Sweden was an active participant in both world wars.

Sweden Sweden ( Konungariket Sverige ) , is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe . It borders Norway to the west and Finland to the east , and is connected to Denmark in the southwest by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund . At 450295 km2 , Sweden is the third-largest country in the European Union by area , with a total population of 10.0 million . Sweden consequently has a low population density of 22 PD/km2 , with the highest concentration in the southern half of the country . Approximately 85 % of the population lives in urban areas .   Germanic peoples have inhabited Sweden since prehistoric times , emerging into history as the Geats/G ötar and Swedes/Svear and constituting the sea peoples known as the Norsemen . Southern Sweden is predominantly agricultural , while the north is heavily forested . Sweden is part of the geographical area of Fennoscandia . The climate is in general very mild for its northerly latitude due to significant maritime influence , that in spite of this still retains warm continental summers . Today , Sweden is a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy , with a monarch as head of state . The capital city is Stockholm , which is also the most populous city in the country . Legislative power is vested in the 349-member unicameral Riksdag . Executive power is exercised by the government chaired by the prime minister . Sweden is a unitary state , currently divided into 21 counties and 290 municipalities .   Sweden emerged as an independent and unified country during the Middle Ages . In the 17th century , it expanded its territories to form the Swedish Empire , which became one of the great powers of Europe until the early 18th century . Swedish territories outside the Scandinavian Peninsula were gradually lost during the 18th and 19th centuries , ending with the annexation of present-day Finland by Russia in 1809 . The last war in which Sweden was directly involved was in 1814 , when Norway was militarily forced into personal union . Since then , Sweden has been at peace , maintaining an official policy of neutrality in foreign affairs . The union with Norway was peacefully dissolved in 1905 , leading to Sweden 's current borders . Though Sweden was formally neutral through both world wars , Sweden engaged in humanitarian efforts , such as taking in refugees from German-occupied Europe .   After the end of the Cold War , Sweden joined the European Union on 1 January 1995 , but declined NATO membership , as well as Eurozone membership following a referendum . It is also a member of the United Nations , the Nordic Council , Council of Europe , the World Trade Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) . Sweden maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens . It has the world 's eighth-highest per capita income and ranks highly in numerous metrics of national performance , including quality of life , health , education , protection of civil liberties , economic competitiveness , equality , prosperity and human development .


Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song) was recorded for a single released in 2002.

Beautiful (Christina Aguilera song) `` Beautiful '' is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera for her fourth studio album , Stripped ( 2002 ) . It was released as the album 's second single on November 16 , 2002 . A pop and R&B ballad , `` Beautiful '' was written and produced by Linda Perry . Lyrically , it discusses inner beauty , as well as self-esteem and insecurity issues . Aguilera commented that she put `` her heart and her soul '' into the track , which she felt represented the theme of Stripped . The song was later re-recorded in an electronic style for her first greatest hits album Keeps Gettin ' Better : A Decade of Hits ( 2008 ) .   Upon its release , `` Beautiful '' received universal acclaim from music critics , who have ranked it among Aguilera 's strongest material . It won a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was also nominated for Song of the Year at the 2004 ceremony . `` Beautiful '' was also a commercial success , topping the charts in Australia , Belgium , Canada , Ireland , New Zealand and the United Kingdom . The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States , where it was certified Gold for 500,000 units shipped . It was kept from the number one spot by `` Bump , Bump , Bump '' by B2K featuring P. Diddy .   `` Beautiful '' has been widely embraced as an anthem by the LGBT community for its message of self-empowerment and inner beauty . An accompanying music video was directed by Jonas Åkerlund , and earned Aguilera a GLAAD Media Award for its positive portrayal of gay and transgender people . In 2011 , UK LGBT rights organization Stonewall named `` Beautiful '' the most empowering song of the previous decade for gay , lesbian , and bisexual people . In 2009 , Rolling Stone and VH1 listed it as one of the best songs of the 2000s ( decade ) . The song is widely recognized as one of Aguilera 's signature songs and has been covered on numerous occasions and featured on several television shows .


Eleveneleven was founded by Mike Hamlin.

Eleveneleven eleveneleven is a record label founded in 2010 by Mike Hamlin , Ellen DeGeneres and her production company , A Very Good Production , in association with longtime affiliate Warner Bros. . DeGeneres announced it on her show saying that the label would concentrate on less known artists and that she had been looking for videos of performances on YouTube . DeGeneres explained her choice of name , claiming that she often sees the number 11:11 when looking at her clocks , that she found Greyson Chance on the 11th , and that the singer 's soccer jersey has the number 11 . All of the artists on the label have , thus far , been distributed via Interscope Geffen A&M .


Macbeth Macbeth ( -LSB- məkˈbɛθ -RSB- full title The Tragedy of Macbeth ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare ; it is thought to have been first performed in 1606 . It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake . Of all the plays that Shakespeare wrote during the reign of James I , who was patron of Shakespeare 's acting company , Macbeth most clearly reflects the playwright 's relationship with his sovereign . It was first published in the Folio of 1623 , possibly from a prompt book , and is Shakespeare 's shortest tragedy .   A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland . Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife , Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself . He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia . Forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion , he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler . The bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of madness and death .   Shakespeare 's source for the story is the account of Macbeth , King of Scotland ; Macduff ; and Duncan in Holinshed 's Chronicles ( 1587 ) , a history of England , Scotland , and Ireland familiar to Shakespeare and his contemporaries , although the events in the play differ extensively from the history of the real Macbeth . The events of the tragedy are usually associated with the execution of Henry Garnet for complicity in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 .   In the backstage world of theatre , some believe that the play is cursed , and will not mention its title aloud , referring to it instead as `` The Scottish Play '' . Over the course of many centuries , the play has attracted some of the most renowned actors to the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth . It has been adapted to film , television , opera , novels , comics , and other media .


Shakespearean tragedy Tragedy is the designation given to most tragedies written by playwright William Shakespeare . Many of his history plays share the qualifiers of a Shakespearean tragedy , but because they are based on real figures throughout the History of England , they were classified as `` histories '' in the First Folio . The Roman tragedies -- Julius Cæsar , Antony and Cleopatra and Coriolanus -- are also based on historical figures , but because their source stories were foreign and ancient they are almost always classified as tragedies rather than histories . Shakespeare 's romances ( tragicomic plays ) were written late in his career and published originally as either tragedy or comedy . They share some elements of tragedy featuring a high status central character but end happily like Shakespearean comedies . Several hundred years after Shakespeare 's death , scholar F.S. Boas also coined a fifth category , the `` problem play '' , for plays that do n't fit neatly into a single classification because of their subject matter , setting , or ending . The classifications of certain Shakespeare plays are still debated among scholars .


Halle Berry was 1st runner-up in the 1986 Miss USA Pageant.

Halle Berry Halle Maria Berry ( born Maria Halle Berry ; August 14 , 1966 ) is an American actress . She won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the romantic drama Monster 's Ball ( 2001 ) . As of 2017 , she is the only black woman to have won a Best Actress Academy Award .   Berry was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood during the 2000s and has been involved in the production of several of the films in which she performed . She is also a Revlon spokesmodel . Before becoming an actress , she started modeling and entered several beauty contests , finishing as the 1st runner-up in the Miss USA Pageant and coming in 6th place in the Miss World Pageant in 1986 . Her breakthrough film role was in the romantic comedy Boomerang ( 1992 ) , alongside Eddie Murphy , which led to roles in films such as the comedy The Flintstones ( 1994 ) , the political comedy-drama Bulworth ( 1998 ) and the television film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge ( 1999 ) , for which she won the Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress , among many other awards .   In addition to her Academy Award win , Berry garnered high-profile roles in the 2000s such as Storm in the X-Men film series ( beginning in 2000 ) , the action crime thriller Swordfish ( 2001 ) , and the spy film Die Another Day ( 2002 ) , where she played Bond Girl Jinx . She then appeared in the X-Men sequels , X2 ( 2003 ) and X-Men : The Last Stand ( 2006 ) . In the 2010s , she appeared in movies such as the science fiction film Cloud Atlas ( 2012 ) , the crime thriller The Call ( 2013 ) and X-Men : Days of Future Past ( 2014 ) .   Berry was formerly married to baseball player David Justice , and singer-songwriter Eric Benét . She has a daughter by model Gabriel Aubry , and a son by actor Olivier Martinez .


Tina Turner Tina Turner ( born Anna Mae Bullock ; November 26 , 1939 ) , is an American-born recording artist , dancer , actress , and author , whose career has spanned more than half a century , earning her widespread recognition and numerous awards . Born and raised in the Southeastern United States , Turner relinquished her American citizenship after obtaining Swiss citizenship in 2013 .   She began her musical career in the mid-1950s as a featured singer with Ike Turner 's Kings of Rhythm , first recording in 1958 under the name `` Little Ann . '' Her introduction to the public as Tina Turner began in 1960 as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue . Success followed with a string of notable hits credited to the duo , including `` A Fool in Love '' , `` River Deep -- Mountain High '' ( 1966 ) , `` Proud Mary '' ( 1971 ) , and `` Nutbush City Limits '' ( 1973 ) , a song which she herself wrote . In her autobiography , I , Tina , she revealed several instances of severe domestic abuse against her by Ike Turner prior to their 1976 split and subsequent 1978 divorce . Raised a Baptist , she encountered faith with Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in 1971 , crediting the spiritual chant of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo , which Turner claims helped her to endure during difficult times .   After her divorce from Ike Turner , she rebuilt her career through live performances . In the 1980s , Turner launched a major comeback with another string of hits , starting in late 1983 with the single `` Let 's Stay Together '' followed by the 1984 release of her fifth solo album Private Dancer which became a worldwide success . The album contained the song `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' , which became Turner 's biggest hit and won three Grammy Awards including Record of the Year . Her solo success continued thoughout the 1980s and 90s with multi-platinum albums including Break Every Rule and Foreign Affair , and with singles such as `` We Do n't Need Another Hero ( Thunderdome ) '' , `` The Best '' , and `` GoldenEye '' for the 1995 James Bond film of the same name . In 1993 , `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' was used as the title of a biographical film adapted from her autobiography , along with the film 's accompanying soundtrack album . In addition to her musical career , Turner has also garnered success acting in films , including the role of the Acid Queen in the 1975 rock musical Tommy , a starring role alongside Mel Gibson in the 1985 action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome , and a cameo role in the 1993 film Last Action Hero .   One of the world 's best-selling artists of all time , she has also been referred to as The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll . Turner has been termed the most successful female Rock 'n' Roll artist , receiving eleven Grammy Awards , including eight competitive awards and three Grammy Hall of Fame awards . Turner has also sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history . Her combined album and single sales total approximately 180 million copies worldwide , She is noted for her energetic stage presence , powerful vocals , and career longevity . In 2008 , Turner returned from semi-retirement to embark on her Tina ! : 50th Anniversary Tour . Turner 's tour became one of the highest selling ticketed shows of 2008 -- 09 . Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Turner no. 63 on their list of 100 greatest artists of all time , and no. 17 on their list of 100 greatest singers of all time . In 1991 , Turner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .   Turner announced in December 2016 that she has been working on `` Tina '' , a new musical based on her story , in collaboration with Phyllida Lloyd and Stage Entertainment .


Colin Quinn Colin Edward Quinn ( born June 6 , 1959 ) is an American stand-up comedian , actor , and writer . On television , he is best known for his work on Saturday Night Live , where he anchored Weekend Update , on MTV 's 1980s game show Remote Control , where he served as the announcer/sidekick , and as host of Comedy Central 's late-night panel show Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn . Notable film work includes his role as Dooey in A Night at the Roxbury , Dickey Bailey in the Grown Ups films and playing Amy Schumer 's father in the film Trainwreck . Comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld and Dave Attell cite him as the quintessential New York comedian .   Quinn has also become known for his comedic one-man shows that offer his unique takes on history and growing up in New York City . As of 2015 , he has written and starred in five shows : Irish Wake , My Two Cents , Long Story Short , Unconstitutional , and The New York Story , two of which he collaborated on with Seinfeld as director . Long Story Short was filmed as an HBO special that aired on April 9 , 2011 and Unconstitutional and The New York Story were released as Netflix specials .


Doug Ducey Douglas Anthony Ducey -LSB- ˈduːsi -RSB- ( born April 9 , 1964 ) is an American businessman and politician who is the 23rd and current governor of the U.S. State of Arizona . He is a member of the Republican Party , and was sworn in as governor on January 5 , 2015 . Prior to his governorship , he served as the state 's 42nd treasurer . He is also the first man to serve as Arizona Governor in over 17 years .   Prior to serving in elected office , Ducey served as the CEO of Cold Stone Creamery before he and his business partner sold the company in 2007 . On November 4 , 2014 , Ducey won the election to become governor of the State of Arizona , the first open seat for governor in 12 years , succeeding Jan Brewer .   Born in Toledo , Ohio , Ducey moved to Tempe , Arizona in 1982 where he attended Arizona State University . In addition to his involvement with Cold Stone Creamery , he also worked at a local Anheuser-Busch distributor during his time in college , and Procter & Gamble following his graduation with a degree in finance .


None of Chris Pratt's films have made more than $10,000 at the box office.

Chris Pratt Christopher Michael Pratt ( born June 21 , 1979 ) is an American actor . Pratt came to prominence with his television roles , including Bright Abbott in The WB drama series Everwood and Andy Dwyer in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation . His early film career began with supporting roles in such mainstream films as Wanted , Jennifer 's Body , Moneyball , The Five-Year Engagement , Zero Dark Thirty , Delivery Man and Her .   Pratt achieved leading man status after starring in two commercially successful films in 2014 : computer-animated adventure comedy The Lego Movie and Marvel Studios superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy ( in which he portrayed Star-Lord ) . In 2015 , he starred in Jurassic World , the fourth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and his most financially successful film to date , earning $ 1.6 billion at the box office . Later that year , Time named Pratt one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list .   Pratt continued his leading man status with The Magnificent Seven and Passengers . He reprised his role as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 , and will play the character again in Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled fourth Avengers film .


There is a television show called Game of Thrones (season 3).

Game of Thrones (season 3) The third season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered in the United States on HBO on March 31 , 2013 , and concluded on June 9 , 2013 . It was broadcast on Sunday at 9:00 pm in the United States , consisting of 10 episodes , each running approximately 50 -- 60 minutes . The season is based roughly on the first half of A Storm of Swords ( the third of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R. R. Martin , of which the series is an adaptation ) . The series is adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . HBO renewed the series for a third season on April 10 , 2012 , nine days after the second season 's premiere . Production began in July 2012 . The show was filmed primarily in Ireland , Northern Ireland , Croatia , Iceland and Morocco .   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 follows the climatic battle at Kings Landing . Season three like the previous season mainly centres around the war of the five kings ; after the death of Renly Baratheon ( Gethin Anthony ) , all four kings in Westeros believes to have a claim to the Iron Throne , besides Robb Stark ( Richard Madden ) , who seeks vengeance for the death of his father , Lord Eddard `` Ned '' Stark ( Sean Bean ) .   Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast , including Peter Dinklage , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington . The season introduced a number of new cast members , including Ciarán Hinds , Nathalie Emmanuel and Iwan Rheon .   Critics praised the show 's production values and cast . Viewership yet again rose compared to the previous season . It won 2 of the 16 Emmy Awards for which it was nominated , it received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( Dinklage ) , Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ( Clarke ) and Outstanding Drama Series . It also won the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Drama Series .


Eugenio Canfari Eugenio Canfari ( 16 April 1877 -- 23 March 1962 ) was an early Italian football player from Genoa who played as a defender . He was one of the thirteen men who founded Juventus in 1897 and the club 's first ever president . His brother Enrico Canfari was also a founding member of Juventus , and was the first ever president , though he never played in the Italian Football Championship with Enrico and Juventus .


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 .


Oh Yeon-seo Oh Yeon-seo ( born Oh Haet-nim , on June 22 , 1987 ) , is a South Korean actress and former member of South Korean girl group , LUV . She is best known for her roles in television dramas My Husband Got a Family ( 2012 ) , Jang Bo-ri is Here ! ( 2014 ) , Shine or Go Crazy ( 2015 ) and Please Come Back , Mister ( 2016 ) .


Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( -LSB- ( t ) ʃaˈkiɾa isaˈβel meβaˈɾak riˈpol -RSB- ; -LSB- langʃəˈki : rə -RSB- born 2 February 1977 ) is a Colombian singer , songwriter , dancer , and record producer . Born and raised in Barranquilla , she began performing in school , demonstrating Latin American , Arabic , and rock and roll influences and belly dancing abilities . Shakira 's first studio albums , Magia and Peligro , failed to attain commercial success in the 1990s ; however , she rose to prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut , Pies Descalzos ( 1996 ) , and her fourth album , Dónde Están los Ladrones ? ( 1998 ) .   Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album , Laundry Service . Its lead single , `` Whenever , Wherever '' , became one of the most successful singles of 2002 . Her success was solidified with her sixth and seventh albums Fijación Oral , Volumen Uno and Oral Fixation , Volume Two ( 2005 ) , the latter of which spawned one of the best-selling songs of the 21st century , `` Hips Do n't Lie '' . Shakira 's eighth and ninth albums , She Wolf ( 2009 ) and Sale el Sol ( 2010 ) , received critical praise . Her official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup , `` Waka Waka ( This Time for Africa ) '' , became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time . With over 1.3 billion views , it is one of the most-watched music videos on YouTube . Shakira served as a coach on the fourth and sixth seasons of the American version of The Voice in 2013 and 2014 , respectively . Her tenth album , Shakira ( 2014 ) , is preceded by its lead single , `` Ca n't Remember to Forget You '' .   Shakira has won many awards , including five MTV Video Music Awards , two Grammy Awards , eight Latin Grammy Awards , seven Billboard Music Awards , 28 Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been Golden Globe-nominated . She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and has sold between 70 and 125 million records worldwide ( depending on the source ) , making her the best selling South American singer and one of the best selling Latin artists of all time . She carries out well-known philanthropic activities through charity work most notably through her Pies Descalzos Foundation . In 2014 , she was listed as the 58th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes .


Carol Leifer married David Letterman in 1956.

Carol Leifer Carol Leifer ( -LSB- ˈliːfər -RSB- ;  born July 27 , 1956 ) is a four-time Emmy Award-nominated American comedian , writer , producer and actress whose career as a stand-up comedian started in the 1970s when she was in college . David Letterman discovered her performing in a comedy club in the 1980s and she has since been a guest on Late Night with David Letterman over twenty-five times as well as numerous other shows and venues . She has written many television scripts including for The Larry Sanders Show , Saturday Night Live and most notably , Seinfeld .   Leifer 's inner-monologue driven , observational style is often autobiographical encompassing subjects about her Jewish ancestry and upbringing , coming out , same-sex marriage , relationships ( having been married previously to a man and now partnered with a woman ) and parenting .


One example of a Chinese martial artist is Jet Li.

Wushu (sport) Wushu is a martial art and a full-contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts . It was developed in China after 1949 , in an effort to standardize the practice of traditional Chinese martial arts , although attempts to structure the various decentralized martial arts traditions date back earlier , when the Central Guoshu Institute was established at Nanking in 1928 . The term wushu is Chinese for `` martial arts '' ( 武 `` Wu '' = military or martial , 术 `` Shu '' = art ) . In contemporary times , wushu has become an international sport through the International Wushu Federation ( IWUF ) , which holds the World Wushu Championships every two years ; the first World Championships were held in 1991 in Beijing and won by Yuan Wen Qing .   Competitive wushu is composed of two disciplines : taolu ( 套路 ; forms ) and sanda ( 散打 ; sparring ) .   Taolu involves martial art patterns and maneuvers for which competitors are judged and given points according to specific rules . The forms comprise basic movements ( stances , kicks , punches , balances , jumps , sweeps and throws ) based on aggregate categories of traditional Chinese martial art styles and can be changed for competitions to highlight one 's strengths . Competitive forms have time limits that can range from 1 minute , 20 seconds for some external styles to over five minutes for internal styles . Modern wushu competitors are increasingly training in aerial techniques such as 540 - , 720 - , and even 900-degree jumps and kicks to add more difficulty and style to their forms .   Sanda ( sometimes called sanshou ) is a modern fighting method and sport influenced by traditional Chinese boxing , Chinese wrestling methods called Shuai jiao and other Chinese grappling techniques such as Chin Na . It has all the combat aspects of wushu . Sanda appears much like Kickboxing or Muay Thai , but includes many more grappling techniques . Sanda fighting competitions are often held alongside taolu or form competitions .


Jet Li Li Lianjie ( born 26 April 1963 ) , better known by his stage name Jet Li , is a Chinese film actor , film producer , martial artist , and retired Wushu champion who was born in Beijing . He is a naturalized Singaporean citizen .   After three years of training with Wu Bin , Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team . After retiring from Wushu at age 19 , he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple ( 1982 ) . He went on to star in many critically acclaimed martial arts epic films , most notably as the lead in director Zhang Yimou 's 2002 Hero , Fist of Legend which is the best acclaimed Li movie by Rotten Tomatoes , and the Once Upon a Time in China series , in which he portrayed folk hero Wong Fei-hung .   Li 's first role in a non-Chinese film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 ( 1998 ) , and his first leading role in a Hollywood film was as Han Sing in Romeo Must Die ( 2000 ) . He has gone on to star in many action films , including in French cinema with Luc Besson Kiss of the Dragon and Unleashed . He co-starred in The One ( 2001 ) , The Forbidden Kingdom ( 2008 ) with Jackie Chan , all three of The Expendables films with Sylvester Stallone , and as the title character villain in The Mummy : Tomb of the Dragon Emperor ( 2008 ) .


Fahrenheit 451 (film) Fahrenheit 451 is a 1966 British Dystopian science fiction drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Oskar Werner , Julie Christie , and Cyril Cusack . Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ray Bradbury , the film takes place in a controlled society in an oppressive future in which a fireman , whose duty it is to burn all literature , becomes a fugitive for reading . This was Truffaut 's first colour film as well as his only English-language film . At the 1966 Venice Film Festival , Fahrenheit 451 was nominated for the Golden Lion .


Bob Arum founded a company based in Las Vegas.

Bob Arum Robert Arum ( born December 8 , 1931 ) is an American lawyer , boxing promoter and businessman . He is the founder and CEO of Top Rank , a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas . He also worked for the US Attorney 's Office for the southern district of New York in the tax division during his legal career before moving into boxing promotion .


Tang Wei Tang Wei ( ; born October 7 , 1979 ) is a Chinese actress . She rose to prominence for her appearance in Lust , Caution ( 2007 ) .


Wang Leehom Wang Leehom ( born May 17 , 1976 ) , sometimes credited as Leehom Wang , is a Chinese-American singer-songwriter , record producer , actor and film director . He is currently based in Taiwan . Formally trained at the Eastman School of Music , Williams College and Berklee College of Music , his musical style is known for fusing Chinese elements ( such as Beijing opera , traditional styles of ethnic minorities , Chinese classical orchestra ) with hip-hop and R&B . Wang has been active since 1995 and contributed in 25 albums . He is also a four-time winner of Taiwan 's Golden Melody Awards , the `` Grammys '' of Taiwanese music . His concert at the Beijing Bird 's Nest on April 14 , 2012 was the first solo pop concert to be held at the venue .   In addition to his music , Wang also acted in several films , including Ang Lee 's Lust , Caution and Jackie Chan 's film Little Big Soldier . He is an environmental activist , and his album Change Me was dedicated to raising eco-awareness among Chinese youth . Wang was one of the first torchbearers for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics , and performed in the Olympics ' closing ceremony in Beijing . He was again a torchbearer for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London , making him the only person in the Mandarin pop circle to have taken part in the event twice . He is a longtime ambassador for World Vision Taiwan and was appointed World Vision Malaysia 's 15th anniversary ambassador ( from October 2011 to September 2012 ) .   He was listed as one of Goldsea 's `` The 100 Most Inspiring Asian Americans of All Time '' .


Chris Hemsworth Chris Hemsworth ( born 11 August 1983 ) is an Australian actor . He is known for playing Kim Hyde in the Australian TV series Home and Away ( 2004-07 ) and Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2011 . Hemsworth has also appeared in the science fiction action film Star Trek ( 2009 ) , the thriller adventure A Perfect Getaway ( 2009 ) , the horror comedy The Cabin in the Woods ( 2012 ) , the dark-fantasy action film Snow White and the Huntsman ( 2012 ) , the war film Red Dawn ( 2012 ) , and the biographical sports drama film Rush ( 2013 ) .   In 2015 , he starred in the action thriller film Blackhat , had a comedic role in the fifth installment of National Lampoon 's Vacation series , Vacation , and headlined the biographical thriller film In the Heart of the Sea . The following year , Hemsworth had a supporting role in Sony 's reboot of Ghostbusters . Hemsworth will reprise his role as George Kirk in the upcoming Star Trek sequel .


Blackhat (film) Blackhat is a 2015 American action thriller mystery film co-written , co-produced and directed by Michael Mann . The film stars Chris Hemsworth , Tang Wei , Viola Davis , Holt McCallany , and Wang Leehom . The film premiered at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on January 8 , 2015 , and was released in theaters on January 16 . Blackhat was a box office bomb , earning only $ 19.7 million at the box office against a budget of $ 70 million . While the movie received generally mixed-to-negative reviews , with criticisms focused on casting and pace , some critics found brilliance in the film , enough to place the film in some critics ' year-end lists .


Holt McCallany Holt McCallany ( born Holt Quinn McAloney ; September 3 , 1963 ) is an American actor , writer , and producer working primarily in film and television .


Alex Rodriguez was not in contention for the AL MVP Award in 1996.

Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez ( born July 27 , 1975 ) , nicknamed `` A-Rod '' , is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman . He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , and New York Yankees . Rodriguez was one of the sport 's most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time . During his 22-year career , Rodriguez has amassed a .297 batting average , 696 home runs , over 2,000 runs batted in ( RBI ) , over 2,000 runs scored , and over 3,000 hits . He is a 14-time All-Star and has won three American League ( AL ) Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten Silver Slugger Awards , and two Gold Glove Awards . Rodríguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25 . However , he has led a highly controversial career due to signing two of the most lucrative sports contracts in history while incurring criticism from the media for his behavior and use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs .   The Mariners selected Rodriguez first overall in the 1993 MLB draft , and he debuted in the major leagues the following year at the age of 18 . In 1996 , he became the Mariners ' starting shortstop and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award . Rodriguez 's combination of power , speed , and defense made him a cornerstone of the franchise , but he left the team via free agency after the 2000 season to join the Rangers . The 10-year , $ 252 million contract he signed was the richest in baseball history . He played at a high level in his three years with Texas , highlighted by his first AL MVP Award win in 2003 , but the team failed to make the playoffs during his tenure . Prior to the 2004 season , Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees , for whom he converted to a third baseman due to incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter . In his first four seasons with New York , he was twice more named AL MVP . After opting out of his contract following the 2007 season , Rodriguez signed a new 10-year , $ 275 million deal with the Yankees , extending his record for the sport 's most lucrative contract . He became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs , reaching the milestone in 2007 . He won his first World Series in 2009 , which was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium . The following year , he became the career leader in home runs by a player of Hispanic descent . In recent years , Rodriguez has been hampered by hip and knee injuries , which have caused him to exclusively become a designated hitter . He played his final game as a Yankee on August 12 , 2016 .   In February 2009 , after previously denying use of performance-enhancing drugs , including during a 2007 interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes , Rodriguez admitted to using steroids , saying he used them from 2001 to 2003 when playing for Rangers due to `` an enormous amount of pressure '' to perform . While recovering from a hip injury in 2013 , Rodriguez made headlines by feuding with team management over his rehabilitation and for having allegedly obtained performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Biogenesis baseball scandal . In August 2013 , MLB suspended him 211 games for his involvement in the scandal , but he was allowed to play while appealing the punishment . Had the original suspension been upheld , it would have been the longest non-lifetime suspension in Major League Baseball history . After an arbitration hearing , the suspension was reduced to 162 games , keeping him off the field for the entire 2014 season .


Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas ( born Issur Danielovitch , December 9 , 1916 ) is an American actor , producer , director , and author . He is one of the last living people of the film industry 's Golden Age . After an impoverished childhood with immigrant parents and six sisters , he had his film debut in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers ( 1946 ) with Barbara Stanwyck . Douglas soon developed into a leading box-office star throughout the 1950s and 1960s , known for serious dramas , including westerns and war movies . During his career he appeared in more than 90 movies .   Douglas became an international star through positive reception for his leading role as an unscrupulous boxing hero in Champion ( 1949 ) , which brought him his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . Other early films include Young Man with a Horn ( 1950 ) , playing opposite Lauren Bacall and Doris Day ; Ace in the Hole opposite Jan Sterling ( 1951 ) ; and Detective Story ( 1951 ) . He received a second Oscar nomination for his dramatic role in The Bad and the Beautiful ( 1952 ) , opposite Lana Turner , and his third nomination for portraying Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life ( 1956 ) .   In 1955 , he established Bryna Productions , which began producing films as varied as Paths of Glory ( 1957 ) and Spartacus ( 1960 ) . In those two films , he starred and collaborated with the then relatively unknown director , Stanley Kubrick . Douglas helped break the Hollywood blacklist by having Dalton Trumbo write Spartacus with an official on-screen credit , although Trumbo 's family claims he overstated his role . He produced and starred in Lonely Are the Brave ( 1962 ) , considered a cult classic , and Seven Days in May ( 1964 ) , opposite Burt Lancaster , with whom he made seven films . In 1963 , he starred in the Broadway play One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest , a story he purchased , which he later gave to his son Michael Douglas , who turned it into an Oscar-winning film .   As an actor and philanthropist , Douglas has received three Academy Award nominations , an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement , and the Presidential Medal of Freedom . As an author , he has written ten novels and memoirs . Currently , he is No. 17 on the American Film Institute 's list of the greatest male screen legends of classic Hollywood cinema , and the highest-ranked living person on the list . After barely surviving a helicopter crash in 1991 and then suffering a stroke in 1996 , he has focused on renewing his spiritual and religious life . He lives with his second wife ( of 63 years ) , Anne , a producer . He turned 100 on December 9 , 2016 .


AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars Part of the AFI 100 Years ... series , AFI 's 100 Years ... 100 Stars is a list of the top 50 greatest screen legends in American film history , which included 25 male and 25 female stars . The list was unveiled by the American Film Institute on June 15 , 1999 , in a CBS special hosted by Shirley Temple , with 50 current actors making the presentations .   The American Film Institute defined an `` American screen legend '' as an actor or a team of actors during the classic film era with a significant screen presence in American feature-length ( 40 min ) films whose screen debut occurred in or before 1950 , or whose screen debut occurred after 1950 but whose death has marked a completed body of work .   The top stars of their respective sexes are Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn . They starred together in the classic British American adventure 1951 film The African Queen , for which Bogart won his only Oscar .   All actors and actresses are from the `` Golden era of Hollywood '' film production . Of the 54 stars listed , only 9 were alive at the time , namely Shirley Temple , Katharine Hepburn , Marlon Brando , Elizabeth Taylor , Gregory Peck , Kirk Douglas , Lauren Bacall , Sophia Loren , and Sidney Poitier . As of 2017 , only Kirk Douglas , Sidney Poitier , and Sophia Loren are still living .


Snoop Dogg released a soundtrack to the video game Murder Was the Case.

Snoop Dogg Cordozar Calvin Broadus , Jr. ( born October 20 , 1971 ) , known professionally as Snoop Dogg ( sometimes shortened to Snoop and formerly called Snoop Doggy Dogg and Snoop Lion ) , is an American rapper and actor from Long Beach , California . His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre of N.W.A , and as a result was prominently featured throughout Dr. Dre 's solo debut album , The Chronic ( 1992 ) . He has since sold over twenty-three million albums in the United States and thirty-five million albums worldwide .   Snoop 's debut album , Doggystyle , was released in 1993 under Death Row Records , debuting at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums charts . Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release , Doggystyle became certified 4 × platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles , including `` What 's My Name ? '' and `` Gin & Juice '' . In 1994 Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case , starring himself . His second album Tha Doggfather ( 1996 ) , also debuted at number one on both charts with `` Snoop 's Upside Ya Head '' , as the lead single . The album was certified double platinum in 1997 .   After leaving Death Row Records , Snoop signed with No Limit Records , where he recorded his next three albums . Da Game Is to Be Sold , Not to Be Told ( 1998 ) , No Limit Top Dogg ( 1999 ) , and Tha Last Meal ( 2000 ) . Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002 , where he released Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss . He then signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G ( Rhythm & Gangsta ) : The Masterpiece , Tha Blue Carpet Treatment , and Ego Trippin ' . Malice 'n Wonderland ( 2009 ) , and Doggumentary ( 2011 ) , were released on Priority . Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows , including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle , Snoop Dogg 's Father Hood , and Dogg After Dark . He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team . In September 2009 , Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records .   In 2012 , after a trip to Jamaica , Snoop announced a conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias , Snoop Lion . Under the new moniker , he released a reggae album , Reincarnated , and a documentary film of the same name , of his Jamaican experience , in early 2013 . His fourteenth solo studio album , Coolaid , was released in July 2016 .   Snoop Dogg holds the dubious distinction of having seventeen Grammy nominations without a win .   In March 2016 , the night before WrestleMania 32 in Arlington , Texas , Snoop was inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame having made several appearances for the company , including as Master of Ceremonies during a match at Wrestlemania XXIV .


Murder Was the Case Murder Was the Case is a 1994 short film and soundtrack album starring and performed by Snoop Doggy Dogg . The 18 minute film was directed by Dr. Dre and Fab Five Freddy and chronicles the fictional death of Snoop Dogg and his resurrection after making a deal with the Devil . The film 's title comes from Snoop 's song of the same name from his debut album , Doggystyle , which had been released a year earlier .   The single `` What Would You Do '' was included on the Natural Born Killers soundtrack and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group in the 38th Annual Grammy Awards in 1996 . The album was re-released with a bonus DVD containing 3 music videos on July 11 , 2006 .   Tupac Shakur was paid $ 200,000 by Death Row Records owner Suge Knight to record a song for the album , but the track ( `` Life 's So Hard '' featuring Snoop Doggy Dogg ) was never used on the official soundtrack release . However , it was later released on the soundtrack for Gang Related after his death .


Counterculture groups are people who assimilate themselves to the parent culture to which they belong.

Counterculture A counterculture ( also written counter-culture ) is a subculture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society , often in opposition to mainstream cultural mores .   A countercultural movement expresses the ethos and aspirations of a specific population during a well-defined era . When oppositional forces reach critical mass , countercultures can trigger dramatic cultural changes .   Prominent examples of countercultures in Europe and North America include Romanticism ( 1790 -- 1840 ) , Bohemianism ( 1850 -- 1910 ) , the more fragmentary counterculture of the Beat Generation ( 1944 -- 1964 ) , and perhaps most prominently , the counterculture of the 1960s ( 1964 -- 1974 ) , usually associated with the hippie subculture .


Subculture Subculture , a concept from the academic fields of sociology and cultural studies , is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs , often maintaining some of its founding principles .


TV Tokyo was the network where one of Fairy Tail's series premiered.

Fairy Tail is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiro Mashima . It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine since August 2 , 2006 , with the individual chapters collected and published into 61 tankōbon volumes by Kodansha as of May 17 , 2017 . The story follows the adventures of Natsu Dragneel , a teenage who is a member of the popular wizards ' guild Fairy Tail , as he searches for the dragon Igneel .   The manga has been adapted into an anime series produced by A-1 Pictures , Dentsu Inc. , and Satelight , which began broadcasting in Japan on October 12 , 2009 . Additionally , A-1 Pictures has developed seven original video animations and two animated feature films . The series ended its initial run on March 30 , 2013 . A second series premiered on TV Tokyo on April 5 , 2014 , and ended on March 26 , 2016 .   Fairy Tail was originally licensed for an English language release in North America by Del Rey Manga , which began releasing the individual volumes on March 25 , 2008 and ended its licensing with the 12th volume release in September 2010 . In December 2010 , Kodansha Comics USA took over North American release of the series . The Southeast Asian network Animax Asia aired an English-language version of the anime for seven seasons from 2010 to 2015 . The anime has been licensed by Funimation for an English-language release in North America . As of February 2017 , Fairy Tail had 60 million copies in print .


Duke Ellington collaborated with Frank Sinatra.

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra ( -LSB- sᵻˈnɑːtrə -RSB- -LSB- siˈnaːtra -RSB- ; December 12 , 1915 -- May 14 , 1998 ) was an American singer , actor , and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century . He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 150 million records worldwide . Born in Hoboken , New Jersey , to Italian immigrants , Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey . Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943 , becoming the idol of the `` bobby soxers '' . He released his debut album , The Voice of Frank Sinatra , in 1946 . Sinatra 's professional career had stalled by the early 1950s , and he turned to Las Vegas , where he became one of its best known performers as part of the Rat Pack . His career was reborn in 1953 with the success of From Here to Eternity , with his performance subsequently winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor . Sinatra released several critically lauded albums , including In the Wee Small Hours ( 1955 ) , Songs for Swingin ' Lovers ! ( 1956 ) , Come Fly with Me ( 1958 ) , Only the Lonely ( 1958 ) and Nice 'n' Easy ( 1960 ) .   Sinatra left Capitol in 1960 to start his own record label , Reprise Records , and released a string of successful albums . In 1965 , he recorded the retrospective September of My Years , starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra : A Man and His Music , and released the tracks `` Strangers in the Night '' and `` My Way '' . After releasing Sinatra at the Sands , recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Vegas with frequent collaborator Count Basie in early 1966 , the following year he recorded one of his most famous collaborations with Tom Jobim , the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim . It was followed by 1968 's collaboration with Duke Ellington . Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971 , but came out of retirement two years later and recorded several albums and resumed performing at Caesars Palace , and reached success in 1980 with `` New York , New York '' . Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base , he toured both within the United States and internationally until a short time before his death in 1998 .   Sinatra forged a highly successful career as a film actor . After winning an Academy Award for From Here to Eternity , he starred in The Man with the Golden Arm ( 1955 ) , and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate ( 1962 ) . He appeared in various musicals such as On the Town ( 1949 ) , Guys and Dolls ( 1955 ) , High Society ( 1956 ) , and Pal Joey ( 1957 ) , winning another Golden Globe for the latter . Toward the end of his career , he became associated with playing detectives , including the title character in Tony Rome ( 1967 ) . Sinatra would later receive the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1971 . On television , The Frank Sinatra Show began on ABC in 1950 , and he continued to make appearances on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s . Sinatra was also heavily involved with politics from the mid-1940s , and actively campaigned for presidents such as Harry S. Truman , John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan , though before Kennedy 's death Sinatra 's alleged Mafia connections led to his being snubbed .   While Sinatra never formally learned how to read music , he had an impressive understanding of it , and he worked very hard from a young age to improve his abilities in all aspects of music . A perfectionist , renowned for his dress sense and performing presence , he always insisted on recording live with his band . His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname `` Ol' Blue Eyes '' . Sinatra led a colorful personal life , and was often involved in turbulent affairs with women , such as with his second wife Ava Gardner . He went on to marry Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976 . Sinatra had several violent confrontations , usually with journalists he felt had crossed him , or work bosses with whom he had disagreements . He was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983 , was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985 , and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997 . Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards , including the Grammy Trustees Award , Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . After his death , American music critic Robert Christgau called him `` the greatest singer of the 20th century '' , and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure .


De Profundis was written to a translator.

Lord Alfred Douglas Lord Alfred Bruce Douglas ( 22 October 187020 March 1945 ) , nicknamed Bosie , was a British author , poet , translator , and political commentator , better known as the friend and lover of Oscar Wilde . Much of his early poetry was Uranian in theme , though he tended , later in life , to distance himself from both Wilde 's influence and his own role as a Uranian poet . Politically he would describe himself as `` a strong Conservative of the ` Diehard ' variety '' .


De Profundis (letter) De Profundis ( Latin : `` from the depths '' ) is a letter written by Oscar Wilde during his imprisonment in Reading Gaol , to `` Bosie '' ( Lord Alfred Douglas ) .   In its first half Wilde recounts their previous relationship and extravagant lifestyle which eventually led to Wilde 's conviction and imprisonment for gross indecency . He indicts both Lord Alfred 's vanity and his own weakness in acceding to those wishes . In the second half , Wilde charts his spiritual development in prison and identification with Jesus Christ , whom he characterises as a romantic , individualist artist . The letter began `` Dear Bosie '' and ended `` Your Affectionate Friend '' .   Wilde wrote the letter between January and March 1897 , close to the end of his imprisonment . Contact had lapsed between Douglas and Wilde and the latter had suffered from his close supervision , physical labour and emotional isolation . Nelson , the new prison governor , thought that writing might be more cathartic than prison labour . He was not allowed to send the long letter which he was allowed to write `` for medicinal purposes '' ; each page was taken away when completed , and only at the end could he read it over and make revisions . Nelson gave the long letter to him on his release on 18 May 1897 .   Wilde entrusted the manuscript to the journalist Robert Ross ( another former lover , loyal friend and rival to `` Bosie '' ) . Ross published the letter in 1905 , five years after Wilde 's death , giving it the title `` De Profundis '' from Psalm 130 . It was an incomplete version , excised of its autobiographical elements and references to the Queensberry family ; various editions gave more text until in 1962 the complete and correct version appeared in a volume of Wilde 's letters .


Albania is a founding member of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

Albania Albania ( -LSB- ælˈbeɪniə , _ ɔːl - -RSB- , ; Shqipëri / Shqipëria Shqipni/Shqipnia or Shqypni/Shqypnia ) , officially the Republic of Albania ( Republika e Shqipërisë , -LSB- ɾɛpuˈblika ɛ ʃcipəˈɾiːsə -RSB- ) , is a country in Southeastern Europe . Albania spans 28,748 km2 and had a total population of almost 3 million people .   It is a unitary parliamentary constitutional republic with the capital in Tirana , the country 's largest city and main economic and commercial centre , followed by Durrës and Vlorë . It is located in the south-western part of the Balkan peninsula , bordered by Montenegro to the northwest , Kosovo to the northeast , the Republic of Macedonia to the east , and Greece to the south and southeast . The country has a coastline on the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea , the Adriatic Sea to the west and the Ionian Sea to the southwest where the Albanian Riviera begins . Albania is less than 72 km from Italy , across the Strait of Otranto which connects the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea .   During the classical times , the modern area of Albania was home to several Illyrian , Thracian and Greek tribes , as well as several Greek colonies established on the Illyrian coast . In the 3rd century BC , the area was annexed by Rome and became part of the Roman provinces of Dalmatia , Macedonia and Moesia Superior . In 1190 , the first Albanian entity , the Principality of Arbanon was established by archon Progon in the region of Krujë , within the Byzantine Empire . The territory of Albania was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century , of which it remained part of for the next five centuries . After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in Europe , following the Balkan Wars , Albania declared its independence in 1912 and was recognized the following year . The Kingdom of Albania was invaded by Italy in 1939 , which formed Greater Albania , before becoming a Nazi German protectorate in 1943 . The following year , a socialist People 's Republic was established under the leadership of Enver Hoxha and the Party of Labour . Albania experienced widespread social and political transformations in the communist era , as well as isolation from much of the international community . In 1991 , the Socialist Republic was dissolved and the Republic of Albania was established .   Albania is a democratic and developing country with an upper-middle income economy . The service sector dominates the country 's economy , followed by the industrial and agriculture sector . After the fall of communism in Albania , free-market reforms have opened the country to foreign investment , especially in the development of energy and transportation infrastructure . Albania has a high HDI and provides universal health care system and free primary and secondary education to its citizens .   Albania is a member of the United Nations , NATO , WTO , World Bank , the Council of Europe , the OSCE , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . It is also an official candidate for membership in the European Union . Albania is one of the founding members of the Energy Community , Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and the Union for the Mediterranean . It is home to the largest lake in Southern Europe and one of the oldest lakes in Europe .


X-Men (film) has a cast name Hugh Jackman.

X-Men (film) X-Men is a 2000 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the X-Men film series , followed by X2 in 2003 and X-Men : The Last Stand in 2006 . The film , directed by Bryan Singer and written by David Hayter , features an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Halle Berry , Famke Janssen , James Marsden , Bruce Davison , Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , Ray Park , Tyler Mane , and Anna Paquin . It depicts a world in which a small proportion of people are mutants , whose possession of superhuman powers makes them distrusted by normal humans . The film focuses on the mutants Wolverine and Rogue as they are brought into a conflict between two groups that have radically different approaches to bringing about the acceptance of mutant-kind : Professor Xavier 's X-Men , and the Brotherhood of Mutants , led by Magneto .   Development for X-Men began as far back as 1984 with Orion Pictures . At one point James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were in discussions . The film rights went to 20th Century Fox in 1994 and various scripts and film treatments were commissioned from Andrew Kevin Walker , John Logan , Joss Whedon , and Michael Chabon . Singer signed to direct in 1996 , with further rewrites by Ed Solomon , Singer , Tom DeSanto , Christopher McQuarrie and Hayter in which Beast and Nightcrawler were deleted over budget concerns from Fox . X-Men marks the Hollywood debut of actor Hugh Jackman , who was a last-second choice for Wolverine , cast three weeks into filming . Filming took place from September 22 , 1999 to March 3 , 2000 , primarily in Toronto . X-Men was released to positive reviews and was a financial success , starting the X-Men film franchise and spawning a reemergence of superhero films .


Sanjay Gupta was an advisor to Hillary Clinton as a White House Fellow.

Sanjay Gupta Sanjay Gupta ( -LSB- ˈsɑːndʒeɪ_ˈɡuːptə -RSB- ; born October 23 , 1969 ) is an American neurosurgeon and media reporter . He serves as associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta , Georgia , and as assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine .   A media personality on health-related issues , he is best known as CNN 's multiple Emmy Award-winning chief medical correspondent , hosting the network 's weekend health program Sanjay Gupta , M.D. , and making frequent appearances on their American Morning , Larry King Live and Anderson Cooper 360 ° programs . His reports from Charity Hospital , New Orleans , Louisiana , in the wake of Hurricane Katrina led to him winning a 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast . Additionally , Gupta publishes a column in Time magazine and is a special correspondent for CBS News . His books Chasing Life and Cheating Death were New York Times and national bestsellers . His latest book , Monday Mornings , a novel , was released in March 2012 and became an instant New York Times bestseller . It was adapted as a 2013 television series with David E. Kelley and Gupta serving as executive producers .   From 1997 to 1998 , he served as one of fifteen White House Fellows , primarily as an advisor to Hillary Clinton . In January 2009 , it was reported that Gupta was offered the position of Surgeon General of the United States in the Obama administration , but he withdrew his name from consideration . In January 2011 , he was named `` one of the 10 most influential celebrities '' by Forbes magazine .


Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan ( born February 17 , 1963 ) , also known by his initials , MJ , is an American retired professional basketball player , businessman , and principal owner and chairman of the Charlotte Hornets . Jordan played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards . His biography on the NBA website states : `` By acclamation , Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time . '' Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed athletes of his generation and was considered instrumental in popularizing the NBA around the world in the 1980s and 1990s .   Jordan played three seasons for coach Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina . As a freshman , he was a member of the Tar Heels ' national championship team in 1982 . Jordan joined the Bulls in 1984 as the third overall draft pick . He quickly emerged as a league star , entertaining crowds with his prolific scoring . His leaping ability , demonstrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests , earned him the nicknames Air Jordan and His Airness . He also gained a reputation for being one of the best defensive players in basketball . In 1991 , he won his first NBA championship with the Bulls , and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993 , securing a `` three-peat '' . Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball before the beginning of the 1993 -- 94 NBA season to pursue a new venture in minor league baseball , he returned to the Bulls in March 1995 and led them to three additional championships in 1996 , 1997 , and 1998 , as well as a then-record 72 regular-season wins in the 1995 -- 96 NBA season . Jordan retired for a second time in January 1999 , but returned for two more NBA seasons from 2001 to 2003 as a member of the Wizards .   Jordan 's individual accolades and accomplishments include five Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten All-NBA First Team designations , nine All-Defensive First Team honors , fourteen NBA All-Star Game appearances , three All-Star Game MVP Awards , ten scoring titles , three steals titles , six NBA Finals MVP Awards , and the 1988 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award . Among his numerous accomplishments , Jordan holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average ( 30.12 points per game ) and highest career playoff scoring average ( 33.45 points per game ) . In 1999 , he was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN , and was second to Babe Ruth on the Associated Press 's list of athletes of the century . Jordan is a two-time inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame , having been enshrined in 2009 for his individual career , and again in 2010 as part of the group induction of the 1992 United States men 's Olympic basketball team ( `` The Dream Team '' ) . He became a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015 .   Jordan is also known for his product endorsements . He fueled the success of Nike 's Air Jordan sneakers , which were introduced in 1985 and remain popular today . Jordan also starred in the 1996 feature film Space Jam as himself . In 2006 , he became part-owner and head of basketball operations for the then-Charlotte Bobcats , buying a controlling interest in 2010 . In 2015 , Jordan became the first billionaire NBA player in history as a result of the increase in value of NBA franchises . He is the third-richest African-American , behind Oprah Winfrey and Robert F. Smith .


Imagine Dragons have a song called Night Visions.

UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart ( currently called the Official Albums Chart ) is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and ( from March 2015 ) audio streaming in the United Kingdom . It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts Company ( OCC ) on Fridays ( previously Sundays ) . It is broadcast on BBC Radio 1 ( top 5 ) and published in Music Week magazine ( top 75 ) , and on the OCC website ( top 100 ) .   To qualify for the Official Albums Chart the album must be the correct length and price . It must be more than three tracks or 20 minutes long and not be classed as a budget album . A budget album costs between # 0.50 and # 3.75 . Additionally , various artist compilations -- which until January 1989 were included in the main album listing -- are now listed separately in a compilations chart . Full details of the rules can be found on the OCC website .   According to the canon of the OCC , the official British albums chart was the Melody Maker chart from 8 November 1958 to March 1960 ( although the Record Mirror published charts from 22 July 1956 ) ; the Record Retailer chart from 1960 to 1969 ; and the Official Albums Chart from 1969 on . In the 1970s the new album chart was revealed at 12:45 pm on Thursdays on BBC Radio 1 , and then moved to 6:05 pm ( later 6:30 pm ) on Wednesday evenings during the Peter Powell and Bruno Brookes shows . In October 1987 it moved to Monday lunchtimes , during the Gary Davies show , and from April to October 1993 it briefly had its own show from 7:00 -- 8:00 pm on Sunday evenings , introduced by Lynn Parsons . Since October 1993 it has been included in The Official Chart show from 4:00 -- 5:45 pm on Fridays ( previously from 4:00 -- 7:00 pm on Sundays ) . A weekly ` Album Chart ' show was licensed out to BBC Radio 2 and presented by Simon Mayo , until it ended on 2 April 2007 .   Though album sales tend to produce more revenue and , over time , act as a greater measure of an artist 's success , this chart receives less media attention than the UK Singles Chart , because overall sales of an album are more important than its peak position . 2005 saw a record number of artist album sales with 126.2 million sold in the UK . In February 2015 , it was announced that , due to the falling sales of albums and rise in popularity of audio streaming , the Official Albums Chart would begin including streaming data from March 2015 . Under the revised methodology , the Official Charts Company takes the 12 most streamed tracks from one album , with the top-two songs being down-weighted in line with the average of the rest . The total of these streams is divided by 1000 and added to the pure sales of the album . This calculation was designed to ensure that the chart rundown continues to reflect the popularity of the albums themselves , rather than just the performance of one or two smash hit singles . The final number one album on the UK Albums Chart to be based purely on sales alone was Smoke + Mirrors by Imagine Dragons . On 1 March 2015 , In the Lonely Hour by Sam Smith became the first album to top the new streaming-incorporated Official Albums Chart .


Night Visions Night Visions is the debut studio album by American rock band Imagine Dragons . It was released on September 4 , 2012 , through KIDinaKORNER and Interscope Records . The extended track was released on February 12 , 2013 , adding three more songs . Recorded between 2010 and 2012 , the album was primarily produced by the band themselves , as well as English hip-hop producer Alex da Kid and Brandon Darner from the American indie rock group The Envy Corps . It was mastered by Joe LaPorta . According to frontman Dan Reynolds , the album took three years to finish , with six of the album 's tracks being previously released on multiple EPs . Musically , Night Visions exhibits influences of folk , hip hop and pop .   The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics upon release . However it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the United States , selling more than 83,000 copies within its first week where it has since been certified double Platinum . It also peaked at the summit of the Billboard Alternative Albums and Rock Albums charts , as well as in the top ten albums in Australia , Austria , Canada , Germany , Ireland , Mexico , Netherlands , New Zealand , Norway , Portugal , Sweden , Switzerland , and United Kingdom . Night Visions appeared in the Billboard 200 top 10 in 2012 , 2013 , and 2014 . The album became the fourth best-selling album of 2013 in the US . It was nominated for the Juno Award for International Album of the Year ( 2014 ) and won the Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Album ( 2014 ) .


Imagine Dragons Imagine Dragons is an American rock band from Las Vegas , Nevada , consisting of lead vocalist Dan Reynolds , lead guitarist Wayne Sermon , bassist Ben McKee , and drummer Daniel Platzman . The band first gained exposure in 2012 with the releases of their debut studio album Night Visions and its first single `` It 's Time '' . Billboard placed them at the top of their `` Year In Rock '' rankings for 2013 , and named them their `` Breakthrough Band of 2013 '' . Rolling Stone named their single `` Radioactive '' from Night Visions the `` biggest rock hit of the year '' , and MTV called them `` the year 's biggest breakout band '' . Night Visions peaked at number two on the weekly US Billboard 200 chart and the UK Albums Chart . The band 's second studio album Smoke + Mirrors was released in 2015 , and reached number one in the US , Canada and the UK .   Imagine Dragons has won two American Music Awards for Favorite Alternative Artist , a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance , five Billboard Music Awards , and a World Music Award . In May 2014 , the band was nominated for a total of fourteen different Billboard Music Awards , including Top Artist of the Year and a Milestone Award , which recognizes innovation and creativity of artists across different genres . As of January 2017 , Imagine Dragons have sold 9 million albums and 27 million singles worldwide .


The Berlin Wall was not the same length as the inner German border.

Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall ( Berliner Mauer ) was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989 . Constructed by the German Democratic Republic ( GDR , East Germany ) , starting on 13 August 1961 , the Wall completely cut off ( by land ) West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin until government officials opened it in November 1989 . Its demolition officially began on 13 June 1990 and was completed in 1992 . The barrier included guard towers placed along large concrete walls , which circumscribed a wide area ( later known as the `` death strip '' ) that contained anti-vehicle trenches , `` fakir beds '' and other defenses . The Eastern Bloc claimed that the Wall was erected to protect its population from fascist elements conspiring to prevent the `` will of the people '' in building a socialist state in East Germany . In practice , the Wall served to prevent the massive emigration and defection that had marked East Germany and the communist Eastern Bloc during the post-World War II period .   The Berlin Wall was officially referred to as the Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart ( Antifaschistischer Schutzwall ) by GDR authorities , implying that the NATO countries and West Germany in particular were considered equal to fascists . The West Berlin city government sometimes referred to it as the `` Wall of Shame '' , a term coined by mayor Willy Brandt in reference to the Wall 's restriction on freedom of movement . Along with the separate and much longer Inner German border ( IGB ) , which demarcated the border between East and West Germany , it came to symbolize a physical marker of the `` Iron Curtain '' that separated Western Europe and the Eastern Bloc during the Cold War .   Before the Wall 's erection , 3.5 million East Germans circumvented Eastern Bloc emigration restrictions and defected from the GDR , many by crossing over the border from East Berlin into West Berlin ; from which they could then travel to West Germany and other Western European countries . Between 1961 and 1989 , the Wall prevented almost all such emigration . During this period , around 5,000 people attempted to escape over the Wall , with an estimated death toll ranging from 136 to more than 200 in and around Berlin .   In 1989 , a series of revolutions in nearby Eastern Bloc countries -- Poland and Hungary in particular -- caused a chain reaction in East Germany that ultimately resulted in the demise of the Wall . After several weeks of civil unrest , the East German government announced on 9 November 1989 that all GDR citizens could visit West Germany and West Berlin . Crowds of East Germans crossed and climbed onto the Wall , joined by West Germans on the other side in a celebratory atmosphere . Over the next few weeks , euphoric people and souvenir hunters chipped away parts of the Wall ; the governments later used industrial equipment to remove most of what was left . Contrary to popular belief the Wall 's actual demolition did not begin until the summer of 1990 and was not completed until 1992 . The fall of the Berlin Wall paved the way for German reunification , which was formally concluded on 3 October 1990 .


Evan Rachel Wood began singing in the 1990s.

Evan Rachel Wood Evan Rachel Wood ( born September 7 , 1987 ) is an American actress and musician . She began acting in the 1990s , appearing in several television series , including American Gothic ( 1995 -- 96 ) and Once and Again ( 1999 -- 2002 ) . Wood made her debut as a leading film actress at the age of eleven in Digging to China ( 1998 ) and garnered acclaim for her Golden Globe-nominated role as the troubled , drug-addicted teenager Tracy Freeland in the teen drama film Thirteen ( 2003 ) .   Wood continued acting mostly in independent films , including Pretty Persuasion ( 2005 ) , Down in the Valley ( 2006 ) , Running with Scissors ( 2006 ) , and in the big studio production Across the Universe ( 2007 ) . Since 2008 , Wood has appeared in more mainstream films , including The Wrestler ( 2008 ) , Whatever Works ( 2009 ) and The Ides of March ( 2011 ) . She has also returned to television , playing the supporting role of Queen Sophie-Anne on True Blood from 2009 to 2011 and playing Kate Winslet 's character 's daughter in the HBO miniseries Mildred Pierce ( 2011 ) , a role for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe and Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress . As of 2016 , she plays the sentient android Dolores Abernathy in the HBO television series Westworld , for which she won a Critics ' Choice Award and earned a Golden Globe nomination .   Her personal life , particularly her relationship with Marilyn Manson , to whom she was previously engaged , has attracted press attention . In 2012 , she married English actor Jamie Bell , with whom she has one son . They separated in 2014 after two years of marriage .


Raggedy Ann is a character from a series of books.

Raggedy Ann Raggedy Ann is a character created by American writer Johnny Gruelle ( 1880 -- 1938 ) in a series of books he wrote and illustrated for young children . Raggedy Ann is a rag doll with red yarn for hair and has a triangle nose . Johnny Gruelle received US Patent D47789 for his Raggedy Ann doll on September 7 , 1915 . The character was created in 1915 as a doll , and was introduced to the public in the 1918 book Raggedy Ann Stories . When a doll was marketed with the book , the concept had great success . A sequel , Raggedy Andy Stories ( 1920 ) , introduced the character of her brother , Raggedy Andy .


Mel Gibson Mel Colmcille Gerard Gibson ( born January 3 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He was born in Peekskill , New York , and moved with his parents to Sydney , Australia , when he was 12 years old .   Gibson is best known as an action hero , for roles such as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon buddy cop film series , and Max Rockatansky in the first three films in the Mad Max post-apocalyptic action series .   He studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art . During the 1980s , he founded Icon Entertainment , a production company which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called , `` an alternative to the studio system '' . Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed World War I drama Gallipoli ( 1981 ) , which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute . The film also helped to earn Gibson the reputation of a serious , versatile actor .   Gibson produced , directed , and starred in the epic historical drama film Braveheart ( 1995 ) , for which he won the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Director , along with the Academy Award for Best Picture . He later directed and produced the financially successful and controversial , biblical drama film The Passion of the Christ ( 2004 ) . He received further critical notice for his directorial work of the action-adventure film Apocalypto ( 2006 ) , which is set in Mesoamerica during the early 16th century . After a 10-year hiatus from directing , Gibson returned with the critically praised and financially successful Hacksaw Ridge ( 2016 ) , which won the Academy Awards for Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing and earned Gibson his second nomination for Best Director .


Erich von Manstein Fritz Erich Georg Eduard von Lewinski , known as Erich von Manstein ( 24 November 1887 -- 9 June 1973 ) , was a German commander of the Wehrmacht , Nazi Germany 's armed forces during the Second World War . He attained the rank of field marshal .   Born into an aristocratic Prussian family with a long history of military service , Manstein joined the army at a young age and saw service on Western Front and Eastern Front during the First World War ( 1914 -- 18 ) . He rose to the rank of captain by the end of the war and was active in the inter-war period helping Germany rebuild her armed forces . In September 1939 , during the invasion of Poland at the beginning of the Second World War , he was serving as Chief of Staff to Gerd von Rundstedt 's Army Group South . Adolf Hitler chose Manstein 's strategy for the invasion of France of May 1940 , a plan later refined by Franz Halder and other members of the OKH . Anticipating a firm Allied reaction should the main thrust of the invasion take place through the Netherlands , Manstein devised an innovative operation -- later known as the Sichelschnitt ( `` sickle cut '' ) -- that called for an attack through the woods of the Ardennes and a rapid drive to the English Channel , thus cutting off the French and Allied armies in Belgium and Flanders . Attaining the rank of general at the end of the campaign , he was active in the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941 and the Siege of Sevastopol ( 1941 -- 1942 ) , and was promoted to field marshal on 1 July 1942 . He also participated in the Siege of Leningrad .   Germany 's fortunes in the war began to take an unfavourable turn later in 1942 , especially in the catastrophic Battle of Stalingrad , where Manstein commanded a failed relief effort ( `` Operation Winter Storm '' ) in December . Later known as the `` backhand blow '' , Manstein 's counteroffensive in the Third Battle of Kharkov ( February -- March 1943 ) regained substantial territory and resulted in the destruction of three Soviet armies and the retreat of three others . He was one of the primary commanders at the Battle of Kursk ( July -- August 1943 ) , one of the largest tank battles in history . His ongoing disagreements with Hitler over the conduct of the war led to his dismissal in March 1944 . He never obtained another command and was taken prisoner by the British in August 1945 , several months after Germany 's defeat .   Manstein gave testimony at the main Nuremberg trials of war criminals in August 1946 , and prepared a paper that , along with his later memoirs , helped cultivate the myth of a `` clean Wehrmacht '' -- the myth that the German armed forces were not culpable for the atrocities of the Holocaust . In 1949 he was tried in Hamburg for war crimes and was convicted on nine of seventeen counts , including the poor treatment of prisoners of war and failing to protect civilian lives in his sphere of operations . His sentence of eighteen years in prison was later reduced to twelve , and he served only four years before being released in 1953 . As a military advisor to the West German government in the mid-1950s , he helped re-establish the armed forces . His memoir , Verlorene Siege ( 1955 ) , translated into English as Lost Victories , was highly critical of Hitler 's leadership , and only dealt with the military aspects of the war , ignoring its political and ethical contexts . Manstein died in Munich in 1973 .


Kurt Sutter Kurt Leon Sutter ( born May 5 , 1960 ) is an American screenwriter , director , producer , and actor . He worked as a producer , writer , and director on The Shield , and appeared on the show as hitman Margos Dezerian . Sutter is also the creator of Sons of Anarchy on FX ; he wrote , produced , and directed the series , as well as played incarcerated club member Otto Delaney . Sutter spent time with members of an outlaw motorcycle club in Northern California as research for Sons of Anarchy . Sutter 's wife , actress Katey Sagal , was one of the show 's lead actresses .


Saved (play) Saved is a play by Edward Bond which premiered at the Royal Court Theatre , London in November 1965 .   The play itself is set in London during the 1960s . Its subject is the cultural poverty and frustration of a generation of young people on the dole and living on council estates . In response to the censorship of the play , Laurence Olivier wrote a letter to The Observer , saying that : `` Saved is not a play for children but it is for grown-ups , and the grown-ups of this country should have the courage to look at it . '' U.S. novelist Mary McCarthy praised its `` remarkable delicacy '' .   Saved was originally refused a licence without severe cuts by the Lord Chamberlain . When it was performed to large private audiences , the Lord Chamberlain decided to prosecute those who were involved in the production of the play . Although the defendants pleaded guilty and were fined , the case reflected badly on the censorship office and was pivotal in the abolition of theatre censorship a few years later in 1968 .   The original cast included John Castle , Tony Selby , Ronald Pickup , Dennis Waterman , William Stewart , Barbara Ferris , Lucy Fleming , Gwen Nelson and Alison Fraser . The creative team included : director William Gaskill and lighting by Eric Baker .   In February 1969 , after the abolition of censorship in the 1968 Theatres Act , Saved was given its first full public run at the Royal Court Theatre in London . The revival cast included : Malcolm Tierney ( as Len ) , Kenneth Cranham ( as Fred ) , Patricia Franklin ( as Pam ) , Queenie Watts ( as Mary ) , Tom Chadbon , Peter Blythe and William Gaskill was the director .   The play is rarely revived , though its theme of social disenfranchisement is seen by Bond as very relevant to the present day . In October 2011 , the play was revived in London for the first time in 27 years , at the Lyric Hammersmith , directed by Sean Holmes .


Muhammad Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd AllāhFull name : Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim ( ابو القاسم محمد ابن عبد الله ابن عبد المطلب ابن هاشم , lit : Father of Qasim Muhammad son of Abd Allah son of Abdul-Muttalib son of Hashim ) ( محمد -LSB- muħammad -RSB- ; Classical Arabic pronunciation c. 570 CE -- 8 June 632 CE ) is the prophet of Islam and widely identified as its founder by non-Muslims . According to Islamic doctrine , he was God 's Messenger ( rasūl Allāh ) sent to confirm the essential teachings of monotheism preached previously by Adam , Abraham , Moses , Jesus , and other prophets . He is viewed as the final prophet of God in primary branches of Islam , though some modern denominations diverge from this belief.The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community considers Muhammad to be the `` Seal of the Prophets '' ( Khātam an-Nabiyyīn ) and the last law-bearing Prophet but not the last Prophet . See :   There are also smaller sects which believe Muhammad to be not the last Prophet :  The Nation of Islam considers Elijah Muhammad to be a prophet ( source : African American Religious Leaders -- p. 76 , Jim Haskins , Kathleen Benson -- 2008 ) .  United Submitters International consider Rashad Khalifa to be a prophet . ( Source : Daniel Pipes , Miniatures : Views of Islamic and Middle Eastern Politics , p. 98 ( 2004 ) ) Muhammad united Arabia into a single Muslim polity and ensured that his teachings , practices , and the Quran , formed the basis of Islamic religious belief .   Born approximately 570CE ( Year of the Elephant ) in the Arabian city of Mecca , Muhammad was orphaned at an early age ; he was raised under the care of his paternal uncle Abu Talib . Periodically , he would seclude himself in a mountain cave named Hira for several nights of prayer ; later , at age 40 , he reported being visited by Gabriel in the cave , where he stated he received his first revelation from God . Three years later , in 610 , Muhammad started preaching these revelations publicly , proclaiming that `` God is One '' , that complete `` surrender '' ( lit . islām ) to him is the right course of action ( dīn ) , and that he was a prophet and messenger of God , similar to the other prophets in Islam .   Muhammad gained few early followers , and met hostility from some Meccan tribes . To escape persecution , Muhammad sent some followers to Abyssinia before he and his followers migrated from Mecca to Medina ( then known as Yathrib ) in the year 622 . This event , the Hijra , marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar , also known as the Hijri Calendar . In Medina , Muhammad united the tribes under the Constitution of Medina . In December 629 , after eight years of intermittent conflict with Meccan tribes , Muhammad gathered an army of 10,000 Muslim converts and marched on the city of Mecca . The attack went largely uncontested and Muhammad seized the city with little bloodshed . In 632 , a few months after returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage , he fell ill and died . Before his death , most of the Arabian Peninsula had converted to Islam .   The revelations ( each known as Ayah , lit . `` Sign -LSB- of God -RSB- '' ) , which Muhammad reported receiving until his death , form the verses of the Quran , regarded by Muslims as the `` Word of God '' and around which the religion is based . Besides the Quran , Muhammad 's teachings and practices ( sunnah ) , found in the Hadith and sira literature , are also upheld by Muslims and used as sources of Islamic law ( see Sharia ) .


Her (film) Her is a 2013 American romantic science-fiction drama film written , directed , and produced by Spike Jonze . It marks Jonze 's solo screenwriting debut . The film follows Theodore Twombly ( Joaquin Phoenix ) , a man who develops a relationship with Samantha ( Scarlett Johansson ) , an intelligent computer operating system personified through a female voice . The film also stars Amy Adams , Rooney Mara , and Olivia Wilde .   Jonze conceived the idea in the early 2000s after reading an article about a website that allowed for instant messaging with an artificial intelligence program . After making I 'm Here ( 2010 ) , a short film sharing similar themes , Jonze returned to the idea . He wrote the first draft of the script in five months . Principal photography took place in Los Angeles and Shanghai in mid-2012 . The role of Samantha was recast in post-production , with Samantha Morton being replaced with Johansson . Additional scenes were filmed in August 2013 following the casting change .   Her premiered at the 2013 New York Film Festival on October 12 , 2013 . Warner Bros. initially provided a limited release for Her at six theaters on December 18 . It was later given a wide release at over 1,700 theaters in the United States and Canada on January 10 , 2014 . Her received widespread critical acclaim upon its release , and grossed over $ 47 million worldwide on a production budget of $ 23 million . The film received numerous awards and nominations , primarily for Jonze 's screenplay . At the 86th Academy Awards , Her received five nominations , including Best Picture , and won the award for Best Original Screenplay . Jonze also won awards for his screenplay at the 71st Golden Globe Awards , the 66th Writers Guild of America Awards , the 19th Critics ' Choice Awards , and the 40th Saturn Awards .


Gold Gold is a chemical element with symbol Au ( from aurum ) and atomic number 79 . In its purest form , it is a bright , slightly reddish yellow , dense , soft , malleable , and ductile metal . Chemically , gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element . It is one of the least reactive chemical elements and is solid under standard conditions . Gold often occurs in free elemental ( native ) form , as nuggets or grains , in rocks , in veins , and in alluvial deposits . It occurs in a solid solution series with the native element silver ( as electrum ) and also naturally alloyed with copper and palladium . Less commonly , it occurs in minerals as gold compounds , often with tellurium ( gold tellurides ) .   Gold 's atomic number of 79 makes it one of the higher numbered , naturally occurring elements . It is thought to have been produced in supernova nucleosynthesis , from the collision of neutron stars , and to have been present in the dust from which the Solar System formed . Because the Earth was molten when it was formed , almost all of the gold present in the early Earth probably sank into the planetary core . Therefore , most of the gold that is present today in the Earth 's crust and mantle is thought to have been delivered to Earth later , by asteroid impacts during the Late Heavy Bombardment , about 4 billion years ago .   Gold is resistant to most acids , though it does dissolve in aqua regia , a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid , which forms a soluble tetrachloroaurate anion . Gold is insoluble in nitric acid , which dissolves silver and base metals , a property that has long been used to refine gold and to confirm the presence of gold in metallic objects , giving rise to the term acid test . Gold also dissolves in alkaline solutions of cyanide , which are used in mining and electroplating . Gold dissolves in mercury , forming amalgam alloys , but this is not a chemical reaction .   Historically , the value of gold was rooted in its relative rarity , easy handling and minting , easy smelting and fabrication , resistance to corrosion and other chemical reactions ( nobility ) and its distinctive color . As a precious metal , gold has been used for coinage , jewelry , and other arts throughout recorded history . In the past , a gold standard was often implemented as a monetary policy , but gold coins ceased to be minted as a circulating currency in the 1930s , and the world gold standard was abandoned for a fiat currency system after 1976 .   A total of 186,700 tonnes of gold is in existence above ground , as of 2015 . The world consumption of new gold produced is about 50 % in jewelry , 40 % in investments , and 10 % in industry . Gold 's high malleability , ductility , resistance to corrosion and most other chemical reactions , and conductivity of electricity have led to its continued use in corrosion resistant electrical connectors in all types of computerized devices ( its chief industrial use ) . Gold is also used in infrared shielding , colored-glass production , gold leafing , and tooth restoration . Certain gold salts are still used as anti-inflammatories in medicine . As of 2014 , the world 's largest gold producer by far was China with 450 tonnes .


X-Men (film) was written by J.K. Rowling only.

X-Men (film) X-Men is a 2000 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , distributed by 20th Century Fox . It is the first installment in the X-Men film series , followed by X2 in 2003 and X-Men : The Last Stand in 2006 . The film , directed by Bryan Singer and written by David Hayter , features an ensemble cast that includes Hugh Jackman , Patrick Stewart , Ian McKellen , Halle Berry , Famke Janssen , James Marsden , Bruce Davison , Rebecca Romijn-Stamos , Ray Park , Tyler Mane , and Anna Paquin . It depicts a world in which a small proportion of people are mutants , whose possession of superhuman powers makes them distrusted by normal humans . The film focuses on the mutants Wolverine and Rogue as they are brought into a conflict between two groups that have radically different approaches to bringing about the acceptance of mutant-kind : Professor Xavier 's X-Men , and the Brotherhood of Mutants , led by Magneto .   Development for X-Men began as far back as 1984 with Orion Pictures . At one point James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow were in discussions . The film rights went to 20th Century Fox in 1994 and various scripts and film treatments were commissioned from Andrew Kevin Walker , John Logan , Joss Whedon , and Michael Chabon . Singer signed to direct in 1996 , with further rewrites by Ed Solomon , Singer , Tom DeSanto , Christopher McQuarrie and Hayter in which Beast and Nightcrawler were deleted over budget concerns from Fox . X-Men marks the Hollywood debut of actor Hugh Jackman , who was a last-second choice for Wolverine , cast three weeks into filming . Filming took place from September 22 , 1999 to March 3 , 2000 , primarily in Toronto . X-Men was released to positive reviews and was a financial success , starting the X-Men film franchise and spawning a reemergence of superhero films .


Trent Reznor Michael Trent Reznor ( born May 17 , 1965 ) , known professionally as Trent Reznor , is an American singer , songwriter , musician , record producer , and film score composer .   As a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist , Reznor is best known as the founder and principal songwriter of industrial rock project Nine Inch Nails . His first release under this pseudonym , the 1989 album Pretty Hate Machine , was a commercial and critical success . He has since released eight studio albums . He left Interscope Records in 2007 and was an independent recording artist until signing with Columbia Records in 2012 .   Reznor was associated with the bands Option 30 , The Urge , The Innocent , and Exotic Birds in the mid-1980s . Outside of Nine Inch Nails , he has contributed to the albums of artists such as Marilyn Manson and Saul Williams . He and his wife , Mariqueen Maandig , are members of the post-industrial group How to Destroy Angels , alongside Reznor 's fellow composer Atticus Ross and long-time Nine Inch Nails graphic designer Rob Sheridan .   Reznor and Ross scored the David Fincher films The Social Network ( 2010 ) , The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo ( 2011 ) , and Gone Girl ( 2014 ) , winning the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Social Network and the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo . In 1997 , Reznor appeared in Time list of the year 's most influential people , while Spin magazine has described him as `` the most vital artist in music '' .