Day special , `` The Time of the Doctor '' . He portrayed both the physical embodiment and a holographic version of Skynet in Terminator Genisys ( 2015 ) . Since 2016 , he portrays Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh in Peter Morgan 's Netflix biographical drama series The Crown , opposite Claire Foy as Elizabeth II .


Greyson Chance Greyson Michael Chance ( born August 16 , 1997 ) is an American singer , songwriter , and pianist . His April 2010 performance of Lady Gaga 's `` Paparazzi '' at a sixth-grade music festival went viral on YouTube , gaining widespread attention and over 59 million views as of May 2017 , as well as an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show shortly afterward . Two of his original compositions , `` Stars '' and `` Broken Hearts '' , gained over six and eight million views respectively on his YouTube channel . His debut single , `` Waiting Outside the Lines '' , was released in October 2010 . Chance 's debut album , Hold On 'Til the Night , was released on August 2 , 2011 .   Chance released his second EP , Somewhere Over My Head , on May 13 , 2016 . The lead single , `` Afterlife '' , was released in October 2015 , followed by `` Hit and Run '' and `` Back On the Wall '' in February and April 2016 respectively .


24 (2016 film) 24 is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language science fiction thriller film written and directed by Vikram Kumar . Based on the concept of time-travel , the film stars actor Suriya in triple roles , with actresses Samantha Ruth Prabhu , Nithya Menen and Saranya Ponvannan in lead roles .   The development dates back to 2009 , where the film was to feature actors Vikram and Ileana D'Cruz in lead roles . However , in February 2010 , the project was dropped due to difference in opinions between director , producer and actor , facing rejection of the refined script . In August 2014 , Suriya agreed to produce and act in the film , with principal photography commencing in Mumbai in April 2015 , continuing in Nasik , Goregaon and Pune . The second phase of filming was done in Poland by end-September 2015 . Filming was completed in Chennai by November 2015 .   Produced by 2D Entertainment , the film has cinematography by S. Tirru . The soundtrack and film score are composed by A. R. Rahman , with lyrics by Vairamuthu and Madhan Karky . The film along with the dubbed Telugu version having the same title was released on 6 May 2016 . It is also dubbed in Hindi as Time Story .   The film won two awards at the 64th National Film Awards Best Cinematography and Best Production Design .


Thiokol was also known as ATK Thiokol and it was American.

Thiokol Thiokol ( variously Thiokol Chemical Corporation , Morton-Thiokol Inc. , Cordant Technologies Inc. , Thiokol Propulsion , AIC Group , ATK Thiokol ; finally ATK Launch Systems Group before becoming part of Orbital ATK ) was an American corporation concerned initially with rubber and related chemicals , and later with rocket and missile propulsion systems . Its name is a portmanteau of the Greek words for sulfur ( θειον `` theion '' ) and glue ( κολλα `` kolla '' ) , an allusion to the company 's initial product , Thiokol polymer .   The Thiokol Chemical Company was founded in 1929 . Its initial business was a range of synthetic rubber and polymer sealants , and Thiokol was a major supplier of liquid polymer sealants during World War II . When scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory discovered that Thiokol 's polymers made ideal binders for solid rocket fuels , Thiokol moved into the new field , opening laboratories at Elkton , Maryland , and later production facilities at Elkton and at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville , Alabama . Huntsville produced the XM33 Pollux , TX-18 Falcon , and TX-135 Nike-Zeus systems . It closed in 1996 . In the mid-1950s the company bought extensive lands in Utah for its rocket test range , and in 1986 was found at fault for the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger and the deaths of its astronauts . Thiokol continues to have major operations in the state , at Magna and Promontory ( manufacture of the Space Shuttle 's solid rocket motors ) , and its current headquarters at Brigham City . the company employed over 15,000 people worldwide and records annual sales of around .


Russell Brand Russell Edward Brand ( born 4 June 1975 ) is an English comedian , actor , radio host , author , and activist .   Beginning his career as a stand-up comedian and later becoming an MTV presenter , Brand first achieved notoriety in 2004 as the host of Big Brother 's Big Mouth , a Big Brother spin-off . In 2007 , he had his first major film role in St Trinian 's , and the following year he landed a major role in the romantic comedy-drama Forgetting Sarah Marshall ; the film led to him starring in a spin off , the rock comedy Get Him to the Greek , alongside Jonah Hill in 2010 . He also worked as a voice actor in the animated films Despicable Me in 2010 , Hop in 2011 , and Despicable Me 2 in 2013 , and played the title character of the 2011 remake of the romantic comedy Arthur . In 2013 , he released the successful stand-up special Messiah Complex .   Since guest editing an edition of British political weekly New Statesman in 2013 , Brand has become known as a public activist and campaigner , and has spoken on a wide range of political and cultural issues , including wealth inequality , addiction , corporate capitalism , climate change , and media bias . This includes a much publicised interview with Newsnight host Jeremy Paxman in 2013 , in which he disparaged the British political system as ineffectual , encouraged the British electorate not to vote , and endorsed an egalitarian socialist revolution to replace the status quo . In 2014 , Brand launched his political-comedy web series The Trews , released a book entitled Revolution , and began work on a documentary about financial inequality with Michael Winterbottom .   Over the course of his career , Brand has been the subject of frequent media coverage and controversy for issues such as his promiscuity and drug use , his outrageous behaviour at various award ceremonies , his dismissal from MTV and resignation from the BBC , and his two-year marriage with singer Katy Perry . He has incorporated many of his controversial public antics into his comedic material . In 2015 a biographical documentary called Brand : A Second Coming was released .


Cosmopolitan as of 2011 contains content which includes articles on self-improvement.

Cosmopolitan (magazine) Cosmopolitan is an international fashion magazine for women . Formerly titled The Cosmopolitan , the magazine was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine ; it was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women 's magazine in the late 1960s . Often referred to as Cosmo , its content as of 2011 includes articles on women 's issues , relationships , sex , health , careers , self-improvement , celebrities , fashion , and beauty . Published by Hearst Corporation , Cosmopolitan has 64 international editions , is printed in 35 languages , and is distributed in more than 110 countries .


Lana Del Rey has only toured by herself.

Lana Del Rey Elizabeth Woolridge Grant ( born June 21 , 1985 ) , better known by her stage name Lana Del Rey , is an American singer , songwriter , and model . Her music has been noted for its cinematic style , its preoccupation with themes of tragic romance and melancholia , and its references to pop culture , particularly 1950s and 1960s Americana .   Born and raised in New York , Del Rey embarked on a music career in 2005 and first received widespread attention in 2011 , when the music video for her single `` Video Games '' became a viral internet sensation . Del Rey received further recognition after her major-label debut Born to Die peaked at number two on the United States charts and was the fifth best-selling album of 2012 . A remix of its single `` Summertime Sadness '' , produced by Cedric Gervais , peaked at number six in the United States , and the Paradise EP followed that November , garnering Del Rey her first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album . Three of the EP 's tracks were featured in her short film Tropico , which premiered in December 2013 .   In 2014 , Del Rey released her third studio album , Ultraviolence ; it became her first number-one album in the United States . In 2015 , following a North American tour with Courtney Love and Grimes , Del Rey released her fourth studio album , Honeymoon . Both albums received positive critical response .   Del Rey is set to release her fifth studio album , titled Lust for Life , on July 21 , 2017 .


Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in Cupertino , California that designs , develops , and sells consumer electronics , computer software , and online services . The company 's hardware products include the iPhone smartphone , the iPad tablet computer , the Mac personal computer , the iPod portable media player , the Apple Watch smartwatch , and the Apple TV digital media player . Apple 's consumer software includes the macOS and iOS operating systems , the iTunes media player , the Safari web browser , and the iLife and iWork creativity and productivity suites . Its online services include the iTunes Store , the iOS App Store and Mac App Store , Apple Music , and iCloud .   Apple was founded by Steve Jobs , Steve Wozniak , and Ronald Wayne in April 1976 to develop and sell personal computers . It was incorporated as Apple Computer , Inc. in January 1977 , and sales of its computers saw significant momentum and revenue growth for the company . Within a few years , they had hired a staff of computer designers and had a production line . Apple went public in 1980 to instant financial success . Over the next few years , Apple shipped new computers featuring innovative graphical user interfaces , and Apple 's marketing commercials for its products received widespread critical acclaim . However , the high price tag of its products and limited software titles caused problems , as did power struggles between executives at the company . Jobs resigned from Apple and created his own company . As the market for personal computers increased , Apple 's computers saw diminishing sales due to lower-priced products from competitors , in particular those offered with the Microsoft Windows operating system . More executive job shuffles happened at Apple until then-CEO Gil Amelio in 1997 decided to buy Jobs ' company to bring him back . Jobs regained position as CEO , and began a process to rebuild Apple 's status , which included opening Apple 's own retail stores in 2001 , making numerous acquisitions of software companies to create a portfolio of software titles , and changed some of the hardware technology used in its computers . It again saw success and returned to profitability . In January 2007 , Jobs announced that Apple Computer , Inc. would be renamed Apple Inc. to reflect its shifted focus toward consumer electronics , and announced the iPhone , which saw critical acclaim and significant financial success . In August 2011 , Jobs resigned as CEO due to health complications , and Tim Cook became the new CEO . Two months later , Jobs died , marking the end of an era for the company .   Apple is the world 's largest information technology company by revenue , and the world 's second-largest mobile phone manufacturer after Samsung . In February 2015 , Apple became the first U.S. company to be valued at over US$ 700billion . The company employs 116,000 full-time employees and maintains 496 retail stores in 21 countries . It operates the iTunes Store , which is the world 's largest music retailer . , more than one billion Apple products are actively in use worldwide .   Apple 's worldwide annual revenue totaled $ 215billion for the 2016 fiscal year . The company enjoys a high level of brand loyalty and has been repeatedly ranked as the world 's most valuable brand . However , it receives significant criticism regarding the labor practices of its contractors and its environmental and business practices , including the origins of source materials .


James Arness James Arness ( May 26 , 1923 -- June 3 , 2011 ) was an American actor , best known for portraying Marshal Matt Dillon for 20 years in the television series Gunsmoke . Arness has the distinction of having played the role of Dillon in five separate decades : 1955 to 1975 in the weekly series , then in Gunsmoke : Return to Dodge ( 1987 ) and four more made-for-television Gunsmoke films in the 1990s . In Europe , Arness reached cult status for his role as Zeb Macahan in the western series How the West Was Won . He was the older brother of actor Peter Graves ( 1926 - 2010 ) .


NSYNC NSYNC ( sometimes stylized as * NSYNC or 'N Sync ) was an American boy band formed in Orlando , Florida in 1995 and launched in Germany by BMG Ariola Munich . NSYNC consisted of Justin Timberlake , JC Chasez , Chris Kirkpatrick , Joey Fatone , and Lance Bass . After heavily publicized legal battles with their former manager Lou Pearlman and former record label Bertelsmann Music Group , the group 's second album , No Strings Attached , sold over one million copies in one day and 2.42 million copies in one week , which was a record for over fifteen years . In addition to a host of Grammy Award nominations , NSYNC has performed at the World Series , the Super Bowl and the Olympic Games , and sang or recorded with Elton John , Stevie Wonder , Michael Jackson , Phil Collins , Celine Dion , Aerosmith , Britney Spears , Nelly , Left Eye , Mary J. Blige , country music supergroup Alabama , and Gloria Estefan .   Although NSYNC announced the start of a `` temporary hiatus '' in early 2002 , the band has not recorded new material since then . Justin Timberlake went on to become a very successful solo artist with several multi-platinum albums . In 2007 , Lance Bass confirmed that the group had `` definitely broken up . '' They have sold over 70 million albums during their career , becoming the eighth-best-selling boy band in history . Rolling Stone recognized their instant success as one of the Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments of all time .


Jamie Oliver launched "Jamie's Italian" only in London.

Jamie Oliver James Trevor `` Jamie '' Oliver , ( born 27 May 1975 ) is a British celebrity chef and restaurateur . He is most known for his typically English cuisine that has garnered him numerous television shows and restaurants .   Born and raised in the village of Clavering , Essex , he was educated in London before taking his first culinary engagement at Antonio Carluccio 's Neal Street restaurant as a pastry chef . When he moved to serve as a sous chef at the River Cafe he was noticed by the BBC and in 1999 debuted his television show , The Naked Chef which was followed by his first cook book subsequently becoming the No. 1 bestseller in the UK . After his Naked Chef Series he was endorsed by multiple companies and expanded his television capacity to include a documentary called Jamie 's Kitchen ; garnering him an invitation from the Prime Minister to 10 Downing Street . In June 2003 , Oliver was honored as a Member of the Order of the British Empire .   In 2005 , Oliver initiated a campaign originally called Feed Me Better to move British schoolchildren towards eating healthy foods and cutting out junk food ; this campaign was eventually backed by the British government . Soon after he launched his first high-end restaurant , Jamie 's Italian , in Oxford in 2008 and hosted a TED Talk winning him the 2010 TED Prize .