Taiwan Taiwan ( -LSB- taɪˈwɑːn -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of China ( ROC ) , is a state in East Asia . Its neighbours include China ( officially the People 's Republic of China , PRC ) to the west , Japan to the northeast , and the Philippines to the south .  Taiwan is the most populous state that is not a member of the United Nations , and also possesses the largest economy of any state outside of the UN .   The island of Taiwan , also known as Formosa , was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before the 17th century , when Dutch and Spanish colonies opened the island to Han Chinese immigration . After a brief rule by the Kingdom of Tungning , the island was annexed by the Qing dynasty , the last dynasty of China . The Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895 after the Sino-Japanese War . While Taiwan was under Japanese rule , the Republic of China ( ROC ) was established on the mainland in 1912 after the fall of the Qing dynasty . Following the Japanese surrender to the Allies in 1945 , the ROC took control of Taiwan . However , the resumption of the Chinese Civil War led to the ROC 's loss of the mainland to the Communists , and the flight of the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949 . Although the ROC continued to claim to be the legitimate government of China , its effective jurisdiction since 1949 has been limited to Taiwan and its surrounding islands , with the main island making up 99 % of its de facto territory . As a founding member of the United Nations , the ROC continued to represent China at the United Nations until 1971 , when the PRC assumed China 's seat , causing the ROC to lose its UN membership .   In the early 1960s , Taiwan entered a period of rapid economic growth and industrialization , creating a stable industrial economy . In the 1980s and early 1990s , it changed from a one-party military dictatorship dominated by the Kuomintang to a multi-party democracy with a semi-presidential system . Taiwan is the 22nd-largest economy in the world , and its high-tech industry plays a key role in the global economy . It is ranked highly in terms of freedom of the press , healthcare , public education , economic freedom , and human development . The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce and is among the most highly educated countries in the world with one of the highest percentages of its citizens holding a tertiary education degree .   The PRC has consistently claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and asserted the ROC is no longer in legitimate existence . Under its One-China Policy the PRC refused diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes the ROC . Today only a few smaller nations recognize the ROC as the sole legal representative of China , but many other states maintain unofficial ties through representative offices and institutions that function as de facto embassies and consulates . Although Taiwan is fully self-governing , most international organizations in which the PRC participates either refuse to grant membership to Taiwan or allow it to participate only as a non-state actor . Internally , the major division in politics is between the aspirations of eventual Chinese unification or Taiwanese independence , though both sides have moderated their positions to broaden their appeal . The PRC has threatened the use of military force in response to any formal declaration of independence by Taiwan or if PRC leaders decide that peaceful unification is no longer possible .


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


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


Sam Walton was born on March 29th, 1918.

Sam Walton Samuel Moore `` Sam '' Walton ( March 29 , 1918 -- April 5 , 1992 ) was an American businessman and entrepreneur best known for founding the retailers Walmart and Sam 's Club .


Tesla, Inc. Tesla , Inc. ( formerly named Tesla Motors ) is a major American automaker , energy storage company , and solar panel manufacturer based in Palo Alto , California . The company was initially founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning , although the company also considers Elon Musk , JB Straubel , and Ian Wright amongst its co-founders . The company specializes in electric cars , Lithium-ion battery energy storage , and , through their SolarCity subsidiary , residential solar panels .   Tesla first gained widespread attention following its production of the Tesla Roadster , the first electric sports car , in 2008 . The company 's second vehicle , the Model S , an electric luxury sedan , debuted in 2012 and is built at the Tesla Factory in California . The Model S has been the world 's best-selling plug-in electric car for two years in a row , 2015 and 2016 . Its global sales achieved the 150,000 unit milestone in November 2016 , four years and five months after its introduction . , the Model S ranks as the world 's all-time second best-selling plug-in after the Nissan Leaf . The Model S was then followed in September 2015 by the Model X , a crossover SUV . Tesla 's next vehicle is the Model 3 , which was unveiled in March 2016 . It is slated for release in 2017 with a base price of , before any government incentives .   , Tesla has sold over 186,000 electric cars worldwide since delivery of its first Tesla Roadster in 2008 , making the carmaker the second largest global pure electric car manufacturer after the Renault-Nissan Alliance . For two years running , 2015 and 2016 , Tesla ranked as the world 's second best selling manufacturer of plug-in electric cars after BYD Auto . Musk , the CEO , has said that he envisions Tesla as a technology company and independent automaker , aimed at eventually offering electric cars at prices affordable to the average consumer .   Tesla has a network of high-powered Superchargers located across North America , Europe and Asia for Tesla vehicles . The company also operates a Destination Charging program , under which shops , restaurants and other venues are offered fast chargers for their customers . Although Tesla operates a number of production and assembly plants , the company 's most iconic facility is the Gigafactory 1 near Reno , Nevada , where Panasonic builds 21-70 cells for Tesla batteries . Tesla also manufactures the Tesla Powerwall , Powerpack batteries , and solar panels ( in varying form factors ) for home and industry applications . Elon Musk owned 20.8 % stake in the company as of March 2017 .


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


The New York Times Company publishes the New York Times.

The New York Times The New York Times ( sometimes abbreviated NYT and The Times ) is an American daily newspaper , founded and continuously published in New York City since September 18 , 1851 , by The New York Times Company . The New York Times has won 122 Pulitzer Prizes , more than any other newspaper .   The paper 's print version in 2013 had the second-largest circulation , behind The Wall Street Journal , and the largest circulation among the metropolitan newspapers in the United States . The New York Times is ranked 18th in the world by circulation . Following industry trends , its weekday circulation had fallen in 2009 to fewer than one million .   Nicknamed `` The Gray Lady '' , The New York Times has long been regarded within the industry as a national `` newspaper of record '' . It has been owned by the Ochs-Sulzberger family since 1896 ; Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. , the publisher of the Times and the chairman of the New York Times Company , is the fourth generation of the family to helm the paper . The New York Times international version , formerly the International Herald Tribune , is now called the New York Times International Edition .   The paper 's motto , `` All the News That 's Fit to Print '' , appears in the upper left-hand corner of the front page . Since the mid-1970s , The New York Times has greatly expanded its layout and organization , adding special weekly sections on various topics supplementing the regular news , editorials , sports , and features . Since 2008 , The New York Times has been organized into the following sections : News , Editorials/Opinions-Columns/Op-Ed , New York ( metropolitan ) , Business , Sports of The Times , Arts , Science , Styles , Home , Travel , and other features .   On Sunday , The New York Times is supplemented by the Sunday Review ( formerly the Week in Review ) , The New York Times Book Review , The New York Times Magazine and T : The New York Times Style Magazine ( T is published 13 times a year ) . The New York Times stayed with the broadsheet full page set-up ( as some others have changed into a tabloid lay-out ) and an eight-column format for several years , after most papers switched to six , and was one of the last newspapers to adopt color photography , especially on the front page .


Walt Disney's company is one of the largest failures.

Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( -LSB- ˈdɪzni -RSB- December 5 , 1901December 15 , 1966 ) was an American entrepreneur , animator , voice actor and film producer . A pioneer of the American animation industry , he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons . As a film producer , Disney holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual , having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations . He was presented with two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards and an Emmy Award , among other honors . Several of his films are included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress .   Born in Chicago in 1901 , Disney developed an early interest in drawing . He took art classes as a boy and got a job as a commercial illustrator at the age of 18 . He moved to California in the early 1920s and set up the Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy . With Ub Iwerks , Walt developed the character Mickey Mouse in 1928 , his first highly popular success ; he also provided the voice for his creation in the early years . As the studio grew , Disney became more adventurous , introducing synchronized sound , full-color three-strip Technicolor , feature-length cartoons and technical developments in cameras . The results , seen in features such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( 1937 ) , Fantasia , Pinocchio ( both 1940 ) , Dumbo ( 1941 ) and Bambi ( 1942 ) , furthered the development of animated film . New animated and live-action films followed after World War II , including the critically successful Cinderella ( 1950 ) and Mary Poppins ( 1964 ) , the latter of which received five Academy Awards .   In the 1950s , Disney expanded into the amusement park industry , and in 1955 he opened Disneyland . To fund the project he diversified into television programs , such as Walt Disney 's Disneyland and The Mickey Mouse Club ; he was also involved in planning the 1959 Moscow Fair , the 1960 Winter Olympics , and the 1964 New York World 's Fair . In 1965 , he began development of another theme park , Disney World , the heart of which was to be a new type of city , the `` Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow '' ( EPCOT ) . Disney was a heavy smoker throughout his life , and died of lung cancer in December 1966 before either the park or the EPCOT project were completed .   Disney was a shy , self-deprecating and insecure man in private , but adopted a warm and outgoing public persona . He had high standards and high expectations of those with whom he worked . Although there have been accusations that he was racist or anti-semitic , they have been contradicted by family members , employees and animation historians . His reputation changed in the years after his death , from a purveyor of homely patriotic values ( in the right ) to a representative of American imperialism ( in the left ) . Nevertheless , Disney is considered a cultural icon , particularly in the United States , where the company he co-founded is one of the world 's largest and best-known entertainment companies .


Texas has rolling plains and rugged hills.

Texas Texas ( -LSB- ˈtɛksəs -RSB- , -LSB- localˈtɛksᵻz -RSB- Texas or Tejas -LSB- ˈtexas -RSB- ) is the second largest state in the United States by both area and population . Geographically located in the South Central region of the country , Texas shares borders with the U.S. states of Louisiana to the east , Arkansas to the northeast , Oklahoma to the north , New Mexico to the west , and the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas to the southwest , while the Gulf of Mexico is to the southeast .   Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth largest in the U.S. , while San Antonio is the second most populous in the state and seventh largest in the U.S. Dallas -- Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and fifth largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country , respectively . Other major cities include Austin , the second most populous state capital in the U.S. , and El Paso . Texas is nicknamed `` The Lone Star State '' to signify its former status as an independent republic , and as a reminder of the state 's struggle for independence from Mexico . The `` Lone Star '' can be found on the Texan state flag and on the Texan state seal . The origin of Texas 's name is from the word `` Tejas , '' which means `` friends '' in the Caddo language .   Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault , Texas contains diverse landscapes that resemble both the U.S. Southern and Southwestern regions . Although Texas is popularly associated with the U.S. southwestern deserts , less than 10 % of Texas ' land area is desert . Most of the population centers are located in areas of former prairies , grasslands , forests , and the coastline . Traveling from east to west , one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods , to rolling plains and rugged hills , and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend .   The term `` six flags over Texas `` For example , as used by the large Grand Prairie -- based national and international amusement park operator Six Flags refers to several nations that have ruled over the territory . Spain was the first European country to claim the area of Texas . France held a short-lived colony . Mexico controlled the territory until 1836 when Texas won its independence , becoming an independent Republic . In 1845 , Texas joined the union as the 28th state . The state 's annexation set off a chain of events that led to the Mexican -- American War in 1846 . A slave state before the American Civil War , Texas declared its secession from the U.S. in early 1861 , and officially joined the Confederate States of America on March 2 of the same year . After the Civil War and the restoration of its representation in the federal government , Texas entered a long period of economic stagnation .   One Texan industry that thrived after the Civil War was cattle . Due to its long history as a center of the industry , Texas is associated with the image of the cowboy . The state 's economic fortunes changed in the early 20th century , when oil discoveries initiated an economic boom in the state . With strong investments in universities , Texas developed a diversified economy and high tech industry in the mid-20th century . As of 2015 , it is second on the list of the most Fortune 500 companies with 54 . With a growing base of industry , the state leads in many industries , including agriculture , petrochemicals , energy , computers and electronics , aerospace , and biomedical sciences . Texas has led the nation in export revenue since 2002 and has the second-highest gross state product .


Babe Ruth was a player for the New York Yankees.

Babe Ruth George Herman `` Babe '' Ruth Jr. ( February 6 , 1895 -- August 16 , 1948 ) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) spanned 22 seasons , from 1914 through 1935 . Nicknamed `` The Bambino '' and `` The Sultan of Swat '' , he began his MLB career as a stellar left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox , but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees . Ruth established many MLB batting ( and some pitching ) records , including career home runs ( 714 ) , runs batted in ( RBIs ) ( 2,213 ) , bases on balls ( 2,062 ) , slugging percentage ( .6897 ) , and on-base plus slugging ( OPS ) ( 1.164 ) ; the latter two still stand today . Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time . In , Ruth was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its `` first five '' inaugural members .   At age seven , Ruth was sent to St. Mary 's Industrial School for Boys , a reformatory where he learned life lessons and baseball skills from Brother Matthias Boutlier of the Christian Brothers , the school 's disciplinarian and a capable baseball player . In 1914 , Ruth was signed to play minor-league baseball for the Baltimore Orioles but was soon sold to the Red Sox . By 1916 , he had built a reputation as an outstanding pitcher who sometimes hit long home runs , a feat unusual for any player in the pre-1920 dead-ball era . Although Ruth twice won 23 games in a season as a pitcher and was a member of three World Series championship teams with Boston , he wanted to play every day and was allowed to convert to an outfielder . With regular playing time , he broke the MLB single-season home run record in 1919 .   After that season , Red Sox owner Harry Frazee sold Ruth to the Yankees amid controversy . The trade fueled Boston 's subsequent 86 year championship drought and popularized the `` Curse of the Bambino '' superstition . In his 15 years with New York , Ruth helped the Yankees win seven American League ( AL ) championships and four World Series championships . His big swing led to escalating home run totals that not only drew fans to the ballpark and boosted the sport 's popularity but also helped usher in the live-ball era of baseball , in which it evolved from a low-scoring game of strategy to a sport where the home run was a major factor . As part of the Yankees ' vaunted `` Murderer 's Row '' lineup of 1927 , Ruth hit 60 home runs , extending his MLB single-season record . He retired in 1935 after a short stint with the Boston Braves . During his career , Ruth led the AL in home runs during a season twelve times .   Ruth 's legendary power and charismatic personality made him a larger-than-life figure in the Roaring Twenties . During his career , he was the target of intense press and public attention for his baseball exploits and off-field penchants for drinking and womanizing . His often reckless lifestyle was tempered by his willingness to do good by visiting children at hospitals and orphanages . After his retirement as a player , he was denied a managerial job in baseball , most likely due to poor behavior during parts of his playing career . In his final years , Ruth made many public appearances , especially in support of American efforts in World War II . In 1946 , he became ill with cancer , and died two years later .


Broadchurch Broadchurch is a British television crime drama broadcast on ITV . It was created and written by Chris Chibnall and produced by Kudos Film and Television , Shine America , and Imaginary Friends . The first series , which premiered on 4 March 2013 , focused on the death of an 11-year-old boy and the impact of grief , mutual suspicion and media attention on the town . Filming for series two began in late May 2014 and concluded on 12 October 2014 and the series premiered on 5 January 2015 . Series three was confirmed on 23 February 2015 , immediately following the series two finale , and premiered on 27 February 2017 .   Broadchurch series one focused on the search for the boy 's murderer by detectives Alec Hardy ( played by David Tennant ) and Ellie Miller ( played by Olivia Colman ) . Chibnall was inspired by the Jurassic Coast of Britain to set his crime drama in a fictional , close-knit small town in Dorset . Much of the tone of the series was inspired by the music of Ólafur Arnalds , who also composed the soundtrack for the programme . Writing on spec , Chibnall persuaded ITV to green-light the series in the autumn of 2011 . Auditions soon followed , although some actors were offered roles directly . Principal photography began in August 2012 , with location shooting occurring primarily in towns and villages in Dorset , North Somerset , South Gloucestershire and Bristol . The production went to great lengths to keep the identity of the murderer secret . Cast and crew were nominated for many awards for series one ; they won several British Academy Television ( BAFTA ) Awards and a BAFTA Craft Award .   Series two was announced when the first series ended . The second series primarily focuses on two plot strands : the trial of the murderer and the reopening of the Sandbrook case . Tennant , Colman and most of the cast of series one returned for series two . New series two cast members include Marianne Jean-Baptiste , James D'Arcy , Eve Myles , Charlotte Rampling , Meera Syal and Phoebe Waller-Bridge and location shooting again occurred primarily in North Somerset , Devon , Dorset and Berkshire . A U.S. remake in one season , Gracepoint , also created by Chris Chibnall and starring Tennant , aired on 2014 on Fox . The French channel France 2 also announced an adaptation , to be titled Malaterra .


Mike Judge is a person who makes animated films.

Mike Judge Michael Craig `` Mike '' Judge ( born October 17 , 1962 ) is an American actor , animator , writer , producer , director , and musician . Judge is the creator of the television series Beavis and Butt-Head ( 1993 -- 1997 , 2011 ) , co-creator of the television series King of the Hill ( 1997 -- 2010 ) , The Goode Family ( 2009 ) , and Silicon Valley ( 2014 -- present ) . He also wrote and directed the films Beavis and Butt-Head Do America ( 1996 ) , Office Space ( 1999 ) , Idiocracy ( 2006 ) and Extract ( 2009 ) .   Judge graduated from University of California , San Diego , where he studied physics . After becoming uninterested in his career in science , Judge began to experiment with animation and started to create his own short films . Finding success in his animated shorts , Judge began to develop one of his most popular shorts which would later become Beavis and Butt-Head . The show was critically acclaimed by both audiences and critics , and launched the spin-off series Daria and the feature film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America . In 1995 , Judge and former Simpsons writer Greg Daniels developed King of the Hill , which quickly became a hit with both critics and audiences . During the run of the show , Judge took some time off to write and direct Office Space , Idiocracy , and Extract . As King of the Hill was coming to an end , Judge created his third show titled The Goode Family , which received mixed reviews and was cancelled after 13 episodes . After a four-year hiatus , Judge created his fourth show Silicon Valley , which has received critical acclaim since its premiere .   Judge has won a Primetime Emmy Award and two Annie Awards for King of the Hill and two Critics ' Choice Television Awards and Satellite Awards for Silicon Valley .   On January 12 , 2017 , Deadline confirmed that Cinemax ordered 8 episodes of Judge 's new animated series , Mike Judge Presents : Tales from the Tour Bus . It is set to premiere in 2017 .


Beavis and Butt-Head Do America Beavis and Butt-Head Do America is a 1996 American animated road comedy film based on the MTV television series Beavis and Butt-Head . The film was directed by series creator Mike Judge , and stars the regular television cast of Judge , with guest performances by Demi Moore , Bruce Willis , Robert Stack , and Cloris Leachman . The plot follows Beavis and Butt-Head who travel across the country in search of their stolen television set .   Previous offers by MTV to create a film version of Beavis and Butt-Head were rejected by Judge , but he eventually accepted one in 1994 . When the film went into production , Judge and the show 's staff halted production on the series , while Judge and Joe Stillman wrote the script . They conceived numerous plot ideas , with Judge 's being the one developed into a film . The music was composed by John Frizzell .   The film was well received by critics and grossed $ 63 million in the US , becoming the biggest December box-office opening in history until it was beaten the following year by Scream 2 and subsequently one week later by Titanic . The film was theatrically released on December 20 , 1996 , by Paramount Pictures .


Beavis and Butt-Head Beavis and Butt-Head is an American animated sitcom created and designed by Mike Judge . The series originated from Frog Baseball , a 1992 short film by Judge originally aired on Liquid Television . After seeing the short , MTV signed Judge to develop the concept . The series first ran from March 8 , 1993 to November 28 , 1997 . Then , the series was renewed for an eighth season which aired from October 27 to December 29 , 2011 . In 1996 , the series was adapted into the animated feature film Beavis and Butt-Head Do America .


Legion (2010 film) Legion is a 2010 American apocalyptic supernatural action horror film directed by Scott Stewart and co-written by Stewart and Peter Schink . The cast includes Paul Bettany , Lucas Black , Tyrese Gibson , Adrianne Palicki , Kate Walsh , and Dennis Quaid . Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group acquired most of this film 's worldwide distribution rights , and the group opened this film in North America theatrically on January 22 , 2010 through Screen Gems .   A television series called Dominion , set 25 years after the end of the film , premiered on the American cable television network Syfy on June 19 , 2014 .


Michelle Obama Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama ( born January 17 , 1964 ) is an American lawyer and writer who was First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 . She is married to the 44th President of the United States , Barack Obama , and is the first African-American First Lady . Raised on the South Side of Chicago , Illinois , Obama is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School , and spent her early legal career working at the law firm Sidley Austin , where she met her husband . She subsequently worked as the Associate Dean of Student Services at the University of Chicago and the Vice President for Community and External Affairs of the University of Chicago Medical Center . Barack and Michelle married in 1992 and have two daughters .   Obama campaigned for her husband 's presidential bid throughout 2007 and 2008 , delivering a keynote address at the 2008 Democratic National Convention . She returned to speak at the 2012 Democratic National Convention , and again during the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia , where she delivered a speech in support of the Democratic Presidential nominee , and fellow First Lady , Hillary Clinton .   As First Lady , Obama became a fashion icon , a role model for women , and an advocate for poverty awareness , nutrition , physical activity , and healthy eating .


Lily Collins has been named Newest Red Carpet Correspondent.

Lily Collins Lily Jane Collins ( born 18 March 1989 ) is a British-American actress and model . The daughter of English musician Phil Collins and an American mother , Jill Tavelman , she was born in Surrey and moved to Los Angeles as a child . Her first screen role was at the age of two in the BBC series Growing Pains . She went on to study broadcast journalism at the University of Southern California and as a teenager , wrote for Seventeen magazine , Teen Vogue , and The Los Angeles Times . She was named International Model of the Year by Spain 's Glamour magazine after being selected by Chanel to wear one of their gowns at the Hotel de Crillon in 2007 . In 2008 , she was named Newest Red Carpet Correspondent and One to Watch in 2008 .   Collins appeared as a guest star on the teen drama television series 90210 in 2009 , followed by her feature film debut in the semi-biographical sports film The Blind Side . She had leading roles in the sci-fi action-horror film Priest ( 2011 ) and the psychological action-thriller film Abduction , and was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress -- Sci-Fi/Fantasy for her role as Snow White in the fantasy film Mirror Mirror . She received wider recognition after taking on the role of Clary Fray in the fantasy film adaptation of Cassandra Clare 's The New York Times best-selling novel , The Mortal Instruments : City of Bones , for which she was nominated for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress -- Action and an MTV Movie Award .   Collins is also known for her roles in independent films , such as the romantic comedy-drama Stuck in Love ( 2012 ) , the romantic comedy The English Teacher ( 2013 ) , and the romantic comedy-drama Love , Rosie ( 2014 ) . She won the New Hollywood Film Award and received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical or Comedy her role as Marla Mabrey in Rules Do n't Apply ( 2016 ) . In 2017 , her debut novel , Unfiltered : No Shame , No Regrets , Just Me , was released to critical praise . In May 2017 , Lily Collins and Marti Noxon were honoured at Project Heal for their movie To the Bone .


Marc Maron was the only host of The Marc Maron Show.

The Marc Maron Show The Marc Maron Show was a late night radio show produced in affiliation with the Air America Radio network and hosted by comedian Marc Maron . The show originated from KTLK 1150 AM in Los Angeles , California . The show was less politically focused and more comedic than the other weekday programs on Air America . It featured interviews ( both political and showbusiness ) , live comedy , and extensive banter between Maron and Jim Earl , Maron 's co-host , who provides humorous introductions after each commercial break and plays several of the recurring characters in the show 's skits .


Marc Maron Marcus David Maron ( -LSB- ˈmærən -RSB- ; born September 27 , 1963 ) is an American stand-up comedian , podcaster , writer , actor , musician , director , and producer .   He has been host of The Marc Maron Show and co-host of both Morning Sedition and Breakroom Live , all politically oriented shows produced by Air America Media . He hosted Comedy Central 's Short Attention Span Theater for a year , replacing Jon Stewart . Maron was a frequent guest on the Late Show with David Letterman and made more than forty appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien , more than any other standup performer . He was also a regular guest on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and hosted the short-lived American version of the British game show Never Mind the Buzzcocks on VH1 .   In September 2009 , Maron began hosting a twice-weekly podcast titled WTF with Marc Maron in which he interviews comedians and celebrities . Highlights have included Conan O'Brien , Robin Williams , and an episode with Louis C.K. that was rated the # 1 podcast episode of all time by Slate magazine . In June 2015 , Maron interviewed the President of the United States , Barack Obama , at his podcast studio and home , in Highland Park , Los Angeles , California .   From 2013 to 2016 , he starred in his own IFC television comedy series , Maron , for which he also served as executive producer and occasional writer .


The best selling paid-downloaded game of all time is Tetris.

Tetris Tetris ( , pronounced -LSB- ˈtɛtrʲɪs -RSB- ) is a tile-matching puzzle video game , originally designed and programmed by Russian game designer Alexey Pajitnov . It was released on June 6 , 1984 , while he was working for the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre of the Academy of Science of the USSR in Moscow . He derived its name from the Greek numerical prefix tetra - ( all of the game 's pieces contain four segments ) and tennis , Pajitnov 's favorite sport .   Tetris was the first entertainment software to be exported from the USSR to the US , where it was published by Spectrum HoloByte for Commodore 64 and IBM PC . The Tetris game is a popular use of tetrominoes , the four-element special case of polyominoes . Polyominoes have been used in popular puzzles since at least 1907 , and the name was given by the mathematician Solomon W. Golomb in 1953 . However , even the enumeration of pentominoes is dated to antiquity .   The game ( or one of its many variants ) is available for nearly every video game console and computer operating system , as well as on devices such as graphing calculators , mobile phones , portable media players , PDAs , Network music players and even as an Easter egg on non-media products like oscilloscopes . It has even inspired Tetris serving dishes and been played on the sides of various buildings .   While versions of Tetris were sold for a range of 1980s home computer platforms as well as arcades , it was the hugely successful handheld version for the Game Boy launched in 1989 that established the game as one of the most popular ever . Electronic Gaming Monthly '' 's 100th issue had Tetris in first place as `` Greatest Game of All Time '' . In 2007 , Tetris came in second place in IGN 's `` 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time '' . In January 2010 , it was announced that the Tetris franchise had sold more than 170 million copies , approximately 70 million physical copies and over 100 million copies for cell phones , making it the best selling paid-downloaded game of all time . On 14 March 2014 , The Tetris Company announced a deal to bring Tetris '' to two of the latest hardware platforms , the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 , in partnership with Ubisoft ( publishing ) and SoMa Play ( development ) , to coincide with the franchise 's 30th anniversary .


John Bradley-West acted in the television show Game of Thrones.

John Bradley-West John Bradley-West ( born 1988 ) , credited as John Bradley , is an English actor , best known for his role as Samwell Tarly in the HBO fantasy TV series Game of Thrones .


The Honeymoon Tour was Ariana Grande's second concert tour, started in 2015.

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( born June 26 , 1993 ) , known as Ariana Grande ( -LSB- ˌɑriˈɑːnə_ˈɡrɑːndeɪ -RSB- ) , is an American singer and actress . She began her career in the Broadway musical 13 , before landing the role of Cat Valentine in the Nickelodeon television series Victorious in 2009 . The show ended after four seasons , and Grande starred in the spinoff , Sam & Cat , which ended in 2014 . She has also appeared in other theatre and television roles , and has lent her voice to animated television and films .   Grande 's music career began with the soundtrack Music from Victorious ( 2011 ) . She signed a recording contract with Republic Records and released her debut studio album , Yours Truly , in 2013 , which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 . The album 's lead single , `` The Way '' , debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 , with critics comparing her wide vocal range to that of Mariah Carey .   Grande 's second studio album , My Everything ( 2014 ) , debuted at number one in the US and charted in the top 10 in 24 other countries . With the lead single `` Problem '' and several others from that album , she was continuously in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for 34 weeks and had the most top 10 singles of any artist in 2014 . In 2015 , Grande promoted My Everything with her first world tour , The Honeymoon Tour , guest-starred in the Fox comedy horror television series , Scream Queens and released a holiday EP , Christmas & Chill . In 2016 , she released her third studio album , Dangerous Woman , and several songs from the album . The title track debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 , making Grande the first person in the history of that chart to have the lead single from each of her first three albums debut in the top 10 . The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 . As of January 2017 , Grande 's music videos had been viewed a total of more than seven billion times online .   Grande 's accolades include three American Music Awards , an MTV Video Music Award , three MTV Europe Music Awards and four Grammy Award nominations . All three of her albums have been certified platinum by the RIAA . She has actively supported a range of charities , and has a large following on social media ; she is the second most followed person on Instagram . In 2016 , Time named Grande one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list .


The 84th Academy Awards snubbed Undefeated.

84th Academy Awards The 84th Academy Awards ceremony , presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS ) , honored the best films of 2011 in the United States and took place on February 26 , 2012 , at the Hollywood and Highland Center Theatre in Hollywood , Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. . During the ceremony , the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented Academy Awards ( commonly referred to as Oscars ) in 24 categories . The ceremony was televised in the United States by ABC , and produced by Brian Grazer and Don Mischer , with Mischer also serving as director . Actor Billy Crystal hosted the show for the ninth time . He first presided over the 62nd ceremony held in 1990 and had last hosted the 76th ceremony held in 2004 .   On June 14 , 2011 , Academy president Tom Sherak announced at a press conference that , in an attempt to further revitalize interest surrounding the awards , the 2012 ceremony would feature between five and ten Best Picture nominees depending on voting results , as opposed to a set number of nominees . In related events , the Academy held its third annual Governors Awards ceremony at the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Center on November 12 , 2011 . On February 11 , 2012 , in a ceremony at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills , California , the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Milla Jovovich .   The Artist won five awards , including Best Actor for Jean Dujardin , Best Director for Michel Hazanavicius , and Best Picture , the first silent feature to win an Academy Award for Best Picture since 1927 's Wings , the inaugural winner in 1929 . Other winners included Hugo also with five awards , The Iron Lady with two awards , and Beginners , The Descendants , The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore , The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , The Help , Midnight in Paris , The Muppets , Rango , Saving Face , A Separation , The Shore , and Undefeated with one . The telecast garnered more than 39 million viewers in the United States .


The PlayStation 4 is a console for video games.

PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 ( PS3 ) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment . It is the successor to PlayStation 2 , and is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles . It was first released on November 11 , 2006 , in Japan , November 17 , 2006 , in North America , and March 23 , 2007 , in Europe and Australia . The PlayStation 3 mainly competes against consoles such as Microsoft 's Xbox 360 and Nintendo 's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles .   The console was first officially announced at E3 2005 , and was released at the end of 2006 . It was the first console to use Blu-ray Disc as its primary storage medium . The console was the first PlayStation to integrate social gaming services , including being the first to introduce Sony 's social gaming service , PlayStation Network , and its remote connectivity with PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita , being able to remote control the console from the devices . In September 2009 , the Slim model of the PlayStation 3 was released . It no longer provided the hardware ability to run PS2 games . It was lighter and thinner than the original version , and featured a redesigned logo and marketing design , as well as a minor start-up change in software . A Super Slim variation was then released in late 2012 , further refining and redesigning the console .   The system had a slow start in the market but managed to recover , particularly after the introduction of the Slim model . As of March 2016 , PlayStation 3 has sold 85 million units worldwide , putting it about on par with Xbox 360 , but behind the Wii . Its successor , the PlayStation 4 , was released later in November 2013 . On September 29 , 2015 , Sony confirmed that sales of the PlayStation 3 were to be discontinued in New Zealand , but the system remains in production in other markets . In March 2017 , the official site for PlayStation 3 in Japan was updated to state that it would be discontinued soon .   On 29 May 2017 , the PlayStation 3 was discontinued in Japan , as of 2015 , the PS3 is getting discontinued in certain parts of the world .  The PlayStation 3 will be discontinued worldwide soon .


PlayStation 4 PlayStation 4 ( PS4 ) is a line of home video game consoles developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment . Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 during a press conference on February 20 , 2013 , it was launched on November 15 in North America , November 29 in Europe , South America and Australia ; and February 22 , 2014 , in Japan . It competes with Nintendo 's Wii U and Microsoft 's Xbox One , as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles .   Moving away from the more complex Cell microarchitecture of its predecessor , the console features an AMD Accelerated Processing Unit ( APU ) built upon the x86-64 architecture , which can theoretically peak at 1.84 teraflops ; AMD stated that it was the `` most powerful '' APU it had developed to date . The PlayStation 4 places an increased emphasis on social interaction and integration with other devices and services , including the ability to play games off-console on PlayStation Vita and other supported devices ( `` Remote Play '' ) , the ability to stream gameplay online or to friends , with them controlling gameplay remotely ( `` Share Play '' ) . The console 's controller was also redesigned and improved over the PlayStation 3 , with improved buttons and analog sticks , and an integrated touchpad among other changes . The console also supports HDR10 high-dynamic-range color and playback of 4K multimedia .   Reception to the original PlayStation 4 model was positive , with critics praising Sony for acknowledging its consumers ' needs , embrace of independent game development , and for not imposing restrictive digital rights management schemes that Microsoft had previously announced for Xbox One prior to its release . Critics and third-party studios also praised the capabilities of the PlayStation 4 in comparison to its competitors ; developers described the performance difference between the console and Xbox One as being `` significant '' and `` obvious '' . Heightened demand also helped Sony top global console sales . By the end of 2016 , more than 53 million consoles have been sold worldwide , with more than 57 million shipped .   On September 7 , 2016 , Sony unveiled two hardware revisions of PlayStation 4 ; a slim build of the console , and a `` Pro '' version with an upgraded GPU and higher CPU clock rate to support 4K gameplay on supported titles .


Helen Mirren has portrayed Queen Elizabeth II.

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


Red Headed Stranger's lyrics have been featured in prologue of the comic Preacher.

Red Headed Stranger Red Headed Stranger is a 1975 album by American outlaw country singer Willie Nelson . After the wide success of his recordings with Atlantic Records , coupled with the negotiating skills of his manager , Neil Reshen , Nelson signed a contract with Columbia Records , a label that gave him total creative control over his works . The concept for the album was inspired by the `` Tale of the Red Headed Stranger '' , a song that Nelson used to play as a disk jockey on his program in Fort Worth , Texas . After signing with Columbia he decided to record the song , and arranged the details during his return to Austin , Texas , from a trip to Colorado . It was recorded at low cost at Autumn Sound Studios in Garland , Texas . The songs featured sparse arrangements , largely limited to Nelson 's guitar , piano and drums . Nelson presented the finished material to Columbia executives , who were dubious about releasing an album that they at first thought was a demo . However , Nelson had creative control , so no further production was added .   A concept album , Red Headed Stranger is about a fugitive on the run from the law after killing his wife and her lover . The content consists of songs with brief poetic lyrics and arrangements of older material such as Fred Rose 's `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' , Wolfe Gilbert 's `` Down Yonder '' and Juventino Rosas ' `` O'er the Waves '' . Despite Columbia 's doubts and the limited instrumentation , Red Headed Stranger was a blockbuster among country music and mainstream audiences . It was certified multi-platinum , and made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music . The cover of `` Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain '' , released as a single previous to the album full release became Nelson 's first number one hit . The title of the album would become a lasting nickname for Nelson . It was ranked # 183 on Rolling Stones list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , and number one on CMT 's 40 Greatest Albums in Country Music . In 2010 it was inducted to the National Recording Registry .   In 1986 Nelson starred as the Red Headed Stranger in a movie of the same name , based on the story of the album . The album has had a strong cultural impact ; the song `` Time of the Preacher '' has been used often in the series Edge of Darkness , and its lyrics were used as well in the first issue of the comic Preacher .


Braveheart was nominated for ten awards.

Braveheart Braveheart is a 1995 American epic war film directed by and starring Mel Gibson . Gibson portrays William Wallace , a 13th-century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I of England . The story is inspired by Blind Harry 's epic poem The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace and was adapted for the screen by Randall Wallace .   The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards at the 68th Academy Awards and won five : Best Picture , Best Director , Best Cinematography , Best Makeup , and Best Sound Editing .


David Simon David Judah Simon ( born February 9 , 1960 ) is an American author , journalist , writer , and producer . He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years ( 1982 -- 95 ) and wrote Homicide : A Year on the Killing Streets ( 1991 ) and co-wrote The Corner : A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood ( 1997 ) with Ed Burns . The former book was the basis for the NBC series Homicide : Life on the Street ( 1993 -- 99 ) , on which Simon served as a writer and producer . Simon adapted the latter book into the HBO mini-series The Corner ( 2000 ) .   He was the creator , executive producer , head writer , and show runner for all five seasons of the HBO television series The Wire ( 2002 -- 2008 ) . He adapted the non-fiction book Generation Kill into a television mini-series , and served as the show runner for the project . He was selected as one of the 2010 MacArthur Fellows and named an Utne Reader visionary in 2011 . Simon also created the HBO series Treme with Eric Overmyer , which aired for four seasons . Following Treme , Simon wrote the HBO mini-series Show Me a Hero with journalist William F. Zorzi , a colleague at The Baltimore Sun , and on The Wire .   In August 2015 , HBO commissioned two pilots from Simon 's company Blown Deadline Productions . The first drama , The Deuce , about the New York porn industry in the 1970s and 1980s , would star Maggie Gyllenhaal and co-producer James Franco with shooting in New York in the fall of 2015 . The second drama is an untitled program exploring a `` detailed examination of partisanship '' and money in Washington politics , to be co-produced with Carl Bernstein .


Splatoon 2 is on the on the Nintendo Switch.

Splatoon 2 Splatoon 2 is an upcoming third-person shooter video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch . It is the sequel to the 2015 Wii U title , Splatoon , and is a team-based third-person shooter which is playable by up to eight players in online four-versus-four matches . The game was announced in January 2017 , and will be released worldwide in July 2017 .


Kapil Sharma had nothing to do with a television comedy show Comedy Nights with Kapil from 2013 to 2016.

Kapil Sharma (comedian) Kapil Sharma ( real name Kapil Punj Singh ) ( born 2 April 1981 ) is an Indian stand-up comedian , television presenter , actor and producer . He hosted a television comedy show Comedy Nights with Kapil from June 2013 to January 2016 . Currently , he is hosting another comedy show on Sony Entertainment Television named The Kapil Sharma Show . He first appeared in the Forbes India Celebrity list in 2012 , ranked 96th .   Ormax Media rated Sharma the most popular Indian television personality in April 2016 . Forbes India ranked him 27th on their Celebrity-100 list in 2015 .  Forbes India ranked him at 7th position in terms of fame and at 11th position in terms of income on their Celebrity - 100 list in 2016 .  He was awarded the CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2013 , in the Entertainment category and was ranked third in the Most Admired Indian Personality List by The Economic Times in 2015 . Sharma was nominated for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Pranab Mukherjee in September 2015 to acknowledge his contribution for the same .


Jennifer Lawrence Jennifer Shrader Lawrence ( born August 15 , 1990 ) is an American actress . Since 2015 , Lawrence has been the highest-paid actress in the world , and her films have grossed over $ 5.5 billion worldwide . She appeared in Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 and Forbes Celebrity 100 the following year and in 2016 .   During her childhood , Lawrence performed in church plays and school musicals . When she was 14 , a talent scout spotted her in New York . She then moved to Los Angeles and began her acting career by playing guest roles in television shows . Her first major role came as a main cast member on the sitcom The Bill Engvall Show ( 2007 -- 2009 ) . Lawrence made her film debut with a supporting role in Garden Party ( 2008 ) , and had her breakthrough playing a poverty-stricken teenager in the independent drama Winter 's Bone ( 2010 ) . She achieved wider recognition for playing the mutant Mystique in X-Men : First Class ( 2011 ) , a role she reprised in later installments of the series .   Lawrence 's fame continued to grow with her starring role as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games film series ( 2012 -- 2015 ) , which established her as the highest-grossing action heroine of all time . She went on to earn various accolades from her collaborations with director David O. Russell . Her performance as a depressed widow in the romance film Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) received an Academy Award for Best Actress , making her the second youngest Best Actress Oscar winner . Lawrence subsequently won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for playing a troubled wife in the black comedy American Hustle ( 2013 ) . She also received Golden Globe Awards for her roles in both of these films and for playing the eponymous inventor in the biopic Joy ( 2015 ) .   Lawrence is known in the media for being a vocal advocate of feminism and gender equality , and is the founder of the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation through which she supports various charitable organizations .


Joy (film) Joy is a 2015 American biographical comedy-drama film , written and directed by David O. Russell and starring Jennifer Lawrence as Joy Mangano , about whom the story is loosely based as a self-made millionaire who created her own business empire .   Joy received a theatrical release on December 25 , 2015 , distributed by 20th Century Fox . It received mixed reviews from critics , who praised Lawrence 's performance but criticized the writing and pace of the film . Lawrence received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her performance . Joy was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy , among other accolades .


Transformers: The Last Knight is a recorded work.

Transformers: The Last Knight Transformers : The Last Knight is an upcoming American science fiction action film based on the toy line of the same name created by Hasbro . It is the fifth installment of the live-action Transformers film series and a direct sequel to 2014 's Transformers : Age of Extinction . The film was directed by Michael Bay , with Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci reprising their roles from Age of Extinction alongside Josh Duhamel , Tyrese Gibson , and John Turturro from the first three movies . Bay has stated this film marks his final picture in the franchise . The film is set to be released on June 21 , 2017 by Paramount Pictures in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D .


The New Adventures of Old Christine features only actors under 30.

The New Adventures of Old Christine The New Adventures of Old Christine ( often shortened to simply Old Christine ) is an American television sitcom starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell , a middle-aged divorced mother who struggles to keep pace with those around her . Clark Gregg co-starred as her ex-husband Richard , with whom Christine maintains a close relationship despite their divorce , as well as Hamish Linklater as her brother Matthew and Wanda Sykes as her best friend Barb . It originally ran on CBS from March 13 , 2006 , to May 12 , 2010 .   The New Adventures of Old Christine was created and produced by Kari Lizer as well as Andy Ackerman ( who directed all 88 episodes of the series ) , and distributed by Warner Bros. . Television . The series received generally positive reviews from television critics and was nominated for nine Primetime Emmy Awards , winning one for Louis-Dreyfus ' performance in the first season . In May 2010 , CBS canceled The New Adventures of Old Christine after five seasons .


Julia Louis-Dreyfus Julia Scarlett Elizabeth Louis-Dreyfus ( -LSB- ˈluːi_ˈdraɪfəs -RSB- born January 13 , 1961 ) is an American actress , comedian , and producer . She is known for her work in television comedy , including Saturday Night Live ( 1982 -- 85 ) , Seinfeld ( 1989 -- 98 ) , The New Adventures of Old Christine ( 2006 -- 10 ) , and Veep ( 2012 -- present ) . Louis-Dreyfus holds several records for most Primetime Emmy Award wins and nominations .   Louis-Dreyfus broke into comedy as a performer in The Practical Theatre Company in Chicago , Illinois , which led to her casting in the sketch show Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1985 . Her breakthrough came in 1990 with a nine-season run playing Elaine Benes on Seinfeld , one of the most critically and commercially successful sitcoms of all time . Other notable television roles include Christine Campbell in The New Adventures of Old Christine , which had a five-season run on CBS , and her role as Selina Meyer in Veep , which has recently been renewed by HBO for a sixth season . Louis-Dreyfus ' film roles have included Hannah and Her Sisters ( 1986 ) , National Lampoon 's Christmas Vacation ( 1989 ) , Deconstructing Harry ( 1997 ) , and Enough Said ( 2013 ) . She has voiced roles in several animated films , including A Bug 's Life ( 1998 ) and Planes ( 2013 ) .   Louis-Dreyfus has received nine Emmy Awards , seven for acting and two for producing , with a total of 22 nominations throughout her career . She has also received a Golden Globe Award , seven Screen Actors Guild Awards , five American Comedy Awards , and two Critics ' Choice Television Awards . Louis-Dreyfus received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 , and was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 2014 . In 2016 , Time named Louis-Dreyfus one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list .


Reese Witherspoon's breakthrough role was an adaptation of an Amanda Brown novel.

Legally Blonde Legally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film adapted from the novel of the same title by Amanda Brown . It was directed by Robert Luketic , scripted by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith , and stars Reese Witherspoon , Luke Wilson , Selma Blair , Matthew Davis , Victor Garber , and Jennifer Coolidge . The film tells the story of Elle Woods , a sorority girl who attempts to win back her ex-boyfriend by getting a law degree .   The film was released on July 13 , 2001 , and received positive reviews from critics . The critics ' consensus states that `` though the material is predictable and formulaic , Reese Witherspoon 's funny , nuanced performance makes this movie better than it would have been otherwise '' . It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture : Musical or Comedy and ranked 29th on Bravo 's 2007 list of `` 100 Funniest Movies '' . Witherspoon received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy , and the 2002 MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance .   The box-office success led to a 2003 sequel , Red , White & Blonde , and a 2009 direct-to-DVD spin-off , Legally Blondes . Additionally , Legally Blonde : The Musical premiered on January 23 , 2007 , in San Francisco and opened in New York City at the Palace Theatre on Broadway on April 29 , 2007 , starring Laura Bell Bundy .


Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon ( -LSB- ˈriːs_ˈwɪðərspuːn -RSB- born March 22 , 1976 ) is an American actress , producer , and entrepreneur . Born in New Orleans and raised in Tennessee , she began her career as a child actress , making her professional screen debut in The Man in the Moon ( 1991 ) , for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award . Following breakout roles in Desperate Choices : To Save My Child ( 1992 ) and Jack the Bear , she starred in the comedy-drama Pleasantville ( 1998 ) , for which she won the Young Hollywood Award for Breakthrough Performance . Her leading role of Tracy Flick in Election ( 1999 ) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award .   Witherspoon 's breakthrough role was playing Elle Woods in the 2001 film Legally Blonde , for which she received her second Golden Globe nomination . The following year , she starred in the romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama , which emerged as her biggest live-action commercial success . In 2005 , she portrayed June Carter in Walk the Line , which earned her the Academy Award , Golden Globe Award , BAFTA Award , Screen Actors Guild Award , and Critics Choice Award for Best Actress . Other notable films of hers include Legally Blonde 2 : Red , White & Blonde ( 2003 ) , Monsters vs. Aliens ( 2009 ) , Water for Elephants ( 2011 ) , and Sing ( 2016 ) . In 2014 , Witherspoon produced the thriller Gone Girl and received critical acclaim for portraying Cheryl Strayed in Wild , for which she earned her second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and a fourth Golden Globe nomination . In 2017 , she produced and starred in the HBO drama series Big Little Lies .   Witherspoon owns a production company , Pacific Standard , and she is actively involved in children 's and women 's advocacy organizations . She serves on the board of the Children 's Defense Fund ( CDF ) and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007 , serving as honorary chair of the charitable Avon Foundation . She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 .


Cape Fear is directed by Martin Scorsese.

Cape Fear (1991 film) Cape Fear is a 1991 American psychological thriller film directed by Martin Scorsese and a remake of the 1962 film of the same name . It stars Robert De Niro , Nick Nolte , Jessica Lange , and Juliette Lewis , and features cameos from Gregory Peck , Robert Mitchum , and Martin Balsam , who all appeared in the original film . It was Peck 's final theatrical film . The film tells the story of a convicted rapist who , using mostly his newfound knowledge of the law and its numerous loopholes , seeks vengeance against a former public defender whom he blames for his 14-year imprisonment due to purposefully faulty defense tactics used during his trial .   Cape Fear marks the seventh of eight collaborations between Scorsese and De Niro , the others being Mean Streets ( 1973 ) , Taxi Driver ( 1976 ) , New York , New York ( 1977 ) , Raging Bull ( 1980 ) , The King of Comedy ( 1982 ) , Goodfellas ( 1990 ) and Casino ( 1995 ) . The film received positive reviews and received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor ( De Niro ) and Best Supporting Actress ( Lewis ) .


Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005 film) Mr. & Mrs. Smith is a 2005 American action comedy film directed by Doug Liman and written by Simon Kinberg . The film stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie as a bored upper-middle class married couple surprised to learn that they are assassins belonging to competing agencies , and that they have been assigned to kill each other .   Besides being a box office hit , it is also notable for establishing Jolie and Pitt 's relationship .


Brad Pitt William Bradley Pitt ( born December 18 , 1963 ) is an American actor and producer . He has received multiple awards and nominations including an Academy Award as producer under his own company Plan B Entertainment .   Pitt first gained recognition as a cowboy hitchhiker in the road movie Thelma & Louise ( 1991 ) . His first leading roles in big-budget productions came with the dramas A River Runs Through It ( 1992 ) and Legends of the Fall ( 1994 ) , and Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) . He gave critically acclaimed performances in the crime thriller Seven and the science fiction film 12 Monkeys ( both 1995 ) , the latter earning him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and an Academy Award nomination . Pitt starred in the cult film Fight Club ( 1999 ) and the heist film Ocean 's Eleven ( 2001 ) and its sequels , Ocean 's Twelve ( 2004 ) and Ocean 's Thirteen ( 2007 ) . His greatest commercial successes have been Troy ( 2004 ) , Mr. & Mrs. Smith ( 2005 ) , and World War Z ( 2013 ) . Pitt received his second and third Academy Award nominations for his leading performances in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008 ) and Moneyball ( 2011 ) . He produced The Departed ( 2006 ) and 12 Years a Slave ( 2013 ) , both of which won the Academy Award for Best Picture , and also The Tree of Life , Moneyball , and The Big Short ( 2015 ) , all of which garnered Best Picture nominations .   As a public figure , Pitt has been cited as one of the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry , as well as the world 's most attractive man , by various media outlets . His personal life is also the subject of wide publicity . Divorced from actress Jennifer Aniston , to whom he was married for five years , he has been married to actress Angelina Jolie since 2014 . They have six children together , three of whom were adopted internationally . In September 2016 , Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt .


The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (film) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a 2008 American romantic fantasy drama film directed by David Fincher . The storyline by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord is loosely based on the 1922 short story of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald . The film stars Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse and Cate Blanchett as the love interest throughout his life .   The film was released in North America on December 25 , 2008 to positive reviews . The film went on to receive thirteen Academy Award nominations , including Best Picture , Best Director for Fincher , Best Actor for Pitt and Best Supporting Actress for Taraji P. Henson , and won three , for Best Art Direction , Best Makeup , and Best Visual Effects .


Bradley Cooper was in a television series.

Bradley Cooper Bradley Charles Cooper ( born January 5 , 1975 ) is an American actor and producer . He was one of the world 's highest-paid actors for three years , and has been nominated for various accolades , including four Academy Awards , two BAFTA Awards and two Golden Globe Awards . Cooper appeared in Forbes Celebrity 100 on two occasions and Time list of 100 most influential people in the world in 2015 .   Cooper enrolled in the MFA program at the Actors Studio , New York City in 2000 . His career began with a guest role in the television series Sex and the City in 1999 and his film debut came two years later in Wet Hot American Summer . He first gained recognition as Will Tippin in the spy-action television show Alias ( 2001 -- 2006 ) , and achieved minor success with a supporting part in the comedy film Wedding Crashers ( 2005 ) . His breakthrough role came in 2009 with  The Hangover , a commercially successful comedy which spawned two sequels in 2011 and 2013 .   Cooper 's portrayal of a struggling writer in the thriller Limitless ( 2011 ) and a rookie police officer in the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines ( 2012 ) drew praise from critics . He found greater success with the romantic comedy-drama Silver Linings Playbook ( 2012 ) , the black comedy crime film American Hustle ( 2013 ) , and the biopic American Sniper ( 2014 ) . For his work in these films , Cooper was nominated for Academy Awards -- two Best Actor , one Best Supporting Actor , and one Best Picture . Cooper became the tenth actor to receive an Academy Award nomination in three consecutive years . In 2014 , he portrayed Joseph Merrick in a Broadway revival of The Elephant Man , garnering a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play .


Ad-Rock Adam Keefe Horovitz ( born October 31 , 1966 ) , better known as Ad-Rock or King Ad-Rock , is an American musician , guitarist , rapper , producer , and actor . He is best known as a member of the hip hop group the Beastie Boys . He is married to musician and feminist activist Kathleen Hanna .


Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle ( born December 9 , 1968 ) is an American professional wrestler , actor , and retired amateur wrestler . He is currently signed to WWE , performing as the on-screen general manager for the Raw brand . While a student at Clarion University of Pennsylvania , Angle won numerous accolades , including being a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I Heavyweight Wrestling Champion . After graduating college , Angle won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships . He then won a freestyle wrestling gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics . Angle is one of four people to complete an amateur wrestling Grand Slam ( junior nationals , NCAA , World Championships , Olympics ) . In 2006 , he was named by USA Wrestling as the greatest shoot wrestler ever and one of the top 15 college wrestlers of all time . He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 for his amateur accomplishments .   Angle made his first appearance at a professional wrestling event in 1996 , with his in-ring debut in 1999 . He signed a long-term contract with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) that same year , and participated in his first televised storyline in March 1999 . After months of unaired matches , Angle made his official debut in November and received his first major push in the company in February 2000 , when he held the European Championship and the Intercontinental Championship simultaneously . Four months later , he won the King of the Ring tournament , and not long after he began pursuing the WWF Championship , which he won in October ; this capped off a rookie year which is considered by many to be the greatest in professional wrestling history . Throughout his tenure in the WWF/WWE , Angle was a six-time world champion ( four reigns as WWF/WWE Champion , one as WCW Champion , and one as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion ) , a one-time United States Champion , one-time Intercontinental Champion , one-time European Champion , one-time Hardcore Champion , and one-time WWE Tag Team Champion . He is the tenth Triple Crown Champion and the fifth Grand Slam Champion ( achieving this accolade twice under both the original and current format ) in WWE history . On March 31 2017 , Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame , becoming the third active wrestler to be inducted , after Ric Flair and Sting .   After leaving WWE in 2006 , Angle joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA , now Impact Wrestling ) where he became a record six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion ( and the inaugural titleholder ) , a two-time TNA World Tag Team Champion , and a one-time TNA X Division Champion . He is the second Triple Crown winner in TNA history and the only one to hold all the required titles at once . Angle is also a two-time King of the Mountain . As part of TNA , he made appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling ( NJPW ) and the Inoki Genome Federation ( IGF ) , holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship once . In 2013 , Angle was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame ( he is the second wrestler -- after Sting -- to be inducted into both the WWE and TNA halls of fame ) .   Between WWF/WWE , Japan , and TNA , Angle has won 13 world championships and 21 total championships . He is the only professional wrestler in history to have won the WWE Championship , WWE 's World Heavyweight Championship , the WCW Championship , the TNA World Heavyweight Championship , and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship . Angle is also the only person to have been King of the Mountain and King of the Ring . He has headlined numerous pay-per-view events for both WWF/WWE and TNA throughout his career , including the flagship event for both promotions : WrestleMania in WWE , and Bound for Glory in TNA . In 2004 , the Wrestling Observer Newsletter inducted Angle into its Hall of Fame , and later named him `` Wrestler of the Decade '' for the 2000s . He is considered to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time ; ESPN journalist and former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman described Angle as `` the greatest I 've ever seen in the ring '' .


John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( -LSB- ˈmeɪ.ɚ -RSB- born October 16 , 1977 ) is an American singer-songwriter , guitarist , and producer . He was born in Bridgeport , Connecticut , and raised in nearby Fairfield . He attended Berklee College of Music in Boston , but disenrolled and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with Clay Cook . Together , they formed a short-lived two-man band called Lo-Fi Masters . After their split , Mayer continued to play local clubs -- refining his skills and gaining a following . After his appearance at the 2001 South by Southwest Festival , he was signed to Aware Records , and then Columbia Records , which released his first EP , Inside Wants Out . His following two full-length albums -- Room for Squares ( 2001 ) and Heavier Things ( 2003 ) -- did well commercially , achieving multi-platinum status . In 2003 , he won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for the single `` Your Body Is a Wonderland '' .   Though Mayer started his career mainly performing acoustic rock , he began moving towards the blues genre that had originally influenced him as a musician . By 2005 , he was collaborating with blues artists such as B. B. King , Buddy Guy , and Eric Clapton . Forming the John Mayer Trio , he released a live album in 2005 called Try ! , and his third studio album Continuum in 2006 . Both albums received wide critical acclaim , and Continuum earned Mayer a 2007 Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album . He also won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for `` Waiting on the World to Change '' . That album was followed by Battle Studies in 2009 , a return to pop , with a number-one grossing tour .   After having several controversial incidents with the media , Mayer withdrew from public life in 2010 and began work on a follow-up album , called Born and Raised , that would draw inspiration from the 1970s pop music of Laurel Canyon . However , the discovery of a granuloma on his vocal cords delayed the release of the album until May 2012 , and ultimately forced him to cancel the planned tour . Even so , the album enjoyed a generally favorable reception , though was less commercially successful than his previous work . After extensive treatments for his vocal problems -- and a two-year hiatus -- Mayer began performing as a singer again in January 2013 , and that year released the album , Paradise Valley . The album is named for where he lives in Montana and features country music influences . By 2014 , he had sold a total of over 20 million albums worldwide . After developing an interest in the Grateful Dead and connecting with Bob Weir , Mayer formed Dead & Company with three former Grateful Dead musicians . After two well-received tours in the fall of 2015 and summer of 2016 , the band has already committed to another tour for the summer of 2017 .   Mayer 's secondary career pursuits extend to television hosting , comedy , and writing ; he has authored columns for magazines such as Esquire . He supports various causes and has performed at charity benefits . He is a watch aficionado ( with a collection he values in the `` tens of millions '' of dollars ) , and has been on the jury at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève . He currently lives in Montana . His latest song is `` Love on the Weekend '' .


Mauritius was a colony of France after it was freed from Dutch possession.

Mauritius Mauritius ( -LSB- məˈrɪʃəs -RSB- or -LSB- məˈrɪʃiːəs -RSB- Maurice ) , officially the Republic of Mauritius ( République de Maurice ) , is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2000 km off the southeast coast of the African continent . The country includes the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues -LSB- 560 km east of Mauritius -RSB- , and the outer islands ( Agaléga , St. Brandon and two disputed territories ) . The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues form part of the Mascarene Islands , along with nearby Réunion , a French overseas department . The area of the country is 2,040 km2 . The capital and largest city is Port Louis . Formerly a Dutch colony ( 1638 -- 1710 ) and a French colony ( 1715 -- 1810 ) , Mauritius became a British colonial possession in 1810 and remained so until 1968 , the year in which it attained independence . The government uses English as its main language .   The sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago is disputed between Mauritius and the United Kingdom ( UK ) . The UK excised the archipelago from Mauritian territory in 1965 , three years prior to Mauritian independence . The UK gradually depopulated the archipelago 's indigenous population and leased its biggest island , Diego Garcia , to the United States . Access to the archipelago is prohibited to casual tourists , the media , and its former inhabitants . Mauritius also claims sovereignty over Tromelin Island from France .   The people of Mauritius are multiethnic , multi-religious , multicultural and multilingual . The island 's government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system , and Mauritius is highly ranked for democracy and for economic and political freedom . Along with the other Mascarene Islands , Mauritius is known for its varied flora and fauna , with many species endemic to the island . The island is widely known as the only known home of the dodo , which , along with several other avian species , was made extinct by human activities relatively shortly after the island 's settlement . Mauritius is the only country in Africa where Hinduism is the largest religion .


Maggie Gyllenhaal was in a movie that released in the 2000s.

Maggie Gyllenhaal Margalit Ruth `` Maggie '' Gyllenhaal ( -LSB- ˈdʒɪlənhɑːl -RSB- born November 16 , 1977 in New York City ) is an American actress . Part of the Gyllenhaal family , she is the daughter of filmmakers Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal .   She began her film career as a teenager with roles in her father 's films and appeared alongside her brother in the psychological horror film Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) . She garnered critical praise for starring as Lee Holloway in Secretary ( 2002 ) , for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award . For her performance in Sherrybaby ( 2006 ) , she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama . She also received recognition for starring as Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) . For her performance in the musical-drama Crazy Heart ( 2009 ) , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . She subsequently starred in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang ( 2010 ) , Wo n't Back Down ( 2012 ) and Frank ( 2014 ) , for which she was nominated for a BIFA Award .   In 2014 , she made her Broadway debut in a revival of The Real Thing , and also starred in the television BBC miniseries The Honourable Woman . For her performance in the latter she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Emmy Award .


Narendra Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.

Narendra Modi Narendra Damodardas Modi ( -LSB- ˈnəɾeːnd̪rə d̪aːmoːd̪əɾˈd̪aːs ˈmoːd̪iː -RSB- , born 17 September 1950 ) is an Indian politician who is the 14th and current Prime Minister of India , in office since May 2014 . He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014 , and is the Member of Parliament for Varanasi . Modi , a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) , is a Hindu nationalist and member of the right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( RSS ) .   Born to a Gujarati family in Vadnagar , Modi helped his father sell tea as a child , and later ran his own stall . He was introduced to the RSS at the age of eight , beginning a long association with the organisation . He left home after graduating from school , partly because of an arranged marriage which he rejected . Modi traveled around India for two years , and visited a number of religious centres . He returned to Gujarat and moved to Ahmedabad in 1969 or 1970 . In 1971 he became a full-time worker for the RSS . During the state of emergency imposed across the country in 1975 , Modi was forced to go into hiding . The RSS assigned him to the BJP in 1985 , and he held several positions within the party hierarchy until 2001 , rising to the rank of general secretary .   Modi was appointed Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001 , due to Keshubhai Patel 's failing health and poor public image following the earthquake in Bhuj . Modi was elected to the legislative assembly soon after . His administration has been considered complicit in the 2002 Gujarat riots , or otherwise criticised for its handling of it , although a court found no evidence to prosecute Modi . His policies as chief minister , credited with encouraging economic growth , have received praise . His administration has been criticised for failing to significantly improve health , poverty , and education indices in the state .   Modi led the BJP in the 2014 general election , which gave the party a majority in the Lok Sabha , the first time a single party had achieved this since 1984 . Modi himself was elected to parliament from Varanasi . Since taking office , Modi 's administration has tried to raise foreign direct investment in the Indian economy , increased spending on infrastructure , and reduced spending on healthcare and social welfare programmes . Modi has attempted to improve efficiency in the bureaucracy , and centralised power through the abolition of the planning commission . He has begun a high-profile sanitation campaign , and weakened or abolished environmental and labour laws . Credited with engineering a political realignment towards right-wing politics , Modi remains a figure of controversy domestically and internationally over his Hindu nationalist beliefs and his role during the 2002 Gujarat riots , cited as evidence of an exclusionary social agenda .


X-Men (film) was directed by Bryan Singer.

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


Ulysses S. Grant served under the first President of the United States.

George Washington George Washington ( -LSB- ˈdʒɔɹdʒ_ˈwɒʃɪŋtən -RSB- -- , 1799 ) was an American politician and soldier who served as the first President of the United States from 1789 to 1797 and was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States . He served as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War , and later presided over the 1787 convention that drafted the United States Constitution . He is popularly considered the driving force behind the nation 's establishment and came to be known as the `` father of the country , '' both during his lifetime and to this day .   Washington was widely admired for his strong leadership qualities and was unanimously elected president by the Electoral College in the first two national elections . He oversaw the creation of a strong , well-financed national government that maintained neutrality in the French Revolutionary Wars , suppressed the Whiskey Rebellion , and won acceptance among Americans of all types . Washington 's incumbency established many precedents still in use today , such as the cabinet system , the inaugural address , and the title Mr. President . His retirement from office after two terms established a tradition that lasted until 1940 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt won an unprecedented third term . The 22nd Amendment ( 1951 ) now limits the president to two elected terms .   He was born into the provincial gentry of Colonial Virginia to a family of wealthy planters who owned tobacco plantations and slaves , which he inherited . In his youth , he became a senior officer in the colonial militia during the first stages of the French and Indian War . In 1775 , the Second Continental Congress commissioned him as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in the American Revolution . In that command , Washington forced the British out of Boston in 1776 but was defeated and nearly captured later that year when he lost New York City .   After crossing the Delaware River in the middle of winter , he defeated the British in two battles ( Trenton and Princeton ) , retook New Jersey , and restored momentum to the Patriot cause . His strategy enabled Continental forces to capture two major British armies at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781 . Historians laud Washington for the selection and supervision of his generals ; preservation and command of the army ; coordination with the Congress , state governors , and their militia ; and attention to supplies , logistics , and training . In battle , however , Washington was repeatedly outmaneuvered by British generals with larger armies .   After victory had been finalized in 1783 , Washington resigned as commander-in-chief rather than seize power , proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to American republicanism . Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787 , which devised a new form of federal government for the United States . Following his election as president in 1789 , he worked to unify rival factions in the fledgling nation . He supported Alexander Hamilton 's programs to satisfy all debts , federal and state , established a permanent seat of government , implemented an effective tax system , and created a national bank . In avoiding war with Great Britain , he guaranteed a decade of peace and profitable trade by securing the Jay Treaty in 1795 , despite intense opposition from the Jeffersonians . He remained non-partisan , never joining the Federalist Party , although he largely supported its policies . Washington 's Farewell Address was an influential primer on civic virtue , warning against partisanship , sectionalism , and involvement in foreign wars . He retired from the presidency in 1797 , returning to his home and plantation at Mount Vernon .   Upon his death , Washington was eulogized as `` first in war , first in peace , and first in the hearts of his countrymen '' by Representative Henry Lee III of Virginia . He was revered in life and in death ; scholarly and public polling consistently ranks him among the top three presidents in American history . He has been depicted and remembered in monuments , public works , currency , and other dedications to the present day .