Kazakhstan's population includes zero Uzbeks.

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan ( -LSB- USkæzækˈstæn , _ ˌkɑːzɑːkˈstɑːn -RSB- , -LSB- ˌkæzəkˈstɑːn , _ - ˈstæn -RSB- Қазақстан , tr . Qazaqstan , -LSB- qɑzɑqˈstɑn -RSB- ; Казахстан , tr . Kazakhstan ) , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan ( Қазақстан Республикасы , tr . Qazaqstan Respwblïkası ; Республика Казахстан , tr . Respublika Kazakhstan ) , is a transcontinental country in northern Central Asia and Eastern Europe . Kazakhstan is the world 's largest landlocked country , and the ninth largest in the world , with an area of 2,724,900 km ² . Kazakhstan is the dominant nation of Central Asia economically , generating 60 % of the region 's GDP , primarily through its oil/gas industry . It also has vast mineral resources .   Kazakhstan is officially a democratic , secular , unitary , constitutional republic with a diverse cultural heritage . Kazakhstan shares borders with Russia , China , Kyrgyzstan , Uzbekistan , and Turkmenistan , and also adjoins a large part of the Caspian Sea . The terrain of Kazakhstan includes flatlands , steppe , taiga , rock canyons , hills , deltas , snow-capped mountains , and deserts . Kazakhstan has an estimated 18 million people , Given its large land area , its population density is among the lowest , at less than 6 people per square kilometre ( 15 people per sq. mi . ) . The capital is Astana , where it was moved in 1997 from Almaty , the country 's largest city .   The territory of Kazakhstan has historically been inhabited by nomadic tribes . This changed in the 13th century , when Genghis Khan occupied the country as part of the Mongolian Empire . Following internal struggles among the conquerors , power eventually reverted to the nomads . By the 16th century , the Kazakh emerged as a distinct group , divided into three jüz ( ancestor branches occupying specific territories ) . The Russians began advancing into the Kazakh steppe in the 18th century , and by the mid-19th century , they nominally ruled all of Kazakhstan as part of the Russian Empire . Following the 1917 Russian Revolution , and subsequent civil war , the territory of Kazakhstan was reorganised several times . In 1936 , it was made the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic , part of the Soviet Union .   Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 . The current President , Nursultan Nazarbayev , has been leader of the country since then , and is characterised as authoritarian , with a government history of human rights abuses and suppression of political opposition . Kazakhstan has worked to develop its economy , especially its dominant hydrocarbon industry . Human Rights Watch says that `` Kazakhstan heavily restricts freedom of assembly , speech , and religion , '' and other human rights organisations regularly describe Kazakhstan 's human rights situation as poor .   Kazakhstan 's 131 ethnicities include Kazakhs ( 63 % of the population ) , Russians , Uzbeks , Ukrainians , Germans , Tatars , and Uyghurs . Islam is the religion of about 70 % of the population , with Christianity practised by 26 % ; Kazakhstan officially allows freedom of religion , but religious leaders who oppose the government are suppressed . The Kazakh language is the state language , and Russian has equal official status for all levels of administrative and institutional purposes .


Persuasion (2007 film) premiered on the fourth month of a calendar year.

Persuasion (2007 film) Persuasion is a 2007 British television film adaptation of Jane Austen 's novel Persuasion . It was directed by Adrian Shergold and the screenplay was written by Simon Burke . Sally Hawkins stars as the protagonist Anne Elliot , while Rupert Penry-Jones plays Frederick Wentworth . Eight years prior to the film 's beginning , Anne was persuaded to reject Wentworth 's proposal of marriage . Now 27 and unmarried , Anne re-encounters Wentworth , who has made his fortune in the Napoleonic Wars and is looking for a wife -- anyone but Anne , whom he has not forgiven for rejecting him all those years ago .   Persuasion was one of three novels adapted for ITV 's Jane Austen season . It was the first of the three adaptations to begin development . The drama was co-produced by Clerkenwell Films and American studio WGBH Boston . Persuasion premiered on 1 April 2007 in the United Kingdom and was watched by 5.4 million viewers . Persuasion received mixed reviews from television critics .


Nina Simone Nina Simone ( -LSB- ˈniːnə_sᵻˈmoʊn -RSB- born Eunice Kathleen Waymon ; February 21 , 1933 -- April 21 , 2003 ) was an American singer , songwriter , pianist , arranger , and activist in the Civil Rights Movement . Simone employed a broad range of musical styles including classical , jazz , blues , folk , R&B , gospel , and pop .   Born in North Carolina , the sixth child of a preacher , Waymon aspired to be a concert pianist . With the help of a few supporters in her hometown of Tryon , North Carolina , she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York .   Waymon then applied for a scholarship to study at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia , where she was denied despite a well-received audition . Waymon became fully convinced this rejection had been entirely due to her race , a statement that has been a matter of controversy . Years later , two days before her death , the Curtis Institute of Music bestowed on her an honorary degree .   To make a living , Eunice Waymon changed her name to `` Nina Simone '' . The change related to her need to disguise herself from family members , having chosen to play `` the devil 's music '' or `` cocktail piano '' at a nightclub in Atlantic City . She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment , and this effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist .   Simone recorded more than 40 albums , mostly between 1958 , when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue , and 1974 . She had a hit in the United States in 1958 with `` I Loves You , Porgy '' .   Simone 's musical style fused gospel and pop with classical music , in particular Johann Sebastian Bach , and accompanied expressive , jazz-like singing in her contralto voice .


An actor from the United States starred in Mr. Nobody.

Mr. Nobody (film) Mr. Nobody is a 2009 science fiction drama film written and directed by Jaco Van Dormael and starring Jared Leto , Sarah Polley , Diane Kruger , Linh Dan Pham , Rhys Ifans , Natasha Little , Toby Regbo and Juno Temple . The film tells the life story of Nemo Nobody , a 118-year-old man who is the last mortal on Earth after the human race has achieved quasi-immortality . Nemo , memory fading , refers to his three main loves and to his parents ' divorce and subsequent hardships endured at three critical junctions in his life : at age nine , fifteen , and thirty-four . Alternate life paths branching out from each of those critical junctions are examined . The speculative narrative often changes course with the flick of a different possible decision at each of those ages . The film uses nonlinear narrative and the multiverse hypothesis style .   Mr. Nobody had its world premiere at the 66th Venice International Film Festival where it received the Golden Osella and the Biografilm Lancia Award . Critical response was generally strong and the film was nominated for seven Magritte Awards , winning six , including Best Film and Best Director for Van Dormael . The film was mostly funded through European financiers and was released in Belgium on 13 January 2010 . Since its original release , Mr. Nobody has become a cult film , noted for its philosophy and cinematography , personal characters and Pierre Van Dormael 's soundtrack .


Jared Leto Jared Joseph Leto ( -LSB- ˈlɛtoʊ -RSB- born December 26 , 1971 ) is an American actor , singer-songwriter , and director . After starting his career with television appearances in the early 1990s , Leto achieved recognition for his role as Jordan Catalano on the television series My So-Called Life ( 1994 ) . He made his film debut in How to Make an American Quilt ( 1995 ) and received critical praise for his performance in Prefontaine ( 1997 ) . Leto played supporting roles in The Thin Red Line ( 1998 ) , Fight Club ( 1999 ) and American Psycho ( 2000 ) , as well as the lead role in Urban Legend ( 1998 ) , and earned critical acclaim after portraying heroin addict Harry Goldfarb in Requiem for a Dream ( 2000 ) . He later began focusing increasingly on his music career , returning to acting with Panic Room ( 2002 ) , Alexander ( 2004 ) , Lord of War ( 2005 ) , Lonely Hearts ( 2006 ) , Chapter 27 ( 2007 ) , and Mr. Nobody ( 2009 ) . In 2012 , he directed the documentary film Artifact . In 2016 , he played the DC Comics supervillain Joker in the DC Extended Universe film Suicide Squad .   Leto 's performance as a transgender woman in Dallas Buyers Club ( 2013 ) earned him an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actor . Leto is considered to be a method actor , known for his constant devotion to and research of his roles . He often remains completely in character for the duration of the shooting schedules of his films , even to the point of adversely affecting his health . He is also known to be selective about his film roles .   Leto is the lead vocalist , multi-instrumentalist and main songwriter for Thirty Seconds to Mars , a band he formed in 1998 in Los Angeles , California , with his older brother Shannon Leto . Their debut album , 30 Seconds to Mars ( 2002 ) , was released to positive reviews but only to limited success . The band achieved worldwide fame with the release of their second album A Beautiful Lie ( 2005 ) . Their following releases , This Is War ( 2009 ) and Love , Lust , Faith and Dreams ( 2013 ) , received further critical and commercial success . As of September 2014 , the band has sold over 15 million albums worldwide . Leto has also directed music videos , including the MTV Video Music Award -- winning `` The Kill '' ( 2006 ) , `` Kings and Queens '' ( 2009 ) , and `` Up in the Air '' ( 2013 ) .


Game of Thrones isn't a fantasy television series.

Game of Thrones (season 1) The first season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered on HBO on April 17 , 2011 , at 9.00 pm in the U.S. , and concluded on June 19 , 2011 . It consists of ten episodes , each of approximately 55 minutes . The series is based on A Game of Thrones , the first novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin , adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . HBO had ordered a television pilot in November 2008 ; filming began the following year . However , it was deemed unsatisfactory and later reshot with some roles being recast . In March 2010 , HBO ordered the first season , which began filming in July 2010 , primarily in Belfast , Northern Ireland , with additional filming in Malta .   The story takes place in a fictional world , primarily upon a continent called Westeros , with one storyline occurring on another continent to the east known as Essos . Like the novel , the season initially focuses on the family of nobleman Eddard Stark , who is asked to become chief advisor to his king and longtime friend , Robert Baratheon . Ned must find out who killed the previous Hand of the King , Jon Arryn , while trying to protect his family from their rivals the Lannisters . He uncovers the dark secrets about the Lannisters that his predecessor died trying to expose . Meanwhile , in Essos , the exiled Viserys Targaryen , son of the former king , believes he still has the rightful claim to the throne .   Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast , including Bean , Addy , Peter Dinklage , Lena Headey , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Michelle Fairley and Iain Glen . Newer actors were cast as the younger generation of characters , such as Kit Harington , Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams .   Critics praised the show 's production values and cast , with specific accolades for Dinklage 's portrayal of Tyrion Lannister . The first season won two of the thirteen Emmy Awards for which it was nominated , for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( Dinklage ) and Outstanding Main Title Design . It also received a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series . Bean and Emilia Clarke also received individual accolades , as did Ramin Djawadi for music . U.S. viewership rose by approximately 33 % over the course of the season , from 2.2 million to over 3 million by the finale .


Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch ( born July 14 , 1960 ) is an American actress , singer , and comedian . She is best known as Sue Sylvester on Glee . She also gained fame in Christopher Guest 's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show .   Lynch 's television cameos include an appearance in the Nickelodeon situation comedy iCarly and the Showtime dark comedy series Weeds . Lynch had a recurring role in the Warner Bros. situation comedy Two and a Half Men from 2004 to 2014 and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in 2010 . She has also had other notable roles in numerous mainstream comedies , such as Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby , The 40-Year-Old Virgin , Role Models and The Three Stooges .   Her portrayal of Sue Sylvester in Glee has won numerous awards , including the Primetime Emmy Award , Golden Globe Award , Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series , TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy , Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Series , Miniseries , or Television Film , and the People 's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress .   On September 4 , 2013 , Lynch received the 2,505 th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of television located at 6640 Hollywood Blvd. . Lynch has lent her voice to multiple animated films , including Space Chimps , Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs , Shrek Forever After and Wreck-It Ralph . Since 2013 , she has hosted the NBC game show Hollywood Game Night , for which she has won two Emmy Awards .


Daniel Craig Daniel Wroughton Craig ( born 2 March 1968 ) is an English actor . He trained at the National Youth Theatre and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1991 , before beginning his career on stage . His film debut was in the drama The Power of One ( 1992 ) . Other early appearances were in the Disney family film A Kid in King Arthur 's Court ( 1995 ) and the biographical film Elizabeth ( 1998 ) , as well as in the historical war drama television series Sharpe 's Eagle ( 1993 ) and the action-adventure drama series Zorro . Cast as the fictional British secret agent James Bond in October 2005 , his first film in the role , Casino Royale , was released internationally in November 2006 .   Craig 's appearances in the British television film Love Is the Devil : Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon ( 1998 ) , the indie war film The Trench ( 1999 ) , and the drama Some Voices ( 2000 ) attracted the film industry 's attention . This led to roles in bigger productions such as the action film Lara Croft : Tomb Raider ( 2001 ) , the crime thriller Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , the crime thriller Layer Cake ( 2004 ) , and the Steven Spielberg historical drama Munich ( 2005 ) . Craig achieved international fame when chosen as the sixth actor to play the role of Ian Fleming 's James Bond in the official film series , taking over from Pierce Brosnan in 2005 . Although his casting was initially greeted with scepticism , his debut was highly acclaimed and earned him a BAFTA award nomination , with Casino Royale becoming the highest-grossing in the series at the time . Quantum of Solace followed two years later .   Craig 's third Bond film , Skyfall , premiered in 2012 and is currently the highest-grossing film in the series , was the highest-grossing film in the UK until 2015 and the fifteenth highest-grossing film of all time . Craig 's fourth Bond film , Spectre , premiered in 2015 . In 2006 , he joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . Since taking the role of Bond , he has continued to star in other films , including the World War II film Defiance ( 2008 ) , science fiction Western Cowboys & Aliens ( 2010 ) , and the English-language adaptation of Stieg Larsson 's mystery thriller The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ( 2011 ) . Craig also made a guest appearance as Bond in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games , alongside Queen Elizabeth II . As of 20 February 2017 , Craig is the second longest serving James Bond , surpassed only by Roger Moore .


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 .


Vitamin B-12 and cobalamin are two different things.

Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 , also called cobalamin , is a water-soluble vitamin that has a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system , and the formation of red blood cells . It is one of eight B vitamins . It is involved in the metabolism of every cell of the human body , especially affecting DNA synthesis , fatty acid and amino acid metabolism . No fungi , plants , or animals ( including humans ) are capable of producing vitamin B12 . Only bacteria and archaea have the enzymes needed for its synthesis . Some substantial sources of B12 include animal products ( shellfish , meat ) , fortified food products , and dietary supplements . B12 is the largest and most structurally complicated vitamin and can be produced industrially only through bacterial fermentation synthesis , typically used to manufacture B12 for fortified foods and supplements .   Vitamin B12 consists of a class of chemically related compounds ( vitamers ) , all of which show pharmacological activity . It contains the biochemically rare element cobalt ( chemical symbol Co ) positioned in the center of a planar tetra-pyrrole ring called a corrin ring . The vitamer is produced by bacteria as hydroxocobalamin , but conversion between different forms of the vitamin occurs in the body after consumption .   Vitamin B12 was discovered as a result of its relationship to the disease pernicious anemia , an autoimmune disease in which parietal cells of the stomach responsible for secreting intrinsic factor are destroyed ; these cells are also responsible for secreting acid in the stomach . Because intrinsic factor is crucial for the normal absorption of B12 , its lack in the presence of pernicious anemia causes a vitamin B12 deficiency . Many other subtler kinds of vitamin B12 deficiency and their biochemical effects have since been elucidated . Due to impairment of vitamin B12 absorption during aging , people over age 60 are at risk of deficiency .


London London -LSB- ˈlʌndən -RSB- is the capital and most populous city of England and the United Kingdom . Standing on the River Thames in the south east of the island of Great Britain , London has been a major settlement for two millennia . It was founded by the Romans , who named it Londinium . London 's ancient core , the City of London , largely retains its 1.12 sqmi medieval boundaries . Since at least the 19th century , `` London '' has also referred to the metropolis around this core , historically split between Middlesex , Essex , Surrey , Kent , and Hertfordshire , which today largely makes up Greater London , See also : Independent city § National capitals . governed by the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.The London Mayor is not to be confused with the Lord Mayor of London who heads the City of London Corporation , which administers the City of London .   London is a leading global city in the arts , commerce , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , professional services , research and development , tourism , and transportation . It is crowned as the world 's largest financial centre and has the fifth - or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world.Rankings of cities by metropolitan area GDP can vary as a result of differences in the definition of the boundaries and population sizes of the areas compared , exchange rate fluctuations and the method used to calculate output . London and Paris are of broadly similar size in terms of total economic output which can result in third party sources varying as to which is the fifth-largest city GDP in the world . A report by the McKinsey Global Institute published in 2012 estimated that London had a city GDP of US$ 751.8 billion in 2010 , compared to US$ 764.2 billion for Paris , making them respectively the sixth - and fifth-largest in the world . A report by PricewaterhouseCoopers published in November 2009 estimated that London had a city GDP measured in purchasing power parity of US$ 565 billion in 2008 , compared to US$ 564 billion for Paris , making them respectively the fifth - and sixth-largest in the world . The McKinsey Global Institute study used a metropolitan area with a population of 14.9 million for London compared to 11.8 million for Paris , whilst the PricewaterhouseCoopers study used a metropolitan area with a population of 8.59 million for London compared to 9.92 million for Paris . London is a world cultural capital . It is the world 's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has the world 's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic . London is the world 's leading investment destination , hosting more international retailers and ultra high-net-worth individuals than any other city . London 's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe . In 2012 , London became the first city to have hosted the modern Summer Olympic Games three times .   London has a diverse range of people and cultures , and more than 300 languages are spoken in the region . Its estimated mid-2015 municipal population ( corresponding to Greater London ) was 8,673,713 , the largest of any city in the European Union , and accounting for 12.5 % of the UK population . London 's urban area is the second most populous in the EU , after Paris , with 9,787,426 inhabitants at the 2011 census . The city 's metropolitan area is the most populous in the EU with 13,879,757 inhabitants , while the Greater London Authority states the population of the city-region ( covering a large part of the south east ) as 22.7 million .  London was the world 's most populous city from around 1831 to 1925 .   London contains four World Heritage Sites : the Tower of London ; Kew Gardens ; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster , Westminster Abbey , and St Margaret 's Church ; and the historic settlement of Greenwich ( in which the Royal Observatory , Greenwich marks the Prime Meridian , 0 ° longitude , and GMT ) . Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace , the London Eye , Piccadilly Circus , St Paul 's Cathedral , Tower Bridge , Trafalgar Square , and The Shard . London is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events , and other cultural institutions , including the British Museum , National Gallery , Natural History Museum , Tate Modern , British Library , and West End theatres . The London Underground is the oldest underground railway network in the world .


Trevor Noah Trevor Noah ( born 20 February 1984 ) is a South African television and radio host , and comedian , known for his role as host of The Daily Show on American network Comedy Central since September 2015 .   Noah began his career as an actor , presenter , and comedian in South Africa . He held several television hosting roles with the South African Broadcasting Corporation , and was the runner-up in their fourth season of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008 . From 2010 -- 2011 , Noah was the creator and host of Tonight with Trevor Noah on M-Net and DStv . His stand-up comedy career attained international success , leading to appearances on American late-night talk shows and British panel shows .   In December 2014 , Noah became the Senior International Correspondent for The Daily Show , an American satirical news program . The next year , he was announced as the successor of long-time host Jon Stewart , and has served as host of The Daily Show since 28 September 2015 . Although ratings for the show declined following Stewart 's departure , Noah 's tenure has been generally favourably reviewed , attracting particular attention for his interview with young conservative personality Tomi Lahren in late 2016 .


Robert Browning lacked mastery of dramatic monologue.

Robert Browning Robert Browning ( 7 May 1812 -- 12 December 1889 ) was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of the dramatic monologue made him one of the foremost Victorian poets . His poems are known for their irony , characterization , dark humour , social commentary , historical settings , and challenging vocabulary and syntax .   Browning 's early career began promisingly , but was not a success . The long poem Pauline brought him to the attention of Dante Gabriel Rossetti , and was followed by Paracelsus , which was praised by William Wordsworth and Charles Dickens , but in 1840 the difficult Sordello , which was seen as wilfully obscure , brought his poetry into disrepute . His reputation took more than a decade to recover , during which time he moved away from the Shelleyan forms of his early period and developed a more personal style .   In 1846 Browning married the older poet Elizabeth Barrett , who at the time was considerably better known than himself . So started one of history 's most famous literary marriages . They went to live in Italy , a country he called `` my university '' , and which features frequently in his work . By the time of her death in 1861 , he had published the crucial collection Men and Women . The collection Dramatis Personae and the book-length epic poem The Ring and the Book followed , and made him a leading British poet . He continued to write prolifically , but his reputation today rests largely on the poetry he wrote in this middle period .   When Browning died in 1889 , he was regarded as a sage and philosopher-poet who through his writing had made contributions to Victorian social and political discourse -- as in the poem Caliban upon Setebos , which some critics have seen as a comment on the theory of evolution , which had recently been put forward by Darwin and others . Unusually for a poet , societies for the study of his work were founded while he was still alive . Such Browning Societies remained common in Britain and the United States until the early 20th century .   Browning 's admirers have tended to temper their praise with reservations about the length and difficulty of his most ambitious poems , particularly The Ring and the Book . Nevertheless , they have included such eminent writers as Henry James , Oscar Wilde , George Bernard Shaw , G. K. Chesterton , Ezra Pound , Jorge Luis Borges , and Vladimir Nabokov . Among living writers , Stephen King 's The Dark Tower series and A.S. Byatt 's Possession refer directly to Browning 's work .   Today Browning 's critically most esteemed poems include the monologues Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came , Fra Lippo Lippi , Andrea Del Sarto , and My Last Duchess . His most popular poems include Porphyria 's Lover , How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix , the diptych Meeting at Night , the patriotic Home Thoughts from Abroad , and the children 's poem The Pied Piper of Hamelin . His abortive dinner-party recital of How They Brought The Good News was recorded on an Edison wax cylinder , and is believed to be the oldest surviving recording made in the United Kingdom of a notable person .


Princess Agents is based on a novel by author Xiao Xiang Dong Er.

Princess Agents Princess Agents ( Chinese : 特工皇妃楚乔传 ) is a 2017 Chinese television series based on the novel 11 Chu Te Gong Huang Fei ( 11处特工皇妃 ) written by Xiao Xiang Dong Er . It stars Zanilia Zhao , Lin Gengxin and Shawn Dou . The series is scheduled to air on Hunan TV starting June 5 , 2017 .


Measles complications occur in around 30% of people.

Measles Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by the measles virus . Initial signs and symptoms typically include fever , often greater than 40 C , cough , runny nose , and inflamed eyes . Two or three days after the start of symptoms , small white spots may form inside the mouth , known as Koplik 's spots . A red , flat rash which usually starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body typically begins three to five days after the start of symptoms . Symptoms usually develop 10 -- 12 days after exposure to an infected person and last 7 -- 10 days . Complications occur in about 30 % and may include diarrhea , blindness , inflammation of the brain , and pneumonia among others . Rubella ( German measles ) and roseola are different diseases .   Measles is an airborne disease which spreads easily through the coughs and sneezes of those infected . It may also be spread through contact with saliva or nasal secretions . Nine out of ten people who are not immune and share living space with an infected person will catch it . People are infectious to others from four days before to four days after the start of the rash . People usually do not get the disease more than once . Testing for the virus in suspected cases is important for public health efforts .   The measles vaccine is effective at preventing the disease . Vaccination has resulted in a 75 % decrease in deaths from measles between 2000 and 2013 with about 85 % of children globally being currently vaccinated . No specific treatment is available . Supportive care may improve outcomes . This may include giving oral rehydration solution ( slightly sweet and salty fluids ) , healthy food , and medications to control the fever . Antibiotics may be used if a secondary bacterial infection such as pneumonia occurs . Vitamin A supplementation is also recommended in the developing world .   Measles affects about 20 million people a year , primarily in the developing areas of Africa and Asia . It causes the most vaccine-preventable deaths of any disease . It resulted in about 73,000 deaths in 2014 , down from 545,000 deaths in 1990 . In 1980 , the disease was estimated to have caused 2.6 million deaths per year . Most of those who are infected and who die are less than five years old . The risk of death among those infected is usually 0.2 % , but may be up to 10 % in those who have malnutrition . It is not believed to affect other animals . Before immunization in the United States , between three and four million cases occurred each year . As a result of widespread vaccination , the disease was eliminated from the Americas by 2016 .


David Koepp David Koepp ( born June 9 , 1963 ) is an American screenwriter and director . Koepp is the fifth most successful screenwriter of all time in terms of U.S. box office receipts with a total gross of over $ 2.3 billion .   Koepp has achieved both critical and commercial success in a wide variety of genres : thriller , science fiction , comedy , action , drama , crime , superhero , horror , adventure , and fantasy .   Some of the best known films he has written include the sci-fi adventure films Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) , The Lost World : Jurassic Park ( 1997 ) , and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ( 2008 ) ; the action spy films Mission : Impossible ( 1996 ) and Jack Ryan : Shadow Recruit ( 2014 ) ; the superhero film Spider-Man ( 2002 ) ; the sci-fi disaster film War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) and the mystery thriller Angels & Demons ( 2009 ) . Koepp has directed six films over the course of his career : The Trigger Effect ( 1996 ) , Stir of Echoes ( 1999 ) , Secret Window ( 2004 ) , Ghost Town ( 2008 ) , Premium Rush ( 2012 ) , and Mortdecai ( 2015 ) .


Judy Greer Judy Greer ( born Judith Therese Evans ; July 20 , 1975 ) is an American actress , model and author , known for several television and film roles . On television , her best known roles include Kitty Sanchez on Arrested Development , Ingrid Nelson/Fatty Magoo on It 's Always Sunny In Philadelphia , Trixie on Californication , and Cheryl Tunt on the animated comedy series Archer . In film , Greer is known for several supporting roles in romantic comedies , with appearances in What Women Want ( 2000 ) , The Wedding Planner ( 2001 ) , 13 Going on 30 ( 2004 ) , 27 Dresses ( 2008 ) and Love and Other Drugs ( 2010 ) . Her other film appearances include roles in The Descendants ( 2011 ) , Carrie ( 2013 ) and Jurassic World ( 2015 ) .   In 2011 , Greer began hosting an online series of workout videos called Reluctantly Healthy , which was adapted into a series by Litton Entertainment in 2014 as part of their Saturday morning One Magnificent Morning block for The CW . 2014 also saw the publication of her first book , I Do n't Know What You Know Me From : Confessions of a Co-Star .


Priyanka Chopra promotes women's rights.

Priyanka Chopra Priyanka Chopra ( -LSB- prɪˈjaːŋkaː ˈtʃoːpɽaː -RSB- ; born 18 July 1982 ) is an Indian actress , singer , film producer , philanthropist , and the winner of the Miss World 2000 pageant . One of India 's highest-paid and most popular celebrities , Chopra has received numerous awards , including a National Film Award and five Filmfare Awards . In 2016 , the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri , the fourth highest civilian award , and Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world . In 2017 , she has been honoured with Dadasaheb Phalke Award - India 's highest award in cinema , becoming the first actress to win in the category `` International Acclaimed Actress Award '' .   Although Chopra initially aspired to study aeronautical engineering , she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry , which came as a result of her pageant wins , making her Bollywood debut in The Hero ( 2003 ) . She played the leading lady in the box-office hits Andaaz ( 2003 ) and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi ( 2004 ) , and earned praise for her breakout role in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz . In 2006 , Chopra established herself as a leading actress of Indian cinema with starring roles in the top-grossing productions Krrish and Don .   Following a brief setback , she received critical acclaim for playing a troubled model in the drama Fashion ( 2008 ) , which won her the Filmfare and National Film Award for Best Actress . Chopra subsequently gained wider recognition for portraying a range of characters in the films Kaminey ( 2009 ) , 7 Khoon Maaf ( 2011 ) , Barfi ! ( 2012 ) , Mary Kom ( 2014 ) , Dil Dhadakne Do ( 2015 ) and Bajirao Mastani ( 2015 ) , all of which garnered her several awards and nominations . In 2015 , she began starring as Alex Parrish on the ABC thriller series Quantico , becoming the first South Asian to headline an American network series .   In addition to her acting career , Chopra is noted for her philanthropic work . She has worked with UNICEF for the last ten years and was appointed as the national and global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights in 2010 and 2016 respectively . She promotes various causes such as environment , health and education , and women 's rights and is particularly vocal about gender equality and feminism . Chopra 's off-screen life is the subject of substantial media coverage . As a recording artist , she has released three singles . She is also the founder of the production company Purple Pebble Pictures , which released the acclaimed Marathi comedy-drama Ventilator ( 2016 ) .


Lynette Scavo on Desperate Housewives is Felicity Huffman's best known role.

Felicity Huffman Felicity Kendall Huffman ( born December 9 , 1962 ) is an American film , stage , and television actress .   Huffman began her acting career in theatre and in the 1990s also had many supporting roles in film and television . She starred as executive producer Dana Whitaker in the critically acclaimed ABC comedy-drama Sports Night from 1998 to 2000 , which earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination . She is best known for her role as Lynette Scavo in the long-running ABC comedy-drama Desperate Housewives ( 2004 -- 2012 ) , for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the debut season of the series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards overall .   Huffman drew critical praise for her performance as a transgender woman in the independent film Transamerica ( 2005 ) . The role earned her a Golden Globe Award , Independent Spirit Award , National Board of Review , and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress . Huffman has also starred in such films as Reversal of Fortune ( 1990 ) , The Spanish Prisoner ( 1997 ) , Magnolia ( 1999 ) , Path to War ( 2002 ) , Georgia Rule ( 2007 ) , Phoebe in Wonderland ( 2008 ) , Rudderless ( 2014 ) and Cake ( 2014 ) . Since 2015 , she has started in a third ABC series , the anthology crime drama American Crime , for which she has received critical acclaim including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie nomination . Additionally , she has been nominated on three more occasions for a Golden Globe Award , and has also won an Obie .


Bangladesh has been affected by chickens.

Bangladesh Bangladesh ( -LSB- bæŋɡləˈdɛʃ -RSB- -LSB- ˌbɑːŋɡləˈdɛʃ -RSB- -LSB- : bn : বাংলাদেশ , বাংলাদেশ -RSB- , -LSB- ˈbaŋlad̪eʃ -RSB- , lit . `` The country of Bengal '' ) , officially the People 's Republic of Bangladesh , is a country in South Asia . It shares land borders with India and Myanmar ( Burma ) . Nepal , Bhutan and China are located near Bangladesh but do not share a border with it . The country 's maritime territory in the Bay of Bengal is roughly equal to the size of its land area . Bangladesh is the world 's eighth most populous country . Dhaka is its capital and largest city , followed by Chittagong , which has the country 's largest port .   Bangladesh forms the largest and eastern part of the Bengal region . Bangladeshis include people of different ethnic groups and religions . Bengalis , who speak the official Bengali language , make up 98 % of the population . The politically dominant Bengali Muslims make the nation the world 's third largest Muslim-majority country . Most of Bangladesh is covered by the Bengal delta , the largest delta on Earth . The country has 700 rivers and 8,046 km ( 5,000 miles ) of inland waterways . Highlands with evergreen forests are found in the northeastern and southeastern regions of the country . Bangladesh has many islands and a coral reef . It is home to the Sundarbans , the largest mangrove forest in the world . The country 's biodiversity includes a vast array of plant and wildlife , including critically endangered Bengal tigers , the national animal .   The Greeks and Romans identified the region as Gangaridai , a powerful kingdom of the historical subcontinent , in the 3rd century BCE . Archaeological research has unearthed several ancient cities in Bangladesh , which had international trade links for millennia . The Bengal Sultanate and Mughal Bengal transformed the region into a cosmopolitan Islamic imperial power between the 14th and 18th centuries . The region was home to many principalities that had inland naval prowess . It was also a notable center of the worldwide muslin and silk trade . As part of British India , the region was influenced by the Bengali renaissance and played an important role in anti-colonial movements . The Partition of British India made East Bengal a part of the Dominion of Pakistan ; and was renamed as East Pakistan . The region witnessed the Bengali Language Movement in 1952 and the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 . After independence , a parliamentary republic was established . A presidential government was in place between 1975 and 1990 , followed by a return to parliamentary democracy . The country has also been affected by poverty , natural disasters , hunger , dominant party systems and military coups .   Bangladesh is a middle power and a major developing nation . Within South Asia , the country ranks first in gender equality , second in foreign exchange earnings and third in life expectancy and peacefulness . Listed as one of the Next Eleven , its economy ranks 46th in terms of nominal gross domestic product ( GDP ) and 29th in terms of purchasing power parity ( PPP ) . It is one of the largest textile exporters in the world . Its major trading partners are the European Union , the United States , China , India , Japan , Malaysia and Singapore . With its strategically vital location between Southern , Eastern and Southeast Asia , Bangladesh is an important promoter of regional connectivity and cooperation . It is a founding member of SAARC , BIMSTEC , the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Forum for Regional Cooperation and the Bangladesh Bhutan India Nepal Initiative . It is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , the Developing 8 Countries , the OIC , the Non Aligned Movement , the Group of 77 and the World Trade Organization . Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors to United Nations peacekeeping forces .


United States Congress has 835 Representatives and 100 Senators.

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


Meek Mill's first album was released in 2012 and is called Dreams and Nightmares.

Meek Mill Robert Rihmeek Williams ( born May 6 , 1987 ) , better known by his stage name Meek Mill , is an American hip hop recording artist . Raised in Philadelphia , he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper , and later formed a short-lived rap group , The Bloodhoundz . In 2008 , Atlanta-based rapper T.I. signed Meek Mill to his first record deal . In February 2011 , after leaving Grand Hustle Records , Mill signed with Miami-based rapper Rick Ross 's Maybach Music Group ( MMG ) . Mill 's debut album , Dreams and Nightmares , was released in 2012 under MMG and Warner Bros. . Records . The album , preceded by the single `` Young & Gettin ' It '' , debuted at number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 .   In October 2012 , Mill announced the launch of his own label imprint , Dream Chasers Records , named after his mixtape series . Meek Mill often collaborates with fellow MMG label-mates ; he is also known for his appearances on MMG 's Self Made compilation series , with his first two singles , `` Tupac Back '' and `` Ima Boss '' , being included on volume one .


Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( -LSB- leoˈnardo di ˌsɛr ˈpjɛːro da ( v ) ˈvintʃi -RSB- ; 15 April 14522 May 1519 ) , more commonly Leonardo da Vinci or simply Leonardo , was an Italian polymath whose areas of interest included invention , painting , sculpting , architecture , science , music , mathematics , engineering , literature , anatomy , geology , astronomy , botany , writing , history , and cartography . He has been variously called the father of palaeontology , ichnology , and architecture , and is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time . Sometimes credited with the inventions of the parachute , helicopter and tank , he epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal .   Many historians and scholars regard Leonardo as the prime exemplar of the `` Universal Genius '' or `` Renaissance Man '' , an individual of `` unquenchable curiosity '' and `` feverishly inventive imagination '' . According to art historian Helen Gardner , the scope and depth of his interests were without precedent in recorded history , and `` his mind and personality seem to us superhuman , while the man himself mysterious and remote '' . Marco Rosci notes that while there is much speculation regarding his life and personality , his view of the world was logical rather than mysterious , and that the empirical methods he employed were unorthodox for his time .   Born out of wedlock to a notary , Piero da Vinci , and a peasant woman , Caterina , in Vinci in the region of Florence , Leonardo was educated in the studio of the renowned Florentine painter Andrea del Verrocchio . Much of his earlier working life was spent in the service of Ludovico il Moro in Milan . He later worked in Rome , Bologna and Venice , and he spent his last years in France at the home awarded to him by Francis I of France .   Leonardo was , and is , renowned primarily as a painter . Among his works , the Mona Lisa is the most famous and most parodied portrait and The Last Supper the most reproduced religious painting of all time . Leonardo 's drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon , being reproduced on items as varied as the euro coin , textbooks , and T-shirts . Perhaps fifteen of his paintings have survived.There are 15 significant artworks which are ascribed , either in whole or in large part , to Leonardo by most art historians . This number is made up principally of paintings on panel but includes a mural , a large drawing on paper and two works which are in the early stages of preparation . There are a number of other works that have also been variously attributed to Leonardo . Nevertheless , these few works , together with his notebooks , which contain drawings , scientific diagrams , and his thoughts on the nature of painting , compose a contribution to later generations of artists rivalled only by that of his contemporary , Michelangelo .   Leonardo is revered for his technological ingenuity . He conceptualised flying machines , a type of armoured fighting vehicle , concentrated solar power , an adding machine , and the double hull . Relatively few of his designs were constructed or even feasible during his lifetime , as the modern scientific approaches to metallurgy and engineering were only in their infancy during the Renaissance . Some of his smaller inventions , however , such as an automated bobbin winder and a machine for testing the tensile strength of wire , entered the world of manufacturing unheralded . A number of Leonardo 's most practical inventions are nowadays displayed as working models at the Museum of Vinci . He made substantial discoveries in anatomy , civil engineering , geology , optics , and hydrodynamics , but he did not publish his findings and they had no direct influence on later science .   Today , Leonardo is widely considered one of the most diversely talented individuals ever to have lived .


A Monster Calls is based on the novel Dune.

A Monster Calls (film) A Monster Calls is a 2016 dark fantasy drama film directed by J. A. Bayona and written by Patrick Ness , based on his novel of the same name . The film stars Sigourney Weaver , Felicity Jones , Toby Kebbell , Lewis MacDougall , and Liam Neeson , and tells the story of Conor ( MacDougal ) , a child whose mother ( Jones ) is terminally ill ; one night , he is visited by a giant tree-like monster ( Neeson ) , who states that he will come back and tell him three stories .   A Monster Calls premiered on September 10 , 2016 , at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival . It was then released in Spain on October 7 , 2016 , and in the United Kingdom on January 1 , 2017 . In the United States , the film began a limited release in on December 23 , 2016 , followed by a wide release on January 6 , 2017 . It received positive reviews , being praised for its themes , directing , performances and visual effects . The film has grossed $ 45.6 million worldwide .


A Monster Calls A Monster Calls is a low fantasy novel written for children by Patrick Ness , from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd , illustrated by Jim Kay , and published by Walker in 2011 . Set in present-day England , it features a boy who struggles to cope with the consequences of his mother 's terminal cancer ; he is repeatedly visited in the middle of the night by a monster who tells stories . Dowd was terminally ill with cancer herself when she started the story and died before she could write it .   Patrick Ness and illustrator Kay won the Carnegie Medal and the Greenaway Medal in 2012 , the `` year 's best '' children 's literary awards by the British librarians ( CILIP ) . A Monster Calls is the only book whose author and illustrator , whether two persons or one , have won both Medals .   A film adaptation , directed by J. A. Bayona and written for the screen by Ness himself , was released in 2016 .


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


The South Wales Valleys are also known as The Valleys and Y Cymoedd.

South Wales Valleys The South Wales Valleys ( Cymoedd De Cymru ) are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales . Commonly referred to locally as The Valleys ( Y Cymoedd ) , they stretch from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the edge of the lower-lying , pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain around Swansea Bay , Bridgend , the capital Cardiff , and Newport . Many of the valleys run roughly parallel to each other . The Rhondda Valleys and the Cynon Valley are located roughly in the centre .


Winona Ryder Winona Ryder ( born Winona Laura Horowitz ; October 29 , 1971 ) is an American actress . One of the most profitable and iconic actresses of the 1990s , she made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas . As Lydia Deetz , a goth teenager in Tim Burton 's Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , she won critical acclaim and widespread recognition . After appearances in film and on television , Ryder continued her acting career with the cult film Heathers ( 1988 ) , a controversial satire of teenage suicide and high school life that has since become a landmark teen film . She later appeared in the coming of age drama Mermaids ( 1990 ) , earning a Golden Globe nomination , and in the same year appeared alongside Johnny Depp in Burton 's dark fairy-tale Edward Scissorhands ( 1990 ) , and shortly thereafter with Keanu Reeves in Francis Ford Coppola 's gothic romance Bram Stoker 's Dracula ( 1992 ) .   Having played diverse roles in many well-received films in the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s , Ryder won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination in the same category for her role in The Age of Innocence in 1993 , as well as another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in the literary adaptation of Little Women the following year . She later appeared in the Generation X hit Reality Bites ( 1994 ) , Alien : Resurrection ( 1997 ) , the Woody Allen comedy Celebrity ( 1998 ) , and Girl , Interrupted ( 1999 ) , which she also executive-produced . In 2000 , Ryder received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , honoring her legacy in the film industry .   Ryder 's personal life has attracted significant media attention . Her relationship with Johnny Depp in the early 1990s and a 2001 arrest for shoplifting were constant subjects of tabloid journalism . She has been open about her personal struggles with anxiety and depression .   In 2002 , she appeared in the box office hit Mr. Deeds alongside Adam Sandler . In 2006 , Ryder returned to the screen after a brief hiatus , appearing in high-profile films such as Star Trek . In 2010 , she was nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards : as the lead actress in When Love Is Not Enough : The Lois Wilson Story and as part of the cast of Black Swan . She also reunited with Burton for Frankenweenie ( 2012 ) . Since 2016 , she has starred as Joyce Byers in the Netflix supernatural-horror series Stranger Things , for which she has garnered Golden Globe and SAG nominations .


Helen Mirren has acted the part of a queen.

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Lydia Mirren ( née Mironoff ; born 26 July 1945 ) is an English actor . Mirren began her acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967 , and is one of the few performers who have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting , having won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2007 , after two previous nominations , for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen . She received an Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2013 for her West End performance in The Audience , in which she also portrayed Elizabeth II , and in 2015 she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her Broadway performance in the play . The Audience was written by Peter Morgan , who also wrote The Queen . Mirren won three consecutive BAFTA Awards for Best Actress between 1992 and 1994 and her first of several Emmy Awards in 1996 for her performance as police detective Jane Tennison on the British television series Prime Suspect , which ran for seven seasons between 1991 and 2006 .   Some of her other notable film roles include Marcella in the 1984 film Cal , for which she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress , 2010 ( 1984 ) , The Cook , the Thief , His Wife & Her Lover ( 1989 ) , The Madness of King George ( 1994 ) , Teaching Mrs. Tingle ( 1999 ) , Gosford Park ( 2001 ) , Calendar Girls ( 2003 ) , The Last Station ( 2009 ) , Hitchcock ( 2012 ) , and The Hundred-Foot Journey ( 2014 ) . She played Victoria Winslow in the action-comedy films Red and Red 2 .   In 2003 , she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( DBE ) for Services to the Performing Arts . In 2013 , Mirren was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and in 2014 , BAFTA announced that Mirren would be the recipient of the Academy Fellowship .


Elizabeth II Elizabeth II ( Elizabeth Alexandra Mary ; born 21 April 1926 ) has been Queen of the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand since 6 February 1952 . She is Head of the Commonwealth and Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession : Jamaica , Barbados , the Bahamas , Grenada , Papua New Guinea , Solomon Islands , Tuvalu , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Belize , Antigua and Barbuda , and Saint Kitts and Nevis .   Elizabeth was born in London as the elder child of the Duke and Duchess of York , later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth , and she was educated privately at home . Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936 , from which time she was the heir presumptive . She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War , serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In 1947 , she married Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , a former prince of Greece and Denmark , with whom she has four children : Charles , Prince of Wales ; Anne , Princess Royal ; Prince Andrew , Duke of York ; and Prince Edward , Earl of Wessex .   Elizabeth 's many historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland and visits to or from five popes . She has seen major constitutional changes , such as devolution in the United Kingdom , Canadian patriation , and the decolonisation of Africa . She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms . She is the world 's oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain 's longest-lived . In 2015 , she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother , Queen Victoria , to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant and female head of state in world history . In October 2016 , she became the longest currently reigning monarch and head of state following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand .   Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children , her coronation in 1953 , and the celebration of milestones such as her Silver , Golden , and Diamond Jubilees in 1977 , 2002 , and 2012 , respectively . In 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee . Moments of sadness for her include the death of her father in 1952 at age 56 ; the assassination of Prince Philip 's uncle Lord Mountbatten in 1979 ; the breakdown of her children 's marriages in 1992 ( her annus horribilis ) ; the death in 1997 of her son 's former wife , Diana , Princess of Wales ; and the deaths of her mother and sister in 2002 . Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the royal family ; however , support for the monarchy remains high , as does her personal popularity .


Matthew Modine turned down the role of Dr. Martin Brenner.

Matthew Modine Matthew Avery Modine ( born March 22 , 1959 ) is an American film actor who rose to prominence through his role as United States Marine Corps Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick 's `` Full Metal Jacket '' . His other well-known roles include Dr. Martin Brenner in Stranger Things , the title character in Alan Parker 's Birdy , high school wrestler Louden Swain in Vision Quest and the oversexed Sullivan Groff on Weeds .


Earl Warren held the office of Governor of California for 10 years.

Earl Warren Earl Warren ( March 19 , 1891 -- July 9 , 1974 ) was an American jurist and politician , who served as the 30th Governor of California ( 1943 -- 1953 ) and later the 14th Chief Justice of the United States ( 1953 -- 1969 ) .   He is best known for the liberal decisions of the so-called Warren Court , which outlawed segregation in public schools and transformed many areas of American law , especially regarding the rights of the accused , ending public school-sponsored prayers , and requiring `` one man -- one vote '' rules of apportionment of election districts . He made the Supreme Court a power center on a more even basis with Congress and the Presidency , especially through four landmark decisions : Brown v. Board of Education ( 1954 ) , Gideon v. Wainwright ( 1963 ) , Reynolds v. Sims ( 1964 ) , and Miranda v. Arizona ( 1966 ) .   Warren is the only person elected to three consecutive terms as Governor of California , and with those three elected terms he is second only to Jerry Brown for total gubernatorial wins in California . Before holding these positions , he was the District Attorney for Alameda County , California , and the Attorney General of California .   Warren was the nominee of the Republican Party for Vice President in 1948 , as the running mate of Thomas E. Dewey . He was appointed to chair what became known as the Warren Commission , which was formed to investigate the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy .


A Canadian actor starred in the film Splash.

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


Eugene Levy Eugene Levy , CM ( born December 17 , 1946 ) is a Canadian actor , comedian , producer , director , musician and writer . He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films , with his role as Noah Levenstein . He often plays nerdy , unconventional figures , with his humour often deriving from his excessive explanations of matters and the way in which he deals with sticky situations . Levy is a regular collaborator of actor-director Christopher Guest , appearing in and co-writing four of his films , commencing with Waiting for Guffman ( 1997 ) .   Levy received the Governor General 's Performing Arts Award , Canada 's highest honour in the performing arts , in 2008 . He was appointed to the Order of Canada on June 30 , 2011 .


In the 19th century Brazil became a Kingdom.

Brazil Brazil ( listen ) , is the largest country in both South America and Latin America . As the world 's fifth-largest country by both area and population , it is the largest country to have Portuguese as an official language and the only one in the Americas . Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east , Brazil has a coastline of 7491 km It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile and covers 47.3 % of the continent 's land area . Its Amazon River basin includes a vast tropical forest , home to diverse wildlife , a variety of ecological systems , and extensive natural resources spanning numerous protected habitats . This unique environmental heritage makes Brazil one of 17 megadiverse countries , and is the subject of significant global interest and debate regarding deforestation and environmental protection .   Brazil was inhabited by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro Álvares Cabral , who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire . Brazil remained a Portuguese colony until 1808 , when the capital of the empire was transferred from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro . In 1815 , the colony was elevated to the rank of kingdom upon the formation of the United Kingdom of Portugal , Brazil and the Algarves . Independence was achieved in 1822 with the creation of the Empire of Brazil , a unitary state governed under a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary system . The ratification of the first constitution in 1824 led to the formation of a bicameral legislature , now called the National Congress . The country became a presidential republic in 1889 following a military coup d'état . An authoritarian military junta came to power in 1964 and ruled until 1985 , after which civilian governance resumed . Brazil 's current constitution , formulated in 1988 , defines it as a democratic federal republic . The federation is composed of the union of the Federal District , the 26 states , and the 5,570 municipalities .   Brazil 's economy is the world 's both eighth-largest by nominal GDP and eighth-largest by GDP ( PPP ) . A member of the BRICS group , Brazil until 2010 had one of the world 's fastest growing major economies , with its economic reforms giving the country new international recognition and influence . Brazil 's national development bank plays an important role for the country 's economic growth . Brazil is a founding member of the United Nations , the G20 , BRICS , Unasul , Mercosul , Organization of American States , Organization of Ibero-American States , and the CPLP . Brazil is a regional power in Latin America and a middle power in international affairs , with some analysts identifying it as an emerging global power . One of the world 's major breadbaskets , Brazil has been the largest producer of coffee for the last 150 years .


The Place Beyond the Pines is a 2012 film.

The Place Beyond the Pines The Place Beyond the Pines is a 2012 American crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance and written by Cianfrance , Ben Coccio , and Darius Marder . It stars Ryan Gosling , Bradley Cooper , Eva Mendes , Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan , with Ben Mendelsohn , Rose Byrne , Mahershala Ali , Bruce Greenwood , Harris Yulin , and Ray Liotta in supporting roles . The film reunites Cianfrance and Gosling , who worked together on 2010 's Blue Valentine . The film was scored by Mike Patton and also featured previously written music by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt . The title is the English meaning of the city of Schenectady , New York , which is derived loosely from a Mohawk word for `` place beyond the pine plains . ''


Walter Matthau Walter Matthau ( -LSB- ˈmæθaʊ -RSB- October 1 , 1920 -- July 1 , 2000 ) was an American actor and comedian , best known for his role as Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple and its sequel 30 years later , The Odd Couple II , and his frequent collaborations with Odd Couple co-star Jack Lemmon , particularly in the '90s with Grumpy Old Men and its sequel Grumpier Old Men . He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 1966 Billy Wilder film The Fortune Cookie . Besides the Oscar , he was the winner of BAFTA , Golden Globe and Tony awards .


Bentley has been a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG since 1498.

Bentley Bentley Motors Limited ( -LSB- ˈbɛntli -RSB- ) is a British manufacturer and marketer of luxury cars and SUVs -- and a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG since 1998 .   Headquartered in Crewe , England , the company was founded as Bentley Motors Limited by W. O. Bentley in 1919 in Cricklewood , North London -- and became widely known for winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1924 , 1927 , 1928 , 1929 , 1930 , and 2003 .   Prominent models extend from the historic sports-racing Bentley 4 1/2 Litre and Bentley Speed Six ; the more recent Bentley R Type Continental , Bentley Turbo R , and Bentley Arnage ; to its current model line -- including the Continental Flying Spur , Continental GT , Bentley Bentayga and the Mulsanne -- which are marketed worldwide , with China its largest market as of November 2012 .   Today most Bentleys are assembled at the company 's Crewe factory , with a small number assembled at Volkswagen 's Dresden factory Germany , and with bodies for the Continental manufactured in Zwickau and the Bentayga manufactured at the Volkswagen Bratislava Plant .   The joining and eventual separation of Bentley and Rolls-Royce follows a series of mergers and acquisitions , beginning with the 1931 purchase by Rolls-Royce of Bentley , then in receivership . In 1971 , Rolls-Royce itself was forced into receivership and the UK government nationalised the company -- splitting into two companies the aerospace division ( Rolls-Royce Plc ) and automotive ( Rolls-Royce Motors Limited ) divisions -- the latter retaining the Bentley subdivision . Rolls-Royce Motors was subsequently sold to engineering conglomerate , Vickers and in 1998 , Vickers sold Rolls-Royce to Volkswagen AG .   Intellectual property rights to both the name Rolls-Royce as well as the company 's logo had been retained not by Rolls-Royce Motors , but by aerospace company , Rolls-Royce Plc , which had continued to license both to the automotive division . Thus the sale of `` Rolls-Royce '' to VW included the Bentley name and logos , vehicle designs , model nameplates , production and administrative facilities , the Spirit of Ecstasy and Rolls-Royce grille shape trademarks ( subsequently sold to BMW by VW ) -- but not the rights to the Rolls-Royce name or logo . The aerospace company , Rolls-Royce Plc , ultimately sold both to BMW AG .


The 12-hour clock is a writing convention.

12-hour clock The 12-hour clock is a time convention in which the 24 hours of the day are divided into two periods : a.m. ( from the Latin , ante meridiem , meaning before midday ) and p.m. ( post meridiem , meaning past midday ) . Each period consists of 12 hours numbered : 12 ( acting as zero ) , 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , and 11 . The 24 hour/day cycle starts at 12 midnight ( often indicated as 12 a.m. ) , runs through 12 noon ( often indicated as 12 p.m. ) , and continues to the midnight at the end of the day .   The 12-hour clock was developed over time from the mid-second millennium BC to the 16th century AD .


Adam West has an acting career spanning six decades.

Adam West William West Anderson ( born September 19 , 1928 ) , better known as Adam West , is an American actor whose career spans six decades .   His acting career began in films in 1959 . He played opposite Chuck Connors in Geronimo ( 1962 ) and The Three Stooges in The Outlaws Is Coming ( 1965 ) . He has also appeared in the science-fiction film Robinson Crusoe on Mars ( 1964 ) , opposite Paul Mantee , and achieved continuing success for the title role in the 1960s ABC series Batman and its theatrical feature film . He has done voice work on The Fairly OddParents , The Simpsons and Family Guy ( he voices fictional versions of himself in all of those animated series ) and also Batman : Return of the Caped Crusaders .


Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a live-action film.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice is a 2016 American superhero film featuring the DC Comics characters Batman and Superman . Directed by Zack Snyder and distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures , the film is the second installment in the DC Extended Universe following 2013 's Man of Steel . It was written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer , and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Affleck , Henry Cavill , Amy Adams , Jesse Eisenberg , Diane Lane , Laurence Fishburne , Jeremy Irons , Holly Hunter and Gal Gadot . Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice is the first live-action film to feature Batman and Superman together , as well as the first live-action cinematic portrayal of Wonder Woman , Aquaman , The Flash and Cyborg . In the film , criminal mastermind Lex Luthor manipulates Batman into a preemptive battle with Superman , whom Luthor is obsessed with defeating .   The film was announced at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con International , after the release of Man of Steel . Snyder stated that the film would take inspiration from the Batman comic book series The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller , but clarified that it would follow an original premise . The incarnation of Batman in the film would also be different from the character 's previous portrayal in The Dark Knight Trilogy , serving as a cinematic reboot of the character . The film is also inspired by narrative elements from the `` Death of Superman '' story arc . Pre-production began at East Los Angeles College in October 2013 , with principal photography starting in May 2014 in Detroit , Michigan . Additional filming also took place in Chicago .   Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice premiered at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City on March 19 , 2016 , and was released in the United States on March 25 , 2016 , in 2D , 3D , IMAX 3D , 4DX , premium large formats and 70 mm prints . Following a strong debut that set new box office records , the film experienced a historic drop in its second weekend and never recovered . Despite turning a profit , it was deemed a box office disappointment and received generally unfavorable reviews from critics for its tone , screenplay and pacing , though some praised the visual style and acting performances . A director 's cut , dubbed the `` Ultimate Edition '' and features 30 minutes of additional footage , was released digitally on June 28 , 2016 , and on Blu-ray and DVD on July 19 , 2016 . A follow-up , Justice League , is set to be released in November 2017 , and a standalone Superman sequel is currently in development .


Pranab Mukherjee is the president of India.

Pranab Mukherjee ` Pranab Kumar Mukherjee ( born 11 December 1935 ) is the 13th and current President of India , he has been in office since July 2012 . In a political career spanning six decades , Mukherjee was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress and occupied several ministerial portfolios in the Government of India . Prior to his election as President , Mukherjee was Union Finance Minister from 2009 to 2012 , and the Congress party 's top troubleshooter .   Mukherjee got his break in politics in 1969 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi helped him get elected to the Rajya Sabha , the upper house of Parliament , on a Congress ticket . Following a meteoric rise , he became one of Indira Gandhi 's most trusted lieutenants , and a minister in her cabinet by 1973 . During the controversial Internal Emergency of 1975 -- 77 , he was accused ( like several other Congress leaders ) of committing gross excesses . Mukherjee 's service in a number of ministerial capacities culminated in his first stint as finance minister in 1982 -- 84 . Mukherjee was also Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha from 1980 to 1985 .   Mukherjee was sidelined from the Congress during the premiership of Rajiv Gandhi , Indira 's son . Mukherjee had viewed himself , and not the inexperienced Rajiv , as the rightful successor to Indira following her assassination in 1984 . Mukherjee lost out in the ensuing power struggle . He formed his own party , the Rashtriya Samajwadi Congress , which merged with the Congress in 1989 after reaching a consensus with Rajiv Gandhi . Mukherjee 's political career revived when Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao appointed him Planning Commission head in 1991 and foreign minister in 1995 . Following this , as elder statesman of the Congress , Mukherjee was the principal and architect of Sonia Gandhi 's ascension to the party 's presidency in 1998 .   When the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance ( UPA ) came into power in 2004 , Mukherjee won a Lok Sabha ( the popularly elected lower house of Parliament ) seat for the first time . From then until his resignation in 2012 , Mukherjee was practically number-two in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 's government . He held a number of key cabinet portfolios -- Defence ( 2004 -- 06 ) , External Affairs ( 2006 -- 09 ) and Finance ( 2009 -- 12 ) -- apart from heading several Groups of Ministers ( GoMs ) and being Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha . After securing the UPA 's nomination for the country 's presidency in July 2012 , Mukherjee comfortably defeated P. A. Sangma in the race to Rashtrapati Bhavan , winning 70 percent of the electoral-college vote .


Carrie Fisher suffered from a medical emergency.

Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher ( October 21 , 1956 -- December 27 , 2016 ) was an American actress , writer and humorist who first became known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars film series . Her other film roles included Shampoo ( 1975 ) , The Blues Brothers ( 1980 ) , Hannah and Her Sisters ( 1986 ) , The ` Burbs ( 1989 ) , and When Harry Met Sally ... ( 1989 ) .   Fisher wrote several semi-autobiographical novels , including Postcards from the Edge and the screenplay for the film of the book , as well as an autobiographical one-woman play , and its non-fiction book , Wishful Drinking , based on the play . She worked on other writers ' screenplays as a script doctor . In later years , she earned praise for speaking publicly about her experiences with bipolar disorder and drug addiction .   The daughter of the singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds , Fisher and her mother appear in Bright Lights : Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds , a 2016 documentary about their relationship . It premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival . Fisher died of cardiac arrest on December 27 , 2016 , at age 60 , four days after experiencing a medical emergency during a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles . Her final film , Star Wars : The Last Jedi , is scheduled to be released on December 15 , 2017 .


The longest continuously chartered city in the United States is Albany, New York.

Albany, New York Albany ( -LSB- ˈɔːlbəni -RSB- ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York and the seat of Albany County . Roughly 150 mi north of New York City , Albany developed on the west bank of the Hudson River , about 10 mi south of its confluence with the Mohawk River . The population of the City of Albany was 97,856 according to the 2010 census . Albany constitutes the economic and cultural core of the Capital District of New York State , which comprises the Albany-Schenectady-Troy , NY Metropolitan Statistical Area , including the nearby cities and suburbs of Troy , Schenectady , and Saratoga Springs . With a 2013 Census-estimated population of 1.1 million the Capital District is the third-most populous metropolitan region in the state and 38th in the United States .   Fortune 500 companies with offices in Albany include American Express , J.P. Morgan and Chase , Merrill Lynch , General Electric , Verizon , Goldman Sachs , International Paper , and Key Bank . In the 21st century , the Capital District has emerged as a major anchor of Tech Valley , the moniker describing the technologically-focused region of eastern New York State .   This was the first European settlement in the state . It was settled by Dutch colonists who in 1614 , built Fort Nassau for fur trading and Fort Orange in 1624 . They formed successful relations with both the Mahican and the Mohawk peoples , two major Native American nations in the region . The fur trade attracted settlers who founded a village called Beverwijck near Fort Orange . In 1664 the English took over the Dutch settlements , renaming the city as Albany , in honor of the then Duke of Albany , the future James II of England and James VII of Scotland . The city was officially chartered in 1686 under English rule . It became the capital of New York State in 1797 , following the United States gaining independence in the American Revolutionary War . Albany is one of the oldest surviving settlements of the original British thirteen colonies , and the longest continuously chartered city in the United States . Its charter is possibly the longest-running instrument of municipal government in the Western Hemisphere .   During the late 18th century and throughout most of the 19th , Albany was a center of trade and transportation . It is on the north end of the navigable Hudson River , was the original eastern terminus of the Erie Canal connecting to the Great Lakes , and was home to some of the earliest railroad systems in the world . Albany 's main exports at the time were beer , lumber , published works , and ironworks . Beginning in 1810 , Albany was one of the ten most populous cities in the United States , a distinction it held until the 1860 census .   Albany is one of the first cities in the world to have installed public water mains , sewer lines , natural gas lines and electricity , infrastructure and utilities that attracted and supported substantial new industry to the city and surrounding area during the 19th century .   In the 20th century , the city opened one of the first commercial airports in the world , the precursor of today 's Albany International Airport . During the 1920s a powerful political machine controlled by the Democratic Party arose in the state capital , connected to politics in New York City as well . It marshalled the power of immigrants and their descendants in both cities .   The city 's skyline changed in the 1960s and 1970s with the construction of office towers around the Empire State Plaza and at the uptown campus of SUNY Albany , mainly under the direction of Governor Nelson Rockefeller . While Albany experienced a decline in its population due to urban sprawl and suburbanization , many of its historic neighborhoods were saved from destruction through the policies of Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd , the longest-serving mayor of any city in the United States . In the early 21st century , Albany has experienced growth in the high-technology industry , with great strides in the nanotechnology sector .   Albany has been a center of higher education for over a century , with much of the remainder of its economy dependent on state government and health care services . The city has rebounded from the urban decline of the 1970s and 1980s , with noticeable development taking place in the city 's downtown and midtown neighborhoods . Albany is known for its rich history , commerce , culture , architecture , and institutions of higher education . Albany won the All-America City Award in both 1991 and 2009 .


Girls' Generation is composed of eight members.

Girls' Generation Girls ' Generation , also known as SNSD , is a South Korean girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment . The group is composed of eight members : Taeyeon , Sunny , Tiffany , Hyoyeon , Yuri , Sooyoung , Yoona , and Seohyun . Originally a nine-piece group ( with Jessica , who later departed from the group in September 2014 ) , Girls ' Generation debuted in 2007 with their Korean eponymous debut album . Though the album gained some attention , it was not until 2009 that the group rose to fame with the single `` Gee '' , which claimed the top spot on KBS 's Music Bank for a record-breaking nine consecutive weeks and was named the most popular song of the 2000s in South Korea by Melon . Girls ' Generation further consolidated their popularity on the South Korean music scene with follow-up singles `` Tell Me Your Wish ( Genie ) '' , `` Oh ! '' , and `` Run Devil Run '' , which were released in mid-2009 and early 2010 .   In mid-2010 , Girls ' Generation signed with Nayutawave Records ( present-day EMI Records Japan ) to venture into the Japanese music scene . Their June 2011 self-titled Japanese debut album peaked atop the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart and became the first album by a non-Japanese girl group to be certified million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan . The group 's third Korean studio album The Boys was released in October 2011 and became the best-selling album of 2011 in South Korea with sales of over 380,000 copies . An English version of the single `` The Boys '' was released by Interscope Records in an attempt to expand the group 's endeavor to the global music scene . The group 's 2013 fourth Korean studio album I Got a Boy was supported by the single `` I Got a Boy '' , which was subjected to major attention from Western media following its winning the Video of the Year award at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards . Their fifth Korean studio album , Lion Heart , was released in 2015 .   Girls ' Generation 's signature musical styles are characterized as electropop and bubblegum pop , though their sounds have varied widely , incorporating various genres including hip hop , R&B , and EDM . They have sold over 4.4 million albums and 30 million digital singles as of 2012 . The group 's immense popularity in their native country South Korea has earned them numerous accolades and the titles `` The Nation 's Singers '' and `` The Nation 's Girl Group '' . Girls ' Generation is also deemed one of the prominent figures of the Korean Wave and one of the most popular K-pop acts internationally . They are the first Asian girl group to achieve five music videos with over 100 million views on YouTube : `` Gee '' , `` I Got a Boy '' , `` The Boys '' , `` Mr. Taxi '' , and `` Oh ! '' . In Japan , they became the first non-Japanese girl group to have three number-one albums on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart , and their three Japanese concert tours attracted a record-breaking 550,000 spectators , more than any other Korean girl groups .


Plato Plato ( -LSB- ˈpleɪtoʊ -RSB- Greek : Πλάτων Plátōn , -LSB- plá.tɔːn -RSB- in Classical Attic ; 428/427 or 424/423 -- 348/347 BCE ) was a philosopher in Classical Greece and the founder of the Academy in Athens , the first institution of higher learning in the Western world . He is widely considered the most pivotal figure in the development of philosophy , especially the Western tradition . Unlike nearly all of his philosophical contemporaries , Plato 's entire work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years .   Along with his teacher , Socrates , and his most famous student , Aristotle , Plato laid the very foundations of Western philosophy and science . Alfred North Whitehead once noted : `` the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato . '' In addition to being a foundational figure for Western science , philosophy , and mathematics , Plato has also often been cited as one of the founders of Western religion and spirituality . Plato 's influence on Christianity is often thought to be mediated by his major influence on Saint Augustine of Hippo , one of the most important philosophers and theologians in the foundation of the Western thought . In the 19th century the philosopher Nietzsche criticized Christianity by saying it 's `` Platonism for the people '' . Numenius of Apamea viewed this differently , he called Plato the Hellenic Moses . This would justify the superiority of Christianity over Hellenism because Moses predates Plato - thus the original source of this wisdom is the root of Christianity and not Hellenistic culture .   Plato was the innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms in philosophy . Plato appears to have been the founder of Western political philosophy , with his Republic , and Laws among other dialogues , providing some of the earliest extant treatments of political questions from a philosophical perspective . Plato 's own most decisive philosophical influences are usually thought to have been Socrates , Parmenides , Heraclitus and Pythagoras , although few of his predecessors ' works remain extant and much of what we know about these figures today derives from Plato himself .   The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy describes Plato as '' ... one of the most dazzling writers in the Western literary tradition and one of the most penetrating , wide-ranging , and influential authors in the history of philosophy . ... He was not the first thinker or writer to whom the word `` philosopher '' should be applied . But he was so self-conscious about how philosophy should be conceived , and what its scope and ambitions properly are , and he so transformed the intellectual currents with which he grappled , that the subject of philosophy , as it is often conceived -- a rigorous and systematic examination of ethical , political , metaphysical , and epistemological issues , armed with a distinctive method -- can be called his invention . Few other authors in the history of Western philosophy approximate him in depth and range : perhaps only Aristotle ( who studied with him ) , Aquinas and Kant would be generally agreed to be of the same rank . ''


Dominick Dunne was involved in at least one film.

Dominick Dunne Dominick John Dunne ( October 29 , 1925 -- August 26 , 2009 ) was an American producer , writer and investigative journalist .   He began his career as a producer in film and television , noted for involvement with the pioneering gay film The Boys in the Band ( 1970 ) and the award winning drug film Panic in Needle Park ( 1971 ) . He turned to writing in the early 1970s . After the 1982 murder of his daughter Dominique , he came to focus on the ways in which wealth and high society interacts with the judicial system . A frequent contributor to Vanity Fair , Dunne also appeared regularly on television discussing crime from the 1980s to the end of his life .


Connaught Tunnel For the Connaught tunnel in East London , England , see Eastern Counties and Thames Junction Railway  The Connaught Tunnel is a railway tunnel under the Selkirk Mountains in southeastern British Columbia , Canada , near the city of Revelstoke . The 5.022 mi tunnel carries the Canadian Pacific Railway main line under Mount Macdonald and replaced the railway 's previous routing over Rogers Pass , which had been struck by several deadly avalanches since its completion in 1885 . At the time it was built , the Connaught Tunnel was the longest railway tunnel in North America . It was named for the Governor General of Canada -- the Prince Arthur , Duke of Connaught -- who in turn was named after the province of Connaught in Ireland .   Announced in February 1913 , the contract was awarded on July 1 , 1913 , to Foley Bros. . Welch and Stewart . The tunnel was designed by John G. Sullivan who joined the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1900 and eventually became Chief Engineer for Canada . A small tunnel was built , from which cross cuts were made to the main tunnel so work could carry on at a number of headings . The sub-contractor guaranteed to drill 900 ft of tunnel per month and started on April 2 , 1914 . Compressed air equipment and narrow gauge locomotives were used inside the tunnel . The company town housed some 300 workers . The tunnel was completed before the original deadline , with operation beginning December 16 , 1916 . It had a grade of only 0.95 per cent westward , and was tangent ; light at one end can be seen at the other , more than five miles away .   It cost $ 5.5 million , while a further $ 3 million were spent on track revision , which saw 14.5 mi abandoned including the Loops and over 4 mi of snow sheds . In all , the route was shortened by 4.3 mi .   Problems were encountered with ventilation , loose rocks and wet rails , which caused trains to stall . The tunnel was later lined with reinforced concrete and equipped with a better ventilation system . Originally double tracked , it was realigned with a single track in 1959 to accommodate higher freight cars .   In the late 1980s , the Mount Macdonald Tunnel was built to supplement the Connaught Tunnel and to lessen the grade on the eastern approach to the pass . Trains now predominantly travel east through the Connaught Tunnel and west through the Mount Macdonald Tunnel .   In 2001 , the Connaught Tunnel was inducted into the North America Railway Hall of Fame . The Hall of Fame recognizes and establishes an enduring tribute to the people and things that have made significant contribution relating to railway industry in North America . The Connaught Tunnel was inducted in the `` Facilities and Structures '' category with `` National '' significance .


Giacomo Casanova Giacomo Girolamo Casanova ( -LSB- ˈdʒaːkomo dʒiˈrɔːlamo kazaˈnɔːva -RSB- or -LSB- kasaˈnɔːva -RSB- 2 April 1725 -- 4 June 1798 ) was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice . His autobiography , Histoire de ma vie ( Story of My Life ) , is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century .   As was not uncommon at the time , Casanova , depending on circumstances , used more or less fictitious names , such as baron or count of Farussi ( the name of his mother ) or Chevalier de Seingalt ( pronounced Saint-Galle , as in French ) . He often signed his works Jacques Casanova de Seingalt after he began writing in French following his second exile from Venice .   He has become so famous for his often complicated and elaborate affairs with women that his name is now synonymous with `` womanizer '' . He associated with European royalty , popes , and cardinals , along with luminaries such as Voltaire , Goethe , and Mozart . He spent his last years in Bohemia as a librarian in Count Waldstein 's household , where he also wrote the story of his life .


The television series Fargo shares a common chronology with the original film.

Fargo (TV series) Fargo is an American black comedy -- crime drama anthology television series created and primarily written by Noah Hawley . The show is inspired by the 1996 film of the same name written and directed by the Coen brothers , who serve as executive producers on the series alongside Hawley . It premiered on April 15 , 2014 , on FX . The series follows an anthology format , with each season set in a different era with a different story , cast , and set of characters ; however , each season shares a common chronology with the original film .   The first season , set in 2006 and starring Billy Bob Thornton , Allison Tolman , Colin Hanks , and Martin Freeman , was met with critical acclaim . It won the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Miniseries , Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Casting , and received fifteen additional nominations including Outstanding Writing , another Outstanding Directing nomination , and acting nominations for all four leads . It also won the Golden Globe Awards for Best Miniseries or Television Film and Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film for Thornton .   The second season , set in 1979 and starring Kirsten Dunst , Patrick Wilson , Jesse Plemons , Jean Smart , and Ted Danson , was met with even greater acclaim . It received three Golden Globe nominations , along with several Emmy nominations including Outstanding Miniseries and acting nominations for Dunst , Plemons , Smart , and Bokeem Woodbine .   The third season , set in 2010 and starring Ewan McGregor , Carrie Coon , Mary Elizabeth Winstead , Goran Bogdan and David Thewlis premiered on April 19 , 2017 .