New Orleans New Orleans ( -LSB- nuː_ˈɔːrlᵻnz , _ - ˈɔːrli.ənz , _ - ɔːrˈliːnz -RSB- , or -LSB- ˈnɔːrlᵻnz -RSB- La Nouvelle-Orléans -LSB- la nuvɛlɔʁleɑ̃ -RSB- ) is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana . The population of the city was 343,829 as of the 2010 U.S. Census . The New Orleans metropolitan area ( New Orleans -- Metairie -- Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area ) had a population of 1,167,764 in 2010 and was the 46th largest in the United States . The New Orleans -- Metairie -- Bogalusa Combined Statistical Area , a larger trading area , had a 2010 population of 1,452,502 .   It is well known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture , as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage . New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine , music ( particularly as the birthplace of jazz ) , and its annual celebrations and festivals , most notably Mardi Gras , dating to French colonial times . The city is often referred to as the `` most unique '' in the United States .   New Orleans is located in southeastern Louisiana , straddling the Mississippi River . The city and Orleans Parish ( paroisse d'Orléans ) are coterminous . The city and parish are bounded by the parishes of St. Tammany to the north , St. Bernard to the east , Plaquemines to the south , and Jefferson to the south and west . Lake Pontchartrain , part of which is included in the city limits , lies to the north and Lake Borgne lies to the east .   Before Hurricane Katrina , Orleans Parish was the most populous parish in Louisiana . As of 2015 , it ranks third in population , trailing neighboring Jefferson Parish , and East Baton Rouge Parish .


Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a cricket field , at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard-long pitch with a wicket ( a set of three wooden stumps ) at each end . One team bats , attempting to score as many runs as possible , whilst their opponents field . Each phase of play is called an innings . After either ten batsmen have been dismissed or a fixed number of overs have been completed , the innings ends and the two teams then swap roles . The winning team is the one that scores the most runs , including any extras gained , during their innings .   At the start of each game , two batsmen and eleven fielders enter the field of play . The play begins when a member of the fielding team , known as the bowler , delivers the ball from one end of the pitch to the other , towards the wicket at that end , in front of which stands one of the batsmen , known as the striker . The striker `` takes guard '' on a crease drawn on the pitch four feet in front of the wicket . His role is to prevent the ball from hitting the stumps by use of his bat , and simultaneously to strike it well enough to score runs . The other batsman , known as the non-striker , waits at the opposite end of the pitch near the bowler . A dismissed batsman must leave the field , and a teammate replaces him . The bowler 's objectives are to prevent the scoring of runs and to dismiss the batsman . An over is a set of six deliveries bowled by the same bowler . The next over is bowled from the other end of the pitch by a different bowler .   The most common forms of dismissal are bowled , when the bowler hits the stumps directly with the ball ; leg before wicket , when the batsman prevents the ball from hitting the stumps with his body instead of his bat ; and caught , when the batsman hits the ball into the air and it is intercepted by a fielder before touching the ground . Runs are scored by two main methods : either by hitting the ball hard enough for it to cross the boundary , or by the two batsmen swapping ends by each simultaneously running the length of the pitch in opposite directions whilst the fielders are retrieving the ball . If a fielder retrieves the ball quickly enough to put down the wicket with a batsman not having reached the crease at that end of the pitch , that batsman is dismissed ( a run-out occurs ) . Adjudication is performed on the field by two umpires .   The laws of cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council ( ICC ) and the Marylebone Cricket Club ( MCC ) . There are various formats ranging from Twenty20 , played over a few hours with each team having a single innings of 20 overs ( i.e. 120 deliveries ) , to Test cricket , played over five days with unlimited overs and the teams playing two innings apiece . Traditionally cricketers play in all-white kit , but in limited overs cricket they wear club or team colours . In addition to the basic kit , some players wear protective gear to prevent injury caused by the ball , which is a hard , solid object made of compressed leather enclosing a cork core .   Although cricket 's origins are uncertain , it is first recorded in south-east England in the 16th century . It spread globally with the expansion of the British Empire , leading to the first international matches in the mid-19th century . ICC , the game 's governing body , has over 100 members , ten of which are full members who play Test cricket . The sport is followed primarily in Australasia , Britain , the Indian subcontinent , southern Africa and the West Indies . Women 's cricket , which is organised and played separately , has also achieved international standard .


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


California California ( -LSB- kælᵻˈfɔːrnjə , _ - ni.ə -RSB- , ) is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area . Located on the western ( Pacific Ocean ) coast of the U.S. , California is bordered by the other U.S. states of Oregon , Nevada , and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California . The state capital is Sacramento . Los Angeles is California 's most populous city , and the country 's second largest after New York City . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second - and fifth-most populous urban regions , respectively . California also has the nation 's most populous county , Los Angeles County , and its largest county by area , San Bernardino County .   California 's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the east ; and from the redwood -- Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast . The Central Valley , a major agricultural area , dominates the state 's center . Though California is well-known for its warm Mediterranean climate , the large size of the state means it can vary from moist temperate rainforest in the north , to arid desert in the interior , as well as snowy alpine in the mountains .   What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries . The Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony . The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its successful war for independence , but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican -- American War . The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California , and admitted as the 31st state on September 9 , 1850 . The California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes , with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom .   If it were a country , California would be the 6th largest economy in the world and the 35th most populous . It is also regarded as a global trendsetter in both popular culture and politics , and is the origin of the film industry , the hippie counterculture , the Internet , and the personal computer , among others . Fifty-eight percent of the state 's economy is centered on finance , government , real estate services , technology , and professional , scientific and technical business services . The San Francisco Bay Area has the nation 's highest median household income by metropolitan area , and is the headquarters of three of the world 's largest 40 firms by revenue , Chevron , Apple , and McKesson . Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the state 's economy , California 's agriculture industry has the highest output of any U.S. state .


Raccoon The raccoon ( -LSB- rəˈkuːn -RSB- or -LSB- USræˈkuːn -RSB- , Procyon lotor ) , sometimes spelled racoon , also known as the common raccoon , North American raccoon , northern raccoon and colloquially as coon , is a medium-sized mammal native to North America . The raccoon is the largest of the procyonid family , having a body length of 40 to and a body weight of 3.5 to . Its grayish coat mostly consists of dense underfur which insulates it against cold weather . Two of the raccoon 's most distinctive features are its extremely dexterous front paws and its facial mask , which are themes in the mythology of several Native American ethnic groups . Raccoons are noted for their intelligence , with studies showing that they are able to remember the solution to tasks for up to three years . The diet of the omnivorous raccoon , which is usually nocturnal , consists of about 40 % invertebrates , 33 % plant foods , and 27 % vertebrates .   The original habitats of the raccoon are deciduous and mixed forests , but due to their adaptability they have extended their range to mountainous areas , coastal marshes , and urban areas , where some homeowners consider them to be pests . As a result of escapes and deliberate introductions in the mid-20th century , raccoons are now also distributed across mainland Europe , Caucasia , and Japan .   Though previously thought to be solitary , there is now evidence that raccoons engage in gender-specific social behavior . Related females often share a common area , while unrelated males live together in groups of up to four animals to maintain their positions against foreign males during the mating season , and other potential invaders . Home range sizes vary anywhere from 3 ha for females in cities to 5000 ha for males in prairies . After a gestation period of about 65 days , two to five young , known as `` kits '' , are born in spring . The kits are subsequently raised by their mother until dispersal in late fall . Although captive raccoons have been known to live over 20 years , their life expectancy in the wild is only 1.8 to 3.1 years . In many areas , hunting and vehicular injury are the two most common causes of death .


David Carradine David Carradine ( born John Arthur Carradine ; December 8 , 1936 -- June 3 , 2009 ) was an American actor and martial artist . He was known for his leading role as a peace-loving Shaolin monk , Kwai Chang Caine , in the 1970s television series Kung Fu . He was also known for playing Frankenstein in the original Death Race movie and Bill in both Kill Bill films .   He was a member of an acting family that began with his father , John Carradine . Carradine 's acting career , which included major and minor roles on stage and television , and in cinema , spanned over four decades . A prolific `` B '' movie actor , he appeared in more than 100 feature films in career spanning over sixty years . He was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards , for projects such as the television series Kung Fu ( 1972 -- 1975 ) , the Woody Guthrie biopic Bound for Glory ( 1976 ) and the miniseries North and South ( 1985 ) . His final nomination came in the category of Best Supporting Actor for portraying the titular character in Quentin Tarantino 's Kill Bill : Volume 2 ( 2004 ) .   Films that featured Carradine continued to be released after his death . These posthumous credits were from a variety of genres including action , documentaries , drama , horror , martial arts , science fiction , and westerns . In addition to his acting career , Carradine was a director and musician . Moreover , influenced by his most popular acting role , he studied martial arts .   He was sometimes arrested and prosecuted for a variety of offenses , which often involved substance abuse . He died on June 3 , 2009 , in a hotel room in Bangkok , Thailand from auto-erotic asphyxiation .


Victoria Beckham is David Beckham's wife.

David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham , ( -LSB- ˈbɛkəm -RSB- born 2 May 1975 ) is an English former professional footballer . He played for Manchester United , Preston North End , Real Madrid , Milan , LA Galaxy , Paris Saint-Germain , and the England national team for which he held the appearance record for an outfield player until 2016 when Wayne Rooney surpassed his total . He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries : England , Spain , the United States and France . He announced his retirement in May 2013 after a 20-year career , during which he won 19 major trophies .   Known for his range of passing , crossing ability and bending free-kicks as a right winger , Beckham was runner up in the Ballon d'Or , twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world 's greatest living players . He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . A global ambassador for the sport , Beckham is regarded as a British cultural icon .   Beckham 's professional club career began with Manchester United , where he made his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17 . With United , he won the Premier League title six times , the FA Cup twice , and the UEFA Champions League in 1999 . He then played four seasons with Real Madrid , winning the La Liga championship in his final season with the club . In July 2007 Beckham signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy . While a Galaxy player , he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010 . He was the first British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions League games .   In international football , Beckham made his England debut on 1 September 1996 at the age of 21 . He was captain for six years , earning 58 caps during his tenure . He made 115 career appearances in total , appearing at three FIFA World Cup tournaments , in 1998 , 2002 and 2006 , and two UEFA European Championship tournaments , in 2000 and 2004 .   Beckham has consistently ranked among the highest earners in football , and in 2013 he was listed as the highest-paid player in the world , earning over $ 50 million in the previous 12 months . He has been married to Victoria Beckham since 1999 and they have four children . He has been a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2005 , and in 2015 he launched 7 : The David Beckham UNICEF Fund . In 2014 , MLS announced Beckham and a group of investors would own an expansion team in Miami , which would begin in 2016 or 2017 .


There was a rock band called The Beatles.

The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 . With members John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr , they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era . Rooted in skiffle , beat and 1950s rock and roll , the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles , ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock , often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways . In 1963 their enormous popularity first emerged as `` Beatlemania '' , and as the group 's music grew in sophistication in subsequent years , led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney , they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the counterculture of the 1960s .   The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960 , with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player . The core of Lennon , McCartney and Harrison went through a succession of drummers , including Pete Best , before asking Starr to join them in 1962 . Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act , and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings , greatly expanding their popularity in the United Kingdom after their first hit , `` Love Me Do '' , in late 1962 . They acquired the nickname `` the Fab Four '' as Beatlemania grew in Britain the next year , and by early 1964 became international stars , leading the `` British Invasion '' of the United States pop market . From 1965 onwards , the Beatles produced increasingly innovative recordings , including the albums Rubber Soul ( 1965 ) , Revolver ( 1966 ) , Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band ( 1967 ) , The Beatles ( commonly known as the White Album , 1968 ) and Abbey Road ( 1969 ) . After their break-up in 1970 , they each enjoyed successful musical careers of varying lengths . McCartney and Starr , the surviving members , remain musically active . Lennon was shot and killed in December 1980 , and Harrison died of lung cancer in November 2001 .   The Beatles are the best-selling band in history , with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide . They have had more number-one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other act . According to the RIAA , the Beatles are also the best-selling music artists in the United States , with 178 million certified units . In 2008 , the group topped Billboard magazine 's list of the all-time most successful `` Hot 100 '' artists ; , they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with twenty . They have received ten Grammy Awards , an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards . The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 , and all four were inducted individually from 1994 to 2015 . They were also collectively included in Time magazine 's compilation of the twentieth century 's 100 most influential people .


Nicole Kidman is an Academy Award nominated actress.

Nicole Kidman Nicole Mary Kidman , AC ( born June 20 , 1967 ) is an Australian actress and film producer . Kidman 's breakthrough roles were in the 1989 feature film thriller Dead Calm and television thriller miniseries Bangkok Hilton . Appearing in several films in the early 1990s , she came to worldwide recognition for her performances in the stock-car racing film Days of Thunder ( 1990 ) , the romance-drama Far and Away ( 1992 ) , and the superhero film Batman Forever ( 1995 ) . Other successful films followed in the late 1990s . Her performance in the musical Moulin Rouge ! ( 2001 ) earned her a second Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and her first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress . Kidman 's performance as Virginia Woolf in the drama film The Hours ( 2002 ) received critical acclaim and earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress , the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role , the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama and the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival .   Kidman 's other notable films include the crime comedy-drama To Die For ( 1995 ) , for which she won her first Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical , the erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut ( 1999 ) , the horror-thriller The Others ( 2001 ) , the epic war drama film Cold Mountain ( 2003 ) , the drama Dogville ( 2003 ) , the political thriller The Interpreter ( 2005 ) , and the epic historical romantic drama Australia ( 2008 ) . Her performances in the drama Birth ( 2004 ) and the thriller The Paperboy ( 2012 ) earned her Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress and Supporting Actress respectively . Her performance in the 2010 drama Rabbit Hole ( 2010 ) , which she also produced , earned Kidman further accolades , including a third nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress . In 2012 , she earned her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her role in the biopic Hemingway & Gellhorn ( 2012 ) . Kidman 's performance in Lion ( 2016 ) earned her a fourth Academy Award nomination , her first for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . In 2017 , Kidman returned to television , starring in the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies .   Kidman has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 1994 and for UNIFEM since 2006 . In 2006 , Kidman was made a Companion in the Order of Australia , and was the highest-paid actress in the motion picture industry for that year . As a result of being born to Australian parents in Hawaii , Kidman has dual citizenship in Australia and the United States . Kidman founded and owns the production company Blossom Films .


Lady Gaga's second studio album was released in 2010.

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( -LSB- ˈstɛfəniː_dʒɜrməˈnɒtə -RSB- ; born March 28 , 1986 ) , known professionally as Lady Gaga , is an American singer , songwriter , and actress . At the beginning of her career , Gaga became known for her unconventionality and provocative work . A popular contemporary recording artist , she is noted for constantly experimenting with new musical ideas and images .   Gaga initially played roles in high school plays , and studied at CAP21 through NYU 's Tisch School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue a musical career . After leaving a rock band , participating in a performance art circuit , and being dropped from a contract with Def Jam Recordings , Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing . From there , Akon noticed her vocal abilities and helped her sign a joint deal with Interscope Records and his own KonLive Distribution in 2007 . Gaga rose to prominence with the release of her successful debut album The Fame ( 2008 ) and its international chart-topping singles `` Just Dance '' and `` Poker Face '' . A follow-up EP , The Fame Monster ( 2009 ) , was met with a similar reception and the singles `` Bad Romance '' , `` Telephone '' , and `` Alejandro '' were also successful .   Gaga 's second full-length album Born This Way ( 2011 ) topped the charts in more than 20 countries , including the US , where it sold over one million copies in its first week . The album produced the number-one single `` Born This Way '' . Gaga 's third album Artpop , released in 2013 , topped the US charts and included the successful single `` Applause '' . In 2014 , Gaga released a collaborative jazz album with Tony Bennett titled Cheek to Cheek , her third consecutive number one in the US . For her work in the television series American Horror Story : Hotel , Gaga won a Golden Globe Award in 2016 . With her fifth studio album Joanne ( 2016 ) , she became the first woman to have four US number one albums in the 2010s . In February 2017 , Gaga headlined the Super Bowl LI halftime show , which had over 150 million audience across various platforms worldwide , making it the most viewed musical event in history .   With global album and single sales of 27 million and 146 million respectively , as of January 2016 , she is one of the best-selling musicians of all time . Her achievements include twelve Guinness World Records , three Brit Awards , and six Grammy Awards . She has also received awards from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Council of Fashion Designers of America . Gaga regularly appears on Billboards Artists of the Year lists and Forbess power and earnings rankings . She was ranked at number four on VH1 's Greatest Women in Music , finished second on Times 2011 readers ' poll of the most influential people of the past ten years , and was named Billboards Woman of the Year ( 2015 ) . She is known for her philanthropic work and social activism , including LGBT rights and her own non-profit organization , the Born This Way Foundation , which focuses on promoting youth empowerment and combating bullying .


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


IPhone 3G The iPhone 3G is a smartphone that was designed and marketed by Apple Inc. . It is the second generation of iPhone , and was introduced on June 9 , 2008 , at the WWDC 2008 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco , United States .   The iPhone 3G is internally similar to its predecessor , but included several new hardware features , such as GPS , 3G data and tri-band UMTS/HSDPA . The device was originally loaded with the concurrently launched iPhone OS 2.0 . In addition to other features ( including push email and turn-by-turn navigation ) , this new operating system introduced the App StoreApple 's new distribution platform for third-party applications .


The Jim Henson Company was the producer of a movie featuring the Muppets.

The Muppet Movie The Muppet Movie is a 1979 British-American musical road comedy film and the first theatrical film featuring the Muppets . Directed by James Frawley and produced by Jim Henson , the film 's screenplay was written by The Muppet Show writers Jerry Juhl and Jack Burns . An American and British venture produced by Henson Associates and ITC Entertainment between the first half and the second half of the third season of The Muppet Show , the film depicts Kermit the Frog as he embarks on a cross-country trip to Hollywood , California . Along the way , he encounters several of the Muppets -- who all share the same ambition of finding success in professional show business -- while being pursued by Doc Hopper , an evil restaurateur with intentions of employing Kermit as a spokesperson for his frog legs business .   Notable for its surreal humour , meta-references and prolific use of cameos , The Muppet Movie was released in the United Kingdom on May 31 , 1979 and in the United States on June 22 , 1979 , and received critical praise ; including two Academy Award nominations for Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher 's musical score and their song , `` The Rainbow Connection '' . In 2009 , the film was deemed `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry .


The Jim Henson Company The Jim Henson Company ( also known at various times as Muppets , LLC. , Henson Associates , Ltd. , and Jim Henson Productions , Inc. ) is an American entertainment company , a leading producer of children 's and family entertainment ( despite some of the company 's works containing mature content ) , and best known as the creators of the renowned Muppets characters . Founded in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson and performing partner and wife Jane Henson , the company is independently owned and operated by the children of its founders .   Henson has produced many successful television series , including The Muppet Show ( later owned by Disney ) , Fraggle Rock , Dinosaurs , Bear in the Big Blue House , and Farscape , and creates the Muppet characters for the long-running PBS television series , Sesame Street . The company has also produced many films , including The Muppet Movie , The Dark Crystal , and Labyrinth . Henson also operates Jim Henson 's Creature Shop , a puppet , animatronics , and visual effects workshop , which has created characters and effects for Henson productions , as well as outside producers .   In 1989 , the company entered merger negotiations with The Walt Disney Company , but the deal fell through following Jim Henson 's unexpected death in 1990 . Following Henson 's death and the calling off of the Disney merger , the company was taken over by Henson 's children , Lisa , Cheryl , Brian , John , and Heather , with Brian at the helm . In 2000 Henson was sold to EM.TV & Merchandising AG , a German media company , but by the end of that year , EM.TV 's stock collapsed , and the company was sold back to the Henson family in 2003 . ( EM.TV had in the interim sold the rights to the Sesame Street Muppets to Sesame Workshop in 2001 . )   In 2004 , Henson sold the rights to the Muppets and Bear in the Big Blue House to The Walt Disney Company , but retains the rights to the rest of its characters , program library , and assets . , Brian , Lisa , Cheryl , and Heather Henson run the company ( sibling and fellow co-owner John Henson died in February 2014 ) . Brian Henson serves as chairman , while Lisa Henson serves as CEO .   Since 2000 , The Jim Henson Company has been headquartered at the Jim Henson Company Lot , the historic former Charlie Chaplin Studios , in Hollywood , California .


Cowboy (Kid Rock song) `` Cowboy '' is a single by Kid Rock from his album Devil Without a Cause . The song 's rapping style has been adapted by country artists like Toby Keith , Trace Adkins and Blake Shelton . Many musicians have been influenced and inspired by this song , who include Jason Aldean , Big & Rich , Eric Church , Colt Ford , Florida Georgia Line , Brantley Gilbert and Luke Bryan . Originally referred to as the genre `` Hick Hop '' , it has gone on to be labeled as `` Bro Country '' . His 2008 single `` All Summer Long '' helped push along the bro country genre more so then `` Cowboy '' . Both have themes of partying , drinking , boats , cars , and girls . The song also helped influence a more prominent hip hop from the south , drawling on country music in Bubba Sparks , Rehab , The Lacs and Moonshine Bandits . Kid Rock actually did this first on the song `` Desperate-Rado '' on his independent release The Polyfuze Method in 1993 , but `` Cowboy '' broke into the mainstream .   Kid Rock describes the song as `` Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Run-D.M.C . '' . The song uses dobro , slide , banjo and a ragtime piano , which was actually a sample of The Doors ' song `` L.A. Woman '' . The song `` Cowboy '' was originally rejected by Atlantic Records , after Kid Rock told them it was the best song he had written to that point .   The song is about how Kid Rock had foreseen his move to Hollywood to become a star . `` Cowboy '' peaked at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 , 34 on The Top 40 , 5 on Mainstream Rock Chart , and 10 on the Modern Rock charts . The song is used as the walk-in music for UFC fighter Donald Cerrone . This song was used in the first promotional commercial for WrestleMania XXV . An instrumental remake of this song was used by Jeff Jarrett in WCW . `` Cowboy '' appeared in the movies Shanghai Noon , Ready To Rumble , Serving Sara , Matchstick Men and Coyote Ugly .   In 2000 , Kid Rock and The Neptunes made a rap single version of the song . There was also a live version released on the `` American Bad Ass '' single in 2000 . The song was performed during the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show in 2004 . A live version was released on 2006 's Live Trucker with a bluesy into given to it .   Porn star Ron Jeremy and actor Gary Coleman made cameos in the music video , which was a spoof on Smokey and the Bandit . Joe C and Gary Coleman dueled while Ron Jeremy pretended to do the piano solo .


Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles ( born 17 January 1984 ) , known professionally as Calvin Harris , is a Scottish record producer , DJ , singer and songwriter . His debut studio album I Created Disco was released in June 2007 , and was the precursor to his UK top 10 singles `` Acceptable in the 80s '' and `` The Girls '' . In 2009 , Harris released his second studio album Ready for the Weekend , which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and was later certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry within two months of its release . Its lead single `` I 'm Not Alone '' became his first number-one single on the UK Singles Chart .   Harris rose to international prominence with the release of his third studio album 18 Months in October 2012 . Topping the UK charts , the album became his first to chart on the US Billboard 200 chart ( where it reached number 19 ) . All eight of the album 's singles , which were `` Bounce '' , `` Feel So Close '' , `` Let 's Go '' , `` We 'll Be Coming Back '' , `` Sweet Nothing '' , `` Drinking from the Bottle '' , `` I Need Your Love '' and `` Thinking About You '' reached the top 10 in the UK . Harris released his fourth studio album Motion in November 2014 . It debuted at number two in the UK and at number five in the US , and became Harris 's second consecutive number one album on the US Dance/Electronic Albums chart . The album 's first three singles `` Under Control '' , `` Summer '' and `` Blame '' all topped the UK chart .   Harris has collaborated with numerous other recording artists . His collaboration with Rihanna `` We Found Love '' became an international success , giving Harris his first US number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart . The two later collaborated on the singles `` Where Have You Been '' ( 2012 ) and `` This Is What You Came For '' ( 2016 ) . Harris currently holds the record for the most top 10 songs from one studio album on the UK Singles Chart with nine top 10 entries , surpassing Michael Jackson . In October 2014 , he became the first artist to place three songs simultaneously on the top 10 of Billboard 's Dance/Electronic Songs chart . He also became the first British solo artist to reach more than one billion streams on Spotify . Harris has received ten Brit Award nominations -- three for Best British Male , and four Grammy nominations , winning a Grammy for Best Music Video in 2013 . He received the British Academy 's Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year in 2013 and at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards was named Top Dance/Electronic Artist . Additionally , Harris topped Forbes ' list of the world 's highest-paid DJs for three consecutive years from 2013 to 2015 . One of the most successful musicians in contemporary British popular culture , Harris appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the United Kingdom . Harris runs his own record label , Fly Eye Records .


Cyndi Lauper's debut solo album was named something other than She's So Unusual.

Cyndi Lauper Cynthia Ann Stephanie `` Cyndi '' Lauper ( born June 22 , 1953 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress and LGBTQ activist . Her career has spanned over 30 years . Her debut solo album She 's So Unusual ( 1983 ) was the first debut female album to chart four top-five hits on the Billboard Hot 100 -- `` Girls Just Want to Have Fun '' , `` Time After Time '' , `` She Bop '' , and `` All Through the Night '' -- and earned Lauper the Best New Artist award at the 27th Grammy Awards in 1985 . Her success continued with the soundtrack for the motion picture The Goonies and her second record True Colors ( 1986 ) . This album included the number one single `` True Colors '' and `` Change of Heart '' , which peaked at number 3 .   Since 1989 , Lauper has released nine studio albums and participated in many other projects . In 2010 , Memphis Blues , became Billboard 's most successful blues album of the year , remaining at # 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 consecutive weeks . In 2013 , Lauper won the Tony Award for Best Original Score for composing the Broadway musical Kinky Boots , making her the first woman to win the category by herself . The musical was awarded five other Tonys including Tony Award for Best New Musical . In 2014 , Lauper was awarded the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for the cast recording . In 2016 , the West End production won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards   Lauper has established herself as a pop culture icon selling over 50 million records and 20 million singles . She has won awards at the Grammys , Emmys , Tonys , the New York 's Outer Critics Circle , MTV Video Music Awards ( VMAs ) , Billboard Awards , and American Music Awards ( AMAs ) . An inductee into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Walk of Fame , Lauper is one of the few singers to win three of the four major American entertainment awards ( EGOT ) . Lauper won the inaugural Best Female Video prize at the 1984 VMAs for Girls Just Want To Have Fun . This music video is recognized by MTV , VH1 and Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the greatest ever music videos of the era . She is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum 's Women Who Rock exhibit . Her debut album is included in Rolling Stone '' 's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time , while Time After Time is included in Vh1 's list of the 100 Best Songs of the Past 25 years . VH1 has ranked Lauper No. 58 of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll '' .   Lauper has been celebrated for her humanitarian work , particularly as an advocate for LGBT rights in the United States . Her charitable efforts were acknowledged in 2013 when the singer was invited as a special guest to attend US President Barack Obama 's second-term inaugural .


Donnie Wahlberg was nominated for a an award.

Donnie Wahlberg Donald Edmond `` Donnie '' Wahlberg Jr. . ( born August 17 , 1969 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actor , record producer , and film producer . He is a founding member of the boy band New Kids on the Block . Outside of music , he has had roles in the Saw films , The Sixth Sense , Dreamcatcher , and Righteous Kill , also appearing in the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers as First Lieutenant Carwood Lipton . From 2002 to 2003 , he starred in the crime drama Boomtown . He has been starring in the drama series Blue Bloods as Danny Reagan with Tom Selleck ( his TV father ) and Bridget Moynahan ( his TV sister ) since 2010 , and since 2014 is an executive producer of the TNT reality television show Boston 's Finest . He was nominated for Choice Scream at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards for his work in the Saw films . He has also produced and starred in `` Rock this Boat '' , `` Donnie Loves Jenny '' and `` Return of the Mac '' on Pop TV .


Glenn Close Glenn Close ( born March 19 , 1947 ) is an American actress , singer and film producer . With an acting career spanning over 40 years , she has been consistently acclaimed for her versatility and is widely regarded as one of the finest actresses of her generation . She has won three Emmy Awards , three Tony Awards , four Golden Globe Awards , and has received six Academy Award nominations .   Close began her professional stage career in 1974 in Love for Love , and was mostly a New York stage actress through the rest of the 1970s and early 1980s , appearing in both plays and musicals , including the Broadway productions of Barnum in 1980 and The Real Thing in 1983 , for which she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play . Her film debut was in The World According to Garp ( 1982 ) , which she followed up with supporting roles in The Big Chill ( 1983 ) and The Natural ( 1984 ) ; all three earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . She would later receive nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in Fatal Attraction ( 1987 ) , Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) and Albert Nobbs ( 2011 ) . She won two more Tony Awards in the 1990s , for Death and the Maiden in 1992 and Sunset Boulevard in 1995 , while she won her first Emmy Award for the 1995 TV film Serving in Silence : The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story .   She starred as Eleanor of Aquitaine in the 2003 TV film The Lion in Winter , winning a Golden Globe Award . In 2005 , she starred in the drama series The Shield . Then , from 2007 to 2012 , she starred as Patty Hewes in the FX drama series Damages , a role that won her a Golden Globe and two Emmys . She has voiced the character of Mona Simpson in the animated sitcom The Simpsons since 1995 . She returned to Broadway in November 2014 , in a revival of Edward Albee 's A Delicate Balance . Her other films include Jagged Edge ( 1985 ) , Hamlet ( 1990 ) , Reversal of Fortune ( 1990 ) , 101 Dalmatians ( 1996 ) , Paradise Road ( 1997 ) , Air Force One ( 1997 ) , Cookie 's Fortune ( 1999 ) , Heights ( 2005 ) , Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) and The Girl With All The Gifts ( 2016 ) .   Close is a six-time Academy Award nominee , tying the record for being the actress with the most nominations never to have won ( along with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter ) . As of 2016 , Close has more Oscar nominations without a win than any other living actor . In addition , she has been nominated for four Tonys ( three wins ) , fourteen Emmys ( three wins ) , thirteen Golden Globes ( two wins ) , two Drama Desk Awards ( one win ) and eight Screen Actors Guild Awards ( one win ) . She has also won an Obie award and has been nominated for three Grammy Awards and a BAFTA . Close has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame .


Islam Islam ( -LSB- ˈɪslɑːm -RSB- There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English , differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress , whether the s is -LSB- slinkz -RSB- or -LSB- slinks -RSB- , and whether the a is pronounced -LSB- slinkɑː -RSB- , -LSB- slinkæ -RSB- or ( when the stress is on the first syllable ) -LSB- slinkə -RSB- ( Merriam Webster ) . The most common are -LSB- ˈɪzləm , _ ˈɪsləm , _ ɪzˈlɑːm , _ ɪsˈlɑːm -RSB- ( Oxford English Dictionary , Random House ) and -LSB- ˈɪzlɑːm , _ ˈɪslɑːm -RSB- ( American Heritage Dictionary ) . الإسلام , -LSB- alʔisˈlaːm -RSB- ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion which professes that there is only one and incomparable God ( Allah ) and that Muhammad is the last messenger of God . It is the world 's second-largest religion and the fastest-growing major religion in the world , with over 1.8 billion followers or 24.1 % of the global population , known as Muslims . Islam teaches that God who is merciful , all-powerful , and unique has guided mankind through prophets , revealed scriptures and natural signs . The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran , viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God , and the teachings and normative example ( called the sunnah , composed of accounts called hadith ) of Muhammad ( 570 -- 8 June 632 CE ) .   Muslims believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets including Adam , Abraham , Moses , and Jesus . As for the Quran , Muslims consider it to be the unaltered and final revelation of God . Like other Abrahamic religions , Islam also teaches a final judgment with the righteous rewarded paradise and unrighteous are punished in hell . Religious concepts and practices include the five pillars of Islam , which are obligatory acts of worship , and following Islamic law , which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society , from banking and welfare to women and the environment . The cities of Mecca , Medina and Jerusalem are home to the three holiest sites in Islam .   Islam originated in the early 7th century in Mecca , and by the 8th century the Islamic empire extended from Iberia in the west to the Indus River in the east . The Islamic Golden Age refers to the period traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 13th century when much of the historically Islamic world was experiencing a scientific , economic and cultural flourishing . The expansion of the Muslim world involved various caliphates and empires , traders and conversion to Islam by missionary activities .   Most Muslims are of one of two denominations : Sunni ( 75 -- 90 % ) or Shia ( 10 -- 20 % ) . About 13 % of Muslims live in Indonesia , the largest Muslim-majority country , 31 % in South Asia , the largest population of Muslims in the world , 23 % in the Middle East-North Africa , where it is the dominant religion , and 15 % in Sub-Saharan Africa . Sizable Muslim communities are also found in the Americas , Caucasus , China , Europe , Mainland Southeast Asia , Philippines and Russia . Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world .


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


Catherine Zeta-Jones' first role was in A Little Night Music.

Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones , ( -LSB- ˈziːtə -RSB- born 25 September 1969 ) is a Welsh actress . Born and raised in Swansea , Zeta-Jones aspired to be an actress from a young age . In her early teens , she played roles in the West End productions of the musicals Annie and Bugsy Malone . She studied musical theatre at the Arts Educational Schools , London , and made her stage breakthrough with a leading role in a 1987 production of 42nd Street . Her screen debut came in the unsuccessful French-Italian film 1001 Nights ( 1990 ) , and she went on to find greater success as a regular in the British television series The Darling Buds of May ( 1991 -- 93 ) . Dismayed at being typecast as the token pretty girl in British films , Zeta-Jones relocated to Los Angeles .   Zeta-Jones initially established herself in Hollywood with roles that highlighted her sex appeal such as in the action film The Mask of Zorro ( 1998 ) and the heist film Entrapment ( 1999 ) . Critics praised her portrayal of a vengeful pregnant woman in Traffic ( 2000 ) and a murderous singer in the musical Chicago ( 2002 ) . The latter won her Academy and BAFTA Awards for Best Supporting Actress , among other accolades . She starred in high-profile films for much of the decade , including the black comedy Intolerable Cruelty ( 2003 ) , the heist film Ocean 's Twelve ( 2004 ) , the comedy The Terminal ( 2004 ) , and the romantic comedy No Reservations ( 2007 ) . Parts in smaller-scale features were followed by a decrease in workload , during which she returned to stage and portrayed an ageing actress in A Little Night Music ( 2009 ) , winning a Tony Award . Zeta-Jones continued to work intermittently in the 2010s , starring in the psychological thriller Side Effects ( 2013 ) and the action film Red 2 ( 2013 ) .   Zeta-Jones is the recipient of several accolades , including an Academy Award , a British Academy Film Award and a Tony Award , and in 2010 she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) for her film and humanitarian endeavours . She supports various charities and causes , and is a prominent celebrity endorser of brands . Her struggle with depression and bipolar II disorder has been well-documented by the media . She is married to the actor Michael Douglas with whom she has two children .


Louis T. Leonowens was played by Tom Felton.

Tom Felton Thomas Andrew `` Tom '' Felton ( born 22 September 1987 ) is an English actor . Felton began appearing in commercials when he was eight years old for companies such as Commercial Union and Barclaycard . He made his screen debut in the role of Peagreen Clock in The Borrowers ( 1997 ) and he portrayed Louis T. Leonowens in Anna and the King ( 1999 ) . He rose to prominence for his role as Draco Malfoy in the film adaptions of the best-selling Harry Potter fantasy novels by J.K. Rowling . His performances in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 won him two consecutive MTV Movie Awards for Best Villain in 2010 and 2011 .   Following the conclusion of the series in 2011 , Felton appeared in the 2011 film Rise of the Planet of the Apes , a reboot of the Planet of the Apes series . He had roles in the minor films From the Rough ( 2011 ) and The Apparition ( 2012 ) , starred as James Ashford in the critically acclaimed period drama film Belle ( 2013 ) , followed by roles in In Secret ( 2014 ) and Against the Sun ( 2014 ) . Felton 's 2016 films include the epic biblical drama Risen , alongside Joseph Fiennes , and the period biopic A United Kingdom , alongside David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike . He portrays Julian Albert / Doctor Alchemy on The Flash .


Meghan McCain's middle name is Marguerite.

Meghan McCain Meghan Marguerite McCain ( born October 23 , 1984 ) is an American columnist , author , Fox News host and contributor , and blogger .   She is the daughter of 2008 presidential nominee and long-time U.S. Senator John McCain and Cindy Hensley McCain . McCain first received media attention in 2007 for her blog , McCain Blogette , on which she documented life on the campaign trail and mused about fashion , music , and pop culture . In 2009 , she became a contributing author for The Daily Beast , and in 2011 , began appearing as a contributor on MSNBC . In 2013 , she began hosting on the start-up Pivot channel and in 2014 assumed the co-host role on Pivot 's TakePart Live until that show was canceled later in the year .   In July 2015 , McCain joined Premiere Networks as host of the nationally syndicated radio program America Now . McCain also signed on as a FOX News contributor in July 2015 , and was officially named a regular co-host of the afternoon talk program Outnumbered on November 14 , 2016 .


Paul Feig Paul Samuel Feig ( -LSB- ˈfiːɡ -RSB- born September 17 , 1962 ) is an American actor , film director , producer , and screenwriter . He is best known for directing the 2011 film Bridesmaids , featuring Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy and the 2016 film Ghostbusters also starring Wiig and McCarthy . Feig also directed the comedy films The Heat ( 2013 ) starring McCarthy and Sandra Bullock , and Spy ( 2015 ) which stars McCarthy , Jason Statham , and Jude Law .   On television he created the critically acclaimed show Freaks and Geeks and directed several episodes of The Office and Arrested Development , plus episodes of 30 Rock , Parks and Recreation , Mad Men , Other Space and other television series . Feig has been nominated for two Emmy Awards for writing on Freaks and Geeks and three for directing on The Office . As an actor , he is also known for playing Mr. Eugene Pool , Sabrina 's science teacher , on the first season of Sabrina , the Teenage Witch , as well as Tim , a camp counselor , in the film Heavyweights .


Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler ( -LSB- ˈadɔlf ˈhɪtlɐ -RSB- ; 20 April 1889 -- 30 April 1945 ) was a German politician who was the leader of the Nazi Party ( Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei ; NSDAP ) , Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 , and Führer ( `` Leader '' ) of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945 . As dictator of the German Reich , he initiated World War II in Europe with the invasion of Poland in September 1939 , and was central to the Holocaust .   Hitler was born in Austria , then part of Austria-Hungary , and raised near Linz . He moved to Germany in 1913 and was decorated during his service in the German Army in World War I . He joined the German Workers ' Party ( DAP ) , the precursor of the NSDAP , in 1919 and became leader of the NSDAP in 1921 . In 1923 he attempted a coup in Munich to seize power . The failed coup resulted in Hitler 's imprisonment , during which he dictated the first volume of his autobiography and political manifesto Mein Kampf ( `` My Struggle '' ) . After his release in 1924 , Hitler gained popular support by attacking the Treaty of Versailles and promoting Pan-Germanism , anti-semitism , and anti-communism with charismatic oratory and Nazi propaganda . Hitler frequently denounced international capitalism and communism as being part of a Jewish conspiracy .   By 1933 , the Nazi Party was the largest elected party in the German Reichstag , which led to Hitler 's appointment as Chancellor on 30 January 1933 . Following fresh elections won by his coalition , the Reichstag passed the Enabling Act , which began the process of transforming the Weimar Republic into Nazi Germany , a one-party dictatorship based on the totalitarian and autocratic ideology of National Socialism . Hitler aimed to eliminate Jews from Germany and establish a New Order to counter what he saw as the injustice of the post-World War I international order dominated by Britain and France . His first six years in power resulted in rapid economic recovery from the Great Depression , the effective abandonment of restrictions imposed on Germany after World War I , and the annexation of territories that were home to millions of ethnic Germans -- actions which gave him significant popular support .   Hitler sought Lebensraum ( `` living space '' ) for the German people in Eastern Europe . His aggressive foreign policy is considered to be the primary cause of the outbreak of World War II in Europe . He directed large-scale rearmament and on 1 September 1939 invaded Poland , resulting in British and French declarations of war on Germany . In June 1941 , Hitler ordered an invasion of the Soviet Union . By the end of 1941 German forces and the European Axis powers occupied most of Europe and North Africa . Failure to defeat the Soviets and the entry of the United States into the war forced Germany onto the defensive and it suffered a series of escalating defeats . In the final days of the war , during the Battle of Berlin in 1945 , Hitler married his long-time lover , Eva Braun . On 30 April 1945 , less than two days later , the two killed themselves to avoid capture by the Red Army , and their corpses were burned .   Under Hitler 's leadership and racially motivated ideology , the Nazi regime was responsible for the genocide of at least 5.5 million Jews and millions of other victims whom he and his followers deemed Untermenschen ( `` sub-humans '' ) and socially undesirable . Hitler and the Nazi regime were also responsible for the killing of an estimated 19.3 million civilians and prisoners of war . In addition , 29 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of military action in the European Theatre of World War II . The number of civilians killed during the Second World War was unprecedented in warfare , and constitutes the deadliest conflict in human history .


The Beatles exclusively used a drum machine.

Pete Best Randolph Peter `` Pete '' Best ( born Randolph Peter Scanland , 24 November 1941 ) is an English musician , principally known as an original member and first drummer of the Beatles , from 1960 to 1962 .   Best was born in the city of Madras , then part of British India . After Best 's mother , Mona Best ( 1924 -- 1988 ) , moved to Liverpool in 1945 , she opened the Casbah Coffee Club in the cellar of the Bests ' house in Liverpool . The Beatles ( at the time known as the Quarrymen ) played some of their first concerts at the club .   The Beatles invited Best to join on 12 August 1960 , on the eve of the group 's first Hamburg season of club dates . Ringo Starr eventually replaced Best on 16 August 1962 when the group 's manager , Brian Epstein , dismissed Best under the direction of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , and George Harrison , following their first recording session at Abbey Road Studios in London .   After working in a number of commercially unsuccessful groups , Best gave up the music industry to work as a civil servant for 20 years , before starting the Pete Best Band . He has been married for over 50 years to Kathy Best ; they have two daughters , Beba and Bonita , and four grandchildren .


The Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 . With members John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr , they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential act of the rock era . Rooted in skiffle , beat and 1950s rock and roll , the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles , ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock , often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways . In 1963 their enormous popularity first emerged as `` Beatlemania '' , and as the group 's music grew in sophistication in subsequent years , led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney , they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the counterculture of the 1960s .   The Beatles built their reputation playing clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg over a three-year period from 1960 , with Stuart Sutcliffe initially serving as bass player . The core of Lennon , McCartney and Harrison went through a succession of drummers , including Pete Best , before asking Starr to join them in 1962 . Manager Brian Epstein moulded them into a professional act , and producer George Martin guided and developed their recordings , greatly expanding their popularity in the United Kingdom after their first hit , `` Love Me Do '' , in late 1962 . They acquired the nickname `` the Fab Four '' as Beatlemania grew in Britain the next year , and by early 1964 became international stars , leading the `` British Invasion '' of the United States pop market . From 1965 onwards , the Beatles produced increasingly innovative recordings , including the albums Rubber Soul ( 1965 ) , Revolver ( 1966 ) , Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band ( 1967 ) , The Beatles ( commonly known as the White Album , 1968 ) and Abbey Road ( 1969 ) . After their break-up in 1970 , they each enjoyed successful musical careers of varying lengths . McCartney and Starr , the surviving members , remain musically active . Lennon was shot and killed in December 1980 , and Harrison died of lung cancer in November 2001 .   The Beatles are the best-selling band in history , with estimated sales of over 600 million records worldwide . They have had more number-one albums on the British charts and sold more singles in the UK than any other act . According to the RIAA , the Beatles are also the best-selling music artists in the United States , with 178 million certified units . In 2008 , the group topped Billboard magazine 's list of the all-time most successful `` Hot 100 '' artists ; , they hold the record for most number-one hits on the Hot 100 chart with twenty . They have received ten Grammy Awards , an Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and fifteen Ivor Novello Awards . The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 , and all four were inducted individually from 1994 to 2015 . They were also collectively included in Time magazine 's compilation of the twentieth century 's 100 most influential people .


2013 was the year when John Cena is a Royal Rumble winner.

John Cena John Felix Anthony Cena Jr. ( -LSB- ˈsiːnə -RSB- born April 23 , 1977 ) is an American professional wrestler , rapper , actor , and reality television show host . He is signed to WWE , where he performs on the SmackDown brand . Cena started his professional wrestling career in 1999 with Ultimate Pro Wrestling ( UPW ) and won the UPW Heavyweight Championship the following year . Cena signed a developmental contract with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , later renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment , or simply WWE ) in 2001 , debuting on the WWE main roster in 2002 .   From a generic character in 2002 , Cena morphed into a rapper for the time period of 2002 -- 2004 , which earned him fame within the audience on SmackDown ! . Cena later transitioned to his current character , which he describes as a `` goody-two shoes Superman '' . However , Cena has been labeled as the `` most polarizing professional wrestler ever '' as his character has many supporters and many detractors , according to Jim Ross of Fox Sports , who also noted that Cena has been WWE 's franchise player for a long-time . In 2012 , IGN described Cena as WWE 's franchise player since 2005 and WWE credited Cena as being the `` face of WWE '' in 2015 since 2004 . Industry veterans John Layfield , Paul Heyman , and Kurt Angle have called Cena the greatest WWE star of all time .   Throughout his WWE career , Cena has won 25 championships , with 16 reigns as a world champion ( 13 times as WWE Champion and three times as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion ) , an accomplishment only previously achieved by WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair . He is also a five-time United States Champion , and four-time world tag team champion ( two World Tag Team and two WWE Tag Team ) . Furthermore , he is a Money in the Bank ladder match winner ( 2012 ) , a two-time Royal Rumble winner ( 2008 , 2013 ) , and a three-time Superstar of the Year Slammy Award winner ( 2009 , 2010 , 2012 ) . Cena has the fourth-highest number of combined days as WWE Champion , behind Bruno Sammartino , Bob Backlund , and Hulk Hogan . He has also headlined WWE 's flagship event , WrestleMania , on five different occasions ( WrestleManias 22 , 23 , XXVII , XXVIII , and 29 ) over the course of his career , as well as many others pay-per-view events . As of 2016 , John Cena is WWE 's highest-paid wrestler .   Outside of wrestling , Cena has released the rap album You Ca n't See Me , which debuted at No. 15 on the US Billboard 200 chart , and starred in the feature films The Marine ( 2006 ) , 12 Rounds ( 2009 ) , Legendary ( 2010 ) , The Reunion ( 2011 ) , Trainwreck ( 2015 ) , and Sisters ( 2015 ) . Cena has also made appearances on television shows including Manhunt , Deal or No Deal , MADtv , Saturday Night Live , Punk 'd , Psych , and Parks and Recreation . He was also a contestant on Fast Cars and Superstars : The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race , where he made it to the final round before being eliminated , placing third in the overall competition . Cena is also the host of American Grit on Fox . Cena is involved in numerous philanthropic causes ; most notably with the Make-A-Wish Foundation . He has granted the most wishes in Make-A-Wish history .


Evil is commonly associated with emotions.

Hatred Hatred or hate is a deep and extreme emotional dislike . It can be directed against individuals , groups , entities , objects , behaviors , or ideas . Hatred is often associated with feelings of anger , disgust and a disposition towards hostility .


Psychological trauma Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the mind that occurs as a result of a severely distressing event . Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one 's ability to cope , or integrate the emotions involved with that experience . A traumatic event involves one 's experience , or repeating events of being overwhelmed that can be precipitated in weeks , years , or even decades as the person struggles to cope with the immediate circumstances , eventually leading to serious , long-term negative consequences .   However , trauma differs between individuals , according to their subjective experiences . People will react to similar events differently . In other words , not all people who experience a potentially traumatic event will actually become psychologically traumatized . This discrepancy in risk rate can be attributed to protective factors some individuals may have that enable them to cope with trauma . Some examples are mild exposure to stress early in life , resilience characteristics , and active seeking of help .


Evil Evil , in a general context is the absence or opposite of that which is described as being good . Often , evil denotes profound immorality . In certain religious contexts , evil has been described as a supernatural force . Definitions of evil vary , as does the analysis of its motives . However , elements that are commonly associated with evil involve unbalanced behavior involving anger , revenge , fear , hatred , psychological trauma , expediency , selfishness , ignorance , or neglect .   In cultures with an Abrahamic religious influence , evil is usually perceived as the dualistic antagonistic opposite of good , in which good should prevail and evil should be defeated . In cultures with Buddhist spiritual influence , both good and evil are perceived as part of an antagonistic duality that itself must be overcome through achieving Śūnyatā meaning emptiness in the sense of recognition of good and evil being two opposing principles but not a reality , emptying the duality of them , and achieving a oneness .   The philosophical question of whether morality is absolute , relative , or illusory leads to questions about the nature of evil , with views falling into one of four opposed camps : moral absolutism , amoralism , moral relativism , and moral universalism .   While the term is applied to events and conditions without agency , the forms of evil addressed in this article presume an evildoer or doers .


Anger Anger or wrath is an intense emotional response . It is an emotion that involves a strong uncomfortable and emotional response to a perceived provocation , hurt or threat . Anger can occur when a person feels their personal boundaries are being or going to be violated . Some have a learned tendency to react to anger through retaliation as a way of coping . Raymond Novaco of University of California Irvine , who since 1975 has published a plethora of literature on the subject , stratified anger into three modalities : cognitive ( appraisals ) , somatic-affective ( tension and agitations ) , and behavioral ( withdrawal and antagonism ) . William DeFoore , an anger-management writer , described anger as a pressure cooker : we can only apply pressure against our anger for a certain amount of time until it explodes .   Anger is an emotional reaction that impacts the body . A person experiencing anger will also experience physical conditions , such as increased heart rate , elevated blood pressure , and increased levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline . Some view anger as an emotion which triggers part of the fight or flight brain response . Anger is used as a protective mechanism to cover up fear , hurt or sadness . Anger becomes the predominant feeling behaviorally , cognitively , and physiologically when a person makes the conscious choice to take action to immediately stop the threatening behavior of another outside force . The English term originally comes from the term anger of Old Norse language . Anger can have many physical and mental consequences .   The external expression of anger can be found in facial expressions , body language , physiological responses , and at times public acts of aggression . Animals , for example , make loud sounds , attempt to look physically larger , bare their teeth , and stare . The behaviors associated with anger are designed to warn aggressors to stop their threatening behavior . Rarely does a physical altercation occur without the prior expression of anger by at least one of the participants . While most of those who experience anger explain its arousal as a result of `` what has happened to them , '' psychologists point out that an angry person can very well be mistaken because anger causes a loss in self-monitoring capacity and objective observability .   Modern psychologists view anger as a primary , natural , and mature emotion experienced by virtually all humans at times , and as something that has functional value for survival . Anger is seen as a supportive mechanism to show a person that something is wrong and requires changing . Anger can mobilize psychological resources for corrective action . Uncontrolled anger can , however , negatively affect personal or social well-being and impact negatively on those around them . It is equally challenging to be around an angry person and the impact can also cause psychological/emotional trauma if not dealt with . While many philosophers and writers have warned against the spontaneous and uncontrolled fits of anger , there has been disagreement over the intrinsic value of anger . The issue of dealing with anger has been written about since the times of the earliest philosophers , but modern psychologists , in contrast to earlier writers , have also pointed out the possible harmful effects of suppressing anger . Displays of anger can be used as a manipulation strategy for social influence .


Fear Fear is a feeling induced by perceived danger or threat that occurs in certain types of organisms , which causes a change in metabolic and organ functions and ultimately a change in behavior , such as fleeing , hiding , or freezing from perceived traumatic events . Fear in human beings may occur in response to a specific stimulus occurring in the present , or in anticipation or expectation of a future threat perceived as a risk to body or life . The fear response arises from the perception of danger leading to confrontation with or escape from/avoiding the threat ( also known as the fight-or-flight response ) , which in extreme cases of fear ( horror and terror ) can be a freeze response or paralysis .   In humans and animals , fear is modulated by the process of cognition and learning . Thus fear is judged as rational or appropriate and irrational or inappropriate . An irrational fear is called a phobia .   Psychologists such as John B. Watson , Robert Plutchik , and Paul Ekman have suggested that there is only a small set of basic or innate emotions and that fear is one of them . This hypothesized set includes such emotions as acute stress reaction , anger , angst , anxiety , fright , horror , joy , panic , and sadness . Fear is closely related to , but should be distinguished from , the emotion anxiety , which occurs as the result of threats that are perceived to be uncontrollable or unavoidable . The fear response serves survival by generating appropriate behavioral responses , so it has been preserved throughout evolution .


Imagine Dragons' drummer is not Daniel Platzman.

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


Meryl Streep is an award winning actress.

Meryl Streep Mary Louise `` Meryl '' Streep ( born June 22 , 1949 ) is an American actress and philanthropist . Cited in the media as the `` best actress of her generation '' , -- a designation to which she objects -- Streep is particularly known for her versatility in her roles , transformation into the characters she plays , and her accent adaptation . Nominated for 20 Academy Awards , Streep has more nominations than any other actor , and is one of the six actors to have won three or more competitive Oscars for acting . Streep has also received 30 Golden Globe nominations , winning eight -- more nominations , and more competitive wins than any other actor .   Streep made her professional stage debut in Trelawny of the Wells in 1975 , and in 1976 received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for 27 Wagons Full of Cotton . She made her screen debut in the 1977 television film The Deadliest Season , and made her film debut later that same year in Julia . In 1978 , she won an Emmy Award for her role in the miniseries Holocaust , and received her first Academy Award nomination for The Deer Hunter . She went on to win Best Supporting Actress for Kramer vs. Kramer ( 1979 ) , and Best Actress for Sophie 's Choice ( 1982 ) and The Iron Lady ( 2011 ) .   Streep 's other Oscar nominated roles were in The French Lieutenant 's Woman ( 1981 ) , Silkwood ( 1983 ) , Out of Africa ( 1985 ) , Ironweed ( 1987 ) , Evil Angels ( 1988 ) , Postcards from the Edge ( 1990 ) , The Bridges of Madison County ( 1995 ) , One True Thing ( 1998 ) , Music of the Heart ( 1999 ) , Adaptation ( 2002 ) , The Devil Wears Prada ( 2006 ) , Doubt ( 2008 ) , Julie & Julia ( 2009 ) , August : Osage County ( 2013 ) , Into the Woods ( 2014 ) and Florence Foster Jenkins ( 2016 ) . She returned to the stage for the first time in over 20 years in The Public Theater 's 2001 revival of The Seagull , won a second Emmy Award in 2004 for the HBO miniseries Angels in America ( 2003 ) , and starred in The Public Theater 's 2006 production of Mother Courage and Her Children .   Streep was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2004 , the Gala Tribute from the Film Society of Lincoln Center in 2008 , and the Kennedy Center Honor in 2011 for her contribution to American culture through performing arts . President Barack Obama awarded her the 2010 National Medal of Arts and in 2014 the Presidential Medal of Freedom . In 2003 , the government of France made her a Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters . In 2017 , Streep was awarded the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award .


Gillian Anderson Gillian Leigh Anderson , OBE ( born August 9 , 1968 ) , is an American-British film , television and theatre actress , activist and writer . Her credits include the roles of FBI Special Agent Dana Scully in the long-running and widely popular series The X-Files , ill-fated socialite Lily Bart in Terence Davies ' film The House of Mirth ( 2000 ) , and DSI Stella Gibson on the BBC crime drama television series The Fall . Among other honours , Anderson has won a Primetime Emmy Award , a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards .   After beginning her career on stage , Anderson achieved international recognition for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Scully on the American sci-fi drama series The X-Files . Her film work includes the dramas The Mighty Celt ( 2005 ) , The Last King of Scotland ( 2006 ) , Shadow Dancer ( 2012 ) , Viceroy 's House ( 2017 ) and two X-Files films : The X-Files : Fight the Future ( 1998 ) and The X-Files : I Want to Believe ( 2008 ) . Other notable television credits include : portraying Lady Dedlock in the successful BBC production of Charles Dickens ' Bleak House , Wallis Simpson in Any Human Heart , Miss Havisham in Great Expectations ( 2011 ) , and Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier on Hannibal . Anderson is the co-writer of The EarthEnd Saga novel trilogy and the self-help guide book WE : A Manifesto for Women Everywhere .   Aside from film and TV , Anderson has taken on the stage and received both awards and critical acclaim . Her stage work includes Absent Friends ( 1991 ) -- for which she won a Theatre World Award for Best Newcomer , A Doll 's House ( 2009 ) -- that earned her a Laurence Olivier Award nomination , and a portrayal of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire ( 2014 , 2016 ) -- for which she won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress and received her second Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress .   Anderson has been active in supporting numerous charities and humanitarian organizations . She is an honorary spokesperson for the Neurofibromatosis ( NF ) Network and a co-founder of South African Youth Education for Sustainability ( SAYes ) . Anderson was appointed an honorary Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire ( OBE ) in 2016 for her services to drama .


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


Ethan Hawke Ethan Green Hawke ( born November 6 , 1970 ) is an American actor , writer , and director . He has been nominated for four Academy Awards and a Tony Award . Hawke has directed two feature films , three Off-Broadway plays , and a documentary , and written the novels The Hottest State ( 1996 ) , Ash Wednesday ( 2002 ) , and Rules for a Knight ( 2015 ) .   He made his film debut in 1985 with the science fiction feature Explorers , before making a breakthrough appearance in the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society . He then appeared in numerous films before taking a role in the 1994 Generation X drama Reality Bites , for which he received critical praise . In 1995 , Hawke first appeared in Richard Linklater 's romance trilogy , co-starring opposite Julie Delpy in Before Sunrise , and later in its sequels Before Sunset ( 2004 ) and Before Midnight ( 2013 ) , all of which met with critical acclaim .   Hawke has been twice nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ; his writing contributions to Before Sunset and Before Midnight were recognized , as were his performances in Training Day ( 2001 ) and Boyhood ( 2014 ) . Hawke was further honored with SAG Award nominations for both films , along with BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for the latter .   His other films include the science fiction drama Gattaca ( 1997 ) , the contemporary adaptation of Hamlet ( 2000 ) , the action thriller Assault on Precinct 13 ( 2005 ) , the crime drama Before the Devil Knows You 're Dead ( 2007 ) , and the horror film Sinister ( 2012 ) .


Warm Leatherette (album) Warm Leatherette is the fourth studio album by Grace Jones , released on 9 May 1980 by Island Records . The album features contributions from the reggae production duo Sly and Robbie and is a departure from Jones ' earlier disco sound , moving towards a new wave-reggae direction .


Ty Cobb Tyrus Raymond Cobb ( December 18 , 1886 -- July 17 , 1961 ) , nicknamed The Georgia Peach , was an American Major League Baseball ( MLB ) outfielder . He was born in rural Narrows , Georgia . Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers , the last six as the team 's player-manager , and finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics . In 1936 Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame ballot , receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes ( 98.2 % ) ; no other player received a higher percentage of votes until 1992 . In 1999 , editors at the Sporting News ranked Ty Cobb 3rd on their list of `` Baseball 's 100 Greatest Players '' .   Cobb is widely credited with setting 90 MLB records during his career . He still holds several records as of the end of the 2016 season , including the highest career batting average ( .366 or .367 , depending on source ) and most career batting titles with 11 ( or 12 , depending on source ) . He retained many other records for almost a half century or more , including most career hits until 1985 ( 4,189 or 4,191 , depending on source ) , most career runs ( 2,245 or 2,246 depending on source ) until 2001 , most career games played ( 3,035 ) and at bats ( 11,429 or 11,434 depending on source ) until 1974 , and the modern record for most career stolen bases ( 892 ) until 1977 . He still holds the career record for stealing home ( 54 times ) and for stealing second base , third base , and home in succession ( 5 times ) , and as the youngest player ever to compile 4,000 hits and score 2,000 runs . Cobb ranks fifth all-time in number of games played and committed 271 errors , the most by any American League ( AL ) outfielder .   Cobb 's legacy as an athlete has sometimes been overshadowed by his surly temperament and aggressive playing style , which was described by the Detroit Free Press as `` daring to the point of dementia . '' Cobb himself wrote shortly before his death , `` In legend I am a sadistic , slashing , swashbuckling despot who waged war in the guise of sport . '' Cobb was notorious for sliding into bases feet first , with his spikes high .   Cobb 's legacy , which includes a large college scholarship fund for Georgia residents financed by his early investments in Coca-Cola and General Motors , has been tarnished by allegations of racism and violence , largely stemming from a couple of biographies that were released following his death . Cobb 's reputation as an extremely violent man was fanned by his first biographer , sportswriter Al Stump , whose stories about Cobb have been discredited as sensationalized , and in some part proven to be entirely fictional , while Cobb 's views on race evolved and mellowed after his retirement from baseball .


The Titanic's discovery led to thousands of artifacts being recovered.

RMS Titanic RMS Titanic ( -LSB- taɪˈtænɪk -RSB- ) was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early morning of 15 April 1912 , after colliding with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City . Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew aboard , more than 1,500 died , making it one of the deadliest commercial peacetime maritime disasters in modern history . The largest ship afloat at the time it entered service , the RMS Titanic was the second of three s operated by the White Star Line , and was built by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast . Thomas Andrews , her architect , died in the disaster .   Under the command of Edward Smith , who went down with the ship , Titanic carried some of the wealthiest people in the world , as well as hundreds of emigrants from Great Britain and Ireland , Scandinavia and elsewhere throughout Europe seeking a new life in North America . The first-class accommodation was designed to be the pinnacle of comfort and luxury , with an on-board gymnasium , swimming pool , libraries , high-class restaurants and opulent cabins . A high-power radiotelegraph transmitter was available for sending passenger `` marconigrams '' and for the ship 's operational use . Although Titanic had advanced safety features such as watertight compartments and remotely activated watertight doors , there were not enough lifeboats to accommodate all of those aboard , due to outdated maritime safety regulations . Titanic only carried enough lifeboats for 1,178 people -- slightly more than half of the number on board , and one third of her total capacity .   After leaving Southampton on 10 April 1912 , Titanic called at Cherbourg in France and Queenstown ( now Cobh ) in Ireland before heading west to New York . On 14 April , four days into the crossing and about 375 mi south of Newfoundland , she hit an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. ship 's time . The collision caused the ship 's hull plates to buckle inwards along her starboard ( right ) side and opened five of her sixteen watertight compartments to the sea ; she could only survive four flooding . Meanwhile , passengers and some crew members were evacuated in lifeboats , many of which were launched only partially loaded . A disproportionate number of men were left aboard because of a `` women and children first '' protocol for loading lifeboats . At 2:20 a.m. , she broke apart and foundered -- with well over one thousand people still aboard . Just under two hours after Titanic sank , the Cunard liner arrived at the scene , where she brought aboard an estimated 705 survivors .   The disaster was greeted with worldwide shock and outrage at the huge loss of life and the regulatory and operational failures that had led to it . Public inquiries in Britain and the United States led to major improvements in maritime safety . One of their most important legacies was the establishment in 1914 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea ( SOLAS ) , which still governs maritime safety today . Additionally , several new wireless regulations were passed around the world in an effort to learn from the many missteps in wireless communications -- which could have saved many more passengers .   The wreck of Titanic , first discovered over 70 years after the sinking , remains on the seabed , split in two and gradually disintegrating at a depth of 12415 ft. Since her discovery in 1985 , thousands of artefacts have been recovered and put on display at museums around the world . Titanic has become one of the most famous ships in history ; her memory is kept alive by numerous works of popular culture , including books , folk songs , films , exhibits , and memorials . Titanic is the second largest ocean liner wreck in the world , only beaten by her sister , the largest ever sunk .


By the early 1870s, the first Ku Klux Klan died out.

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan ( KKK ) , or simply the Klan , is the name of three distinct movements in the United States that have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy , white nationalism , anti-immigration , and , especially in later iterations , Nordicism , anti-Catholicism , and antisemitism . Historically the KKK used terrorism , both physical assault and murder , against groups or individuals whom they opposed .  All three movements have called for the `` purification '' of American society , and all are considered right-wing extremist organizations .   The first Klan flourished in the Southern United States in the late 1860s , then died out by the early 1870s . It sought to overthrow the Republican state governments in the South during the Reconstruction Era , especially by using violence against African American leaders . With numerous chapters across the South , it was suppressed around 1871 , through federal law enforcement . Members made their own , often colorful , costumes : robes , masks , and conical hats , designed to be terrifying , and to hide their identities .   The second group was founded in 1915 , and it flourished nationwide in the early and mid-1920s , particularly in urban areas of the Midwest and West . It was rooted in local Protestant communities and opposed Catholics and Jews , and stressed its opposition to the Catholic Church at a time of high immigration from mostly Catholic nations of southern and eastern Europe . This second organization adopted a standard white costume and used code words which were similar to those used by the first Klan , while adding cross burnings and mass parades to intimidate others .   The third and current manifestation of the KKK emerged after 1950 , in the form of small , local , unconnected groups that use the KKK name . They have focused on opposition to the Civil Rights Movement , often using violence and murder to suppress activists . It is classified as a hate group by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center . , the Anti-Defamation League puts total Klan membership nationwide at around 3,000 , while the Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) puts it at 6,000 members total .   The second and third incarnations of the Ku Klux Klan made frequent references to America 's `` Anglo-Saxon '' blood , hearkening back to 19th-century nativism . Although members of the KKK swear to uphold Christian morality , virtually every Christian denomination has officially denounced the KKK .