Liberia Liberia -LSB- laɪˈbɪəriə -RSB- , officially the Republic of Liberia , is a country on the West African coast . It is bordered by Sierra Leone to its west , Guinea to its north and Ivory Coast to its east . It covers an area of 111369 km2 and has a population of 4,503,000 people . English is the official language and over 20 indigenous languages are spoken , representing the numerous tribes who make up more than 95 % of the population . The country 's capital and largest city is Monrovia .   Forests on the coastline are composed mostly of salt-tolerant mangrove trees , while the more sparsely populated inland has forests opening onto a plateau of drier grasslands . The climate is equatorial , with significant rainfall during the May -- October rainy season and harsh harmattan winds the remainder of the year . Liberia possesses about forty percent of the remaining Upper Guinean rainforest . It was an important producer of rubber in the early 20th century .   The Republic of Liberia began as a settlement of the American Colonization Society ( ACS ) , who believed blacks would face better chances for freedom in Africa than in the United States . The country declared its independence on July 26 , 1847 . The U.S. did not recognize Liberia 's independence until during the American Civil War on February 5 , 1862 . Between January 7 , 1822 and the American Civil War , more than 15,000 freed and free-born blacks , who faced legislated limits in the U.S. , and 3,198 Afro-Caribbeans , relocated to the settlement . The black settlers carried their culture with them to Liberia . The Liberian constitution and flag were modeled after those of the U.S. On January 3 , 1848 , Joseph Jenkins Roberts , a wealthy , free-born African American from Virginia who settled in Liberia , was elected as Liberia 's first president after the people proclaimed independence .   Liberia is the only African republic to have self-proclaimed independence without gaining independence through revolt from any other power , and is Africa 's first and oldest modern republic . Liberia retained its independence during the Scramble for Africa . During World War II , Liberia supported the United States war efforts against Germany and in turn the U.S. invested in considerable infrastructure in Liberia to help its war effort , which also aided the country in modernizing and improving its major air transportation facilities . In addition , President William Tubman encouraged economic changes . Internationally , Liberia was a founding member of the League of Nations , United Nations and the Organisation of African Unity .   Political tensions from the rule of William R. Tolbert resulted in a military coup in 1980 that overthrew his leadership soon after his death , marking the beginning of years-long political instability . Five years of military rule by the People 's Redemption Council and five years of civilian rule by the National Democratic Party of Liberia were followed by the First and Second Liberian Civil Wars . These resulted in the deaths and displacement of more than half a million people and devastated Liberia 's economy . A peace agreement in 2003 led to democratic elections in 2005 , in which Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected President . Recovery proceeds but about 85 % of the population live below the international poverty line . Liberia 's economic and political stability was threatened in the 2010s by an Ebola virus epidemic ; it originated in Guinea in December 2013 , entered Liberia in March 2014 , and was declared officially ended on May 8 , 2015 .


Family Guy first premiered on January 31, 1999.

Family Guy Family Guy is an American adult animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series centers on the Griffins , a family consisting of parents Peter and Lois ; their children Meg , Chris , and Stewie ; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian . The show is set in the fictional city of Quahog , Rhode Island , and exhibits much of its humor in the form of cutaway gags that often lampoon American culture .   The family was conceived by MacFarlane after developing two animated films , The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve . MacFarlane redesigned the films ' protagonist , Larry , and his dog , Steve , and renamed them Peter and Brian , respectively . MacFarlane pitched a seven-minute pilot to Fox in 1998 , and the show was greenlit and began production . Shortly after the third season of Family Guy had aired in 2002 , Fox canceled the series , with one episode left unaired . Adult Swim burned off the episode in 2003 , finishing the series ' original run . However , favorable DVD sales and high ratings for syndicated reruns on Adult Swim convinced the network to renew the show in 2004 for a fourth season , which began airing on May 1 , 2005 .   Since its debut on January 31 , 1999 , episodes of Family Guy have been broadcast . Its fifteenth season began on September 25 , 2016 . Family Guy has been nominated for 12 Primetime Emmy Awards and 11 Annie Awards , and has won three of each . In 2009 , it was nominated for an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series , the first time an animated series was nominated for the award since The Flintstones in 1961 . Family Guy has also received criticism , including unfavorable comparisons to The Simpsons .   Many tie-in media have been released , including Stewie Griffin : The Untold Story , a straight-to-DVD special released in 2005 ; Family Guy : Live in Vegas , a soundtrack-DVD combo released in 2005 , featuring music from the show as well as original music created by MacFarlane and Walter Murphy ; a video game and pinball machine , released in 2006 and 2007 , respectively ; since 2005 , six books published by Harper Adult based on the Family Guy universe ; and Laugh It Up , Fuzzball : The Family Guy Trilogy ( 2010 ) , a series of parodies of the original Star Wars trilogy . In 2008 , MacFarlane confirmed that the cast was interested in producing a feature film and that he was working on a story for a film adaptation .   A spin-off series , The Cleveland Show , featuring Cleveland Brown , aired from September 27 , 2009 , to May 19 , 2013 . `` The Simpsons Guy '' , a crossover episode with The Simpsons , aired on September 28 , 2014 . Family Guy is a joint production by Fuzzy Door Productions and 20th Century Fox Television and syndicated by 20th Television . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked Family Guy the ninth Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time .   Family Guy premiered for a fifteenth season on September 25 , 2016 . A sixteenth season was silently renewed by Fox in May 2017 .


Marshall McLuhan was a college educator.

Marshall McLuhan Herbert Marshall McLuhan , ( July 21 , 1911 -- December 31 , 1980 ) was a Canadian professor , philosopher , and public intellectual . His work is viewed as one of the cornerstones of the study of media theory , as well as having practical applications in the advertising and television industries . He was educated at the University of Manitoba and the University of Cambridge ; he began his teaching career as a Professor of English at several universities in the U.S. and Canada before moving to the University of Toronto , where he remained for the rest of his life .   McLuhan is known for coining the expression `` the medium is the message '' and the term global village , and for predicting the World Wide Web almost thirty years before it was invented . He was a fixture in media discourse in the late 1960s , though his influence began to wane in the early 1970s . In the years after his death , he continued to be a controversial figure in academic circles . With the arrival of the internet , however , interest has renewed in his work and perspective .


Bette Davis did not have a ubiquitous cigarette.

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth `` Bette '' Davis ( April 5 , 1908 -- October 6 , 1989 ) was an American actress of film , television , and theater . Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history , she was noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic , sardonic characters and was reputed for her performances in a range of film genres , from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional comedies , although her greatest successes were her roles in romantic dramas .   After appearing in Broadway plays , Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930 . However , her early films for Universal Studios ( and as a loanout to other studios ) were unsuccessful . She joined Warner Bros. in 1932 and established her career with several critically acclaimed performances . In 1937 , she attempted to free herself from her contract . Although she lost the well-publicized legal case against the studio , it marked the beginning of the most successful period of her career . Until the late 1940s , she was one of American cinema 's most celebrated leading ladies , known for her forceful and intense style . Davis gained a reputation as a perfectionist who could be highly combative and confrontational . She clashed with studio executives and film directors as well as many of her co-stars . Her forthright manner , idiosyncratic speech and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona , which has often been imitated .   Davis was the co-founder of the Hollywood Canteen , and was the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice , was the first person to accrue ten Academy Award nominations for acting , and was the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute . Her career went through several periods of eclipse , and she admitted that her success had often been at the expense of her personal relationships . Married four times , she was once widowed and three times divorced , and raised her children as a single parent . Her final years were marred by a long period of ill health , but she continued acting until shortly before her death from breast cancer , with more than 100 films , television and theater roles to her credit . In 1999 , Davis was placed second behind Katharine Hepburn on the American Film Institute 's list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema .


Coldplay have supported various social and political causes.

Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist and keyboardist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London ( UCL ) . After they formed under the name Pectoralz , Guy Berryman joined the group as bassist and they changed their name to Starfish . Will Champion joined as drummer and backing vocalist , completing the lineup . Creative director Phil Harvey is often referred to as the fifth member by the band . The band renamed themselves `` Coldplay '' in 1998 , before recording and releasing three EPs : Safety in 1998 and Brothers & Sisters and The Blue Room in 1999 . The Blue Room was their first release on a major label , after signing to Parlophone .   Coldplay achieved worldwide fame with the release of the single `` Yellow '' in 2000 , followed in the same year by their debut album Parachutes , which was nominated for the Mercury Prize . The band 's second album , A Rush of Blood to the Head ( 2002 ) , was released to critical acclaim and won awards including NME 's Album of the Year . Their next release , X&Y , the bestselling album worldwide in 2005 , received mostly positive reviews , though some critics felt it was inferior to its predecessor . Their fourth studio album , Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends ( 2008 ) , was produced by Brian Eno and released to largely positive reviews , earning several Grammy Award nominations and wins at the 51st Grammy Awards . In October 2011 , Coldplay released their fifth studio album , Mylo Xyloto , which topped the charts in over 34 countries and was the UK 's best-selling rock album of 2011 , but received mixed reviews , In May 2014 , they released their sixth album , Ghost Stories , which also received mixed reviews and topped the iTunes Store albums charts in over 100 countries . In December 2015 , the band released their seventh album , A Head Full of Dreams , which reached the top two in most major markets , but received generally mixed reviews .   Coldplay have won 62 awards from 209 nominations throughout their career , including nine Brit Awards -- winning Best British Group four times -- five MTV Video Music Awards and seven Grammy Awards from 31 nominations . They have sold more than 80 million records worldwide , making them one of the world 's bestselling music artists . In December 2009 , Rolling Stone readers voted the group the fourth-best artist of the 2000s . Coldplay have supported various social and political causes , such as Oxfam 's Make Trade Fair campaign and Amnesty International . They have also performed at charity projects including Band Aid 20 , Live 8 , Sound Relief , Hope for Haiti Now : A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief , The Secret Policeman 's Ball , Sport Relief and the UK Teenage Cancer Trust .


Louise Simonson was born on September 26, 1926.

Louise Simonson Louise Simonson ( born Mary Louise Alexander ; born September 26 , 1946 ) is an American comic book writer and editor . She is best known for her work on comic book titles such as Power Pack , X-Factor , New Mutants , Superman : The Man of Steel , and Steel . She is often referred to by the nickname `` Weezie '' .   In recognition of her contributions to comics , Comics Alliance listed Simonson as one of twelve women cartoonists deserving of lifetime achievement recognition .


Russia Russia ( -LSB- ˈrʌʃə -RSB- -LSB- Россия , Rossiya , rɐˈsʲijə -RSB- ) , also officially the Russian Federation ( -LSB- Российская Федерация , r = Rossiyskaya Federatsiya , p = rɐˈsʲijskəjə fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨjə -RSB- ) , is a country in Eurasia . At 17075200 km2 , Russia is the largest country in the world by surface area , covering more than one-eighth of the Earth 's inhabited land area , and the ninth most populous , with over 144 million people at the end of March 2016 . The European western part of the country is much more populated and urbanised than the eastern ; about 77 % of the population live in European Russia . Russia 's capital Moscow is one of the largest cities in the world ; other major urban centers include Saint Petersburg , Novosibirsk , Yekaterinburg , Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan .   Extending across the entirety of Northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe , Russia spans eleven time zones and incorporates a wide range of environments and landforms . From northwest to southeast , Russia shares land borders with Norway , Finland , Estonia , Latvia , Lithuania and Poland ( both with Kaliningrad Oblast ) , Belarus , Ukraine , Georgia , Azerbaijan , Kazakhstan , China , Mongolia , and North Korea . It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait .   The East Slavs emerged as a recognizable group in Europe between the 3rd and 8th centuries AD . Founded and ruled by a Varangian warrior elite and their descendants , the medieval state of Rus arose in the 9th century . In 988 it adopted Orthodox Christianity from the Byzantine Empire , beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium . Rus ' ultimately disintegrated into a number of smaller states ; most of the Rus ' lands were overrun by the Mongol invasion and became tributaries of the nomadic Golden Horde in the 13th century . The Grand Duchy of Moscow gradually reunified the surrounding Russian principalities , achieved independence from the Golden Horde , and came to dominate the cultural and political legacy of Kievan Rus ' . By the 18th century , the nation had greatly expanded through conquest , annexation , and exploration to become the Russian Empire , which was the third largest empire in history , stretching from Poland on the west to Alaska on the east .   Following the Russian Revolution , the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic became the largest and leading constituent of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , the world 's first constitutionally socialist state . The Soviet Union played a decisive role in the Allied victory in World War II , and emerged as a recognized superpower and rival to the United States during the Cold War . The Soviet era saw some of the most significant technological achievements of the 20th century , including the world 's first human-made satellite and the launching of the first humans in space . By the end of 1990 , the Soviet Union had the world 's second largest economy , largest standing military in the world and the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 , fifteen independent republics emerged from the USSR : Russia , Ukraine , Belarus , Kazakhstan , Uzbekistan , Armenia , Azerbaijan , Estonia , Georgia , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan ; the Russian SFSR reconstituted itself as the Russian Federation and is recognized as the continuing legal personality and sole successor state of the Soviet Union . It is governed as a federal semi-presidential republic .   The Russian economy ranks as the twelfth largest by nominal GDP and sixth largest by purchasing power parity in 2015 . Russia 's extensive mineral and energy resources are the largest such reserves in the world , making it one of the leading producers of oil and natural gas globally . The country is one of the five recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction . Russia is a great power as well as a regional power and has been characterised as a potential superpower . It is permanent member of the United Nations Security Council , as well as a member of the G20 , the Council of Europe , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) , the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation ( SCO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , as well as being the leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States ( CIS ) , the Collective Security Treaty Organization ( CSTO ) and one of the five members of the Eurasian Economic Union ( EEU ) , along with Armenia , Belarus , Kazakhstan , and Kyrgyzstan .


Brad Pitt was the lead in A River Runs Through It.

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 Poona Pact was signed in September 24th, 1932.

Poona Pact The Poona Pact refers to an agreement between Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi signed on 24 September 1932 at Yerwada Central Jail in Pune , India . It was signed by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and some other leaders to break the fast unto death undertaken by Gandhi in Yerwada prison to annul the Macdonald Award giving separate electorates to Dalits for electing members of state legislative assemblies in British India .   History of the Poona Pact  The British invited leaders of different parties in the Round Table Conferences in 1930-32 to draft a new law involving self-rule for the Indians . Mahatma Gandhi did not attend the first and the last but attended the second of the Conferences . The concept of separate electorates for the untouch was raised by Ambedkar . Similar provisions were already available for other minorities , including Muslims , Christians , Anglo-Indians and Sikhs . The British government agreed with Ambedkar 's contention and British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald 's Communal Award to the depressed classes was to be incorporated into the constitution in the governance of British India . Gandhi strongly opposed the Communal Award on the grounds that it would disintegrate Hindu society . Ambedkar vehemently criticised the way of handling the problems of the Harijans by Gandhiji . Gandhi took up a fast unto death in his prison cell in Poona , protesting that separate electorates were a device which would separate the untouchables from the Hindu society forever . He began an indefinite hunger strike at Yerwada Central Jail from 20 September 1932 to protest against this Award . A compromise was reached on 24 September 1932 .   The text uses the term `` Depressed Classes '' to denote Untouchables who were later called Scheduled Castes under India Act 1935 , and the later Indian Constitution of 1950 .


The Hobbit is a high fantasy adventure film series.

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


The Dogs D'Amour The Dogs D'Amour are a rock and roll band formed in 1983 in London , England . Over the years the band has had various line-ups , the only constant being vocalist Tyla .   Their 1989 release , A Graveyard of Empty Bottles , reached # 16 on the UK Albums Chart while the single `` Satellite Kid '' reached # 26 on the UK Singles Chart .   In 1991 , the band broke up onstage , before reforming briefly in the early 1990s for the release of their sixth studio album More Unchartered Heights of Disgrace . After this , however , the most famous incarnation of the band ceased to exist . There was another brief reunion in 2000 and an album , but , throughout the 2000s , Tyla has been touring and releasing albums under the band name , which is vastly different from their older material .   In December 2012 the ` classic ' line-up of Tyla , Jo ` Dog ' Almeida , Steve James and Bam agreed to reform to play a series of benefit concerts for their long-time friend , and former bandmate , Paul Hornby .  In January 2013 , the band recorded an EP in Florida and announced live dates for the UK and Spain .


Fred Savage Frederick Aaron `` Fred '' Savage ( born July 9 , 1976 ) is an American actor , director , and producer . He is best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series The Wonder Years , which ran from 1988 to 1993 . He has earned several awards and nominations , such as People 's Choice Awards and Young Artist Awards .


Grace Kelly worked with Alfred Hitchcock.

Dial M for Murder Dial M for Murder is a 1954 American crime mystery film directed by Alfred Hitchcock , starring Ray Milland , Grace Kelly , Robert Cummings and John Williams . It was filmed in 3-D with the technology that was available at the time , and is often considered one of the greatest 3D films ever made . The screenplay and the successful stage play on which it was based were written by English playwright Frederick Knott . The play premiered in 1952 on BBC Television , before being performed on stage in the same year in London 's West End in June , and then New York 's Broadway in October . The movie was released by Warner Bros. , though due to the then waning popularity of 3D films , it was converted to 2D , and only showed in its native 3D format in a small handful of cinemas .


Grace Kelly Grace Patricia Kelly ( November 12 , 1929September 14 , 1982 ) was an American actress who became Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III , in April 1956 .   After embarking on an acting career in 1950 , at age 20 , Kelly appeared in New York City theatrical productions and more than 40 episodes of live drama productions broadcast during the early 1950s Golden Age of Television . In October 1953 , she gained stardom from her performance in the film Mogambo , which won her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination in 1954 . Subsequently , she had leading roles in five films , including The Country Girl ( 1954 ) , for which her deglamorized performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress . Other films include High Noon ( 1952 ) with Gary Cooper , Dial M for Murder ( 1954 ) with Ray Milland , Rear Window ( 1954 ) with James Stewart , To Catch a Thief ( 1955 ) with Cary Grant , and High Society ( 1956 ) with Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby .   Kelly retired from acting at the age of 26 to marry Rainier and began her duties as Princess of Monaco . They had three children : Caroline , Albert II , and Stéphanie . Kelly retained her American roots , maintaining dual U.S. and Monégasque citizenship . She died on September 14 , 1982 , a day after suffering a stroke while driving her car , which caused a crash .


Nas Nasir Bin Olu Dara Jones ( -LSB- nɑːˈsɪər -RSB- born September 14 , 1973 ) , better known by his stage name Nas -LSB- ˈnɑːz -RSB- , is an American rapper , record producer , actor , and entrepreneur . The son of jazz musician Olu Dara , Nas has released eight consecutive platinum and multi-platinum albums and has sold over 25,000,000 records worldwide . He is also an entrepreneur through his own record label ; he serves as associate publisher of Mass Appeal magazine and is the owner of a Fila sneaker store . He is currently signed to Mass Appeal Records .   His musical career began in 1991 , as a featured artist on Main Source 's `` Live at the Barbeque '' . His debut album Illmatic ( 1994 ) received universal acclaim from both critics and the hip-hop community and is frequently ranked as the greatest hip hop album of all time . Nas 's follow-up It Was Written debuted at # 1 on the Billboard 200 , stayed on top for four consecutive weeks , went double platinum in two months , and made Nas internationally known . From 2001-05 , Nas was involved in a highly publicised feud with fellow New York rapper Jay Z. Nas signed to Def Jam in 2006 . In 2010 , he released Distant Relatives , a collaboration album with reggae musician Damian Marley , donating all royalties to charities active in Africa . His eleventh studio album , Life Is Good ( 2012 ) was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards .   Nas is often named as one of the greatest hip-hop artists . MTV ranked him at number 5 on their list of `` The Greatest MCs of All Time '' . In 2012 , The Source ranked him number two on their list of the `` Top 50 Lyricists of All Time '' . In 2013 , Nas was ranked fourth on MTV 's `` Hottest MCs in the Game '' list . About.com ranked him first on their list of the `` 50 Greatest MCs of All Time '' in 2014 , and a year later , Nas was featured on `` The 10 Best Rappers of All Time '' list by Billboard .   In 2016 , Nas began narrating The Get Down and rapping as Adult Ezekiel of 1996 .


Distant Relatives Distant Relatives is a collaborative studio album by American rapper Nas and Jamaican reggae artist Damian Marley , released May 18 , 2010 , on Universal Republic and Def Jam Recordings . Production for the album took place during 2008 to 2010 and was handled primarily by Damian Marley and Stephen Marley . Fusing musical elements of hip hop and reggae , Distant Relatives features lyrical themes concerning ancestry , poverty , and the plight of Africa .   The album debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart , selling 57,000 copies in its first week . Upon its release , Distant Relatives received positive reviews from most music critics .


It Was Written It Was Written is the second studio album by American rapper Nas , released July 2 , 1996 on Columbia Records in the United States . Following the moderate sales success of his acclaimed debut album , Illmatic ( 1994 ) , Nas chose to focus his efforts in a more mainstream direction . Primarily produced by Trackmasters , it is a departure for him from the raw , underground tone of his debut album towards a more polished , mainstream sound . The album features mafioso and gangsta themes , and marks the first appearance of Nas 's short-lived supergroup The Firm , which included rappers Foxy Brown , AZ , and Cormega .   The album proved to be Nas 's most commercially successful release , debuting at # 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart . It also heralded Nas 's mainstream popularity and followed the success of other mafioso rap albums such as Only Built 4 Cuban Linx ... ( 1995 ) and Reasonable Doubt ( 1996 ) . However , his stylistic changes and increased mainstream success fostered accusations of selling out within the hip hop community . It remains Nas ' best-selling release , with over 2 million copies in the United States alone .


Life Is Good (Nas album) Life Is Good is the 2012 eleventh studio album by American rapper Nas . It was recorded at various studios in New York and California , and produced primarily by No I.D. and Salaam Remi . Nas wrote the album after his divorce from recording artist Kelis and compared it to Marvin Gaye 's 1978 record Here , My Dear . He wanted to vent personal feelings and address moments in his life in his songs , while drawing on 1980s hip hop influences for the album 's production in order to complement its nostalgic tone .   Life Is Good features personal subject matter , themes of adulthood and nostalgia , and reflections on Nas ' personal life and experience in hip hop . His rapping is characterized by a relaxed , plainspoken flow , internal rhymes , and a tone that veers from malicious to nostalgic and introspective . The album 's production incorporates orchestral elements and musical references to both contemporary and golden age hip hop , including boom bap beats and old school samples .   Life Is Good was released by Def Jam Recordings on July 13 , 2012 , to widespread critical acclaim and debuted at number one on the American Billboard 200 chart . It also reached the top 10 of record charts in Canada , Switzerland , and the United Kingdom . The album was promoted with three singles -- `` Nasty '' , `` The Don '' , and `` Daughters '' -- five music videos , and Nas ' touring during June to December 2012 . By February 10 , 2013 , Life Is Good had sold 354,000 copies , according to Nielsen SoundScan .


Mass Appeal Records Mass Appeal Records is an American independent record label founded in 2014 . The label is the music division of the Mass Appeal Media Group . In May 2014 , it was announced that American rapper Nas was launching an indie label with Mass Appeal . Nas has stated that he plans to release the long-awaited sequel to his album The Lost Tapes , as well as a posthumous album by rapper Pimp C.   The label is also working on its first compilation album , set to be released in the near future . The compilation , which will showcase the label 's artists , namely Nas , Bishop Nehru , Boldy James , Dave East and Fashawn , will also feature many guest appearances including Pimp C , Freddie Gibbs , Juicy J , Jay Electronica , Lupe Fiasco , Pusha T , Kevin Gates , Wale , YG , Mac Miller , Meek Mill , A$ AP Ferg , and Young Thug .


Lisbon Lisbon ( -LSB- ˈlɪzbən -RSB- Lisboa , -LSB- liʒˈβoɐ -RSB- ) is the capital and the largest city of Portugal , with a population of 552,700 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km ² . Its urban area extends beyond the city 's administrative limits with a population of around 2.7 million people , being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union . About 2.8 million people live in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( which represents approximately 27 % of the country 's population ) . It is continental Europe 's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast . Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus . The westernmost areas of its metro area is the westernmost point of Continental Europe .   Lisbon is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance , commerce , media , entertainment , arts , international trade , education and tourism . It is one of the major economic centres on the continent , with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe 's Atlantic coast . Humberto Delgado Airport serves over 20 million passengers annually , as of 2015 , and the motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular link the main cities of Portugal . The city is the 7th-most-visited city in Southern Europe , after Istanbul , Rome , Barcelona , Madrid , Athens and Milan , with 1,740,000 tourists in 2009 . The Lisbon region contributes with a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal . It 's GDP amounts to 96.3 billion USD and thus $ 32,434 per capita , 40 % higher than the average European Union 's GDP per capita . The city occupies 32nd place of highest gross earnings in the world . Most of the headquarters of multinationals in the country are located in the Lisbon area . It is also the political centre of the country , as its seat of Government and residence of the Head of State .   Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world , and the oldest in Western Europe , predating other modern European capitals such as London , Paris and Rome by centuries . Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia , adding to the name Olissipo . Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century , it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century . In 1147 , the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been a major political , economic and cultural centre of Portugal . Unlike most capital cities , Lisbon 's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially -- by statute or in written form . Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention , making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal .   Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate . It has one of the warmest winters of any metropolis in Europe , with average temperatures 15 ° C during the day and 8 ° C at night from December to February . The typical summer season lasts about four months , from June to September , although also in April temperatures sometimes reach around 25 ° C.


Medina Medina ( -LSB- məˈdiːnə -RSB- المدينة المنورة , , `` the radiant city '' ; or المدينة , ( -LSB- almaˈdiːna -RSB- ) , `` the city '' ) , also transliterated as Madīnah , is a city in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia that is also the capital of the Al Madinah Region . The city contains al-Masjid an-Nabawi ( `` the Prophet 's Mosque '' ) , which is the burial place of the Islamic prophet Muhammad , and is the second-holiest city in Islam after Mecca .   Medina was Muhammad 's destination after his Hijrah from Mecca , and became the capital of a rapidly increasing Muslim Empire , first under Muhammad 's leadership , and then under Ali . It served as the power base of Islam in its first century where the early Muslim community developed . Medina is home to the three oldest mosques , namely the Quba Mosque , al-Masjid an-Nabawi , and Masjid al-Qiblatayn ( `` the mosque of the two qiblas '' ) . Muslims believe that the chronologically final surahs of the Quran were revealed to Muhammad in Medina , and are called Medinan surahs in contrast to the earlier Meccan surahs .   Just like Mecca , the city is closed to anyone who is considered a non-Muslim , including members of the Ahmadiyya movement ( however , not the entire city is closed ) by the national government .


John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon , ( born John Winston Lennon ; 9 October 19408 December 1980 ) was an English guitarist , singer , and songwriter who co-founded the Beatles , the most commercially successful and musically influential band in the history of popular music . He and fellow member Paul McCartney formed a much-celebrated songwriting partnership .   Born and raised in Liverpool , Lennon became involved in the skiffle craze as a teenager ; his first band , the Quarrymen , first became the Silver Beatles , and finally , evolved into the Beatles in 1960 . When the group disbanded in 1970 , Lennon embarked on a sporadic solo career that produced albums including John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine , and songs such as `` Give Peace a Chance '' , `` Working Class Hero '' , and `` Imagine '' . After his marriage to Yoko Ono in 1969 , he added `` Ono '' as one of his middle names . Lennon disengaged himself from the music business in 1975 to raise his infant son Sean , but re-emerged with Ono in 1980 with the new album Double Fantasy . He was murdered three weeks after its release .   Lennon revealed a rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music , writing , drawings , on film and in interviews . Controversial through his political and peace activism , he moved to Manhattan in 1971 , where his criticism of the Vietnam War resulted in a lengthy attempt by Richard Nixon 's administration to deport him , while some of his songs were adopted as anthems by the anti-war movement and the larger counterculture .   By 2012 , Lennon 's solo album sales in the United States exceeded 14 million and , as writer , co-writer , or performer , he is responsible for 25 number-one singles on the US Hot 100 chart . In 2002 , a BBC poll on the 100 Greatest Britons voted him eighth and , in 2008 , Rolling Stone ranked him the fifth-greatest singer of all time . He was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 , and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice , in 1988 as a member of the Beatles and in 1994 as a solo artist .


Steve Buscemi has avoided acting entirely.

Steve Buscemi Steven Vincent Buscemi ( -LSB- buːˈsɛmi -RSB- born December 13 , 1957 ) is an American actor and film director . Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films , including Parting Glances , New York Stories , Mystery Train , Reservoir Dogs , Desperado , Con Air , Armageddon , The Grey Zone , Ghost World , Big Fish , and The Sopranos . He is also known for his appearances in many films by the Coen brothers : Miller 's Crossing , Barton Fink , The Hudsucker Proxy , Fargo , and The Big Lebowski . Buscemi provides the voice of Randall Boggs in the Monsters , Inc. franchise .   From 2010 to 2014 , he portrayed Enoch `` Nucky '' Thompson in the critically acclaimed series Boardwalk Empire , which earned him two Screen Actors Guild Awards , a Golden Globe , and two nominations for an Emmy Award . He made his directorial debut in 1996 , with Trees Lounge , in which he also starred . Other works include Animal Factory ( 2000 ) , Lonesome Jim ( 2005 ) and Interview ( 2007 ) . He has also directed numerous episodes of TV shows , including Homicide : Life on the Street , The Sopranos , Oz , 30 Rock , and Nurse Jackie . He currently hosts the Emmy Award-winning AOL On comedy talk-show Park Bench .


Semitic languages The Semitic languages are a branch of the Afroasiatic language family originating in the Middle East . Semitic languages are spoken by more than 330 million people across much of Western Asia , North Africa and the Horn of Africa , as well as in often large expatriate communities in North America and Europe , with smaller communities in the Caucasus and Central Asia . The terminology was first used in the 1780s by members of the Göttingen School of History , who derived the name from Shem , one of the three sons of Noah in the Book of Genesis .   The most widely spoken Semitic languages today are ( numbers given are for native speakers only ) Arabic ( 300 million ) , Amharic ( 22 million ) , Tigrinya ( 7 million ) , Hebrew ( unknown ; 5 million native and non-native L1 speakers ) , Tigre ( 1.05 million in 2006 ) , Aramaic ( 575,000 to 1 million largely Assyrian fluent speakers ) and Maltese ( 520,000 speakers ) .   Semitic languages occur in written form from a very early historical date , with East Semitic Akkadian and Eblaite texts ( written in a script adapted from Sumerian cuneiform ) appearing from the 29th century BCE and the 25th century BCE in Mesopotamia and the northern Levant respectively . The only earlier attested written languages are Sumerian , Elamite ( both language isolates ) and Egyptian . However , most scripts used to write Semitic languages are abjadsa type of alphabetic script that omits some or all of the vowels , which is feasible for these languages because the consonants in the Semitic languages are the primary carriers of meaning .   Among them are the Ugaritic , Phoenician , Aramaic , Hebrew , Syriac , Arabic , and South Arabian alphabets . The Ge'ez script , used initially in Yemen , and later also for writing the Semitic languages of Ethiopia and Eritrea , is technically an abugida a modified abjad in which vowels are notated using diacritic marks added to the consonants at all times , in contrast with other Semitic languages which indicate diacritics based on need or for introductory purposes . Maltese is the only Semitic language written in the Latin script and the only Semitic language to be an official language of the European Union .   The Semitic languages are notable for their nonconcatenative morphology . That is , word roots are not themselves syllables or words , but instead are isolated sets of consonants ( usually three , making a so-called triliteral root ) . Words are composed out of roots not so much by adding prefixes or suffixes , but rather by filling in the vowels between the root consonants ( although prefixes and suffixes are often added as well ) . For example , in Arabic , the root meaning `` write '' has the form k-t-b . From this root , words are formed by filling in the vowels and sometimes adding additional consonants , e.g. كتاب kitāb `` book '' , كتب kutub `` books '' , كاتب kātib `` writer '' , كتّاب kuttāb `` writers '' , كتب kataba `` he wrote '' , يكتب yaktubu `` he writes '' , etc. .


Kobe Bryant won at most five NBA championships.

Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( born August 23 , 1978 ) is an American retired professional basketball player and businessman . He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships with the Lakers . Bryant is an 18-time All-Star , 15-time member of the All-NBA Team , and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team . He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons , and ranks third on the league 's all-time regular season scoring and fourth on the all-time postseason scoring list . He holds the NBA record for the most seasons playing with one franchise for an entire career .   The son of former NBA player Joe Bryant , Kobe Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School in Pennsylvania , where he was recognized as the top high school basketball player in the country . He declared for the NBA draft upon graduation , and was selected with the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets , who traded him to the Lakers . As a rookie , Bryant earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer and a fan favorite by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest , and he was named an All-Star by his second season . Despite a feud between them , Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to three consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002 .   In 2003 , Bryant was accused of sexual assault in Colorado , but the charges were eventually dropped , and a civil suit was settled out of court . After the Lakers lost the 2004 NBA Finals , O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat . Bryant became the cornerstone of the Lakers , and he led the NBA in scoring during the 2005 -- 06 and 2006 -- 07 seasons . In 2006 , he scored a career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors , the second most points scored in a single game in league history behind Wilt Chamberlain 's 100-point game in 1962 . Bryant was awarded the regular season 's Most Valuable Player Award ( MVP ) in 2008 . After losing in the 2008 NBA Finals , he led the Lakers to two consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010 , earning the Finals MVP Award on both occasions . He continued to be among the top players in the league through 2013 , when the 34-year-old Bryant suffered a torn Achilles tendon . Although he recovered , his play was limited the following two years by season-ending injuries to his knee and shoulder , respectively . Citing his physical decline , he announced that he would be retiring after the 2015 -- 16 season .   At 34 years and 104 days of age , Bryant became the youngest player in league history to reach 30,000 career points . He became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history on February 1 , 2010 , when he surpassed Jerry West . Following his second year in the league , Bryant was chosen to start every All-Star Game until his retirement for a record 18 consecutive appearances , and his four All-Star MVP Awards are tied for the most in NBA history . At the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics , he won gold medals as a member of the U.S. national team . Sporting News and TNT named Bryant the top NBA player of the 2000s .


Sindh Sindh -LSB- sɪnd -RSB- ( سنڌ ; -LSB- ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan , in the southeast of the country . Historically home to the Sindhi people , it is also locally known as the Mehran . It was formerly known as Sind until 1956 . Sindh is the third largest province of Pakistan by area , and second largest province by population after Punjab . Sindh is bordered by Balochistan province to the west , and Punjab province to the north . Sindh also borders the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan to the east , and Arabian Sea to the south . Sindh 's landscape consists mostly of alluvial plains flanking the Indus River , the Thar desert in the eastern portion of the province closest to the border with India , and the Kirthar Mountains in the western part of Sindh . Sindh 's climate is noted for hot summers and mild winters . The provincial capital of Sindh is Pakistan 's largest city and financial hub , Karachi .   Sindh has Pakistan 's second largest economy with Karachi being its capital that hosts the headquarters of several multinational banks . Sindh is home to a large portion of Pakistan 's industrial sector and contains two of Pakistan 's commercial seaports -- Port Bin Qasim and the Karachi Port . The remainder of Sindh has an agriculture based economy , and produces fruit , food consumer items , and vegetables for the consumption other parts of the country . Sindh is also the centre of Pakistan 's pharmaceutical industry .   Sindh is known for its distinct culture which is strongly influenced by Sufism , an important marker of Sindhi identity for both Hindus ( Sindh has Pakistan 's highest percentage of Hindu residents ) . and Muslims in the province . Several important Sufi shrines are located throughout the province which attract millions of annual devotees . Sindh 's capital , Karachi , is Pakistan 's most ethnically diverse city , with Muhajirs , or descendants of those who migrated to Pakistan from India after 1947 and throughout the 1950s and 1960s , making up the majority of the population . Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh have seen ethnic tensions between the native Sindhis and the Muhajirs boil over into violence on several occasions . Sindh is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Historical Monuments at Makli , and the Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro .


Baylor University is a Baptist university.

Baylor University Baylor University ( BU ) is a private Baptist university in Waco , Texas . Chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas , it is the oldest continuously-operating university in Texas and one of the first educational institutions west of the Mississippi River in the United States . Located on the banks of the Brazos River next to I-35 , between the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and Austin , the university 's 1,000-acre campus is the largest Baptist university campus in the world .   Baylor University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools but is currently on `` warning '' due to suspected non-compliance with SACS requirements , it is the least severe non-compliant status a university can be placed on .   Baylor University 's athletic teams , known as the Bears , participate in 19 intercollegiate sports . The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA Division I.


David LeRoy Anderson did the makeup for a film.

David LeRoy Anderson David LeRoy Anderson is an American makeup artist who has won two Academy Awards for Best Makeup , first was at the 69th Academy Awards for the film The Nutty Professor , then the following year at the 70th Academy Awards for Men in Black . Both wins were shared with Rick Baker .  He received his 3rd Oscar nomination at the 2005 ceremony for the film Cinderella Man , a nomination he shared with his father , Lance Anderson .


Conan O'Brien is a television talk show host.

Conan O'Brien Conan Christopher O'Brien ( born April 18 , 1963 ) is an American television host , comedian , and television producer . He is best known for hosting several late-night talk shows ; since 2010 he has hosted Conan on the cable channel TBS . O'Brien was born in Brookline , Massachusetts , and was raised in an Irish Catholic family . He served as president of The Harvard Lampoon while attending Harvard University , and was a writer for the sketch comedy series Not Necessarily the News .   After writing for several comedy shows in Los Angeles , he joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live . O'Brien was a writer and producer for The Simpsons for two seasons until he was commissioned by NBC to take over David Letterman 's position as host of Late Night in 1993 . A virtual unknown to the public , O'Brien 's initial Late Night tenure received unfavorable reviews and remained on a multiweek renewal cycle during its early years . The show generally improved over time and was highly regarded by the time of his departure in 2009 . Afterwards , O'Brien relocated from New York to Los Angeles to host his own incarnation of The Tonight Show for seven months until network politics prompted a host change in 2010 .   Known for his spontaneous hosting style , which has been characterized as `` awkward , self-deprecating humor '' , O'Brien 's late-night programs combine the `` lewd and wacky with more elegant , narrative-driven short films ( remotes ) '' . He has hosted Conan since 2010 and has also hosted such events as the Emmy Awards and Christmas in Washington . O'Brien has been the subject of a documentary , Conan O'Brien Ca n't Stop ( 2011 ) , and has also hosted a 32-city live comedy tour .   With the retirement of David Letterman on May 20 , 2015 , O'Brien became the longest-working of all current late-night talk show hosts in the United States , at 22 years .


Slash (musician) Saul Hudson ( born July 23 , 1965 ) , better known by his stage name Slash , is a British-American musician and songwriter . He is best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock band Guns N ' Roses , with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s . During his later years with Guns N ' Roses , Slash formed the side project Slash 's Snakepit . After leaving Guns N ' Roses in 1996 , he co-founded the supergroup Velvet Revolver , which re-established him as a mainstream performer in the mid to late 2000s . Slash has since released three solo albums : Slash ( 2010 ) , featuring an array of famous guest musicians , and Apocalyptic Love ( 2012 ) and World on Fire ( 2014 ) , recorded with his band , Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators . He returned to Guns N ' Roses in 2016 , nearly 20 years after he had left .   Slash has received critical acclaim and is considered as one of the greatest rock guitarists . Time Magazine named him runner-up on their list of `` The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players '' in 2009 , while Rolling Stone Magazine placed him at No. 65 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time '' in 2011 . Guitar World ranked his guitar solo in `` November Rain '' No. 6 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos '' in 2008 , and Total Guitar placed his riff in `` Sweet Child o ' Mine '' at No. 1 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Riffs '' in 2004 . During 2010 Gibson Guitar Corporation ranked Slash as No. 34 on their `` Top 50 Guitarists of All Time '' , while their readers landed him No. 9 on Gibson 's `` Top 25 Guitarists of All Time '' . In 2012 , he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N ' Roses ' classic line-up .


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


Solo Star Solo Star is the debut album by American singer Solange Knowles , released by Columbia Records and Music World on December 26 , 2002 in Japan and January 21 , 2003 in the United States . It debuted and peaked at number forty-nine on the U.S. Billboard 200 and number twenty-three on the Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums in early February 2003 . Album produced two singles : `` Feelin ' You '' ( featuring N.O.R.E. ) and `` Crush '' ( later renamed to `` Do n't Fight the Feeling '' ) . `` Feelin ' You '' reached no. 73 on the Billboard Hot R&B / Hip Hop Songs chart .


A Seat at the Table A Seat at the Table is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Solange . It was released on September 30 , 2016 , by Saint Records and Columbia Records . While recording the album , Knowles released an EP , titled True ( 2012 ) and launched her own record label named Saint Records . Writing for the album began as early as 2008 , while the recording sessions took place from 2013 to June 2016 . Solange enlisted the variety of collaborators with American rappers Lil Wayne and Q-Tip , and fellow American singer-songwriters The-Dream , BJ the Chicago Kid , Kelly Rowland and Tweet , and musicians Sampha , Kelela and David Longstreth , among others .   The album was widely acclaimed by music critics and became Solange 's first number-one album on the Billboard 200 in the United States , debuting with 46,000 copies sold ( 72,000 with additional album-equivalent units ) . The album 's lead single , `` Cranes in the Sky '' was released on October 5 , 2016 , and won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance , becoming Solange 's first Grammy nomination and win .


True (EP) True is the first extended play ( EP ) by American recording artist Solange Knowles , first released on November 27 , 2012 digitally through Terrible Records . Following the release of her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams ( 2008 ) , Knowles announced that she had parted ways with Interscope Geffen A&M after releasing just one album on the label , and further revealed that she had chosen to go an independent route , eventually signing with Terrible Records . In 2009 , Knowles began the recording of a studio album , during which she suffered a `` breakdown '' due to the amount of time and emotion she was putting into the recording process .   A neo soul album , True contains an eclectic sound that takes influence from PBR&B , new wave music , dance , 1980s pop , and electronica , whilst the extended play 's production is characterized as containing '80s references , keyboards and African percussion . The recording process took three years and was handled by Knowles and producer Dev Hynes . Together the pair produced , wrote and composed all of the songs , a decision Knowles made due to their chemistry , friendship and work relationship .   Upon release True received generally positive reviews from music critics . Commercially , the EP debuted at number 157 on the US Billboard 200 as well as charting within the top sixty of the albums charts in Denmark and Sweden . The album was promoted with the release of three singles including `` Losing You '' and was further promoted with a tour of the United States , United Kingdom , Netherlands , France and Germany .


Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams is the second studio album by American R&B singer Solange Knowles . It was released August 26 , 2008 , by Geffen Records . Recording from 2005 to 2008 , Knowles was heavily influenced by the `` Motown Sound '' of the 1960s and 1970s during the album 's conception , prompting her to work with several vintage-style producers and songwriters such as Jack Splash , CeeLo Green , Mark Ronson , and former Holland -- Dozier -- Holland composer Lamont Dozier . Exploring the lyrical theme of independence , it also incorporates elements of downbeat and electronic music that she had familiarized herself with on previous trips to Europe .   Deviating from the R&B and dance-pop of Knowles ' debut album , Solo Star ( 2002 ) , Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams featured promotion that aimed at an `` intellectual , backpacking , coffee shop , digital kid '' audience , according to her record label . The album debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 chart , selling 46,000 copies in its first week , and spawned three singles that reached number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart . Upon its release , Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams received generally positive reviews from most music critics . , it has sold 138,000 copies in the United States .


Cranes in the Sky `` Cranes in the Sky '' is a song by American singer and songwriter Solange . Released on October 5 , 2016 by Saint Records and Columbia Records , it is the first single from Solange 's third album , A Seat at the Table . The song was written by Raphael Saadiq and Solange , and produced by Sir Dylan along with Saadiq and Solange .   `` Cranes in the Sky '' is an mid-tempo soul ballad , that lyrically explores the singer 's unsuccessful attempts to distract herself from a longstanding pain . The single 's accompanying music video was directed by Solange and her husband Alan Ferguson . Following its release , `` Cranes in the Sky '' debuted at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 . It won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards .


Solange Knowles Solange Piaget Knowles ( -LSB- soʊˈlɑːnʒ -RSB- born June 24 , 1986 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer , model and actress . Expressing an interest in music from an early age , Knowles had several temporary stints in Destiny 's Child , before signing with her father Mathew Knowles 's Music World Entertainment label . At age 16 , Knowles released her first studio album Solo Star ( 2002 ) . Between 2005 and 2007 , Knowles had several minor acting roles , including the direct-to-video Bring It On : All or Nothing ( 2006 ) and continued writing music for her older sister Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and for ex-Destiny 's Child group members Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams .   In 2007 , Knowles began to record music again . Her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams ( 2008 ) deviated from the pop-oriented music of her debut to the Motown Sound of the 1960s and 1970s . It peaked at number nine on US Billboard 200 and received positive reviews from critics . She followed this up with the 1980s pop and R&B -- inspired extended play True ( 2012 ) on Columbia Records and her imprint Saint Records . Her third studio album , A Seat at the Table ( 2016 ) became her first number-one album in the United States . The album 's first single , `` Cranes in the Sky '' won the Grammy for Best R&B Performance . In December 2016 , Billboard magazine ranked her as the 100th most successful dance artist of all-time .   Knowles is heavily influenced by Motown girl groups and says that her first passion is songwriting . She is frequently compared by the media to her sister , Beyoncé , but Solange insists they have different aspirations and are musically different . Her other ventures include an endorsement deal with Rimmel London and a line of hip-hop-oriented merchandise for young children . On November 16 , 2014 , Knowles married music video director Alan Ferguson in New Orleans , Louisiana .


Randy Orton is only a citizen of Russia.

Randy Orton Randal Keith Orton ( born April 1 , 1980 ) is an American professional wrestler and actor . He is currently signed to WWE , where he performs on the SmackDown brand .   Orton is a 13-time world champion . Orton has held the WWE Championship nine times ( eighth reign was as WWE World Heavyweight Champion ) and WWE 's World Heavyweight Championship four times , and was the final holder of the World Heavyweight Championship , which he unified with the WWE Championship to become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion . Orton is a third-generation professional wrestler ; his grandfather Bob Orton , Sr. , his father `` Cowboy '' Bob Orton , and his uncle Barry Orton all competed in the professional wrestling business . Before being promoted to the main World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) roster , Orton trained in and wrestled for Mid-Missouri Wrestling Association-Southern Illinois Conference Wrestling for a month . He was then sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling ( OVW ) , where he held the OVW Hardcore Championship twice .   Orton became a member of the stable Evolution shortly after his WWE debut , which quickly led to an Intercontinental Championship reign , his first title with the company . He also acquired the moniker `` The Legend Killer '' during a storyline where he began disrespecting and then physically attacking WWE Hall of Famers and wrestling veterans . At age 24 , he became the youngest world champion in WWE history after he won the World Heavyweight Championship . With this win , he departed from Evolution and a feud with his former stablemates began . In 2006 , Orton joined forces with Edge in a tag team known as Rated-RKO . Together , they held the World Tag Team Championship . After Rated-RKO disbanded in mid-2007 , Orton gained two WWE Championship reigns in one night , when at 27 he became the youngest two-time WWE Champion . He formed the group The Legacy with Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase in 2008 . It disbanded in 2010 and Orton returned to singles competition . From 2013 to 2015 , Orton was aligned with The Authority , who named him the `` face of the WWE '' . In late 2016 he joined The Wyatt Family , winning the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship with stablemates Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper before turning on Wyatt in February 2017 .   Overall , Orton has won 16 total championships in WWE . He is the winner of the 2013 Money in the Bank ladder match , both the 2009 and 2017 Royal Rumble matches , and has headlined multiple pay-per-view events for WWE , including WrestleMania XXV and WrestleMania XXX .


Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are an American football team based in Indianapolis . The Colts compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) South division . Since the 2008 season , the Colts have played their games in Lucas Oil Stadium . Previously , the team had played for over two decades ( 1984 -- 2007 ) at the RCA Dome . Since 1986 , the Colts have been the host team for the NFL Scouting Combine .   The Colts have been a member club of the NFL since their founding in 1953 in Baltimore . The Colts were one of three NFL teams to join the teams of the American Football League ( AFL ) to form the AFC following the 1970 merger . While in Baltimore , the team advanced to the playoffs 10 times and won three NFL Championship games : in 1958 , 1959 , and 1968 . The Colts played in two Super Bowl games while it was based in Baltimore , losing to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III , while defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V . The Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984 and have since appeared in the playoffs 16 times , won two conference championships , and won one Super Bowl , defeating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI .


List of National Football League passing touchdowns leaders This is a list of National Football League ( NFL ) quarterbacks by total career regular season passing touchdowns . This list includes all quarterbacks who have thrown for at least 200 career touchdowns . Bold denotes a ranked active player .


Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are an American football team based in Denver , Colorado . The Broncos compete in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a member club of the league 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) West division . The team began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League ( AFL ) and joined the NFL as part of the merger in 1970 . The Broncos are owned by the Pat Bowlen trust . The Broncos have played at Sports Authority Field at Mile High since , after previously playing at Mile High Stadium from 1960 to 2000 .   The Broncos were barely competitive during their 10-year run in the AFL and their first seven years in the NFL . They did not complete a winning season until 1973 . In 1977 , four years later , they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and advanced to Super Bowl XII . Since 1975 , the Broncos have become one of the NFL 's more successful teams , having suffered only six losing seasons . They have won eight AFC Championships and three Super Bowl championships ( ( XXXII ) , ( XXXIII ) , ( 50 ) ; sharing the record for second most Super Bowl appearances with the Dallas Cowboys , and Pittsburgh Steelers , right behind the New England Patriots record nine Super Bowl appearances . However , the Broncos have the NFL record for most Super Bowl losses ( 5 ) . They have five players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame : John Elway , Floyd Little , Gary Zimmerman , Shannon Sharpe , and the most recently elected member , Terrell Davis .


Hurry-up offense The hurry-up offense is an American football offensive style , which has two different but related forms in which the offensive team avoids delays between plays . The hurry-up no-huddle offense ( HUNH ) refers to avoiding or shortening the huddle to limit or disrupt defensive strategies and flexibility . The two-minute drill is a clock-management strategy that may limit huddles but also emphasizes plays that stop the game clock . While the two-minute drill refers to parts of the game with little time remaining on the game clock , the no-huddle may be used in some form at any time . The no-huddle offense was pioneered by the Cincinnati Bengals and reached its most famous and complete usage by the Buffalo Bills , nicknamed the `` K-Gun '' , during the 1990s under head coach Marv Levy and offensive coordinator Ted Marchibroda .


Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning ( born March 24 , 1976 ) is a former American football quarterback who played 18 seasons in the National Football League ( NFL ) , primarily with the Indianapolis Colts . Considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time , he spent 14 seasons with the Colts and was a member of the Denver Broncos in his last four seasons . Manning played college football for the University of Tennessee , leading the Tennessee Volunteers to the 1997 SEC Championship in his senior season . He is the second son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and older brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning .   Manning was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft . From 1998 to 2010 , he improved the fortunes of the struggling Colts franchise and helped transform them into playoff contenders . During his tenure as starting quarterback , Manning led the team to eight division championships , two AFC championships , and one Super Bowl title , the franchise 's first in over three decades , as well as their first since relocating to Indianapolis .   After undergoing neck surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2011 season , Manning was released by the Colts and signed with the Denver Broncos . Serving as the team 's starting quarterback from 2012 to 2015 , he contributed to the Broncos reaching the top of their division each year and his playing career concluded with a victory in Super Bowl 50 .   Manning holds many NFL records , including passing yards ( 71,940 ) , touchdown passes ( 539 ) , AP MVP awards ( 5 ) , Pro Bowl appearances ( 14 ) , and 4,000-yard passing seasons ( 14 ) . A two-time Super Bowl winner and the most valuable player of Super Bowl XLI , Manning is also the only quarterback to start the Super Bowl for two different franchises more than once each and the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises . At 39 years of age , Manning is the oldest quarterback to start in and win a Super Bowl . Manning is also the only quarterback in NFL history to make the Super Bowl four times with four different head coaches ( Dungy , Caldwell , Fox , and Kubiak ) .   During a 2009 Monday Night Football game , Manning received the nickname `` The Sheriff '' from color commentator Jon Gruden due to his tendency to audible prior to the snap , and he was one of the most recognizable and parodied players in the NFL . Teams led by Manning typically utilized the hurry-up offense in place of the standard huddle .


Quarterback A quarterback ( commonly abbreviated to QB ) is a position in American and Canadian football . Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line . In modern American football , the quarterback is usually considered the leader of the offensive team , and is often responsible for calling the play in the huddle .


Boston Boston ( pronounced -LSB- ˈbɒstən -RSB- ) is the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States . Boston is also the seat of Suffolk County , although the county government was disbanded on July 1 , 1999 . The city proper covers 48 mi2 with an estimated population of 667,137 in 2015 , making it the largest city in New England and the 23rd most populous city in the United States . The city is the economic and cultural anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area known as Greater Boston , a Metropolitan Statistical Area ( MSA ) home to a census-estimated 4.7 million people in 2014 and ranking as the tenth-largest such area in the country . Alternately , as a Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) , this wider commuting region is home to some 8.1 million people , making it the sixth-largest as such in the United States .   One of the oldest cities in the United States , Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England . It was the scene of several key events of the American Revolution , such as the Boston Massacre , the Boston Tea Party , the Battle of Bunker Hill , and the Siege of Boston . Upon U.S. independence from Great Britain , it continued to be an important port and manufacturing hub as well as a center for education and culture . Through land reclamation and municipal annexation , Boston has expanded beyond the original peninsula . Its rich history attracts many tourists , with Faneuil Hall alone drawing over 20 million visitors per year . Boston 's many firsts include the United States ' first public school , Boston Latin School ( 1635 ) , first subway system , the Tremont Street Subway ( 1897 ) , and first public park , Boston Common ( 1634 ) .   The area 's many colleges and universities make Boston an international center of higher education , including law , medicine , engineering , and business , and the city is considered to be a world leader in innovation and entrepreneurship , with nearly 2,000 startups . Boston 's economic base also includes finance , professional and business services , biotechnology , information technology , and government activities . Households in the city claim the highest average rate of philanthropy in the United States ; businesses and institutions rank among the top in the country for environmental sustainability and investment . The city has one of the highest costs of living in the United States as it has undergone gentrification , though it remains high on world livability rankings .


Akira Toriyama is an artist who does manga.

Akira Toriyama is a Japanese manga and game artist . He first achieved mainstream recognition for his highly successful manga Dr. Slump , before going on to create Dragon Ball -- his best-known work -- and acting as a character designer for several popular video games such as the Dragon Quest series , Blue Dragon and Chrono Trigger . Toriyama is regarded as one of the artists that changed the history of manga , as his works are highly influential and popular , particularly Dragon Ball , which many manga artists cite as a source of inspiration .   He earned the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen or shōjo manga with Dr. Slump , and it went on to sell over 35 million copies in Japan . It was adapted into a successful anime series , with a second anime created in 1997 , 13 years after the manga ended . His next series , Dragon Ball , would become one of the most popular and successful manga in the world . Having sold more than 240 million copies worldwide , it is the second best-selling manga of all time and is considered to be one of the main reasons for the period when manga circulation was at its highest in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s . Overseas , Dragon Balls anime adaptations have been more successful than the manga and are credited with boosting anime 's popularity in the Western world .


The Fall (Gorillaz album) features zero guest artists.

The Fall (Gorillaz album) The Fall is the fourth studio album from British virtual band Gorillaz . The album was officially announced on 20 December 2010 and soon after released on 25 December 2010 as a `` free '' download on the Gorillaz website , exclusively to fans in the band 's Sub-Division fan club . The album features fewer guest artists than previous Gorillaz albums ; collaborators include Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of The Clash and Bobby Womack . The `` Phoner to Arizona '' music video , a compilation of footage and images taken from the tour and the phase was posted on YouTube on 22 December . The album was physically released on 18 April 2011 .


It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's second season aired on August 4, 2005.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia It 's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is an American television black comedy sitcom that premiered on FX on August 4 , 2005 . It moved to FXX beginning with the ninth season , and has remained there since . It was created by Rob McElhenney , who developed it with Glenn Howerton . It is executive produced and primarily written by McElhenney , Howerton , and Charlie Day , all of whom star alongside Kaitlin Olson and Danny DeVito . The series follows the exploits of `` The Gang '' , a group of self-centered friends who run the Irish bar Paddy 's Pub in South Philadelphia .   The series was renewed for a twelfth season that premiered on January 4 , 2017 . On April 1 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a thirteenth and fourteenth season , which will tie it with The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet as the longest running live-action sitcom in American TV history .


The Republic of Zambia is bordered to the south by Zimbabwe.

Zambia Zambia ( -LSB- ˈzæmbiə -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Zambia , is a landlocked country in Southern Africa , neighbouring the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north , Tanzania to the north-east , Malawi to the east , Mozambique , Zimbabwe , Botswana and Namibia to the south , and Angola to the west . The capital city is Lusaka , in the south-central part of Zambia . The population is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the northwest , the core economic hubs of the country .   Originally inhabited by Khoisan peoples , the region was affected by the Bantu expansion of the thirteenth century . After visits by European explorers in the eighteenth century , Zambia became the British protectorate of Northern Rhodesia towards the end of the nineteenth century . For most of the colonial period , Zambia was governed by an administration appointed from London with the advice of the British South Africa Company .   On 24 October 1964 , Zambia became independent of the United Kingdom and prime minister Kenneth Kaunda became the inaugural president . Kaunda 's socialist United National Independence Party ( UNIP ) maintained power from 1964 until 1991 . Kaunda played a key role in regional diplomacy , cooperating closely with the United States in search of solutions to conflicts in Rhodesia ( Zimbabwe ) , Angola , and Namibia . From 1972 to 1991 Zambia was a one-party state with the UNIP as the sole legal political party under the motto `` One Zambia , One Nation '' . Kaunda was succeeded by Frederick Chiluba of the social-democratic Movement for Multi-Party Democracy in 1991 , beginning a period of social-economic growth and government decentralisation . Levy Mwanawasa , Chiluba 's chosen successor , presided over Zambia from January 2002 until his death in August 2008 , and is credited with campaigns to reduce corruption and increase the standard of living . After Mwanawasa 's death , Rupiah Banda presided as Acting President before being elected President in 2008 . Holding office for only three years , Banda stepped down after his defeat in the 2011 elections by Patriotic Front party leader Michael Sata . Sata died on 28 October 2014 , the second Zambian president to die in office . Guy Scott served briefly as interim president until new elections were held on 20 January 2015 , in which Edgar Lungu was elected as the sixth President .   In 2010 , the World Bank named Zambia one of the world 's fastest economically reformed countries . The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa ( COMESA ) is headquartered in Lusaka .


Ken Russell directed the film Women in Love.

Women in Love (film) Women in Love is a 1969 British romantic drama film directed by Ken Russell and starring Alan Bates , Oliver Reed , Glenda Jackson , and Jennie Linden . The film was adapted by Larry Kramer from D. H. Lawrence 's novel of the same name .   The plot follows the relationships between two sisters and two men in a mining town in post First World War England . The two couples take markedly different directions . The film explores the nature of commitment and love .   The film was nominated for four Academy Awards : Best Cinematography , Best Director and Best Writing , Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium . Jackson won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role , as well as a slew of critics ' honours .


Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred `` Ken '' Russell ( 3 July 1927 -- 27 November 2011 ) was an English film director , known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style . Critics have accused him of being obsessed with sexuality and the Roman Catholic Church . His films in the main were liberal adaptations of existing texts , or biographies , notably of composers of the Romantic era . Russell began directing for the BBC , where he made creative adaptations of composers ' lives which were unusual for the time . He also directed many feature films independently and for studios .   He is best known for his Oscar-winning films Women in Love ( 1969 ) , The Devils ( 1971 ) , The Who 's Tommy ( 1975 ) , and the science fiction film Altered States ( 1980 ) . Russell also directed several films based on the lives of classical music composers , such as Elgar , Delius , Tchaikovsky , Mahler , and Liszt .   Film critic Mark Kermode , speaking in 2006 , and attempting to sum up the director 's achievement , called Russell , `` somebody who proved that British cinema did n't have to be about kitchen-sink realism -- it could be every bit as flamboyant as Fellini . Later in his life he turned to making low-budget experimental films such as Lion 's Mouth and Revenge of the Elephant Man , and they are as edgy and ` out there ' as ever '' .   Ken Russell died of natural causes on 27 November 2011 at the age of 84 .


A Thousand Suns is an American rock album.

List of number-one Billboard Rock Songs Hot Rock Songs is a record chart published by Billboard magazine . From its debut on June 20 , 2009 , through October 13 , 2012 , the chart ranked the airplay of songs across alternative , mainstream rock , and triple A radio stations in the United States . However , since the chart dated October 20 , 2012 , the Hot Rock Songs chart has followed the methodology of the Billboard Hot 100 by incorporating digital download sales , streaming data , and radio airplay of rock songs over all formats . Before that date the chart was ranked by overall audience impressions ( the approximate number of audience impressions made for each play , as determined by BDS data cross-referenced with Arbitron listener information ) .   Since its introduction , forty four singles have reached the number-one position on the Rock Songs chart . Twenty One Pilots , Foo Fighters and Linkin Park have been the most successful groups , with each having three singles to top the chart . Twenty One Pilots ' song `` Heathens '' is the longest running number-one single , having spent a total of thirty consecutive weeks atop the chart . Twenty One Pilots have also spent the longest time atop the chart , as their three number-one singles have spent a combined sixty-two weeks at the summit . Out of the forty three singles that hit the number-one position , eleven singles spent two separate runs atop the chart . Coldplay 's `` A Sky Full of Stars '' is the only single to have returned to the top position for three distinct runs . Thirty artists have recorded number-one singles . The first number-one single on the chart was Green Day 's `` Know Your Enemy '' , which led the chart 's debut week . The most recent number-one single is the Imagine Dragons song `` Believer '' .


Waiting for the End `` Waiting for the End '' is a song by American rock band Linkin Park , released on October 1 , 2010 . It is the second single from their fourth studio album , A Thousand Suns , which was released on September 14 , 2010 . A music video for the single , directed by Joe Hahn , was released on October 8 , 2010 on MTV .   It received mostly positive reviews from professional critics and was a huge success .   `` Waiting for the End '' , along with five other songs from A Thousand Suns , is featured in the `` Linkin Park Track Pack '' as downloadable content for the rhythm video game Guitar Hero : Warriors of Rock . The track pack was released on October 19 , 2010 . It was also released as one of six Linkin Park songs released in a pack for Rock Band 3 on January 11 , 2011 , though it was the only track from A Thousand Suns to be included in that pack .


Linkin Park Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills , California . Formed in 1996 , the band rose to international fame with their debut album Hybrid Theory ( 2000 ) , which was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries . Their following studio album Meteora continued the band 's success , topping the Billboard 200 album chart in 2003 , and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world . In 2003 , MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music video era and the third-best of the new millennium . Billboard ranked Linkin Park No. 19 on the Best Artists of the Decade chart . In 2012 , the band was voted as the greatest artist of the 2000s in a Bracket Madness poll on VH1 . In 2014 , the band was declared as the Biggest Rock Band in the World Right Now by Kerrang ! .   Having adapted nu metal and rap metal to a radio-friendly yet densely layered style in Hybrid Theory and Meteora , the band explored other genres in their next studio album , Minutes to Midnight ( 2007 ) . The album topped the Billboard charts and had the third-best debut week of any album that year . The band continued to explore a wider variation of musical types in their fourth album , A Thousand Suns ( 2010 ) , layering their music with more electronic sounds and beats . Their fifth album , Living Things ( 2012 ) , combines musical elements from all of their previous records . Their sixth album , The Hunting Party ( 2014 ) , returned to a heavier rock sound . Their seventh album One More Light , a more electronic and pop-oriented record , was released on May 19 , 2017 . The band has collaborated with several other artists , including rapper Jay Z in their mashup EP Collision Course , and many others on the remix albums Reanimation and Recharged . Linkin Park has sold over 70 million albums worldwide and has won two Grammy Awards .


A Thousand Suns A Thousand Suns is the fourth studio album by American rock band Linkin Park . It was released on September 8 , 2010 , by Warner Bros. . Records . The album was written by the band and was produced by Linkin Park vocalist Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin , who worked together to produce the band 's previous studio album Minutes to Midnight ( 2007 ) . Recording sessions for A Thousand Suns took place at NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood , California from 2008 until early 2010 .   A Thousand Suns is a multi-concept album dealing with human fears such as nuclear warfare . The band has said the album is a drastic departure from their previous work ; they experimented on different and new sounds . Shinoda told MTV the album references numerous social issues and blends human ideas with technology . The title is a reference to Hindu Sanskrit scripture , a line of which was first popularized in 1945 by J. Robert Oppenheimer , who described the atomic bomb as being `` as bright as a thousand suns '' . It also appears in a line from the first single of the album , `` The Catalyst '' .   `` The Catalyst '' was sent to radio and released to digital music retailers on August 2 , 2010 . `` The Catalyst '' peaked at the Billboard Alternative Songs and Rock Songs charts . Three more singles were released to promote the album : `` Waiting for the End '' , `` Burning in the Skies '' and `` Iridescent '' . `` The Catalyst '' and `` Waiting for the End '' were certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . Linkin Park promoted the album through the A Thousand Suns World Tour from October 2010 to September 2011 .   Upon release , the album polarized critics and fans . The band 's fanbase divided over their new sound , splitting them into `` love-it versus hate-it groups '' according to one reviewer . Despite this , the album has been a commercial success , debuting at number one on over ten charts . It was certified gold by the RIAA in February 2011 . By June 2014 , it had sold over 960,000 copies in the United States according to Nielsen SoundScan .


The Catalyst `` The Catalyst '' is a song by American rock band Linkin Park . Released on August 2 , 2010 , it is the first single from their fourth studio album , A Thousand Suns , which was released on September 8 , 2010 . The music video for the song , directed by the band 's turntablist Joe Hahn , was released on August 26 , 2010 .   `` The Catalyst '' is used in the trailer and credits of the video game Medal of Honor and also the opening song of Namco-Bandai 's Arcade game , Mobile Suit Gundam : Extreme Vs. . It was also used in select commercials of the Discovery Channel series , Surviving the Cut . The song was also featured in the video game Linkin Park Revenge for the iPhone , iPad , and iPod Touch . `` The Catalyst '' has also been used in the advertisement for the 2011 movie The Lincoln Lawyer with Matthew McConaughey .   `` The Catalyst '' , along with five other songs from A Thousand Suns , are featured in the `` Linkin Park Track Pack '' as downloadable content for the rhythm video game Guitar Hero : Warriors of Rock . The track pack was released on October 19 , 2010 .


A Thousand Suns World Tour A Thousand Suns World Tour was a worldwide sixth concert tour by American rock band Linkin Park . The tour supported the band 's fourth studio album A Thousand Suns . The tour ranked 35th in Pollstar 's `` Top 50 Worldwide Tour ( Mid-Year ) '' , earning over 20 million dollars .


Grant Gustin Thomas Grant Gustin ( born January 14 , 1990 ) is an American actor , singer , and dancer . He is known for his role as Barry Allen / the Flash ( based on the DC Comics character of the same name ) on the CW series The Flash and Arrow , both in the Arrowverse television franchise , and his role as Sebastian Smythe on the Fox series Glee .


Bobby Moore Robert Frederick Chelsea `` Bobby '' Moore OBE ( 12 April 1941 -- 24 February 1993 ) was an English professional footballer . He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup . He is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time , and was cited by Pelé as the greatest defender that he had ever played against . Moore is a member of the World Team of the 20th Century .   He won a total of 108 caps for the England team , which at the time of his international retirement in 1973 was a national record . This record was later broken by 125-cap goalkeeper Peter Shilton . Moore 's total of 108 caps continued as a record for outfield players until 28 March 2009 , when David Beckham gained his 109th cap . Moore was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game as a player . The same year he was named in the BBC 's list of the 100 Greatest Britons .


Fred Savage Frederick Aaron `` Fred '' Savage ( born July 9 , 1976 ) is an American actor , director , and producer . He is best known for his role as Kevin Arnold in the American television series The Wonder Years , which ran from 1988 to 1993 . He has earned several awards and nominations , such as People 's Choice Awards and Young Artist Awards .


Catherine of Alexandria is only known by that name.

Catherine of Alexandria Saint Catherine of Alexandria , also known as Saint Catherine of the Wheel and The Great Martyr Saint Catherine is , according to tradition , a Christian saint and virgin , who was martyred in the early 4th century at the hands of the pagan emperor Maxentius . According to her hagiography , she was both a princess and a noted scholar , who became a Christian around the age of fourteen , and converted hundreds of people to Christianity . She was martyred around the age of 18 . Over 1,100 years following her martyrdom , Saint Joan of Arc identified Catherine as one of the Saints who appeared to her and counselled her .   The Eastern Orthodox Church venerates her as a Great Martyr and celebrates her feast day on 24 or 25 November ( depending on the regional tradition ) . In Catholicism she is traditionally revered as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers . In 1969 the Roman Catholic Church removed her feast day from the General Roman Calendar ; however , she continued to be commemorated in the Roman Martyrology on 25 November . In 2002 , her feast was restored to the General Roman Calendar as an optional memorial .