Devil Without a Cause Devil Without a Cause is the fourth studio album by Kid Rock , released on August 18 , 1998 . The album was produced by Kid Rock with John Travis . It is Kid Rock 's last album to be categorized as `` hip hop '' before crossing over to more traditional rock music . AllMusic labeled the album as a `` rap-rock masterpiece '' .   The album was certified 11 × Platinum by the RIAA by April 2003 . It is Kid Rock 's best-selling album , and as of 2015 it has sold 9,500,000 plus copies in the United States , according to Nielsen soundscan . ( RIAA is units shipped , Soundscan is units scanned )   Initially , Atlantic Records was not sold on the idea of signing Kid Rock based on the strength of his material . Kid Rock then entered the studio and cut a two-song demo tape featuring `` Somebody 's Got ta Feel This '' , a punk rock song with a southern rock chorus and `` I Got One for Ya '' a blues song with Robert Bradley . Jason Flom immediately signed him and the band for $ 100,000 after hearing the tracks .   The song `` Bawitdaba '' which blended hard rock and hip hop helped increase the popularity of nu/rap metal along with the bands Limp Bizkit and Korn . This led to the success of new groups like Linkin Park , P.O.D. , Papa Roach and Saliva . `` Cowboy '' also aided in ushering in the then-new genre `` country rap '' or `` hick hop '' . The song has gone on to influence Toby Keith , Blake Shelton , Trace Adkins , Big & Rich , Uncle Kracker , Gretchen Wilson , Jason Aldean , Brantley Gilbert , Eric Church , Rehab , Moonshine Bandits and Colt Ford .   Originally `` Cowboy '' , `` Devil Without a Cause '' and `` Only God Knows Why '' were rejected by Atlantic Records . The label did not understand a rap song about a cowboy and wanted him to take the `` I 'm going platinum '' line out of the title track , because at that point , his albums had gone nowhere . `` Only God Knows Why '' was too country ; they wanted a pure rock album . Rock wrote the first four lines of the song in jail after being arrested for a bar fight he got into while celebrating being signed to Atlantic . The song `` Wasting Time '' documented his frustrations with the label after he developed writer 's block . Because of this he brought back four old tracks -- `` I Am the Bullgod '' from 1993 's Fire It Up EP ; `` Roving Gangster ( Rollin ) '' , a demo left off Early Mornin ' Stoned Pimp ; as well as `` Where U at Rock '' and `` Black Chick , White Guy '' off EMSP . The album got its first exposure on the video game Road Rash 3D ; it used `` Somebody 's Got ta Feel This '' .


Brigitte Macron Brigitte Marie-Claude Macron ( -LSB- bri.ʒit ma.ʁi klodə ma.kʁɔ -RSB- ; née Trogneux , -LSB- tʁɔ.ɲø -RSB- , previously Auzière , -LSB- o.zjɛːʁ -RSB- ; born 13 April 1953 ) is a high-school teacher and the wife of Emmanuel Macron , the President of the French Republic . , Brigitte Macron teaches literature at the élite lycée Saint-Louis de Gonzague in Paris .


The Wachowskis Lana Wachowski ( formerly Laurence `` Larry '' Wachowski , born June 21 , 1965 ) and Lilly Wachowski ( formerly Andrew Paul `` Andy '' Wachowski , born December 29 , 1967 ) are American film directors , screenwriters , and producers . They are siblings , and are both trans women . Collectively known as The Wachowskis and formerly as The Wachowski Brothers , the pair made their directing debut in 1996 with Bound , and reached fame with their second film The Matrix ( 1999 ) , a major box office success for which they won the Saturn Award for Best Director . They wrote and directed its two sequels : The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions ( both in 2003 ) , and were deeply involved in the writing and production of other works in the franchise .   Following the commercial success of The Matrix series , they wrote and produced the 2006 film V for Vendetta ( an adaptation of the comic of the same name by Alan Moore ) , and in 2008 released the film Speed Racer , which was a live-action adaptation of the Japanese anime series of the same name . Their next film , Cloud Atlas , based on the novel of the same name by David Mitchell and co-written and co-directed by Tom Tykwer , was released in 2012 . Their film Jupiter Ascending and the Netflix series Sense8 both debuted in 2015 .   The siblings have worked as a writing and directing unit throughout their professional film careers from Bound through the first season of Sense8 . Following her gender transition , Lilly Wachowski took a break from active writing and directing ; Lana worked on the second season of Sense8 without her .


50 First Dates 50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing . The film stars Adam Sandler as a lothario veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac , along with Rob Schneider , Sean Astin , Lusia Strus , Blake Clark , and Dan Aykroyd . Most of the film was shot on location in Oahu , Hawaii on the Windward side and the North Shore . Sandler and Barrymore won an MTV award . The fictitious memory impairment suffered by Barrymore 's character , Goldfield 's Syndrome , is similar to short term memory loss and anterograde amnesia . The 2014 Malayalam film Ormayundo Ee Mukham is inspired by 50 First Dates .


PageRank was named after anyone except a person who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin.

PageRank PageRank ( PR ) is an algorithm used by Google Search to rank websites in their search engine results . PageRank was named after Larry Page , one of the founders of Google . PageRank is a way of measuring the importance of website pages . According to Google : It is not the only algorithm used by Google to order search engine results , but it is the first algorithm that was used by the company , and it is the best-known .


Larry Page Lawrence Edward Page ( born March 26 , 1973 ) is an American computer scientist and Internet entrepreneur who co-founded Google with Sergey Brin .   Page is the chief executive officer ( CEO ) of Google 's parent company , Alphabet Inc. . After stepping aside as Google CEO in August 2001 in favour of Eric Schmidt , he re-assumed the role in April 2011 . He announced his intention to step aside a second time in July 2015 to become CEO of Alphabet , under which Google 's assets would be reorganized . Under Page , Alphabet is seeking to deliver major advancements in a variety of industries .   As of March 2017 , Page is the 12th richest person in the world , with an estimated net worth of US$ 40.7 billion .   Page is the inventor of PageRank , Google 's best-known search ranking algorithm . Page received the Marconi Prize in 2004 .


Geraldine Chaplin refuses to enter Switzerland.

Geraldine Chaplin Geraldine Leigh Chaplin ( born July 31 , 1944 ) is a prolific actress of English , French , and Spanish language films , the fourth child of Charlie Chaplin , the first of eight with fourth wife Oona O'Neill . After beginnings in dance and modeling , she turned her attention to acting , and made her American acting debut ( and came to prominence in what would be a Golden Globe -- nominated role ) in her portrayal of Tonya in David Lean 's Doctor Zhivago ( 1965 ) . She made her Broadway acting debut in Lillian Hellman 's The Little Foxes in 1967 , and received her second Golden Globe nomination for Robert Altman 's Nashville ( 1975 ) . She also appeared in his other pictures , including Buffalo Bill and the Indians , or Sitting Bull 's History Lesson ( 1976 ) , and A Wedding ( 1978 ) . She received a BAFTA nomination for her role in Welcome to L.A. ( 1976 ) , and then appeared in Roseland ( 1977 ) and Remember My Name ( 1978 ) . She played her grandmother Hannah Chaplin in the biopic , Chaplin ( 1992 ) for which she received her third Golden Globe nomination . She also appeared in The Age of Innocence ( 1993 ) , Jane Eyre ( 1996 ) , Mother Teresa : In the Name of God 's Poor ( 1997 ) , and a decade later , in The Wolfman ( 2010 ) .   Chaplin has appeared in a wide variety of critically recognised Spanish and French films . She starred in Claude Lelouch 's Les Uns et les Autres ( 1981 ) , the Alain Resnais comedy Life Is a Bed of Roses ( 1983 ) and the Jacques Rivette experimental film Love on the Ground ( 1984 ) . She enjoyed her greatest critical success collaborating with Carlos Saura , starring in several notable films by the director , including Ana and the Wolves ( 1973 ) , Cría cuervos ( 1976 ) , Elisa , vida mía ( 1977 ) , and Mamá cumple cien años ( 1979 ) . She collaborated with Pedro Almodóvar in Talk to Her ( 2002 ) . She was awarded a Goya Award for her role in En la ciudad sin límites ( 2002 ) , and was nominated again for The Orphanage ( 2007 ) . Her contribution to Spanish cinema culminated in her being awarded the Gold medal by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in 2006 .   Chaplin had a long term relationship with Spanish film director Carlos Saura , giving birth to their son , Shane Suara , in 1976 . A subsequent long-term relationship with Chilean cinematographer Patricio Castilla ( married , 2006 ) , gave her a daughter , Oona , born 1986 . As of 2011 , Chaplin maintained homes in Miami , Florida , in the United States , and in Madrid , Spain , and Corsier-sur-Vevey , Switzerland .


Lana Del Rey is a singer-songwriter from America.

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


Ruth Negga never portrayed Mildred Loving.

Ruth Negga Ruth Negga ( -LSB- ˈneɪgə -RSB- born 7 January 1982 ) is an Ethiopian born Irish actress , who has appeared in the films Capital Letters ( 2004 ) ( also released as Trafficked in some countries ) , Isolation ( 2005 ) , Breakfast on Pluto ( 2005 ) and Warcraft ( 2016 ) . She has also played roles in television , such as in the BBC 's mini-series Criminal Justice , RTÉ 's Love/Hate , E4 's Misfits , and ABC 's Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. . In 2016 , she began a starring role as Tulip O'Hare in AMC 's Preacher .   For her portrayal of Mildred Loving in Loving ( 2016 ) , Negga was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress , Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama , Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead and Critics ' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress , as well as the BAFTA Rising Star Award .


The Divergent Series is in the dystopian subgenre.

The Divergent Series The Divergent Series is a feature film series based on the Divergent novels by the American author Veronica Roth . Distributed by Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate Films , the series consists of four science fiction films set in a dystopian society . They have been produced by Lucy Fisher , Pouya Shabazian , and Douglas Wick and star Shailene Woodley and Theo James as lead characters Beatrice Prior ( Tris ) and Tobias Eaton ( Four ) , respectively . The supporting cast includes Ansel Elgort , Zoë Kravitz and Miles Teller . The first film in the series was directed by Neil Burger , while the second and third films were directed by Robert Schwentke .   Development began in 2011 following Summit 's acquisition of the film rights to the Divergent novel in partnership with production company Red Wagon Entertainment . The studios announced production on the sequel following the first film 's strong performance in Thursday late-night screenings , where it grossed $ 4.9 million . They acquired film rights to the Allegiant novel in December 2013 , deciding in April 2014 to split the third novel into a two-part film adaptation .   The first installment , Divergent ( 2014 ) , grossed over $ 288 million worldwide , while the second installment , The Divergent Series : Insurgent ( 2015 ) , grossed over $ 297 million worldwide . Insurgent was also the first Divergent film to be released in IMAX 3D . The third installment , The Divergent Series : Allegiant ( 2016 ) , grossed $ 179 million . The first three films of the series have grossed over $ 765 million worldwide .


Concrete intelligence quotient scores are impossible.

Intelligence quotient An intelligence quotient ( IQ ) is a total score derived from several standardized tests designed to assess human intelligence . The abbreviation `` IQ '' was coined by the psychologist William Stern for the German term Intelligenzquotient , his term for a scoring method for intelligence tests at University of Wrocław he advocated in a 1912 book . Historically , IQ is a score obtained by dividing a person 's mental age score , obtained by administering an intelligence test , by the person 's chronological age , both expressed in terms of years and months . The resulting fraction is multiplied by 100 to obtain the IQ score . When current IQ tests were developed , the median raw score of the norming sample is defined as IQ 100 and scores each standard deviation ( SD ) up or down are defined as 15 IQ points greater or less , although this was not always so historically . By this definition , approximately two-thirds of the population scores are between IQ 85 and IQ 115 . About 5 percent of the population scores above 125 , and 5 percent below 75 .   Scores from intelligence tests are estimates of intelligence because concrete measurements ( e.g. distance , mass ) can not be achieved given the abstract nature of the concept of `` intelligence '' . IQ scores have been shown to be associated with such factors as morbidity and mortality , parental social status , and , to a substantial degree , biological parental IQ . While the heritability of IQ has been investigated for nearly a century , there is still debate about the significance of heritability estimates and the mechanisms of inheritance .   IQ scores are used for educational placement , assessment of intellectual disability , and evaluating job applicants . Even when students improve their scores on standardized tests , they do not always improve their cognitive abilities , such as memory , attention and speed . In research contexts they have been studied as predictors of job performance , and income . They are also used to study distributions of psychometric intelligence in populations and the correlations between it and other variables . Raw scores on IQ tests for many populations have been rising at an average rate that scales to three IQ points per decade since the early 20th century , a phenomenon called the Flynn effect . Investigation of different patterns of increases in subtest scores can also inform current research on human intelligence .


One of the smallest countries in Africa is Burundi.

Burundi Burundi ( -LSB- bəˈrʊndi -RSB- or -LSB- bəˈrʌndi -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Burundi ( Republika y' Uburundi , -LSB- buˈɾundi -RSB- République du Burundi , -LSB- buʁundi -RSB- or -LSB- byʁyndi -RSB- ) , is a landlocked country in the African Great Lakes region of East Africa , bordered by Rwanda to the north , Tanzania to the east and south , and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west . It is also considered part of Central Africa . Burundi 's capital is Bujumbura . The southwestern border is adjacent to Lake Tanganyika .   The Twa , Hutu and Tutsi peoples have lived in Burundi for at least 500 years . For more than 200 of those years , Burundi was an independent kingdom , until the beginning of the 20th century , when Germany colonised the region . After the First World War and Germany 's defeat , it ceded the territory to Belgium . Both Germans and Belgians ruled Burundi and Rwanda as a European colony known as Ruanda-Urundi . Despite common misconceptions , Burundi and Rwanda had never been under common rule until the time of European colonisation .   Burundi gained independence in 1962 and initially had a monarchy , but a series of assassinations , coups and a general climate of regional instability culminated in the establishment of a republic and one-party state in 1966 . Bouts of ethnic cleansing and ultimately two civil wars and genocides during the 1970s and again in the 1990s left the country undeveloped and its population as one of the world 's poorest . 2015 witnessed large-scale political strife as President Pierre Nkurunziza opted to run for a third term in office , a coup attempt failed and the country 's parliamentary and presidential elections were broadly criticised by members of the international community .   Burundi 's political system is that of a presidential representative democratic republic based upon a multi-party state . The President of Burundi is the head of state and head of government . There are currently 21 registered parties in Burundi . On 13 March 1992 , Tutsi coup leader Pierre Buyoya established a constitution , which provided for a multi-party political process and reflected multi-party competition . Six years later , on 6 June 1998 , the constitution was changed , broadening National Assembly 's seats and making provisions for two vice-presidents . Because of the Arusha Accord , Burundi enacted a transitional government in 2000 . In October 2016 , Burundi informed the UN of its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court .   Burundi remains an overwhelmingly rural society , with just 13 % of the population living in urban areas in 2013 . The population density of around 315 people per square kilometre ( 753 per sq mi ) is the second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa . Roughly 85 % of the population are of Hutu ethnic origin , 15 % are Tutsi , and fewer than 1 % are indigenous Twa ( or Pygmies ) . The official languages of Burundi are French and Kirundi , although Swahili can be found spoken along the Tanzanian border .   One of the smallest countries in Africa , Burundi has an equatorial climate . Burundi is a part of the Albertine Rift , the western extension of the East African Rift . The country lies on a rolling plateau in the centre of Africa . The highest peak , Mount Heha at 8810 ft , lies to the southeast of the capital , Bujumbura . The source of the River Nile is in Bururi province , and is linked from Lake Victoria to its headwaters via the Ruvyironza River Another major lake is Lake Tanganyika , located in much of Burundi 's southwestern corner . There are two national parks , Kibira National Park to the northwest ( a small region of rain forest , adjacent to Nyungwe Forest National Park in Rwanda ) , Ruvubu National Park to the northeast ( along the Rurubu River , also known as Ruvubu or Ruvuvu ) . Both were established in 1982 to conserve wildlife populations . Burundi 's lands are mostly agricultural or pasture .   Settlement by rural populations has led to deforestation , soil erosion and habitat loss . Deforestation of the entire country is almost completely due to overpopulation , with a mere 230 mi2 remaining and an ongoing loss of about 9 % per annum . In addition to poverty , Burundians often have to deal with corruption , weak infrastructure , poor access to health and education services , and hunger . Burundi is densely populated and has had substantial emigration as young people seek opportunities elsewhere . The World Happiness Report 2017 ranked Burundi as the world 's second least happy nation with a rank of 154 .


The Boot Monument is located in New York.

Boot Monument The Boot Monument is an American Revolutionary War memorial located in Saratoga National Historical Park , New York . It commemorates Major General Benedict Arnold 's service at the Battles of Saratoga in the Continental Army , but contrives not to name him .


Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz is the fifth studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus , which was independently released for free online streaming on SoundCloud on August 30 , 2015 . Opting for an album relying less on computerized elements than her previous release , Bangerz ( 2013 ) , Cyrus began planning the project in 2013 before Bangerz was released . Work continued into 2014 and 2015 , when she befriended and began collaborating with the Flaming Lips . In addition to the psychedelic rock band , Cyrus worked with producers Mike Will Made It and Oren Yoel ( with whom she had collaborated on Bangerz ) . The album features guest vocals by Big Sean ( who had appeared on Bangerz ) , Sarah Barthel of Phantogram and Ariel Pink .   Without previous promotion , Cyrus announced that Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Petz was available for free online streaming when she hosted the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards , released independently . Critics were divided in their opinions of the album ; some applauded Cyrus ' ambition and experimentation , and others considered its production and overall finish lacking . Cyrus has promoted the album with music videos for `` Dooo It ! '' , `` Lighter '' and `` BB Talk '' , performances of `` Karen Do n't Be Sad '' and `` Twinkle Song '' when she hosted Saturday Night Live , and the Milky Milky Milk Tour in November and December 2015 .   On April 10 , 2017 , the album was released commercially on iTunes and other streaming platforms through RCA Records .


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


7 Things `` 7 Things '' is a song by American singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus . The song was co-written by Cyrus , Antonina Armato and Tim James , and produced by John Fields . It was released on June 17 , 2008 by Hollywood Records as the lead single from the first studio album released by Cyrus with no ties to her character Hannah Montana from the Disney Channel comedy series of the same name . Also registered as `` Seven Things I Hate About You '' , Cyrus developed the song during the Best of Both Worlds Tour while feeling numerous emotions for an ex-boyfriend , mainly anger . The song 's release brought allegations that it was about Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers , which Cyrus neither confirmed nor denied . Musically , `` 7 Things '' bears aspects of both country and pop rock , while the lyrics in the song 's refrain list seven traits Cyrus hates about an ex-boyfriend .   `` 7 Things '' received mixed to positive reviews from music critics and enjoyed worldwide commercial success , becoming a top ten hit on charts in Australia , Japan , Norway , and the United States . The single was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) , while its appearance on the Japan Hot 100 made `` 7 Things '' Cyrus ' first song to chart in an Asian country . The song 's accompanying music video was directed by Brett Ratner and features Cyrus performing the song with a back-up band as many teenage girls lipsync along . The girls clutch a variety of props , such as love letters and snow globes , inspired by personal items Cyrus ' ex had given her . The video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award at both the 2008 and 2009 award shows . Cyrus promoted the song through several venues including her world tours , the Wonder World Tour and the Gypsy Heart Tour .


Bangerz Bangerz is the fourth studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus . It was released on October 4 , 2013 , by RCA Records . Opting to re-establish her music career instead of focusing on her film career as originally planned , Cyrus began planning the project in 2012 . Work continued into 2013 , at which time she left her previous label Hollywood Records and subsequently joined RCA Records . Described by Cyrus as `` dirty south hip-hop '' , Bangerz represents a musical departure from her earlier work , which she has grown to feel `` disconnected '' from . As executive producers , Cyrus and Mike Will Made It collaborated with hip hop producers including Cirkut , Pharrell Williams , and will.i.am to achieve Cyrus ' desired new sound . Their efforts resulted in a primarily pop record , with lyrical themes that revolve largely around romance . It features guest vocals from several new partners , including pop singer Britney Spears and rappers French Montana , Future , Ludacris , and Nelly .   Bangerz received mixed to positive reviews from contemporary music critics , who praised its overall production and originality , and complimented Cyrus ' public persona evolution . The record debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 270,000 copies . In doing so , it became Cyrus ' fifth non-consecutive number-one album , including earlier soundtracks in which she performed as her character Hannah Montana . It was the third-highest opening week for a female artist in 2013 , and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) after moving one million units , while globally it managed to sell around 3 million units . The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album , giving Cyrus her first Grammy nomination .   `` We Ca n't Stop '' was released as the lead single from Bangerz on June 3 , 2013 , and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 . The second single `` Wrecking Ball '' was released on August 25 , 2013 , and became Cyrus ' first single to peak in the top position in the United States . Its accompanying music video held the record for the fastest video to reach 100 million views on Vevo being beaten by Adele 's `` Hello '' music video in 2015 , it also earned Cyrus the award for `` Video of The Year '' at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards . `` Adore You '' was serviced as the third single from the record on December 17 , 2013 ; it has peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 . A remix of the track produced by Cedric Gervais was released on March 3 , 2014 . Promotional efforts for Bangerz continued to associate Cyrus with an increasingly provocative image , an effort first begun with her third record , Ca n't Be Tamed ( 2010 ) . She garnered widespread media attention through a controversial performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards , and was later the host and musical guest during an episode of Saturday Night Live . Furthermore , Cyrus promoted the album with her international Bangerz Tour .


Niall Horan Niall James Horan ( born 13 September 1993 ) is an Irish singer and songwriter , best known as a member of the boy band One Direction . In 2010 , Horan auditioned as a solo artist for the seventh series of the British televised singing competition The X Factor . He failed to progress to the `` Boys '' category at the `` judges ' houses '' , but after guest judge Nicole Scherzinger suggested that Niall join One Direction , with Harry Styles , Zayn Malik , Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson , the group became a reality . The five-piece band made it to the final and finished in third place . Even though they did not win , One Direction was signed by Simon Cowell to his record label Syco .   In his career as a member of One Direction , Horan co-wrote many songs , beginning with `` Taken '' , `` Everything About You '' , `` Same Mistakes '' , `` Back for You '' and `` Summer Love '' from their debut albums Up All Night and Take Me Home . In the latter , he also played guitar . He continued to co-write , including the songs `` Do n't Forget Where You Belong '' , `` Why Do n't We Go There '' and `` Story of My Life '' for the album Midnight Memories ; `` Night Changes '' , `` Fool 's Gold '' and `` Change Your Ticket '' for the album Four ; and `` Wolves '' , `` A.M. '' , `` Temporary Fix '' and `` Never Enough '' for the band 's fifth album Made in the A.M. . He released his first single as a solo artist , `` This Town '' , in 2016 .


Elephants have been portrayed in folklore.

Elephant Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea . Three species are recognised , the African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) , the African forest elephant ( L. cyclotis ) , and the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ) . Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa , South Asia , and Southeast Asia . Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea ; other , now extinct , members of the order include deinotheres , gomphotheres , mammoths , and mastodons . Male African elephants are the largest extant terrestrial animals and can reach a height of 4 m and weigh 7000 kg . All elephants have several distinctive features , the most notable of which is a long trunk or proboscis , used for many purposes , particularly breathing , lifting water , and grasping objects . Their incisors grow into tusks , which can serve as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging . Elephants ' large ear flaps help to control their body temperature . Their pillar-like legs can carry their great weight . African elephants have larger ears and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs .   Elephants are herbivorous and can be found in different habitats including savannahs , forests , deserts , and marshes . They prefer to stay near water . They are considered to be keystone species due to their impact on their environments . Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants while predators , such as lions , tigers , hyenas , and any wild dogs , usually target only young elephants ( or `` calves '' ) . Females ( `` cows '' ) tend to live in family groups , which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring . The groups are led by an individual known as the matriarch , often the oldest cow . Elephants have a fission -- fusion society in which multiple family groups come together to socialise . Males ( `` bulls '' ) leave their family groups when they reach puberty and may live alone or with other males . Adult bulls mostly interact with family groups when looking for a mate and enter a state of increased testosterone and aggression known as musth , which helps them gain dominance and reproductive success . Calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their mothers for as long as three years . Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild . They communicate by touch , sight , smell , and sound ; elephants use infrasound , and seismic communication over long distances . Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans . They appear to have self-awareness and show empathy for dying or dead individuals of their kind .   African elephants are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) while the Asian elephant is classed as endangered . One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade , as the animals are poached for their ivory tusks . Other threats to wild elephants include habitat destruction and conflicts with local people . Elephants are used as working animals in Asia . In the past , they were used in war ; today , they are often controversially put on display in zoos , or exploited for entertainment in circuses . Elephants are highly recognisable and have been featured in art , folklore , religion , literature , and popular culture .


Colin Firth Colin Andrew Firth , ( born 10 September 1960 ) is an English actor . His films have grossed more than $ 3 billion from 42 releases worldwide . Firth has received an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , two BAFTA Awards , and three Screen Actors Guild Awards , as well as the Volpi Cup . Firth 's most notable and acclaimed role to date has been his 2010 portrayal of King George VI in The King 's Speech , a performance that earned him an Oscar and multiple worldwide best actor awards .   Identified in the late 1980s with the `` Brit Pack '' of rising , young British actors , it was not until Firth 's portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 television adaptation of Jane Austen 's Pride and Prejudice that he received more widespread attention . This led to roles in films such as The English Patient , Bridget Jones 's Diary ( for which Firth was nominated for a BAFTA ) , Shakespeare in Love , and Love Actually . In 2009 , Firth received widespread critical acclaim for his leading role in A Single Man , for which Firth gained his first Academy Award nomination , and won a BAFTA Award . Firth starred in the action spy movie Kingsman : The Secret Service in 2014 , which was a commercial success and received generally positive reviews .   In 2011 , Firth received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and was also selected as one of the Time 100 . He was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Winchester in 2007 , and was made a Freeman of the City of London in 2012 . He has campaigned for the rights of indigenous tribal peoples , and is a member of Survival International . Firth has also campaigned on issues of asylum seekers , refugees ' rights , and the environment . He commissioned and is credited as a co-author on a scientific paper on a study into the differences in brain structure between people of differing political orientations .


Julian Assange has a perceived role in publishing secret American documents, making him fear extradition to the United States.

Julian Assange Julian Paul Assange ( -LSB- əˈsɒnʒ -RSB- born Julian Paul Hawkins , 3 July 1971 ) is an Australian computer programmer and the founder of WikiLeaks , an organisation which he founded in 2006 . He has won accolades including the Sam Adams Award and Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism .   Assange founded WikiLeaks in 2006 , but came to global prominence in 2010 , when WikiLeaks published a series of leaks provided by Chelsea Manning . These leaks included the Collateral Murder video ( April 2010 ) , the Afghanistan war logs ( July 2010 ) , the Iraq war logs ( October 2010 ) , and CableGate ( November 2010 ) . Following the 2010 leaks , the United States government launched a criminal investigation into WikiLeaks and asked allied nations for assistance .   In November 2010 , a request was made for Assange 's extradition to Sweden , where he had been questioned months earlier over allegations of sexual assault and rape . Assange continued to deny the allegations , and expressed concern that he would be extradited from Sweden to the United States because of his perceived role in publishing secret American documents . Assange surrendered himself to UK police on 7 December 2010 , and was held for ten days in solitary confinement before being released on bail . He sought and was granted asylum by Ecuador in August 2012 . He has since remained in the Embassy of Ecuador in London , and is unable to leave without being arrested for breaching his bail conditions . On 19 May 2017 , the Swedish prosecutors dropped the investigation into rape accusations against Assange and applied to revoke his arrest warrant , although the Metropolitan Police have indicated that an arrest warrant is still in force for Assange 's failure to surrender himself to the British court .


Giampaolo Pazzini plays as a character for Hellas Verona.

Giampaolo Pazzini Giampaolo Pazzini ( -LSB- dʒamˈpaolo patˈtsini -RSB- ; born 2 August 1984 in Pescia ) , nicknamed Il Pazzo ( The Madman ) by his fans , is an Italian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Hellas Verona and formerly for the Italian national team , representing his nation at the 2010 FIFA World Cup . Throughout his club career , he has only played for teams in Italy , previously playing for Atalanta , Fiorentina , Sampdoria , Internazionale and Milan . He is well known for his eye for goal and movement off the ball , especially in the penalty area , as well as his excellent ability to score headed goals .


The Hobbit (film series) The Hobbit is a film series consisting of three high fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson . They are based on the 1937 novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien , with large portions of the trilogy inspired by the appendices to The Return of the King , which expand on the story told in The Hobbit , as well as new material and characters written especially for the films . Together they act as a prequel to Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy . The films are subtitled An Unexpected Journey ( 2012 ) , The Desolation of Smaug ( 2013 ) , and The Battle of the Five Armies ( 2014 ) .   The screenplay was written by Fran Walsh , Philippa Boyens , Jackson , and Guillermo del Toro , who was originally chosen to direct before his departure from the project . The films take place in the fictional world of Middle-earth sixty years before the beginning of The Lord of the Rings , and follow hobbit Bilbo Baggins ( Martin Freeman ) , who is convinced by the wizard Gandalf the Grey ( Ian McKellen ) to accompany thirteen dwarves , led by Thorin Oakenshield ( Richard Armitage ) , on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug ( voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch ) . The films also expand upon certain elements from the novel and other source material , such as Gandalf 's investigation at Dol Guldur , and the pursuit of Azog and Bolg , who seek vengeance against Thorin and his ancestors .   The films feature an ensemble cast that also includes James Nesbitt , Ken Stott , Evangeline Lilly , Lee Pace and Luke Evans , with several actors reprising their roles from The Lord of the Rings , including Cate Blanchett , Orlando Bloom , Ian Holm , Christopher Lee , Hugo Weaving , Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis . The films also feature Manu Bennett , Sylvester McCoy , Stephen Fry , Mikael Persbrandt , Barry Humphries , and Lawrence Makoare . Also returning for production , among others , were illustrators John Howe and Alan Lee , art director Dan Hennah , cinematographer Andrew Lesnie , and composer Howard Shore , while props were again crafted by Weta Workshop , with visual effects managed by Weta Digital .   The first film in the series premiered at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington , New Zealand on 28 November 2012 . One hundred thousand people lined the red carpet on Courtenay Place , and the entire event was broadcast live on television in New Zealand and streamed over the Internet . The second film of the series premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles , California on 2 December 2013 . The third and final film premiered at Leicester Square in London on 1 December 2014 .   The series was a major financial success , with the films classified as one of the highest-grossing film series of all time , going on to outgross The Lord of the Rings film trilogy . Although critically considered to be inferior to The Lord of the Rings , it was nominated for various awards and won several , though not as many as its predecessor .


Molly Bernard was born on April 10th, 1989.

Molly Bernard Molly Kate Bernard ( born April 10 , 1989 ) is an American actress . She is best known for her role as Lauren Heller on the television series Younger .


Tequila is made from a plant primarily found around the city of Boston.

Tequila Tequila ( Spanish ) is a regionally specific name for a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant , primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila , 65 km northwest of Guadalajara , and in the highlands ( Los Altos ) of the central western Mexican state of Jalisco . Although tequila is similar to mezcal , modern tequila differs somewhat in the method of its production , in the use of only blue agave plants , as well as in its regional specificity . Tequila is commonly served neat in Mexico and as a shot with salt and lime across the rest of the world .   The red volcanic soil in the surrounding region is particularly well suited to the growing of the blue agave , and more than 300 million of the plants are harvested there each year . Agave grows differently depending on the region . Blue agaves grown in the highlands Los Altos region are larger in size and sweeter in aroma and taste . Agaves harvested in the lowlands , on the other hand , have a more herbaceous fragrance and flavor .   Mexican laws state that tequila can only be produced in the state of Jalisco and limited municipalities in the states of Guanajuato , Michoacán , Nayarit , and Tamaulipas . Tequila is recognized as a Mexican designation of origin product in more than 40 countries . It is protected through NAFTA in Canada and the United States , through bilateral agreements with individual countries such as Japan and Israel , and has been a protected designation of origin product in the constituent countries of the European Union since 1997 .   Tequila is most often made at a 38 % alcohol content ( 76 U.S. proof ) for domestic consumption , but can be produced between 31 and 55 % alcohol content ( 62 and 110 U.S. proof ) . Per U.S law , tequila must contain at least 40 % alcohol ( 80 U.S. proof ) to be sold in the United States .


Jensen Ackles is known for his roles in television as Eric Brady in Days of Our Lives in 2007.

Jensen Ackles Jensen Ross Ackles ( born March 1 , 1978 ) is an American actor and director . He is known for his roles in television as Eric Brady in Days of Our Lives , which earned him several Daytime Emmy Award nominations , as well as Alec/X5 -494 in Dark Angel and Jason Teague in Smallville . He also starred as the lead in the box office success My Bloody Valentine 3D and portrayed Jason Todd in the popular animated film Batman : Under the Red Hood .   Ackles currently stars as Dean Winchester on the CW series Supernatural .


Days of Our Lives Days of Our Lives ( also stylized as Days of our Lives ; often abbreviated to DOOL or Days ) is an American daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network . It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world , airing nearly every weekday since November 8 , 1965 . It has since been syndicated to many countries around the world . Until the network 's closure in 2013 , Soapnet rebroadcast episodes of Days on a same-day basis each weeknight at 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. ( Eastern and Pacific Time ) . The series was created by husband-and-wife team Ted Corday and Betty Corday . Irna Phillips was a story editor for Days of Our Lives and many of the show 's earliest storylines were written by William J. Bell . In February 2016 , the soap received a one-year renewal through 2017 , with the option of an additional year by NBC .   Due to the series ' success , it was expanded from 30 minutes to 60 minutes on April 21 , 1975 . The series focuses on its core families , the Hortons and the Bradys . Several other families have been added to the cast , and many of them still appear on the show . Frances Reid , the matriarch of the series ' Horton family remained with the show from its inception to her death on February 3 , 2010 . Suzanne Rogers celebrated 40 years on Days of Our Lives in 2013 , appearing on the show more or less since her first appearance in 1973 . Susan Seaforth Hayes is the only cast member to appear on Days of Our Lives in all five decades it has been on air .   Days of Our Lives aired its 10,000 th episode on February 21 , 2005 , and its 12,000 th episode aired on January 11 , 2013 . The soap was given the title of most daring drama in the seventies due to covering topics other soaps would not dare to do . The show 's executive producer is Ken Corday , and co-executive producers are Greg Meng and Albert Alarr . Days of Our Lives is the most widely distributed soap opera in the United States .   The show has been parodied by SCTV ( as `` The Days of the Week '' ) and the television sitcom Friends , with some cast members making crossover appearances on the show , including Kristian Alfonso , Roark Critchlow , Matthew Ashford , Kyle Lowder , and Alison Sweeney . The show has had high-profile fans such as actress Julia Roberts , and the Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall .


Al Pacino Alfredo James Pacino ( -LSB- pəˈtʃiːnoʊ -RSB- born April 25 , 1940 ) is an American actor of stage and screen , filmmaker , and screenwriter . Pacino has had a career spanning some fifty years , during which time he has received numerous accolades and honors both competitive and honorary , among them an Academy Award , two Tony Awards , two Primetime Emmy Awards , a British Academy Film Award , four Golden Globe Awards , the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute , the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award , and the National Medal of Arts . He is also one of few performers to have won a competitive Oscar , an Emmy and a Tony Award for acting , dubbed the `` Triple Crown of Acting '' .   A method actor and former student of the HB Studio and the Actors Studio in New York City , where he was taught by Charlie Laughton and Lee Strasberg , Pacino made his feature film debut with a minor role in Me , Natalie ( 1969 ) and gained favorable notices for his lead role as a heroin addict in The Panic in Needle Park ( 1971 ) . He achieved international acclaim and recognition for his breakthrough role as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola 's The Godfather ( 1972 ) . He received his first Oscar nomination and would reprise the role in the equally successful sequels The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) and The Godfather Part III ( 1990 ) . Pacino 's performance as Michael Corleone is now regarded as one of the greatest screen performances in film history .   Pacino received his first Best Actor Oscar nomination for Serpico ( 1973 ) ; he was also nominated for The Godfather Part II , Dog Day Afternoon ( 1975 ) and ... And Justice for All ( 1979 ) and won the award in 1993 for his performance as a blind Lieutenant Colonel in Scent of a Woman ( 1992 ) . For his performances in The Godfather , Dick Tracy ( 1990 ) and Glengarry Glen Ross ( 1992 ) , Pacino was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . Other notable roles include Tony Montana in Scarface ( 1983 ) , Carlito Brigante in Carlito 's Way ( 1993 ) , Lieutenant Vincent Hanna in Heat ( 1995 ) , Benjamin Ruggiero in Donnie Brasco ( 1997 ) , Lowell Bergman in The Insider ( 1999 ) and Detective Will Dormer in Insomnia ( 2002 ) . In television , Pacino has acted in several productions for HBO including the miniseries Angels in America ( 2003 ) and the Jack Kevorkian biopic You Do n't Know Jack ( 2010 ) , both of which won him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie .   In addition to his work in film , Pacino has had an extensive career on stage and is a two-time Tony Award winner , in 1969 and 1977 , for his performances in Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie ? and The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel respectively . A lifelong fan of Shakespeare , Pacino directed and starred in Looking for Richard ( 1996 ) , a documentary film about the play Richard III , a role which Pacino had earlier portrayed on-stage in 1977 . He has also acted as Shylock in a 2004 feature film adaptation and a 2010 production of The Merchant of Venice . Having made his filmmaking debut with Looking for Richard , Pacino has also directed and starred in the independent film Chinese Coffee ( 2000 ) and the films Wilde Salomé ( 2011 ) and Salomé ( 2013 ) , about the play Salomé by Oscar Wilde . Since 1994 , Pacino has been the joint president of the Actors Studio with Ellen Burstyn and Harvey Keitel .


The Godfather Part III The Godfather Part III is a 1990 American crime film written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola , and directed by Coppola . A sequel to The Godfather ( 1972 ) and The Godfather Part II ( 1974 ) , it completes the story of Michael Corleone , a Mafia kingpin who attempts to legitimize his criminal empire . The film also includes fictionalized accounts of two real-life events : the 1978 death of Pope John Paul I and the Papal banking scandal of 1981 -- 82 , both linked to Michael Corleone 's business affairs . The film stars Al Pacino , Diane Keaton , Talia Shire , and Andy García , and features Eli Wallach , Joe Mantegna , George Hamilton , Bridget Fonda , and Sofia Coppola .   Coppola and Puzo preferred the title , The Death of Michael Corleone , but Paramount Pictures found that unacceptable . Coppola subsequently stated that The Godfather series is two films and that Part III is the epilogue . Part III received mixed reviews compared to the critical acclaim that the first two films received . It grossed $ 136,766,062 and was nominated for seven Academy Awards including the Academy Award for Best Picture .


Brave (2012 film) Brave is a 2012 American 3D computer-animated fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures . It was directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman and co-directed by Steve Purcell . The story is by Chapman , with the screenplay by Andrews , Purcell , Chapman and Irene Mecchi . The film was produced by Katherine Sarafian , with John Lasseter , Andrew Stanton , and Pete Docter as executive producers . The film 's voice cast features Kelly Macdonald , Billy Connolly , Emma Thompson , Julie Walters , Robbie Coltrane , Kevin McKidd , and Craig Ferguson . Set in the Scottish Highlands , the film tells the story of a princess named Merida who defies an age-old custom , causing chaos in the kingdom by expressing the desire not to be betrothed .   Chapman drew inspiration for the film 's story from her relationship with her own daughter . Co-directing with Mark Andrews , Chapman became Pixar 's first female director of a feature-length film . To create the most complex visuals possible , Pixar completely rewrote their animation system for the first time in 25 years . Brave is the first film to use the Dolby Atmos sound format .   Brave premiered on June 10 , 2012 , at the Seattle International Film Festival , and was released in North America on June 22 , 2012 , to both positive reviews and box office success . The film won the Academy Award , the Golden Globe , and the BAFTA Award for Best Animated Feature Film . Preceding the feature theatrically was a short film entitled La Luna , directed by Enrico Casarosa .


Ramayanam (film) Ramayanam is a 1996 mythological Telugu film directed by Gunasekhar and produced by M. S. Reddy . The film starred N. T. Rama Rao Jr. as Lord Rama . It received the National Film Award for best children 's film .


Elizabeth Meriwether is an American television showrunner.

Elizabeth Meriwether Elizabeth Hughes Meriwether ( born 1981 ) is an American playwright and screenwriter , television showrunner , producer , and writer . She is known for the 2010 play Oliver Parker ! , the 2011 romantic comedy film No Strings Attached , and the sitcom New Girl for Fox , starring Zooey Deschanel .


Uranus has oxygen in its uppermost layer of clouds.

Uranus Uranus is the seventh planet from the Sun . It has the third-largest planetary radius and fourth-largest planetary mass in the Solar System . Uranus is similar in composition to Neptune , and both have different bulk chemical composition from that of the larger gas giants Jupiter and Saturn . For this reason , scientists often classify Uranus and Neptune as `` ice giants '' to distinguish them from the gas giants . Uranus 's atmosphere is similar to Jupiter 's and Saturn 's in its primary composition of hydrogen and helium , but it contains more `` ices '' such as water , ammonia , and methane , along with traces of other hydrocarbons . It is the coldest planetary atmosphere in the Solar System , with a minimum temperature of 49 K , and has a complex , layered cloud structure with water thought to make up the lowest clouds and methane the uppermost layer of clouds . The interior of Uranus is mainly composed of ices and rock .   Uranus is the only planet whose name is derived from a figure from Greek mythology , from the Latinised version of the Greek god of the sky Ouranos . Like the other giant planets , Uranus has a ring system , a magnetosphere , and numerous moons . The Uranian system has a unique configuration among those of the planets because its axis of rotation is tilted sideways , nearly into the plane of its solar orbit . Its north and south poles , therefore , lie where most other planets have their equators . In 1986 , images from Voyager 2 showed Uranus as an almost featureless planet in visible light , without the cloud bands or storms associated with the other giant planets . Observations from Earth have shown seasonal change and increased weather activity as Uranus approached its equinox in 2007 . Wind speeds can reach 250 m/s .


On Stranger Tides On Stranger Tides is a 1987 historical fantasy novel written by Tim Powers . It was nominated for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel , and placed second in the annual Locus poll for best fantasy novel .   On Stranger Tides takes place during the Golden Age of Piracy . It features real historical figures like Blackbeard , Stede Bonnet , and Woodes Rogers alongside fictional ones , as actors in the fictional John Chandagnac 's quest to reclaim his inheritance and rescue an Englishwoman . Vodun magic is an important plot device .   The story was also the inspiration for the Monkey Island video game series by LucasArts and for the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series , Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides .


Instagram Instagram is a mobile , desktop , and internet-based photo-sharing application and service that allows users to share pictures and videos either publicly or privately . It was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger , and launched in October 2010 as a free mobile app exclusively for the iOS operating system . A version for Android devices was released two years later , in April 2012 , followed by a feature-limited website interface in November 2012 , and apps for Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 in April 2016 and October 2016 respectively .   Instagram lets registered users upload photos or videos to the service . Users can apply various digital filters to their images , and add locations through geotags . They can add hashtags to their posts , linking the photos up to other content on Instagram featuring the same subject or overall topic . Users can connect their Instagram account to other social media profiles , enabling them to share photos to those profiles as well . Originally , a distinctive feature of Instagram was its confining of photos to a square ; this was changed in August 2015 , when an update started allowing users to upload media at full size . In June 2012 , an `` Explore '' tab was introduced in the mobile apps , showing users a variety of media , including ( but not limited to ) popular photos and photos taken at nearby locations , trending tags and places , channels for recommended videos , and curated content . Support for videos was originally launched in June 2013 , and had a 15-second maximum duration and limited quality , with Instagram later adding support for widescreen and longer videos . Private messaging , called Instagram Direct , was launched with basic photo-sharing functionality in December 2013 , and has gradually received major updates incorporating more features . Updates include easier private sharing from the news feed , threaded conversations , sharing locations and hashtag pages , increased support for text and emoji , and the ability to make photos `` disappear '' after being viewed by the recipient . In August 2016 , Instagram introduced a `` Stories '' feature , letting users add photos to a story , with the content disappearing after 24 hours . Instagram added live-video functionality to Stories in November 2016 , augmented reality stickers in April 2017 , and face filters in May 2017 .   After its launch in 2010 , Instagram rapidly gained popularity , with one million registered users in two months , 10 million in a year , and ultimately 700 million as of April 2017 . Its users have uploaded over 40 billion photos to the service as of October 2015 . , the Instagram Stories functionality has over 200 million active users , while Instagram Direct has 375 million active users . Instagram was acquired by Facebook in April 2012 for approximately US$ 1 billion in cash and stock . The popularity of Instagram has sparked an engaging community , including dedicated `` trends '' , in which users post specific types of photos on specific days of the week with a hashtag representing a common theme . Instagram has received positive reviews for its iOS app , and it has been named `` one of the most influential social networks in the world '' . However , the company has been the subject of criticism on several issues , most notably incidents of drug sales on the platform , allegations of censorship towards women , and a May 2017 survey in the United Kingdom concluding that the service was bad for young mental health .


List of World Series champions The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball ( MLB ) and concludes the MLB postseason . First played in 1903 , the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and is a contest between the champions of baseball 's National League ( NL ) and American League ( AL ) . Often referred to as the `` Fall Classic '' , the modern World Series has been played every year since 1903 with two exceptions : in 1904 , when the NL champion New York Giants declined to play the AL champion Boston Americans ; and in 1994 , when the series was canceled due to the players ' strike .   The best-of-seven style has been the format of all World Series except in 1903 , 1919 , 1920 and 1921 , when the winner was determined through a best-of-nine playoff . The Series-winning team is awarded the Commissioner 's Trophy . Players , coaches , and others associated with the team are generally given World Series rings to commemorate their victory ; however , they have received other items such as pocket watches and medallions in the past . The winning team is traditionally invited to the White House to meet the President of the United States .   A total of 112 Series have been contested , with the NL champion winning 48 and the AL champion winning 64 . The New York Yankees of the AL have played in 40 World Series through 2016 -- winning 27 -- the most Series appearances , victories , and losses ( 13 ) of any Major League Baseball franchise . The St. Louis Cardinals , who represented the NL for a 19th time in 2013 , have won 11 championships , which is the second-most among all 30 Major League Baseball teams as well as most among NL teams . Only the Giants have been NL champions more times , appearing in 20 World Series ( 14 as the New York Giants and six representing San Francisco ) , with eight Series victories ( second-most in the National League ) , including their most recent in 2014 .   The Seattle Mariners and the Washington Nationals ( formerly Montreal Expos ) are the only current Major League Baseball franchises to have never appeared in a World Series ; the Houston Astros , San Diego Padres , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers ( formerly the 1961 -- 1971 version of the Washington Senators ) , Tampa Bay Rays , and Milwaukee Brewers ( formerly Seattle Pilots ) have all played in the Series but have never won . The Toronto Blue Jays are the only franchise from outside the United States to appear in a World Series , winning in 1992 and 1993 . The current World Series champions are the Chicago Cubs .


Miami Marlins The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami , Florida . The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member of the National League ( NL ) East division . Their home park is Marlins Park . Though one of only two MLB franchises to have never won a division title ( the other is the Colorado Rockies ) , the Marlins have won two World Series championships as a wild card team .   The team began play in the 1993 season as the Florida Marlins and played home games from their inaugural season to the 2011 season at Joe Robbie Stadium , which they shared with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League ( NFL ) . The stadium was later called Pro Player Park , Pro Player Stadium , Dolphin Stadium , Dolphins Stadium , Land Shark Stadium , and Sun Life Stadium during their tenancy . Since the 2012 season , they have played at Marlins Park in downtown Miami , on the site of the former Orange Bowl in Little Havana , Florida . The new park , unlike Sun Life Stadium ( which was criticized in its baseball configuration for poor sight lines in some locations ) , was designed foremost as a baseball park . The new park 's name is a temporary one until naming rights are purchased . Per an agreement with the city and Miami-Dade County ( which owns the park ) , the Marlins officially changed their name to the `` Miami Marlins '' on November 11 , 2011 . They also adopted a new logo , color scheme , and uniforms .   The Marlins have the distinction of winning a World Series championship in both seasons they qualified for the postseason , doing so in 1997 and 2003 -- both times as the National League wild card team . They defeated the American League ( AL ) champion Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series , which was notable for shortstop Édgar Rentería driving in second baseman Craig Counsell for the series-clinching run in the 11th inning of the seventh and deciding game . The 2003 season was notable for the firing of manager Jeff Torborg after 38 games . The Marlins were in last place in the NL East with a 16 -- 22 record at the time . Torborg 's successor , 72-year-old Jack McKeon , led them to the NL wild card berth in the postseason ; they defeated the New York Yankees four games to two in the 2003 World Series .


Ava DuVernay Ava Marie DuVernay ( -LSB- ˈeɪvə_ˌdjuːvərˈneɪ -RSB- born August 24 , 1972 ) is an American director , screenwriter , film marketer , and film distributor . At the 2012 Sundance Film Festival , DuVernay won the Best Director Prize for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere , becoming the first African-American woman to win the award . For her work in Selma ( 2014 ) , DuVernay was the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award . With Selma , she was also the first black female director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , though she was not nominated for Best Director . In 2017 , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for her film 13th ( 2016 ) .   DuVernay 's next film , A Wrinkle in Time , reportedly has a budget exceeding $ 100 million , making DuVernay the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget of that size .


The Rolling Stones are a English rock band.

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


Ellen Pompeo divorced a producer in 2007.

Ellen Pompeo Ellen Kathleen Pompeo ( -LSB- pʌmˈpɛoʊ -RSB- , born November 10 , 1969 ) is an American actress and producer . Born in Everett , Massachusetts , Pompeo moved to New York City at 26 where she was discovered by a casting director who signed her for an advertisement campaign for L'Oreal . She made her screen debut with NBC 's legal drama Law & Order , and then guest-starred in other television shows , including the comedy Strangers with Candy , the medical drama Strong Medicine and the sitcom Friends .   Pompeo made her feature film debut in 1999 with the romantic comedy Coming Soon , and went on to play minor roles in films like In the Weeds and Mambo Café but found little success initially . A turning point came in her career in 2002 , when she gained wide recognition for her starring role in Brad Silberling 's drama Moonlight Mile . Pompeo then starred in ABC 's popular medical drama Grey 's Anatomy ( 2005 -- present ) , and garnered worldwide recognition for her portrayal of the title character Dr. Meredith Grey . The role on the long running series earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Drama nomination , and the Screen Actors Guild Award . The character became widely popular , making Pompeo one of the most popular television actresses .   In 2015 , Pompeo was ranked fourth in the list of highest paid TV actresses by Forbes , with the earnings of $ 11.5 million , a spot that she held on to the following year with the earnings of $ 14.5 million . Pompeo 's other notable film roles include the comedy Old School ( 2003 ) , the superhero film Daredevil ( 2003 ) , the caper film Art Heist ( 2004 ) , and the comedy drama Life of the Party ( 2005 ) . In October 2007 , she was honored with Special Achievement in Entertaining by the National Italian American Foundation for her achievement in the entertainment industry . Pompeo married producer Chris Ivery in 2007 and the couple have three children together .


Bohemian Reformation The Bohemian Reformation ( also known as the Czech Reformation or Hussite Reformation ) , preceding the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century , was a Christian movement in the late medieval and early modern Kingdom and Crown of Bohemia ( present-day Czech Republic ) striving for a reform of the Roman Catholic Church . Lasting for more than 200 years , it had a significant impact on the historical development of Central Europe and is considered one of the most important religious , social , intellectual and political movements of the early modern period . The Bohemian Reformation produced the first national church separate from Roman authority , the first apocalyptic religious movements of the early modern period , and the first pacifist Protestant church .   The Bohemian Reformation was not an internally unified movement and did not remain immutable . Although it split into many groups , some characteristics were shared by all of them -- communion under both kinds , distaste for the wealth and power of the church , emphasis on the Bible preached in a vernacular language and on an immediate relationship between man and God . The Bohemian Reformation included particularly the efforts to reform the church before Hus , the Hussite movement ( including e.g. Taborites and Orebites ) , the Unity of the Brethren and Utraquists or Calixtines .   Together with the Waldensians and the Lollards ( led by John Wycliffe ) , the Bohemian Reformation is considered to be the precursor to the Protestant Reformation . These movements are sometimes referred to as the First Reformation in the Czech historiography . Despite the influence of the German and Swiss Reformations , the Bohemian Reformation did not bleed into them , although many Czech Utraquists grew closer and closer to the Lutherans . The Bohemian Reformation kept its own development until the suppression of the Bohemian Revolt in 1620 . The victorious restored King Ferdinand II decided to force every inhabitant of Bohemia and Moravia to become Roman Catholic in accordance with the principle cuius regio , eius religio of the Peace of Augsburg ( 1555 ) . The Bohemian Reformation ended up being diffused in the Protestant world and gradually lost its distinctiveness . The Patent of Toleration issued in 1781 by Emperor Joseph II did not lead to a restoration of the Bohemian Reformation . Joseph II did not respect the Bohemian religious tradition and therefore only Lutheran , Calvinist and Eastern Orthodox faiths were made legal in the Crown of Bohemia and other parts of his realm . In spite of the extinction of the Bohemian Reformation as a distinctive Christian movement , its tradition did not disappear . Many churches ( not only in the Czech Republic ) do not forget their legacy , refer to the Bohemian Reformation and try to continue its tradition , e. g. the Moravian Church ( the continuator of the scattered Unity of the Brethren ) , Protestant Church of Czech Brethren ( Českobratrská církev evangelická ) , Czechoslovak Hussite Church ( Československá církev husitská ) , Church of Brethren ( Církev bratrská ) , Unity of Brethren Baptists ( Bratrská jednota baptistů ) and other denominations .


Prague Prague ( -LSB- ˈprɑːɡ -RSB- Praha , -LSB- ˈpraɦa -RSB- , Prag ) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic . It is the 14th largest city in the European Union . It is also the historical capital of Bohemia . Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river , the city is home to about 1.26 million people , while its larger urban zone is estimated to have a population of nearly 2 million . The city has a temperate climate , with warm summers and chilly winters .   Prague has been a political , cultural , and economic centre of central Europe with waxing and waning fortunes during its history . Founded during the Romanesque and flourishing by the Gothic , Renaissance and Baroque eras , Prague was the capital of the kingdom of Bohemia and the main residence of several Holy Roman Emperors , most notably of Charles IV ( r. 1346 -- 1378 ) .  It was an important city to the Habsburg Monarchy and its Austro-Hungarian Empire . The city played major roles in the Bohemian and Protestant Reformation , the Thirty Years ' War , and in 20th-century history as the capital of Czechoslovakia , during both World Wars and the post-war Communist era .   Prague is home to a number of famous cultural attractions , many of which survived the violence and destruction of 20th-century Europe . Main attractions include the Prague Castle , the Charles Bridge , Old Town Square with the Prague astronomical clock , the Jewish Quarter , Petřín hill and Vyšehrad . Since 1992 , the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites .   The city has more than ten major museums , along with numerous theatres , galleries , cinemas , and other historical exhibits . An extensive modern public transportation system connects the city . Also , it is home to a wide range of public and private schools , including Charles University in Prague , the oldest university in Central Europe .   Prague is classified as an `` Alpha - '' global city according to GaWC studies . Prague ranked sixth in the Tripadvisor world list of best destinations in 2016 . Its rich history makes it a popular tourist destination , and the city receives more than 6.4 million international visitors annually , . Prague is the fifth most visited European city after London , Paris , Istanbul and Rome .


Bohemian Revolt The Bohemian Revolt ( 1618 -- 1620 ) was an uprising of the Bohemian estates against the rule of the Habsburg dynasty . It was caused by religious and power disputes ( the estates were Utraquist ) . The dispute culminated after several battles in the final Battle of White Mountain , where the estates suffered a decisive defeat . This started re-Catholisation of the Czech lands , but also triggered the Thirty Years ' War , which spread to the rest of Europe and devastated vast areas of central Europe , including the Czech lands .


German-occupied Europe German -- occupied Europe or Nazi Europe refers to the sovereign countries of Europe which were occupied by the military forces of Nazi Germany at various times between 1939 and 1945 and administered by the Nazi regime .


Slovakia Slovakia ( listen ) , is a landlocked country in Central Europe . It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west , Poland to the north , Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south . Slovakia 's territory spans about 49000 km2 and is mostly mountainous . The population is over 5 million and comprises mostly ethnic Slovaks . The capital and largest city is Bratislava . The official language is Slovak .   The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th and 6th centuries . In the 7th century , they played a significant role in the creation of Samo 's Empire and in the 9th century established the Principality of Nitra . In the 10th century , the territory was integrated into the Kingdom of Hungary , which itself became part of the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire . After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire , the Slovaks and Czechs established Czechoslovakia . A separate ( First ) Slovak Republic ( 1939 -- 1945 ) existed in World War II as a client state of Nazi Germany . In 1945 , Czechoslovakia was re-established under Communist rule as a Soviet satellite . In 1989 the Velvet Revolution ended authoritarian Communist rule in Czechoslovakia . Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia , sometimes known as the Velvet Divorce .   Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index , a very high standard of living and performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties , press freedom , internet freedom , democratic governance and peacefulness . The country maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system . Citizens of Slovakia are provided with universal health care , free education and one of the longest paid maternity leave in the OECD . The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone on 1 January 2009 . Slovakia is also a member of the Schengen Area , NATO , the United Nations , the OECD , the WTO , CERN , the OSCE , the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group . The Slovak economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and 3rd fastest in eurozone . Its legal tender , the Euro , is the world 's 2nd most traded currency . Although regional income inequality is high , 90 % of citizens own their homes . In 2016 , Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 165 countries and territories , ranking the Slovak passport 11th in the world . Slovakia is the world 's largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union . The car industry represents 43 % of Slovakia 's industrial output , and a quarter of its exports .


Expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia The expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia after World War II was part of a series of evacuations and expulsions of Germans from Central and Eastern Europe during and after World War II .   During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia , the Czech resistance groups demanded the deportation of Germans from Czechoslovakia . The decision to deport the Germans was adopted by the Czechoslovak Government-in-Exile which , beginning in 1943 , sought the support of the Allies for this proposal . The final agreement for the expulsion of the German population however was not reached until 2 August 1945 at the end of the Potsdam Conference .   In the months following the end of the war `` wild '' expulsions happened from May until August 1945 . Czechoslovak President Edvard Beneš on October 28 , 1945 called for the `` final solution of the German question '' ( konečné řešení německé otázky ) which would have to be solved by deportation of the ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia . The expulsions were executed by order of local authorities , mostly by groups of armed volunteers . However , in some cases it was initiated or pursued with the assistance of the regular army . Several thousand died violently during the expulsion and more died from hunger and illness as a consequence . The expulsion according to the Potsdam Conference proceeded from 25 January 1946 until October of that year . An estimated 1.6 million ethnic Germans were deported to the American zone of what would become West Germany . An estimated 800,000 were deported to the Soviet zone ( in what would become East Germany ) .   The expulsions ended in 1948 , but not all Germans were expelled ; estimates for the total number of non-expulsions range from approximately 160,000 to 250,000 .   The West German government in 1958 estimated the death toll be about 270,000 , a figure that has been cited in historical literature since then . Recent research by a joint German and Czech commission of historians in 1995 found that the previous demographic estimates of 220,000 to 270,000 deaths to be overstated and based on faulty information , they concluded that the actual death toll was at least 15,000 persons and that it could range up to a maximum of 30,000 dead if one assumes that some deaths were not reported . The Commission statement also said that German records show 18,889 confirmed deaths including 3,411 suicides . Czech records indicated 22,247 deaths including 6,667 unexplained cases or suicides . The German Church Search Service was able to confirm the deaths of 14,215 persons during the expulsions from Czechoslovakia ( 6,316 violent deaths , 6,989 in internment camps and 907 in the USSR as forced laborers ) .


Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia -LSB- ˌtʃɛkoʊsloʊˈvækiə , _ - kə - , _ - slə - , _ - ˈvɑː - -RSB- ( Czech and Československo , Česko-Slovensko ) was a sovereign state in Central Europe that existed from October 1918 , when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire , until its peaceful dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia on 1 January 1993 .   From 1939 to 1945 , following its forced division and partial incorporation into Nazi Germany , the state did not de facto exist but its government-in-exile continued to operate .   From 1948 to 1990 , Czechoslovakia was part of the Soviet bloc with a command economy . Its economic status was formalized in membership of Comecon from 1949 , and its defense status in the Warsaw Pact of May 1955 . A period of political liberalization in 1968 , known as the Prague Spring , was forcibly ended when the Soviet Union , assisted by several other Warsaw Pact countries , invaded . In 1989 , as Marxist -- Leninist governments and communism were ending all over Europe , Czechoslovaks peacefully deposed their government in the Velvet Revolution ; state price controls were removed after a period of preparation . In 1993 , Czechoslovakia split into the two sovereign states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia .


Czech Republic The Czech Republic ( -LSB- ˈtʃɛkiə -RSB- , ; Česko , -LSB- ˈt͡ʃɛsko -RSB- ) , is a nation state in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west , Austria to the south , Slovakia to the east and Poland to the northeast . The Czech Republic covers an area of 78866 km2 with a mostly temperate continental climate and oceanic climate . It is a unitary parliamentary republic , has 10.5 million inhabitants and the capital and largest city is Prague , with over 1.2 million residents . The Czech Republic includes the historical territories of Bohemia , Moravia , and Czech Silesia .   The Czech state was formed in the late 9th century as the Duchy of Bohemia under the Great Moravian Empire . After the fall of the Empire in 907 , the centre of power transferred from Moravia to Bohemia under the Přemyslid dynasty . In 1002 , the duchy was formally recognized as part of the Holy Roman Empire , becoming the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198 and reaching its greatest territorial extent in the 14th century . Besides Bohemia itself , the king of Bohemia ruled the lands of the Bohemian Crown , he had a vote in the election of the Holy Roman Emperor , and Prague was the imperial seat in periods between the 14th and 17th century . In the Hussite wars of the 15th century driven by the Protestant Bohemian Reformation , the kingdom faced economic embargoes and defeated five consecutive crusades proclaimed by the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church .   Following the Battle of Mohács in 1526 , the whole Crown of Bohemia was gradually integrated into the Habsburg Monarchy alongside the Archduchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Hungary . The Protestant Bohemian Revolt ( 1618 -- 20 ) against the Catholic Habsburgs led to the Thirty Years ' War . After the Battle of the White Mountain , the Habsburgs consolidated their rule , eradicated Protestantism and reimposed Roman Catholicism , and also adopted a policy of gradual Germanization . With the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 , the Bohemian Kingdom became part of the Austrian Empire and the Czech language experienced a revival as a consequence of widespread romantic nationalism . In the 19th century , the Czech lands became the industrial powerhouse of the monarchy and were subsequently the core of the Republic of Czechoslovakia , which was formed in 1918 following the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire after World War I.   The Czech part of Czechoslovakia was occupied by Germany in World War II , and was liberated in 1945 by the armies of the Soviet Union and the United States . The Czech country lost the majority of its German-speaking inhabitants after they were expelled following the war . The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia won the 1946 elections . Following the 1948 coup d'état , Czechoslovakia became a one-party communist state under Soviet influence . In 1968 , increasing dissatisfaction with the regime culminated in a reform movement known as the Prague Spring , which ended in a Soviet-led invasion .   The first separate Czech republic was created on 1 January 1969 , under the name Czech Socialistic Republic within federalization of Czechoslovakia , however the federalization was implemented only incompletely . Czechoslovakia remained occupied until the 1989 Velvet Revolution , when the communist regime collapsed and a democracy and federalization was deepened . On 6 March 1990 , the Czech Socialistic Republic was renamed to the Czech Republic . On 1 January 1993 , Czechoslovakia peacefully dissolved , with its constituent states becoming the independent states of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic .   The Czech Republic joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union ( EU ) in 2004 ; it is a member of the United Nations , the OECD , the OSCE , and the Council of Europe . It is a developed country with an advanced , high income economy and high living standards . The UNDP ranks the country 14th in inequality-adjusted human development . In 2017 , Czech citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 168 countries and territories , ranking the Czech passport 9th in the world ( after 25 other countries ) . The Czech Republic also ranks as the 6th most peaceful country , while achieving strong performance in democratic governance . It has the lowest unemployment rate of EU members .


Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire ( Sacrum Imperium Romanum , Heiliges Römisches Reich ) was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in central Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 . The largest territory of the empire after 962 was the Kingdom of Germany , though it also came to include the Kingdom of Bohemia , the Kingdom of Burgundy , the Kingdom of Italy , and numerous other territories .   On 25 December 800 , Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish king Charlemagne as Emperor , reviving the title in Western Europe , more than three centuries after the fall of the Western Roman Empire . The title continued in the Carolingian family until 888 and from 896 to 899 , after which it was contested by the rulers of Italy in a series of civil wars until the death of the last Italian claimant , Berengar , in 924 .   The title was revived in 962 when Otto I was crowned emperor , fashioning himself as the successor of Charlemagne and beginning a continuous existence of the empire for over eight centuries . Some historians refer to the coronation of Charlemagne as the origin of the empire , while others prefer the coronation of Otto I as its beginning . Scholars generally concur , however , in relating an evolution of the institutions and principles constituting the empire , describing a gradual assumption of the imperial title and role .   The precise term `` Holy Roman Empire '' was not used until the 13th century , but the concept of translatio imperii , the notion that he held supreme power inherited from the emperors of Rome , was fundamental to the prestige of the emperor . The office of Holy Roman Emperor was traditionally elective , although frequently controlled by dynasties . The German prince-electors , the highest-ranking noblemen of the empire , usually elected one of their peers as `` King of the Romans , '' and he would later be crowned emperor by the Pope ; the tradition of papal coronations was discontinued in the 16th century . The empire never achieved the extent of political unification formed in France , evolving instead into a decentralized , limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of sub-units , principalities , duchies , counties , Free Imperial Cities , and other domains . The power of the emperor was limited , and while the various princes , lords , bishops and cities of the empire were vassals who owed the emperor their allegiance , they also possessed an extent of privileges that gave them de facto independence within their territories . Emperor Francis II dissolved the empire on 6 August 1806 , after the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine by Napoleon .


Great Moravia Great Moravia ( regnum Marahensium , Μεγάλη Μοραβία -- megale Moravia , Velká Morava , Veľká Morava , Wielka Morawia ) , the Great Moravian Empire , ( historiographical terms -- original formal name is unknown ) or simply Moravia , was the first major state that was predominantly Slavonic to emerge in the area of Central Europe . Its core territories were located on the Morava river which gave its name to the kingdom . `` Morava '' in both Czech and Slovak refers to both the river and the land of Moravia - the medieval Margraviate of Moravia , which is now the eastern part of the Czech Republic . The river Morava flows south through the whole of Moravia , later forming the present-day border between the Czech Republic and Slovakia before finally becoming the border between Slovakia and Austria ( where it is called the March in German ) . The kingdom saw the rise of the first ever Slavic literary culture in the Old Church Slavonic language . After the fall of Great Moravia , its core territory was gradually divided between the newly ascending Czech Kingdom ( Bohemia ) and Hungarian Kingdom : the frontier was originally settled on the Morava river ( the Czech Kingdom to its west , and Hungary - present-day Slovakia - to its east ) . However , from the 12th century , the Czech kings managed to gain more and more of the region on the eastern bank - eventually gaining the whole stretch of the eastern territory from Uherské Hradiště down to Strážnice , and this region retained its non-Czech identity in its designation `` Slovácko '' as an alternative dialectal for `` Slovakia '' . After this , the Czech-Hungarian border shifted east to the White Carpathians . The core region of Great Moravia along the Morava river , thus divided between the present-day Moravia and Slovakia , has retained a unique culture in the rich folklore tradition both on the western bank of the Morava ( including the southern Záluží region ) and the eastern bank - the Slovácko ( in Moravia ) and Záhorie ( in Slovakia ) . Záhorie also boasts the only surviving building from Great Moravian times - the chapel at Kopčany just across the Morava from the archaeological site of Mikulčice . The core of Great Moravia was established , according to legend , in the early 830s , when Prince Mojmír I ( -LSB- moimi : r -RSB- ) crossed the Morava and conquered the principality of Nitra ( present-day western Slovakia ) . The former principality of Nitra was used as the údelné kniežatsvo , or the territory given to , and ruled by , the successor to the throne , traditionally the nephew ( sister 's son ) of the ruling kъnendzь or Prince .   The extent and location of Great Moravia are a subject of debate . Rival theories place the center of it either south of the river Danube ( the river Morava in Serbia ) or on the Great Hungarian Plain . The exact date when the Moravian state was founded is also disputed , but it probably occurred in the early 830s under Prince Mojmír I , ( r. 820s/830s -- 846 ) , who is the first known ruler of the united Moravia . Mojmír and his successor , Rastislav ( `` Rostislav '' in Czech ) , who ruled from 846 to 870 , initially acknowledged the suzerainty of the Carolingian monarchs , but the Moravian fight for independence caused a series of armed conflicts with East Francia beginning in the 840s .   Moravia reached its largest territorial extent under Svätopluk I , ( Svatopluk in Czech ) , who ruled from 870 to 894 , and who was occasionally styled as king in contemporaneous sources . Although the borders of his empire can not be exactly determined , he controlled the core territories of Moravia as well as other neighbouring regions , including Bohemia , most of Slovakia and parts of Slovenia , Hungary , Poland and Ukraine , for some periods of his reign . Separatism and internal conflicts emerging after Svätopluk 's death contributed to the fall of Great Moravia , which was overrun by the Hungarians . The exact date of Moravia 's collapse is unknown , but it occurred between 902 and 907 .   Moravia experienced significant cultural development under Prince Rastislav , with the arrival in 863 of the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodius . Rastislav had asked the Byzantine emperor to send a `` teacher '' ( učitelja ) to introduce literacy and a legal system ( pravьda ) to Great Moravia . The brothers Cyril and Methodius introduced a system of writing ( the Glagolitic alphabet ) and Slavonic liturgy , the latter eventually formally approved by Pope Adrian II . The Glagolitic script was probably invented by Cyril himself and the language he used for his translations of holy scripts and his original literary creation was based on the Slavic dialect he and his brother Methodius knew from their native Thessaloniki . The language , termed Old Church Slavonic , was the direct ancestral language for Bulgarian , and therefore also referred to as Old Bulgarian . Old Church Slavonic , therefore , differed somewhat from the local Slavic dialect of Great Moravia which was the ancestral idiom to the later dialects spoken in Moravia and western Slovakia .   Later , the disciples of Cyril and Methodius were expelled from Great Moravia by King Svätopluk I. Arriving in the First Bulgarian Empire , the disciples continued the Cyrilo-Methodian mission and the Glagolitic script was superseded by Cyrillic . The Cyrillic script and translations of the liturgy were disseminated to other Slavic countries , particularly in the Balkans and Kievan Rus ' , charting a new path in these Slavic nations ´ cultural development .