The Hundred-Foot Journey (film) stars Om Puri.

The Hundred-Foot Journey (film) The Hundred-Foot Journey is a 2014 American comedy-drama film directed by Lasse Hallström from a screenplay written by Steven Knight , adapted from Richard Morais ' 2010 novel of the same name . The film stars Helen Mirren , Om Puri , Manish Dayal and Charlotte Le Bon and tells the story of a feud between two adjacent restaurants in a French town : one operated by a recently relocated Indian family and the other , a lofty Michelin-starred restaurant .   Produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey for DreamWorks Pictures through their respective production companies , Amblin Entertainment and Harpo Films , in association with Participant Media and Image Nation , it was released by Touchstone Pictures on August 8 , 2014 , receiving generally positive reviews and earning nearly $ 90 million at the worldwide box office .


Paul Newman was born on September 26, 2008.

Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman ( January 26 , 1925 -- September 26 , 2008 ) was an American actor , IndyCar driver , entrepreneur , and philanthropist . He won and was nominated for numerous awards , winning an Academy Award for his performance in the 1986 film The Color of Money , a BAFTA Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , a Cannes Film Festival Award , an Emmy Award , and many others . Newman 's other films include The Hustler ( 1961 ) , Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ( 1969 ) as Butch Cassidy , The Sting ( 1973 ) , and The Verdict ( 1982 ) . However , he is perhaps best remembered for his role as the title character in Cool Hand Luke ( 1967 ) .   Despite being colorblind , Newman won several national championships as a driver in Sports Car Club of America road racing , and his race teams won several championships in open wheel IndyCar racing . He was a co-founder of Newman 's Own , a food company from which he donated all post-tax profits and royalties to charity . As of January 2017 , these donations have totaled over US$ 485 million . He was also a co-founder of Safe Water Network , a nonprofit that develops sustainable drinking water solutions for those in need . In 1988 , Newman founded the SeriousFun Children 's Network , a global family of summer camps and programs for children with serious illness which has served 290,076 children since its inception .


Never Let Me Go (2010 film) Never Let Me Go is a 2010 British dystopian alternative history romantic drama film based on Kazuo Ishiguro 's 2005 novel of the same name . The film was directed by Mark Romanek from a screenplay by Alex Garland . Never Let Me Go is set in an alternative history and centres on Kathy , Ruth and Tommy portrayed by Carey Mulligan , Keira Knightley and Andrew Garfield respectively , who become entangled in a love triangle . Principal photography began in April 2009 and lasted several weeks . The movie was filmed at various locations , including Andrew Melville Hall . Never Let Me Go was produced by DNA Films and Film4 on a US$ 15 million budget .   Prior to the book 's publication , Garland had approached the film 's producers -- Andrew Macdonald and Andrew Reich -- about a possible film , and wrote a 96-page script . The producers initially had trouble finding an actress to play Kathy . Mulligan was cast in the role after Peter Rice , the head of the company financing the film , recommended her by text message while watching her performance in An Education . Mulligan , a fan of the book , enthusiastically accepted the role , as it had long been a wish of hers to have the opportunity to play the part . The film 's message and themes were the factors that attracted Garfield to become a part of the film .   Never Let Me Go premiered at the 37th annual Telluride Film Festival in September 2010 , where the audience responded positively to its message . The film was also screened at festivals including the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival , and the 54th London Film Festival which it opened . The film was distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures to cinemas in the United States on 15 September 2010 , where it was given a limited release . It opened on 14 January 2011 in the United Kingdom . In the United States , Never Let Me Go opened at four theatres , grossing over US$ 111,000 during its first weekend . The movie got off to a better start in its first weekend in the UK , earning UK # 625,000 and taking ninth place at the box office .   Never Let Me Go earned US$ 9.5 million at the box office and an additional US$ 1.8 million in DVD sales revenue . Never Let Me Go was met with generally positive reviews from film critics , with most reviewers praising the cast 's performances . It was placed on several critics ' top ten lists for the year .


Ella Purnell Ella Purnell ( born 17 September 1996 ) is an English actress , who has appeared in the films Never Let Me Go ( 2010 ) , Maleficent ( 2014 ) and Miss Peregrine 's Home for Peculiar Children ( 2016 ) .


Cat on a Hot Tin Roof features several recurring motifs, such as decay.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a play by Tennessee Williams . One of Williams 's best-known works and his personal favorite , the play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1955 . Set in the `` plantation home in the Mississippi Delta '' of Big Daddy Pollitt , a wealthy cotton tycoon , the play examines the relationships among members of Big Daddy 's family , primarily between his son Brick and Maggie the `` Cat '' , Brick 's wife .   Cat on a Hot Tin Roof features several recurring motifs , such as social mores , greed , superficiality , mendacity , decay , sexual desire , repression , and death . Dialogue throughout is often rendered phonetically to represent accents of the Southern United States . The original production starred Barbara Bel Geddes , Burl Ives , and Ben Gazzara . The play was adapted as a motion picture of the same name in 1958 , starring Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman as Maggie and Brick , with Burl Ives and Madeleine Sherwood recreating their stage roles . Williams made substantial excisions and alterations to the play for a revival in 1974 . This has been the version used for most subsequent revivals , which have been numerous .


The US supplied troops in the Vietnam War.

Vietnam War The Vietnam War ( Chiến tranh Việt Nam ) , also known as the Second Indochina War , and known in Vietnam as Resistance War Against America ( Kháng chiến chống Mỹ ) or simply the American War , was a war that occurred in Vietnam , Laos , and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975 . It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and the government of South Vietnam . The North Vietnamese army was supported by the Soviet Union , China and other communist allies and the South Vietnamese army was supported by the United States , South Korea , Australia , Thailand and other anti-communist allies . The war is therefore considered a Cold War-era proxy war .   The Viet Cong ( also known as the National Liberation Front , or NLF ) , a South Vietnamese communist common front aided by the North , fought a guerrilla war against anti-communist forces in the region , while the People 's Army of Vietnam , also known as the North Vietnamese Army ( NVA ) , engaged in more conventional warfare , at times committing large units to battle . As the war continued , the military actions of the Viet Cong decreased as the role and engagement of the NVA grew . U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on air superiority and overwhelming firepower to conduct search and destroy operations , involving ground forces , artillery , and airstrikes . In the course of the war , the U.S. conducted a large-scale strategic bombing campaign against North Vietnam .   The North Vietnamese government and the Viet Cong were fighting to reunify Vietnam . They viewed the conflict as a colonial war and a continuation of the First Indochina War against forces from France and later on the United States . The U.S. government viewed its involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam . This was part of the domino theory of a wider containment policy , with the stated aim of stopping the spread of communism worldwide .   Beginning in 1950 , American military advisors arrived in what was then French Indochina.The Military Assistance Advisory Group , Indochina ( with an authorized strength of 128 men ) was set up in September 1950 with a mission to oversee the use and distribution of US military equipment by the French and their allies . U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s , with troop levels tripling in 1961 and again in 1962 . U.S. involvement escalated further following the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident , in which a U.S. destroyer clashed with North Vietnamese fast attack craft , which was followed by the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution , which gave the U.S. president authorization to increase U.S. military presence . Regular U.S. combat units were deployed beginning in 1965 . Operations crossed international borders : bordering areas of Laos and Cambodia were heavily bombed by U.S. forces as American involvement in the war peaked in 1968 , the same year that the communist side launched the Tet Offensive . The Tet Offensive failed in its goal of overthrowing the South Vietnamese government , but became the turning point in the war , as it persuaded a large segment of the U.S. population that its government 's claims of progress toward winning the war were illusory despite many years of massive U.S. military aid to South Vietnam .   Gradual withdrawal of U.S. ground forces began as part of `` Vietnamization '' , which aimed to end American involvement in the war while transferring the task of fighting the communists to the South Vietnamese themselves . Despite the Paris Peace Accord , which was signed by all parties in January 1973 , the fighting continued . In the U.S. and the Western world , a large anti-Vietnam War movement developed as part of a larger counterculture . The war changed the dynamics between the Eastern and Western Blocs , and altered North -- South relations .   Direct U.S. military involvement ended on 15 August 1973 . The capture of Saigon by the North Vietnamese Army in April 1975 marked the end of the war , and North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year . The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities ( see Vietnam War casualties ) . Estimates of the number of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed vary from 966,000 to 3.8 million . Some 240,000 -- 300,000 Cambodians , 20,000 -- 62,000 Laotians , and 58,220 U.S. service members also died in the conflict , and a further 1,626 remain missing in action .


Akira Toriyama is a highly unknown artist.

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


FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona ( -LSB- fubˈbɔɫ ˈkɫub bərsəˈɫonə -RSB- ) , commonly known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça , is a professional football club based in Barcelona , Catalonia , Spain .   Founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss , English and Catalan footballers led by Joan Gamper , the club has become a symbol of Catalan culture and Catalanism , hence the motto `` Més que un club '' ( `` More than a club '' ) . Unlike many other football clubs , the supporters own and operate Barcelona . It is the second most valuable sports team in the world , worth $ 3.56 billion , and the world 's second richest football club in terms of revenue , with an annual turnover of $ 560.8 million . The official Barcelona anthem is the `` Cant del Barça '' , written by Jaume Picas and Josep Maria Espinàs .   Domestically , Barcelona has won 24 La Liga , 29 Copa del Rey , 12 Supercopa de España , 3 Copa Eva Duarte and 2 Copa de la Liga trophies , as well as being the record holder for the latter four competitions . In international club football , Barcelona has won twenty European and World titles -- four UEFA Champions League titles and one European Cup , a record four UEFA Cup Winners ' Cup , a shared record five UEFA Super Cup , a record three Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and a record three FIFA Club World Cup . Barcelona was ranked first in the IFFHS Club World Ranking for 1997 , 2009 , 2011 , 2012 and 2015 and currently occupies the third position on the UEFA club rankings . The club has a long-standing rivalry with Real Madrid ; matches between the two teams are referred to as El Clásico .   Barcelona is one of the most widely supported teams in the world , and the club has the largest social media following in the world among sports teams . Barcelona players have won a record number of Ballon d'Or awards ( 11 ) , with recipients including Johan Cruyff , as well as a record number of FIFA World Player of the Year awards ( 7 ) , with winners including Ronaldo , Romário and Ronaldinho . In 2010 , three players who came through the club 's youth academy ( Lionel Messi , Andrés Iniesta and Xavi ) were chosen as the three best players in the world in the FIFA Ballon d'Or awards , an unprecedented feat for players from the same football school .   Barcelona is one of three founding members of the Primera División that have never been relegated from the top division , along with Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid . In 2009 , Barcelona became the first Spanish club to win the continental treble consisting of La Liga , Copa del Rey , and the UEFA Champions League , and also became the first football club to win six out of six competitions in a single year , completing the sextuple in also winning the Spanish Super Cup , UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup . In 2011 , the club became European champions again and won five trophies . This Barcelona team , which won 14 trophies in just 4 years under Pep Guardiola , is considered by some in the sport to be the greatest team of all time . By winning their fifth Champions League trophy on 6 June 2015 , Barcelona became the first European club in history to achieve the continental treble twice .


G.I. Jane includes only German actresses.

G.I. Jane G.I. Jane is a 1997 American action film directed by Ridley Scott , produced by Largo Entertainment , Scott Free Productions and Caravan Pictures , distributed by Hollywood Pictures and starring Demi Moore , Viggo Mortensen and Anne Bancroft . The film tells the fictional story of the first woman to undergo training in U.S. Navy Special Warfare Group .


Demi Moore Demi Gene Guynes ( -LSB- dəˈmiː -RSB- ; born November 11 , 1962 ) , professionally known as Demi Moore , is an American actress , former songwriter , and model . Moore dropped out of high school at age 16 to pursue an acting career and appeared in the men 's magazine Oui in 1981 . After making her film debut later that year , she appeared on the soap opera General Hospital and subsequently gained recognition for her work in Blame It on Rio ( 1984 ) and St. Elmo 's Fire ( 1985 ) . Her first film to become both a critical and commercial hit was About Last Night ... ( 1986 ) , which established her as a Hollywood star .   In 1990 , Moore starred in Ghost , the highest-grossing film of that year , for which she received a Golden Globe nomination . She had a string of additional box-office successes in the early 1990s , including A Few Good Men ( 1992 ) , Indecent Proposal ( 1993 ) , and Disclosure ( 1994 ) . In 1996 , Moore became the highest-paid actress in film history when she was paid a then-unprecedented fee of $ 12.5 million to star in Striptease , a film that was a high-profile disappointment . Her next major role , G.I. Jane ( 1997 ) , for which she famously shaved her head , was followed by a lengthy break and significant downturn in Moore 's career , although she has remained a subject of substantial media interest during the years since .


History of Europe The history of Europe covers the peoples inhabiting Europe from prehistory to the present . Some of the best-known civilizations of prehistoric Europe were the Minoan and the Mycenaean , which flourished during the Bronze Age until they collapsed in a short period of time around 1200 BC .   The period known as classical antiquity began with the emergence of the city-states of Ancient Greece . After ultimately checking the Persian advance in Europe through the Greco-Persian Wars in the 5th century BC , Greek influence reached its zenith under the expansive empire of Alexander the Great , spreading throughout Asia , Africa , and other parts of Europe . The Roman Empire came to dominate the entire Mediterranean basin . By 300 AD the Roman Empire was divided into the Western and Eastern empires . During the 4th and 5th centuries , the Germanic peoples of Northern Europe grew in strength , and repeated attacks led to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire . AD 476 traditionally marks the end of the classical period and the start of the Middle Ages .   In Western Europe , Germanic peoples became more powerful in the remnants of the former Western Roman Empire and established kingdoms and empires of their own . Of all of the Germanic peoples , the Franks would rise to a position of hegemony over Western Europe , the Frankish Empire reaching its peak under Charlemagne around 800 . This empire was later divided into several parts ; West Francia would evolve into the Kingdom of France , while East Francia would evolve into the Holy Roman Empire , a precursor to modern Germany and Italy . The British Isles were the site of several large-scale migrations .   The Viking Age , a period of migrations of Scandinavian peoples , occurred from the late 8th century to the middle 11th century . The Normans , a Viking people who settled in Northern France , had a significant impact on many parts of Europe , from the Norman conquest of England to Southern Italy and Sicily . The Rus ' people founded Kievan Rus ' , which evolved into Russia . After 1000 the Crusades were a series of religiously motivated military expeditions originally intended to bring the Levant back under Christian rule . The Crusaders opened trade routes which enabled the merchant republics of Genoa and Venice to become major economic powers . The Reconquista , a related movement , worked to reconquer Iberia for Christendom .   Eastern Europe in the High Middle Ages was dominated by the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire . Led by Genghis Khan , the Mongols were a group of steppe nomads who established a decentralized empire which , at its height , extended from China in the east to the Black and Baltic Seas in Europe . As Mongol power waned towards the Late Middle Ages , the Grand Duchy of Moscow rose to become the strongest of the numerous Russian principalities and republics and would grow into the Tsardom of Russia in 1547 . The Late Middle Ages represented a period of upheaval in Europe . The epidemic known as the Black Death and an associated famine caused demographic catastrophe in Europe as the population plummeted . Dynastic struggles and wars of conquest kept many of the states of Europe at war for much of the period . In Scandinavia , the Kalmar Union dominated the political landscape , while England fought with Scotland in the Wars of Scottish Independence and with France in the Hundred Years ' War . In Central Europe , the Polish -- Lithuanian Commonwealth became a large territorial empire , while the Holy Roman Empire , which was an elective monarchy , came to be dominated for centuries by the House of Habsburg . Russia continued to expand southward and eastward into former Mongol lands . In the Balkans , the Ottoman Empire overran Byzantine lands , culminating in the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 , which historians mark as the end of the Middle Ages .   Beginning in the 14th century in Florence and later spreading through Europe , a Renaissance of knowledge challenged traditional doctrines in science and theology . The rediscovery of classical Greek and Roman knowledge had an enormous liberating effect on intellectuals . Simultaneously , the Protestant Reformation under German Martin Luther questioned Papal authority . Henry VIII seized control of the English Church and its lands . The European religious wars between German and Spanish rulers . The Reconquista ended Muslim rule in Iberia . By the 1490s a series of oceanic explorations marked the Age of Discovery , establishing direct links with Africa , the Americas , and Asia . Religious wars continued to be fought in Europe , until the 1648 Peace of Westphalia . The Spanish crown maintained its hegemony in Europe and was the leading power on the continent until the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees , which ended a conflict between Spain and France that had begun during the Thirty Years ' War . An unprecedented series of major wars and political revolutions took place around Europe and the world in the period between 1610 and 1700 .     The Industrial Revolution began in England , based on coal , steam , and textile mills . Political change in continental Europe was spurred by the French Revolution under the motto liberté , égalité , fraternité . Napoleon Bonaparte took control , made many reforms inside France , and transformed Western Europe . But his rise stimulated both nationalism and reaction and he was defeated in 1814 -- 15 as the old royal conservatives returned to power .   The period between 1815 and 1871 saw revolutionary attempts in much of Europe ( apart from Britain ) . They all failed . As industrial work forces grew in Western Europe , socialism and trade union activity developed . The last vestiges of serfdom were abolished in Russia in 1861 . Greece and the other Balkan nations began a long slow road to independence from the Ottoman Empire , starting in the 1820s . Italy was unified in its Risorgimento in 1860 . After the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 -- 71 , Otto von Bismarck unified the German states into an empire that was politically and militarily dominant until 1914 . Most of Europe scramble for imperial colonies in Africa and Asia in the Age of Empire . Britain and France built the largest empires , while diplomats ensured there were no major wars in Europe , apart from the Crimean War of the 1850s .   The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 was precipitated by the rise of nationalism in Southeastern Europe as the Great Powers took sides . The 1917 October Revolution led the Russian Empire to become the world 's first communist state , the Soviet Union . The Allies , led by Britain and France , defeated the Central Powers , led by the German Empire and Austria-Hungary , in 1918 . During the Paris Peace Conference the Big Four imposed their terms in a series of treaties , especially the Treaty of Versailles . The war 's human and material devastation was great .   Germany lost its overseas empire and several provinces , had to pay large reparations , and was humiliated by the victors . They in turn had large debts to the United States . The 1920s were prosperous until 1929 when the Great Depression broke out in 1929 , and led to the collapse of democracy in many European states . The Nazi regime under Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 , rearmed Germany , and along with Mussolini 's Italy sought to assert themselves on the continent by demands and appeasement , leading eventually to the Second World War . Most of the fighting took place on the Eastern Front , and the war ended with the defeat of the Axis powers , leaving the USSR and the United States dominating Eastern and Western Europe respectively .  The Iron Curtain now separated the east under Moscow 's control from the capitalist West . The United States launched the Marshall Plan from 1948 -- 51 and NATO from 1949 , and rebuilt industrial economies that all were thriving by the 1950s . France and West Germany took the lead in forming the European Economic Community , which eventually became the European Union ( EU ) . Secularization saw the weakening of Protestant and Catholic churches across most of Europe , except where they were symbols of anti-government resistance , as in Poland . The Revolutions of 1989 brought an end to both Soviet hegemony and communism in Eastern Europe . Germany was reunited , Europe 's integration deepened , and both NATO and the EU expanded to the east . The EU came under increasing pressure because of the worldwide recession after 2008 .


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


Early modern period The early modern period of modern history follows the late Middle Ages of the post-classical era . Although the chronological limits of the period are open to debate , the timeframe spans the period after the late portion of the post-classical age ( c. 1500 ) , known as the Middle Ages , through the beginning of the Age of Revolutions ( c. 1800 ) and is variously demarcated by historians as beginning with the Fall of Constantinople in 1453 , with the Renaissance period , and with the Age of Discovery ( especially with the voyages of Christopher Columbus beginning in 1492 , but also with Vasco da Gama 's discovery of the sea route to the East in 1498 ) , and ending around the French Revolution in 1789 .   Historians in recent decades have argued that from a worldwide standpoint , the most important feature of the early modern period was its globalizing character . The period witnessed the exploration and colonization of the Americas and the rise of sustained contacts between previously isolated parts of the globe . The historical powers became involved in global trade , as the exchange of goods , plants , animals , and food crops extended to the Old World and the New World . The Columbian Exchange greatly affected the human environment .   New economies and institutions emerged , becoming more sophisticated and globally articulated over the course of the early modern period . This process began in the medieval North Italian city-states , particularly Genoa , Venice , and Milan . The early modern period also included the rise of the dominance of the economic theory of mercantilism . The European colonization of the Americas , Asia , and Africa occurred during the 15th to 19th centuries , and spread Christianity around the world .   The early modern trends in various regions of the world represented a shift away from medieval modes of organization , politically and economically . Feudalism declined in Europe , while the period also included the Protestant Reformation , the disastrous Thirty Years ' War , the Commercial Revolution , the European colonization of the Americas , and the Golden Age of Piracy .   By the 16th century the economy under the Ming Dynasty was stimulated by trade with the Portuguese , the Spanish , and the Dutch , while Japan engaged in the Nanban trade after the arrival of the first European Portuguese during the Azuchi-Momoyama period .   Other notable trends of the early modern period include the development of experimental science , accelerated travel due to improvements in mapping and ship design , increasingly rapid technological progress , secularized civic politics , and the emergence of nation states . Historians typically date the end of the early modern period when the French Revolution of the 1790s began the `` modern '' period .


Nick Jonas was denied American citizenship.

Nick Jonas Nicholas Jerry Jonas ( born September 16 , 1992 ) is an American singer , songwriter , producer , and actor . Jonas began acting in theater at the age of seven , and released his debut single in 2002 . He released his eponymous debut album in 2004 to little success , though it did catch the attention of Columbia Records . Jonas opted to form a band with his older brothers , Joe and Kevin , known as the Jonas Brothers . The group released their debut studio album It 's About Time through Columbia Records . The record failed to achieve commercial success , thus the group parted ways with their label . Their self-titled second studio album was released through Hollywood Records in 2007 , and became their breakthrough record . The band became prominent figures on the Disney Channel during this time , gaining a large following through the network . The band starred in the widely successful film Camp Rock ( 2008 ) .   The release of the band 's third studio album , A Little Bit Longer ( 2008 ) , helped the band achieve further success ; the album 's lead single hit the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . The release of their fourth studio album saw a decline in sales for the band , though was still fairly successful . Jonas and his brothers starred in the Disney Channel series JONAS in 2009 and 2010 , though poor ratings led to its cancellation in 2010 . It was later confirmed that the Jonas Brothers would be taking a hiatus , with Nick forming a new band known as Nick Jonas & the Administration . The band released one studio album in 2010 , though it failed to achieve much commercial success . Following the release , Jonas opted to focus on work in theater , and also had a recurring role on the television series Smash . The Jonas Brothers briefly reunited in 2013 , though officially parted ways due to creative differences .   Jonas decided to return to his solo music career following the band 's disbandment , and began work on his second studio album . He signed with Island Records , releasing Nick Jonas ( 2014 ) through the label . The album entered the top ten of the Billboard 200 , while both of the album 's singles entered the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100 . The project was re-released as Nick Jonas X2 in 2015 . The release helped provide Jonas with a new public image , earning him the title of a `` sex symbol '' . Jonas later co-founded Safehouse Records , a record label in conjunction with Island Records and Hollywood Records . Jonas released his third studio album , Last Year Was Complicated ( 2016 ) , through the label . The project became his highest peaking entry as a solo artist on the Billboard 200 , while the lead single was a top twenty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 .


Earth is the fourth planet from the Sun.

Solar System The Solar SystemCapitalization of the name varies . The International Astronomical Union , the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature , specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects , but uses mixed `` Solar System '' and `` solar system '' in their naming guidelines document . The name is commonly rendered in lower case ( `` solar system '' ) , as , for example , in the Oxford English Dictionary and Merriam-Webster 's 11th Collegiate Dictionary . is the gravitationally bound system comprising the Sun and the objects that orbit it , either directly or indirectly.The natural satellites ( moons ) orbiting the Solar System 's planets are an example of the latter . Of those objects that orbit the Sun directly , the largest eight are the planets , Historically , several other bodies were once considered planets , including , from its discovery in 1930 until 2006 , Pluto . See Former planets . with the remainder being significantly smaller objects , such as dwarf planets and small Solar System bodies . Of the objects that orbit the Sun indirectly , the moons , two are larger than the smallest planet , Mercury.The two moons larger than Mercury are Ganymede , which orbits Jupiter , and Titan , which orbits Saturn . Although bigger than Mercury , both moons have less than half the mass of Mercury .   The Solar System formed 4.6 billion years ago from the gravitational collapse of a giant interstellar molecular cloud . The vast majority of the system 's mass is in the Sun , with the majority of the remaining mass contained in Jupiter . The four smaller inner planets , Mercury , Venus , Earth and Mars , are terrestrial planets , being primarily composed of rock and metal . The four outer planets are giant planets , being substantially more massive than the terrestrials . The two largest , Jupiter and Saturn , are gas giants , being composed mainly of hydrogen and helium ; the two outermost planets , Uranus and Neptune , are ice giants , being composed mostly of substances with relatively high melting points compared with hydrogen and helium , called volatiles , such as water , ammonia and methane . All planets have almost circular orbits that lie within a nearly flat disc called the ecliptic .   The Solar System also contains smaller objects . The asteroid belt , which lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter , mostly contains objects composed , like the terrestrial planets , of rock and metal . Beyond Neptune 's orbit lie the Kuiper belt and scattered disc , which are populations of trans-Neptunian objects composed mostly of ices , and beyond them a newly discovered population of sednoids . Within these populations are several dozen to possibly tens of thousands of objects large enough that they have been rounded by their own gravity . Such objects are categorized as dwarf planets . Identified dwarf planets include the asteroid Ceres and the trans-Neptunian objects Pluto and Eris . In addition to these two regions , various other small-body populations , including comets , centaurs and interplanetary dust clouds , freely travel between regions . Six of the planets , at least four of the dwarf planets , and many of the smaller bodies are orbited by natural satellites , See List of natural satellites of the Solar System for the full list of natural satellites of the eight planets and first five dwarf planets usually termed `` moons '' after the Moon . Each of the outer planets is encircled by planetary rings of dust and other small objects .   The solar wind , a stream of charged particles flowing outwards from the Sun , creates a bubble-like region in the interstellar medium known as the heliosphere . The heliopause is the point at which pressure from the solar wind is equal to the opposing pressure of the interstellar medium ; it extends out to the edge of the scattered disc . The Oort cloud , which is thought to be the source for long-period comets , may also exist at a distance roughly a thousand times further than the heliosphere . The Solar System is located in the Orion Arm , 26,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way .


Earth Earth ( from Eorðe -LSB- Γαῖα , Gaia -RSB- Terra ) , otherwise known as the World or the Globe , is the third planet from the Sun and the only object in the Universe known to harbor life . It is the densest planet in the Solar System and the largest of the four terrestrial planets .   According to radiometric dating and other sources of evidence , Earth formed about 4.54 billion years ago . Earth 's gravity interacts with other objects in space , especially the Sun and the Moon , Earth 's only natural satellite . During one orbit around the Sun , Earth rotates about its axis over 365 times ; thus , an Earth year is about 365.26 days long . Earth 's axis of rotation is tilted , producing seasonal variations on the planet 's surface . The gravitational interaction between the Earth and Moon causes ocean tides , stabilizes the Earth 's orientation on its axis , and gradually slows its rotation .   Earth 's lithosphere is divided into several rigid tectonic plates that migrate across the surface over periods of many millions of years . About 71 % of Earth 's surface is covered with water , mostly by its oceans . The remaining 29 % is land consisting of continents and islands that together have many lakes , rivers and other sources of water that contribute to the hydrosphere . The majority of Earth 's polar regions are covered in ice , including the Antarctic ice sheet and the sea ice of the Arctic ice pack . Earth 's interior remains active with a solid iron inner core , a liquid outer core that generates the Earth 's magnetic field , and a convecting mantle that drives plate tectonics .   Within the first billion years of Earth 's history , life appeared in the oceans and began to affect the Earth 's atmosphere and surface , leading to the proliferation of aerobic and anaerobic organisms . Some geological evidence indicates that life may have arisen as much as 4.1 billion years ago . Since then , the combination of Earth 's distance from the Sun , physical properties , and geological history have allowed life to evolve and thrive . In the history of the Earth , biodiversity has gone through long periods of expansion , occasionally punctuated by mass extinction events . Over 99 % of all species that ever lived on Earth are extinct . Estimates of the number of species on Earth today vary widely ; most species have not been described . Over 7.4 billion humans live on Earth and depend on its biosphere and minerals for their survival . Humans have developed diverse societies and cultures ; politically , the world has about 200 sovereign states .


James Bond is based on a character from a series of books.

James Bond The James Bond series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming , who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections . Since Fleming 's death in 1964 , eight other authors have written authorised Bond novels or novelizations : Kingsley Amis , Christopher Wood , John Gardner , Raymond Benson , Sebastian Faulks , Jeffery Deaver , William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz . The latest novel is Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz , published in September 2015 . Additionally Charlie Higson wrote a series on a young James Bond , and Kate Westbrook wrote three novels based on the diaries of a recurring series character , Moneypenny .   The character has also been adapted for television , radio , comic strip , video games and film . The films are the longest continually running film series of all time and have grossed over $ 7.040 billion in total , making it the fourth-highest-grossing film series to date , which started in 1962 with Dr. No , starring Sean Connery as Bond . As of , there have been twenty-four films in the Eon Productions series . The most recent Bond film , Spectre ( 2015 ) , stars Daniel Craig in his fourth portrayal of Bond ; he is the sixth actor to play Bond in the Eon series . There have also been two independent productions of Bond films : Casino Royale ( a 1967 spoof ) and Never Say Never Again ( a 1983 remake of an earlier Eon-produced film , Thunderball ) . In 2015 , the franchise was estimated to be worth $ 19.9 billion , making James Bond one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .   The Bond films are renowned for a number of features , including the musical accompaniment , with the theme songs having received Academy Award nominations on several occasions , and two wins . Other important elements which run through most of the films include Bond 's cars , his guns , and the gadgets with which he is supplied by Q Branch . The films are also noted for Bond 's relationships with various women , who are sometimes referred to as `` Bond girls '' .


I Spy is a television show that Bill Cosby starred in.

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( born July 12 , 1937 ) is an American stand-up comedian , actor , and author . His start in stand-up comedy began at the hungry i in San Francisco and was followed by his landing a starring role in the 1960s television show I Spy . He was also a regular on the children 's television series The Electric Company during the show 's first two seasons .   Using the Fat Albert character developed during his stand-up routines , Cosby created , produced , and hosted the animated comedy television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids , a show that ran from 1972 to 1985 , centering on a group of young friends growing up in an urban area . Throughout the 1970s , Cosby starred in a number of films , and he occasionally returned to film later in his career . After attending Temple University in the 1960s , he received his bachelor 's degree there in 1971 . In 1973 , he received a master 's degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst , and in 1976 , he earned his Doctor of Education degree , also from UMass . His dissertation discussed the use of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids as a teaching tool in elementary schools .   Beginning in the 1980s , Cosby produced and starred in a television sitcom , The Cosby Show , which aired from 1984 to 1992 and was rated as the number one show in America for five years , 1984 through 1989 . The sitcom highlighted the experiences and growth of an affluent African-American family . Cosby produced the Cosby Show spin-off sitcom A Different World , which aired from 1987 to 1993 , starred in The Cosby Mysteries from 1994 to 1995 , starred in the sitcom Cosby from 1996 to 2000 ; and hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things for two seasons , from 1998 to 2000 .   Cosby has been the subject of sexual assault allegations , the earliest of which date back decades but becoming highly publicized since about 2014 . He has been accused by 51 women of rape , drug facilitated sexual assault , sexual battery , child sexual abuse , and sexual misconduct , with the earliest alleged incidents taking place in the mid-1960s and the most recent in 2008 . He has denied the allegations . Numerous related lawsuits against Cosby are pending ; and although most of the acts alleged by his accusers fall outside the statutes of limitations for criminal legal proceedings , one notable case has been ruled actionable , and he has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault in Montgomery County , Pennsylvania . He surrendered to authorities on December 30 , 2015 , and was released on $ 1 million bail . Cosby is scheduled to go on trial on or before June 5 , 2017 .


Dileep (actor) assisted Kamal with a movie.

Dileep (actor) Dileep ( born Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan Pillai , on 27 October 1968 ) is an Indian film actor , singer , impressionist , producer , and businessman . He 's best known for his slapstick comedy roles in Malayalam cinema and he is the Richest superstar and third highest paid actor of malayalm cinema . In a career spanning over a quarter-century , he has starred in more than 130 films .   Dileep began his film career in 1991 by assisting director Kamal . He attained popularity through his impressionist acts in stage shows and Comicola , a television comedy series aired on Asianet . His role as Dileep in Manathe Kottaram ( 1994 ) paved way to his acting career . Films such as Sallapam ( 1996 ) , Ee Puzhayum Kadannu ( 1997 ) , Punjabi House ( 1998 ) , Udayapuram Sulthan ( 1999 ) , and Chandranudikkunna Dikhil ( 1999 ) established his status as a prominent actor during the late-1990s .   After delivering back-to-back hits in the early-2000s with films such as Thenkasipattanam ( 2000 ) , Joker ( 2000 ) , Ee Parakkum Thalika ( 2001 ) , Ishtam ( 2001 ) , Mazhathullikkilukkam ( 2002 ) and Kalyanaraman ( 2002 ) , Dileep established himself as a bankable lead star in the Malayalam film industry with the blockbuster success of Meesa Madhavan ( 2002 ) . He won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his role as Madhavan in Meesa Madhavan . He won his first Kerala State Film Award ( Special Jury ) for his performance as Vimal Kumar ( Kunjan ) in Kunjikoonan ( 2002 ) and later won the Best Actor Award for his performance as Mukkom Shajahan in the film Vellaripravinte Changathi ( 2011 ) .   Dileep ventured into production , and produced and starred in C.I.D. Moosa ( 2003 ) under the banner Graand Production . Kathavasheshan ( 2004 ) won Dileep the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Film as a producer . In 2008 , under the banner of Graand Production , Dileep produced Twenty :20 by casting most of the mainstream actors of Malayalam cinema , which had become the highest grossing Malayalam film at that time . He produced the multi-starrer in order to raise funds for the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists ( AMMA ) .


Mexico is considered a newly industrialized country.

Mexico Mexico ( México , -LSB- ˈme.xi.ko -RSB- , modern Nahuatl ) , officially the United Mexican States ( -LSB- Estados Unidos Mexicanos , links = no -RSB- , ) , is a federal republic in the southern portion of North America . It is bordered to the north by the United States ; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean ; to the southeast by Guatemala , Belize , and the Caribbean Sea ; and to the east by the Gulf of Mexico . Covering almost two million square kilometers ( over 760,000 sq mi ) , Mexico is the sixth largest country in the Americas by total area and the 13th largest independent nation in the world . With an estimated population of over 120 million , it is the eleventh most populous country and the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world while being the second most populous country in Latin America . Mexico is a federation comprising 31 states and a federal district that is also its capital and most populous city . Other metropolises include Guadalajara , Monterrey , Puebla , Toluca , Tijuana and León .   Pre-Columbian Mexico was home to many advanced Mesoamerican civilizations , such as the Olmec , Toltec , Teotihuacan , Zapotec , Maya and Aztec before first contact with Europeans . In 1521 , the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its base in Mexico-Tenochtitlan , which was administered as the viceroyalty of New Spain . Three centuries later , this territory became Mexico following recognition in 1821 after the colony 's Mexican War of Independence . The tumultuous post-independence period was characterized by economic instability and many political changes . The Mexican -- American War ( 1846 -- 48 ) led to the territorial cession of the extensive northern territories to the United States . The Pastry War , the Franco-Mexican War , a civil war , two empires and a domestic dictatorship occurred through the 19th century . The dictatorship was overthrown in the Mexican Revolution of 1910 , which culminated with the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country 's current political system .   Mexico has the fifteenth largest nominal GDP and the eleventh largest by purchasing power parity . The Mexican economy is strongly linked to those of its North American Free Trade Agreement ( NAFTA ) partners , especially the United States . Mexico was the first Latin American member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , joining in 1994 . It is classified as an upper-middle income country by the World Bank and a newly industrialized country by several analysts . By 2050 , Mexico could become the world 's fifth or seventh largest economy . The country is considered both a regional power and middle power , and is often identified as an emerging global power . Due to its rich culture and history , Mexico ranks first in the Americas and seventh in the world by number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Mexico is a megadiverse country , ranking fourth in the world by biodiversity . In 2016 it was the eighth most visited country in the world , with 35 million international arrivals . Mexico is a member of the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the G8 +5 , the G20 , the Uniting for Consensus and the Pacific Alliance .


South America is home to the Charles River.

South America South America is a continent located in the western hemisphere , mostly in the southern hemisphere , with a relatively small portion in the northern hemisphere . It may also be considered a subcontinent of the Americas , which is the model used in nations that speak Romance languages . The reference to South America instead of other regions ( like Latin America or the Southern Cone ) has increased in the last decades due to changing geopolitical dynamics ( in particular , the rise of Brazil ) .   It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean ; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest . It includes twelve sovereign states ( Argentina , Bolivia , Brazil , Chile , Colombia , Ecuador , Guyana , Paraguay , Peru , Suriname , Uruguay , and Venezuela ) , a part of France ( French Guiana ) , and a non-sovereign area ( the Falkland Islands , a British Overseas Territory though this is disputed by Argentina ) . In addition to this , the ABC islands of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , Trinidad and Tobago , and Panama may also be considered part of South America .   South America has an area of 17,840,000 square kilometers ( 6,890,000 sq mi ) . Its population has been estimated at more than 371,090,000 . South America ranks fourth in area ( after Asia , Africa , and North America ) and fifth in population ( after Asia , Africa , Europe , and North America ) . Brazil is by far the most populous South American country , with more than half of the continent 's population , followed by Colombia , Argentina , Venezuela and Peru . In recent decades Brazil has also concentrated half of the region 's GDP and has become a first regional power .   Most of the population lives near the continent 's western or eastern coasts while the interior and the far south are sparsely populated . The geography of western South America is dominated by the Andes mountains ; in contrast , the eastern part contains both highland regions and large lowlands where rivers such as the Amazon , Orinoco , and Paraná flow . Most of the continent lies in the tropics .   The continent 's cultural and ethnic outlook has its origin with the interaction of indigenous peoples with European conquerors and immigrants and , more locally , with African slaves . Given a long history of colonialism , the overwhelming majority of South Americans speak Portuguese or Spanish , and societies and states commonly reflect Western traditions .


Charles River The Charles River ( sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles ) is an 80 mi long river in eastern Massachusetts . From its source in Hopkinton the river flows in a northeasterly direction ( after first coursing due south through Milford ) , traveling through 23 cities and towns before reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston .


Boyz II Men Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group from Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , best known for emotional ballads and acappella harmonies . Formerly a quartet including bass Michael McCary , they are currently a trio composed of baritone Nathan Morris alongside tenors Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman . During the 1990s , Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet . McCary left the group in 2003 due to health issues and contractual agreements .   During the 1990s , Boyz II Men gained international success . This began with the release of the number one single `` End of the Road '' in 1992 , which reached the top of charts worldwide . `` End of the Road '' would set a new record for longevity , staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks , breaking the decades-old record held by Elvis Presley . Boyz II Men proceeded to break this record with the subsequent releases of `` I 'll Make Love to You '' and `` One Sweet Day '' ( with Mariah Carey ) , which , at fourteen and sixteen weeks respectively , each set new records for the total number of weeks at number one . `` I 'll Make Love to You '' also topped the charts in Australia ( for four weeks ) and garnered international success . As of 2016 , `` One Sweet Day '' still holds the all-time record with sixteen weeks at the top of the Hot 100 .   Consequently , Boyz II Men are top ranking members with regard to time spent at number one in Billboard history , ranking in the fourth spot with 50 weeks ( as of 2014 ) . Furthermore , when `` On Bended Knee '' took the number one spot away from `` I 'll Make Love to You '' , Boyz II Men became only the third artists ever ( after The Beatles and Presley ) to replace themselves at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 . Boyz II Men are among a select group of artists that have held at the number-one spot for at least 50 weeks cumulatively , placing them just fourth on that list behind Elvis Presley , The Beatles , and Mariah Carey . These achievements were enough to earn Boyz II Men recognition as Billboard magazine 's fourth most successful musical group of the 1990s .   Boyz II Men continue to perform worldwide , as a trio . Their most recent studio album , Collide , was released in 2014 .


Leonardo da Vinci never published his work in optics.

Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( -LSB- leoˈnardo di ˌsɛr ˈpjɛːro da ( v ) ˈvintʃi -RSB- ; 15 April 14522 May 1519 ) , more commonly Leonardo da Vinci or simply Leonardo , was an Italian polymath whose areas of interest included invention , painting , sculpting , architecture , science , music , mathematics , engineering , literature , anatomy , geology , astronomy , botany , writing , history , and cartography . He has been variously called the father of palaeontology , ichnology , and architecture , and is widely considered one of the greatest painters of all time . Sometimes credited with the inventions of the parachute , helicopter and tank , he epitomised the Renaissance humanist ideal .   Many historians and scholars regard Leonardo as the prime exemplar of the `` Universal Genius '' or `` Renaissance Man '' , an individual of `` unquenchable curiosity '' and `` feverishly inventive imagination '' . According to art historian Helen Gardner , the scope and depth of his interests were without precedent in recorded history , and `` his mind and personality seem to us superhuman , while the man himself mysterious and remote '' . Marco Rosci notes that while there is much speculation regarding his life and personality , his view of the world was logical rather than mysterious , and that the empirical methods he employed were unorthodox for his time .   Born out of wedlock to a notary , Piero da Vinci , and a peasant woman , Caterina , in Vinci in the region of Florence , Leonardo was educated in the studio of the renowned Florentine painter Andrea del Verrocchio . Much of his earlier working life was spent in the service of Ludovico il Moro in Milan . He later worked in Rome , Bologna and Venice , and he spent his last years in France at the home awarded to him by Francis I of France .   Leonardo was , and is , renowned primarily as a painter . Among his works , the Mona Lisa is the most famous and most parodied portrait and The Last Supper the most reproduced religious painting of all time . Leonardo 's drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon , being reproduced on items as varied as the euro coin , textbooks , and T-shirts . Perhaps fifteen of his paintings have survived.There are 15 significant artworks which are ascribed , either in whole or in large part , to Leonardo by most art historians . This number is made up principally of paintings on panel but includes a mural , a large drawing on paper and two works which are in the early stages of preparation . There are a number of other works that have also been variously attributed to Leonardo . Nevertheless , these few works , together with his notebooks , which contain drawings , scientific diagrams , and his thoughts on the nature of painting , compose a contribution to later generations of artists rivalled only by that of his contemporary , Michelangelo .   Leonardo is revered for his technological ingenuity . He conceptualised flying machines , a type of armoured fighting vehicle , concentrated solar power , an adding machine , and the double hull . Relatively few of his designs were constructed or even feasible during his lifetime , as the modern scientific approaches to metallurgy and engineering were only in their infancy during the Renaissance . Some of his smaller inventions , however , such as an automated bobbin winder and a machine for testing the tensile strength of wire , entered the world of manufacturing unheralded . A number of Leonardo 's most practical inventions are nowadays displayed as working models at the Museum of Vinci . He made substantial discoveries in anatomy , civil engineering , geology , optics , and hydrodynamics , but he did not publish his findings and they had no direct influence on later science .   Today , Leonardo is widely considered one of the most diversely talented individuals ever to have lived .


Brown bear The brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) is a large bear with the widest distribution of any living ursid . The species is distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America . It is one of the two largest terrestrial carnivorans alive today , rivaled in body size only by its close cousin , the polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) , which is much less variable in size and averages larger due to this . There are several recognized subspecies , many of which are quite well-known within their native ranges , found in the brown bear species .   The brown bear 's principal range includes parts of Russia , Central Asia , China , Canada , the United States ( mostly Alaska ) , Scandinavia and the Carpathian region ( especially Romania ) , Anatolia , and Caucasus . The brown bear is recognized as a national and state animal in several European countries .   While the brown bear 's range has shrunk and it has faced local extinctions , it remains listed as a least concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) with a total population of approximately 200,000 . As of 2012 , this and the American black bear are the only bear species not classified as threatened by the IUCN . However , the Californian , North African ( Atlas bear ) , and Mexican subspecies were hunted to extinction in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries , and many of the southern Asian subspecies are highly endangered . One of the smaller-bodied subspecies , the Himalayan brown bear , is critically endangered , occupying only 2 % of its former range and threatened by uncontrolled poaching for its parts . The Marsican brown bear , one of several currently isolated populations of the main Eurasian brown bear race , in central Italy is believed to have a population of just 30 to 40 bears .


Bear Bears are carnivoran mammals of the family Ursidae . Bears are classified as caniforms , or doglike carnivorans . Although only eight species of bears are extant , they are widespread , appearing in a wide variety of habitats throughout the Northern Hemisphere and partially in the Southern Hemisphere . Bears are found on the continents of North America , South America , Europe , and Asia . Common characteristics of modern bears include large bodies with stocky legs , long snouts , small rounded ears , shaggy hair , plantigrade paws with five nonretractile claws , and short tails .   While the polar bear is mostly carnivorous , and the giant panda feeds almost entirely on bamboo , the remaining six species are omnivorous with varied diets . With the exception of courting individuals and mothers with their young , bears are typically solitary animals . They may be diurnal or nocturnal and have an excellent sense of smell . Despite their heavy build and awkward gait , they are adept runners , climbers , and swimmers . Bears use shelters , such as caves and logs , as their dens ; most species occupy their dens during the winter for a long period of hibernation , up to 100 days .   Bears have been hunted since prehistoric times for their meat and fur ; they have been used for bear-baiting and other forms of entertainment , such as being made to dance . With their powerful physical presence , they play a prominent role in the arts , mythology , and other cultural aspects of various human societies . In modern times , bears have come under pressure through encroachment on their habitats and illegal trade in bear parts , including the Asian bile bear market . The IUCN lists six bear species as vulnerable or endangered , and even least concern species , such as the brown bear , are at risk of extirpation in certain countries . The poaching and international trade of these most threatened populations are prohibited , but still ongoing .


Rogue (comics) Rogue is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics , commonly in association with the X-Men . The character debuted in Avengers Annual # 10 ( November 1981 ) as a villain , but then soon after she joined the X-Men .   Rogue is part of a subspecies of humans called mutants , who are born with superhuman abilities . Rogue has the involuntary ability to absorb and sometimes also remove the memories , physical strength , and superpowers of anyone she touches . Therefore , Rogue considers her powers to be a curse . For most of her life , she limited her physical contact with others , including her on-off love interest , Gambit . However , after many years , Rogue finally gained full control over her mutant ability .   Hailing from the fictional Caldecott County , Mississippi , Rogue is the X-Men 's self-described southern belle . A runaway , she was adopted by Mystique of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants and grew up as a villain . After Rogue permanently absorbs Ms. Marvel 's psyche and Kree powers , she reforms and turns to the X-Men , fearing for her sanity . Rogue 's real name and early history were not revealed until nearly 20 years after her introduction . Until the back story provided by Robert Rodi in the ongoing Rogue series , which began in September 2004 , Rogue 's background was only hinted at . Her name was revealed as Anna Marie , although her surname is still unknown . She has sometimes adopted the name Raven , which is the first name of her foster mother Mystique .   Rogue has been one of the most prominent members of the X-Men since the 1980s . She was # 5 on IGN 's Top 25 X-Men list for 2006 , # 4 on their Top Ten X-Babes list for 2006 , # 3 on Marvel 's list of Top 10 Toughest Females for 2009 and was given title of # 1 X-Man on CBR 's Top 50 X-Men of All Time for 2008 . She was ranked tenth in Comics Buyer 's Guide 's `` 100 Sexiest Women in Comics '' list . Rogue has been featured in most of the X-Men animated series , and various video games . In the X-Men film series , she is portrayed by Anna Paquin . Her visual cue is often the white streak that runs through her hair .


The Avengers (comic book) The Avengers is the name of several comic book titles featuring the team the Avengers and published by Marvel Comics , beginning with the original The Avengers comic book series which debuted in 1963 .


John F. Kennedy Jr. was an American citizen.

John F. Kennedy Jr. John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr. ( November 25 , 1960 -- July 16 , 1999 ) , often referred to as JFK Jr. or John John , was an American lawyer , journalist , and magazine publisher . He was the only surviving son of former President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy , and younger brother of former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy . His father was assassinated three days before his third birthday .   From his early childhood onwards , Kennedy was the subject of great media scrutiny , and he became a popular social figure of Manhattan . Trained as a lawyer , he worked as a New York City Assistant District Attorney for four years . In 1995 , he launched George magazine , using his political and celebrity status to publicize it .   Kennedy died along with his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and her elder sister Lauren in the crash of a small plane he was piloting . Kennedy had intended to drop off Lauren at Martha 's Vineyard before continuing to the wedding of his cousin Rory Kennedy in Hyannis Port .


William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan ( March 19 , 1860 -- July 26 , 1925 ) was an American orator and politician from Nebraska , and a dominant force in the populist wing of the Democratic Party , standing three times as the Party 's nominee for President of the United States ( 1896 , 1900 , and 1908 ) . He served two terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Nebraska and was United States Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson ( 1913 -- 1915 ) . He resigned because of his pacifist position on World War I. Bryan was a devout Presbyterian , a strong advocate of popular democracy , and an enemy of the banks and the gold standard . He demanded `` Free Silver '' because he believed it undermined the evil `` Money Power '' and put more cash in the hands of the common people . He was a peace advocate , a supporter of Prohibition , and an opponent of Darwinism on religious and humanitarian grounds . With his deep , commanding voice and wide travels , he was perhaps the best-known orator and lecturer of the era . Because of his faith in the wisdom of the common people , he was called `` The Great Commoner '' .   In the intensely fought 1896 and 1900 elections , he was defeated by William McKinley but retained control of the Democratic Party . With over 500 speeches in 1896 , Bryan invented the national stumping tour in an era when other presidential candidates stayed home . In his three presidential bids , he promoted Free Silver in 1896 , anti-imperialism in 1900 , and trust-busting in 1908 , calling on Democrats to fight the trusts ( big corporations ) and big banks , and embrace anti-elitist ideals of republicanism . President Wilson appointed him Secretary of State in 1913 . After the Lusitania was torpedoed in 1915 , Wilson made strong demands on Germany that Bryan disagreed with , resigning in protest as a pacifist . After 1920 , he turned to Christian fundamentalism ; he supported Prohibition and attacked Darwinism and evolution , most famously at the Scopes Trial in 1925 in Tennessee . Five days after the conclusion of the Scopes case , Bryan died in his sleep .


Black Sails' setting is New Providence Island.

Black Sails (TV series) Black Sails is an American historical adventure television series set on New Providence Island and a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson 's novel Treasure Island . The series was created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine for Starz . It debuted online for free on YouTube and other various streaming platform and video on demand services on January 18 , 2014 . The debut on cable television followed a week later on January 25 , 2014 . Steinberg is executive producer , alongside Michael Bay , Brad Fuller and Andrew Form , while Michael Angeli , Doris Egan , and Levine are co-executive producers .   On July 26 , 2013 , Starz renewed the show for a ten-episode second season , which premiered on January 24 , 2015 . The early renewal , six months before the first season premiered , was based on the positive fan reaction to the show at the San Diego Comic-Con . The series was renewed for a third season on October 12 , 2014 , and a fourth season on July 31 , 2015 , both before the respective previous seasons had premiered .   On July 20 , 2016 , Starz announced that the series ' fourth season would be its last ; the season premiered on January 29 , 2017 , and the series concluded on April 2 , 2017 .


Lincoln Motor Company was founded in the early 1900s.

Lincoln Motor Company The Lincoln Motor Company ( also known simply as Lincoln ) is a division of the U.S.-based Ford Motor Company that sells luxury vehicles under the Lincoln brand . Founded in 1917 by Henry M. Leland , Lincoln has been a subsidiary of Ford since 1922 . While currently sold primarily in North America , Ford introduced the Lincoln brand to China in 2014 . Lincoln vehicles are also officially sold in the Middle East and South Korea .   The current Lincoln model range in North America consists of two sedans ( Continental and MKZ ) , three crossover utility vehicles ( MKC , MKT , and MKX ) , and a sport utility vehicle ( Navigator/Navigator L ) . Lincoln also sells two vehicles specifically for limousine/livery use , both based on the MKT .


Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is a film released in 2009.

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani ( Unique Prem 's ( Love 's ) Amazing Story ) is a 2009 Indian romantic comedy film . It stars Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif . Salman Khan and director Rajkumar Santoshi appear in cameo roles . It is a remake of the Telugu movieSoggadu which were released in the year 2004 and 2005 respectively .


Gemini (astrology) Gemini ( pronunciation : -LSB- ˈdʒɛmɪnaɪ -RSB- or -LSB- ˈdʒɛmɪniː -RSB- or ) is the third astrological sign in the zodiac , originating from the constellation of Gemini . Under the tropical zodiac , the sun transits this sign between May 21 and June 21 . Gemini is represented by The Twins Castor and Pollux . The symbol of the twins is based on the Dioscuri , two mortals that were granted shared godhood after death .


Ajay Devgn Ajay Devgan ( born Vishal Veeru Devgan on 2 April 1969 ) , also credited as Ajay Devgn , is an Indian film actor , director and producer . He is widely considered as one of the most popular actors of Hindi cinema , who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films . Devgan has won numerous accolades , including two National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards . In 2016 , he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri , the fourth highest civilian honour of the country .   Devgan began his professional career with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991 and received a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance . He then starred in successful films such as Jigar ( 1992 ) , Dilwale ( 1994 ) , Suhaag ( 1994 ) , Naajayaz ( 1995 ) , Diljale ( 1996 ) and Ishq ( 1997 ) . In 1998 , he appeared in a critically acclaimed performance in Mahesh Bhatt 's drama Zakhm and he received his first National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie . In 1999 , his most-talked-about film was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in which he played Vanraj , a man who tries to unite his wife with her lover .   In the early 2000s , he gave critically acclaimed performances in Ram Gopal Varma 's fictional expose of Mumbai underworld Company . He played the character of a gangster , for which he won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor . The same year he gave another critically acclaimed performance in Deewangee for which he received the Filmfare Best Villain Award . In 2003 , he won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Bhagat Singh in Rajkumar Santoshi 's biopic The Legend of Bhagat Singh . Throughout his career he has performed in many critically and commercially successful films including Raincoat ( 2004 ) , '' Gangajal , ( 2004 ) , Yuva ( 2004 ) , Apaharan ( 2005 ) , Omkara ( 2006 ) , Golmaal : Fun Unlimited ( 2006 ) , Golmaal Returns ( 2008 ) , All the Best : Fun Begins ( 2009 ) , Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai ( 2010 ) , Golmaal 3 ( 2010 ) , Raajneeti ( 2010 ) , Singham ( 2011 ) , Bol Bachchan ( 2012 ) , Son of Sardaar ( 2012 ) , Singham Returns ( 2014 ) and Drishyam ( 2015 ) . He has starred in more than hundred Hindi films . Having done so , he established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema .   In addition , Devgn owns a production company Ajay Devgn FFilms which was established in 2000 . In 2008 , he debuted as a film director with U Me Aur Hum . He is married to film actress , Kajol since 1999 and the couple have two children . In August 2009 , Devgn changed his surname from Devgan to Devgn on the request of his family .


Josh Homme has been involved with Arctic Monkeys and he is an artist.

Josh Homme Joshua Michael Homme ( -LSB- ˈhɒm.i -RSB- ; born May 17 , 1973 ) is an American singer , songwriter , musician , record producer , and actor . He is the founder and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age , in which he sings and plays guitar , as well as occasionally playing piano , drums , and bass . He also serves as the band 's primary songwriter .   Homme was formerly a guitarist and founder of the stoner rock band Kyuss . He co-founded and occasionally performs with Eagles of Death Metal , playing drums and bass for their studio recordings , and produces a musical improv series with other musicians , mostly from the Palm Desert Scene , known as The Desert Sessions . In 2009 , he formed a new project called Them Crooked Vultures with Dave Grohl and John Paul Jones , who released their debut album that same year . In 2016 , he released Post Pop Depression , an album with Iggy Pop . He has been involved with numerous other projects , including Arctic Monkeys and Biffy Clyro .


A Thousand Suns was recorded in North Hollywood.

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


Saint Peter is mentioned in the book of Matthew at least once.

Saint Peter Saint Peter ( Syriac/Aramaic : ܫܸܡܥܘܿܢ ܟܹ݁ܐܦ݂ܵܐ , Shemayon Keppa , שמעון בר יונה , Πέτρος , according to the New Testament , was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ , leaders of the early Christian Great Church . Hippolytus of Rome , a 3rd-century theologian , gave him the title of `` Apostle of the Apostles '' . According to Catholic teaching , Peter was ordained by Jesus in the `` Rock of My Church '' dialogue in Matthew . He is traditionally counted as the first Bishop of Romeor popeand also by Eastern Christian tradition as the first Patriarch of Antioch . The ancient Christian churches all venerate Peter as a major saint and as the founder of the Church of Antioch and the Roman Church , but differ in their attitudes regarding the authority of his present-day successors .   The New Testament indicates that Peter was the son of John ( or Jonah or Jona ) and was from the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee or Gaulanitis . His brother Andrew was also an apostle . According to New Testament accounts , Peter was one of twelve apostles chosen by Jesus from his first disciples . Originally a fisherman , he played a leadership role and was with Jesus during events witnessed by only a few apostles , such as the Transfiguration . According to the gospels , Peter confessed Jesus as the Messiah , was part of Jesus 's inner circle , thrice denied Jesus and wept bitterly once he realised his deed , and preached on the day of Pentecost .   According to Christian tradition , Peter was crucified in Rome under Emperor Nero Augustus Caesar . It is traditionally held that he was crucified upside down at his own request , since he saw himself unworthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus . Tradition holds that he was crucified at the site of the Clementine Chapel . His remains are said to be those contained in the underground Confessio of St. Peter 's Basilica , where Pope Paul VI announced in 1968 the excavated discovery of a first-century Roman cemetery . Every 29 June since 1736 , a statue of Saint Peter in St. Peter 's Basilica is adorned with papal tiara , ring of the fisherman , and papal vestments , as part of the celebration of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul . According to Catholic doctrine , the direct papal successor to Saint Peter is the incumbent pope , currently Pope .   Two general epistles in the New Testament are ascribed to Peter , but modern scholars reject the Petrine authorship of both . The Gospel of Mark was traditionally thought to show the influence of Peter 's preaching and eyewitness memories . Several other books bearing his namethe Acts of Peter , Gospel of Peter , Preaching of Peter , Apocalypse of Peter , and Judgment of Peterare considered by Christian denominations as apocryphal , and are thus not included in their Bible canons .


Zhou Enlai was uninvolved in developing the Chinese economy.

Zhou Enlai Zhou Enlai ( ; 5 March 1898 -- 8 January 1976 ) was the first Premier of the People 's Republic of China , serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976 . Zhou served along with Chairman Mao Zedong and was instrumental in the Communist Party 's rise to power , and later in consolidating its control , forming foreign policy , and developing the Chinese economy .   A skilled and able diplomat , Zhou served as the Chinese foreign minister from 1949 to 1958 . Advocating peaceful coexistence with the West after the stalemated Korean War , he participated in the 1954 Geneva Conference and the 1955 Bandung Conference , and helped orchestrate Richard Nixon 's 1972 visit to China . He helped devise policies regarding the bitter disputes with the U.S. , Taiwan , the Soviet Union ( after 1960 ) , India and Vietnam .   Zhou survived the purges of other top officials during the Cultural Revolution . While Mao dedicated most of his later years to political struggle and ideological work , Zhou was the main driving force behind the affairs of state during much of the Cultural Revolution . His attempts at mitigating the Red Guards ' damage and his efforts to protect others from their wrath made him immensely popular in the Cultural Revolution 's later stages .   As Mao Zedong 's health began to decline in 1971 and 1972 , Zhou struggled against the Gang of Four internally over leadership of China . Zhou 's health was also failing , however , and he died eight months before Mao on 8 January 1976 . The massive public outpouring of grief in Beijing turned to anger towards the Gang of Four , leading to the Tiananmen Incident . Although succeeded by Hua Guofeng , it was Deng Xiaoping , Zhou 's ally , who was able to outmaneuver the Gang of Four politically and eventually take Hua 's place as paramount leader by 1978 .


Plato Plato ( -LSB- ˈpleɪtoʊ -RSB- Greek : Πλάτων Plátōn , -LSB- plá.tɔːn -RSB- in Classical Attic ; 428/427 or 424/423 -- 348/347 BCE ) was a philosopher in Classical Greece and the founder of the Academy in Athens , the first institution of higher learning in the Western world . He is widely considered the most pivotal figure in the development of philosophy , especially the Western tradition . Unlike nearly all of his philosophical contemporaries , Plato 's entire work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years .   Along with his teacher , Socrates , and his most famous student , Aristotle , Plato laid the very foundations of Western philosophy and science . Alfred North Whitehead once noted : `` the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato . '' In addition to being a foundational figure for Western science , philosophy , and mathematics , Plato has also often been cited as one of the founders of Western religion and spirituality . Plato 's influence on Christianity is often thought to be mediated by his major influence on Saint Augustine of Hippo , one of the most important philosophers and theologians in the foundation of the Western thought . In the 19th century the philosopher Nietzsche criticized Christianity by saying it 's `` Platonism for the people '' . Numenius of Apamea viewed this differently , he called Plato the Hellenic Moses . This would justify the superiority of Christianity over Hellenism because Moses predates Plato - thus the original source of this wisdom is the root of Christianity and not Hellenistic culture .   Plato was the innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms in philosophy . Plato appears to have been the founder of Western political philosophy , with his Republic , and Laws among other dialogues , providing some of the earliest extant treatments of political questions from a philosophical perspective . Plato 's own most decisive philosophical influences are usually thought to have been Socrates , Parmenides , Heraclitus and Pythagoras , although few of his predecessors ' works remain extant and much of what we know about these figures today derives from Plato himself .   The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy describes Plato as '' ... one of the most dazzling writers in the Western literary tradition and one of the most penetrating , wide-ranging , and influential authors in the history of philosophy . ... He was not the first thinker or writer to whom the word `` philosopher '' should be applied . But he was so self-conscious about how philosophy should be conceived , and what its scope and ambitions properly are , and he so transformed the intellectual currents with which he grappled , that the subject of philosophy , as it is often conceived -- a rigorous and systematic examination of ethical , political , metaphysical , and epistemological issues , armed with a distinctive method -- can be called his invention . Few other authors in the history of Western philosophy approximate him in depth and range : perhaps only Aristotle ( who studied with him ) , Aquinas and Kant would be generally agreed to be of the same rank . ''


In & Out (film) In & Out is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Oz and starring Kevin Kline , Tom Selleck , Joan Cusack , Matt Dillon , Debbie Reynolds , and Wilford Brimley . It is an original story by screenwriter Paul Rudnick . Joan Cusack was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance .   The film was inspired by Tom Hanks 's tearful speech when he accepted his 1994 Oscar ( for his role in Philadelphia ) , in which he mentioned his high-school drama coach Rawley Farnsworth , and his former classmate John Gilkerson , `` two of the finest gay Americans , two wonderful men that I had the good fortune to be associated with . '' The film became one of mainstream Hollywood 's few attempts at a comedic `` gay movie '' of its era , and was widely noted at the time for a 12-second kiss between Kevin Kline and Tom Selleck .


Episodes have been written and produced for South Park.

South Park South Park is an American adult animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for the Comedy Central television network . The show revolves around four boys -- Stan Marsh , Kyle Broflovski , Eric Cartman , and Kenny McCormick -- and their bizarre adventures in and around the titular Colorado town . Much like The Simpsons , South Park uses a very large ensemble cast of recurring characters and became infamous for its profanity and dark , surreal humor that satirizes a wide range of topics towards a mature audience .   Parker and Stone developed the show from The Spirit of Christmas , two consecutive animated shorts created in 1992 and 1995 . The latter became one of the first Internet viral videos , ultimately leading to South Park 's production . It debuted in August 1997 with great success , consistently earning the highest ratings of any basic cable program . Subsequent ratings have varied but it remains one of Comedy Central 's highest rated shows , and is slated to air in new episodes through 2019 .   The pilot episode was produced using cutout animation , leading to all subsequent episodes being produced with computer animation that emulated the cutout technique . Parker and Stone perform most of the voice acting for the show 's male characters . Since 2000 , each episode has typically been written and produced in the week preceding its broadcast , with Parker serving as the primary writer and director . There have been a total of episodes over the course of the show 's 20 seasons .   South Park has received numerous accolades , including five Primetime Emmy Awards , a Peabody Award , and numerous inclusions in various publications ' lists of greatest television shows . The show 's popularity resulted in a feature-length theatrical film , South Park : Bigger , Longer & Uncut which was released in June 1999 , less than two years after the show 's premiere , and became a commercial and critical success , even garnering a nomination for an Academy Award . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked South Park the tenth Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time .


The Boston Celtics's home stadium is a multi-purpose arena in Massachusetts.

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


Massachusetts Massachusetts -LSB- mæsəˈtʃuːsᵻts -RSB- or -LSB- ˌmæsəˈtʃuːzᵻts -RSB- ; officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , is the most populous state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east , the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island to the south , New Hampshire and Vermont to the north , and New York to the west . The state is named for the Massachusett tribe , which once inhabited the area . The capital of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England is Boston . Over 80 % of Massachusetts ' population lives in the Greater Boston metropolitan area , a region influential upon American history , academia , and industry . Originally dependent on agriculture , fishing and trade , Massachusetts was transformed into a manufacturing center during the Industrial Revolution . During the 20th century , Massachusetts ' economy shifted from manufacturing to services . Modern Massachusetts is a global leader in biotechnology , engineering , higher education , finance , and maritime trade .   Plymouth was the site of the first colony in New England , founded in 1620 by the Pilgrims , passengers of the Mayflower . In 1692 , the town of Salem and surrounding areas experienced one of America 's most infamous cases of mass hysteria , the Salem witch trials . In 1777 , General Henry Knox founded the Springfield Armory , which during the Industrial Revolution catalyzed numerous important technological advances , including interchangeable parts . In 1786 , Shays ' Rebellion , a populist revolt led by disaffected American Revolutionary War veterans , influenced the United States Constitutional Convention . In the 18th century , the Protestant First Great Awakening , which swept the Atlantic World , originated from the pulpit of Northampton preacher Jonathan Edwards . In the late 18th century , Boston became known as the `` Cradle of Liberty '' for the agitation there that led to the American Revolution .   The entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts has played a powerful commercial and cultural role in the history of the United States . Before the American Civil War , Massachusetts was a center for the abolitionist , temperance , and transcendentalist movements . In the late 19th century , the sports of basketball and volleyball were invented in the western Massachusetts cities of Springfield and Holyoke , respectively . In 2004 , Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legally recognize same-sex marriage as a result of the decision in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court . Many prominent American political dynasties have hailed from the state , including the Adams and Kennedy families . Harvard University in Cambridge is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States , with the largest financial endowment of any university , and Harvard Law School has educated a contemporaneous majority of Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States . Kendall Square in Cambridge has been called `` the most innovative square mile on the planet '' , in reference to the high concentration of entrepreneurial start-ups and quality of innovation which have emerged in the vicinity of the square since 2010 . Both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , also in Cambridge , have been ranked among the most highly regarded academic institutions in the world . Massachusetts ' public school students place among the top nations in the world in academic performance .


TD Garden TD Garden , often called `` Boston Garden '' and `` The Garden '' , is a multi-purpose arena in Boston . It is named after its sponsor , TD Bank , a subsidiary of Canada 's Toronto-Dominion Bank . It opened in 1995 as a replacement for the original Boston Garden and has been known as Shawmut Center , FleetCenter , and TD Banknorth Garden .   TD Garden is the home arena for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League and the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . It is owned by Delaware North , whose CEO , Jeremy Jacobs , also owns the Bruins . It is the site of the annual Beanpot college hockey tournament , and hosts the annual Hockey East Championships . The arena has also hosted many major national sporting events including the 1999 and 2003 NCAA Division I Men 's Basketball regional first and second rounds , the 2009 and 2012 Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight , the 1998 Frozen Four , the 2004 Frozen Four , the 2014 United States Figure Skating Championships , the 2006 Women 's Final Four , and the 2015 Frozen Four . It hosted games 3 , 4 , and 6 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals and the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals for the Bruins , and games 1 , 2 , and 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals and games 3 , 4 , and 5 of the 2010 NBA Finals for the Celtics .   It is located directly above Boston 's North Station .