War with Spain was avoided by Ulysses S. Grant.

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant ( born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27 , 1822 -- July 23 , 1885 ) was the 18th President of the United States ( 1869 -- 77 ) . As Commanding General ( 1864 -- 69 ) , Grant worked closely with President Abraham Lincoln to lead the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the American Civil War . Supported by Congress , Grant implemented Reconstruction , often at odds with President Andrew Johnson . Twice elected president , Grant led the Republicans in their effort to remove the vestiges of Confederate nationalism and slavery , protect African-American citizenship , and support economic prosperity . His presidency has often been criticized for tolerating corruption and for the economic depression in his second term .   Grant graduated in 1843 from the United States Military Academy at West Point , then served in the Mexican -- American War . After the war he married Julia Boggs Dent in 1848 , their marriage producing four children . Grant initially retired from the Army in 1854 . He struggled financially in civilian life . When the Civil War began in 1861 , he rejoined the U.S. Army . In 1862 , Grant took control of Kentucky and most of Tennessee , and led Union forces to victory in the Battle of Shiloh , earning a reputation as an aggressive commander . In July 1863 , after a series of coordinated battles , Grant defeated Confederate armies and seized Vicksburg , giving the Union control of the Mississippi River and dividing the Confederacy in two . After his victories in the Chattanooga Campaign , Lincoln promoted him to lieutenant general and Commanding General of the Army in March 1864 . Grant confronted Robert E. Lee in a series of bloody battles , trapping Lee 's army in their defense of Richmond . Grant coordinated a series of devastating campaigns in other theaters , as well . In April 1865 , Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox , effectively ending the war . Historians have hailed Grant 's military genius , and his strategies are featured in military history textbooks , but a minority contend that he won by brute force rather than superior strategy .   After the Civil War , Grant led the army 's supervision of Reconstruction in the former Confederate states . Elected president in 1868 , he stabilized the nation during that turbulent period , prosecuted the Ku Klux Klan , and enforced civil rights and voting rights laws using the army and the newly created Department of Justice . He also used the army to build the Republican Party in the South . After the disenfranchisement of some former Confederates , Republicans gained majorities , and African Americans were elected to Congress and high state offices . The Democrats and Liberal Republicans united behind Grant 's opponent in the presidential election of 1872 , but were unable to defeat his reelection . In his second term , the Republican coalitions in the South splintered and were defeated one by one as redeemers ( conservative whites ) regained control using coercion and violence . In response , Grant signed the Civil Rights Act of 1875 into law . In May 1875 , Grant authorized his Secretary of Treasury Benjamin Bristow to prosecute the corrupt Whiskey Ring . Grant 's Indian Peace Policy , incorporating Christian missionaries , initially reduced frontier violence , but it is best known for the Great Sioux War of 1876 . Grant 's administration faced charges of corruption more than that of any other 19th Century president . He appointed the first Civil Service Commission and signed legislation ending the corrupt moiety system .   In foreign policy , Grant was uneven , having sought to increase trade and influence while remaining at peace with the world . When Grant relied on his Secretary of State Hamilton Fish , his administration successfully resolved the Alabama claims by the Treaty of Washington with Great Britain , ending wartime tensions . Additionally , Grant and Fish avoided war with Spain over the Virginius Affair negotiating a peaceful resolution . Congress rejected Grant 's own attempted annexation of the Dominican Republic initiative , creating a rift among Republicans . His administration implemented a gold standard and sought to strengthen the dollar . Corruption charges escalated during his second term , while his response to the Panic of 1873 proved ineffective nationally in halting the five-year industrial depression that produced high unemployment , low prices , low profits , and bankruptcies . Grant left office in 1877 and embarked on a two-year diplomatic world tour that captured the nation 's attention .   In 1880 , Grant was unsuccessful in obtaining the Republican presidential nomination for a third term . Facing severe investment reversals and dying of throat cancer , he wrote his memoirs , which proved to be a major literary work and financial success . His death in 1885 prompted an outpouring in support of national unity . Historical assessment of Grant 's legacy has varied considerably over the years . Early historical evaluations were negative about Grant 's presidency , often focusing on the corruption charges against his associates . This trend began to change in the later 20th century . Scholars in general rank his presidency below the average , but modern research , in part focusing on civil rights , evaluates his administration more positively .


Stagira (ancient city) Stagira ( -LSB- stəˈdʒaɪrə -RSB- ) , Stagirus ( -LSB- stəˈdʒaɪrəs -RSB- ) , or Stageira ( Στάγειρα or Στάγειρος ) was an ancient Greek city , located in central Macedonia , near the eastern coast of the peninsula of Chalkidice , and is chiefly known for being the birthplace of Aristotle , who was a Greek philosopher and polymath , a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great . The city lies approximately 8 km north northeast of the present-day village of Stagira , close to the town of Olympiada .   Stagira was founded in 655 BC by Ionian settlers from Andros . Xerxes I of Persia occupied it in 480 BC . The city later joined the Delian League , led by Athens , but left in 424 BC : as a result , the Athenian demagogue Cleon laid siege to it in 422 BC . However , Cleon was a poor strategist and his conduct of the siege was very inefficient : so much so that the ancient Greek comedy writer Aristophanes satirised him in the play The Knights . Cleon died in the same year , in the battle of Amphipolis . Later , during the Peloponnesian War , Stagira sided with Sparta against the Athenians .   In 348 BC , Philip II of Macedon occupied and destroyed the city . In return for Aristotle 's tutoring of his son Alexander , Philip later rebuilt the city and resettled the old city 's inhabitants , who had been enslaved . Many new structures were built at this time , including an aqueduct , two shrines to Demeter , and many houses .


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


Uranus's interior is composed mostly of rock.

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


Manchester City F.C. was purchased by Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008.

Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is a football club in Manchester , England . Founded in 1880 as St. Mark 's ( West Gorton ) , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894 . The club moved to the City of Manchester Stadium in 2003 , having played at Maine Road since 1923 .   The club 's most successful period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they won the League Championship , FA Cup , League Cup and European Cup Winners ' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison . After losing the 1981 FA Cup Final , the club went through a period of decline , culminating in relegation to the third tier of English football for the only time in their history in 1998 . Having regained their Premier League status in the early 2000s , the club was purchased in 2008 by Abu Dhabi United Group and has become one of the wealthiest in the world . Since 2011 the club have won five major honours , including the Premier League in 2012 and 2014 .   By 2015 -- 16 , Manchester City had the fifth-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual revenue of $ 463.5 million . In 2016 , Forbes magazine estimated they were the world 's sixth most valuable football club , worth $ 1.92 billion .


Vince Vaughn appeared in a number of films in the 1990s, including the sports film Rudy.

Vince Vaughn Vincent Anthony Vaughn ( born March 28 , 1970 ) is an American actor , producer , screenwriter , activist , and comedian .   Vaughn began acting in the late 1980s , appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 comedy-drama film Swingers . He has appeared in a number of films in the 1990s , including the sports film Rudy ( 1993 ) , the sci-fi adventure dinosaur film The Lost World : Jurassic Park ( 1997 ) , and the drama-thriller Return to Paradise ( 1998 ) .   In the 2000s , he acted in several comedies , including Old School ( 2003 ) , Dodgeball : A True Underdog Story ( 2004 ) , Wedding Crashers ( 2005 ) , The Break-Up ( 2006 ) , and Fred Claus ( 2007 ) . He continued his comedic roles in the 2010s with The Dilemma ( 2011 ) , The Watch ( 2012 ) , and The Internship ( 2013 ) . In 2015 , he starred as Frank Semyon in the second season of the HBO anthology crime drama television series True Detective alongside Colin Farrell , Taylor Kitsch and Rachel McAdams .


Selene only serves as a minor character in a film based on a story.

Selene (Underworld) Selene , portrayed by British actress Kate Beckinsale , is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the Underworld film series . More specifically , she serves as the central character in the films Underworld ( 2003 ) , Underworld : Evolution ( 2006 ) , Underworld : Awakening ( 2012 ) , and Underworld : Blood Wars ( 2016 ) .   Beckinsale 's daughter , Lily Mo Sheen , plays the character as a child in a flashback in Underworld : Evolution . In Underworld : Endless War , Selene is voiced by Canadian voice actress Laura Harris .


The Who The Who are an English rock band that formed in 1964 . Their classic line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey , guitarist and singer Pete Townshend , bass guitarist John Entwistle , and drummer Keith Moon . They are considered one of the most influential rock bands of the 20th century , selling over 100 million records worldwide and holding a reputation for their live shows and studio work .   The Who developed from an earlier group , the Detours , and established themselves as part of the pop art and mod movements , featuring auto-destructive art by destroying guitars and drums on stage . Their first single as the Who , `` I Ca n't Explain '' , reached the UK top ten , followed by a string of singles including `` My Generation '' , `` Substitute '' and `` Happy Jack '' . In 1967 , they performed at the Monterey Pop Festival and released the US top ten single `` I Can See for Miles '' , while touring extensively . The group 's fourth album , 1969 's rock opera Tommy , included the single `` Pinball Wizard '' and was a critical and commercial success . Live appearances at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight Festival , along with the live album Live at Leeds , cemented their reputation as a respected rock act . With their success came increased pressure on lead songwriter and visionary Townshend , and the follow-up to Tommy , Lifehouse , was abandoned . Songs from the project made up 1971 's Who 's Next , which included the hit `` Wo n't Get Fooled Again '' . The group released the album Quadrophenia in 1973 as a celebration of their mod roots , and oversaw the film adaptation of Tommy in 1975 . They continued to tour to large audiences before semi-retiring from live performances at the end of 1976 . The release of Who Are You in 1978 was overshadowed by the death of Moon shortly after .   Kenney Jones replaced Moon and the group resumed activity , releasing a film adaptation of Quadrophenia and the retrospective documentary The Kids Are Alright . After Townshend became weary of touring , the group split in 1982 . The Who occasionally re-formed for live appearances such as Live Aid in 1985 , a 25th anniversary tour in 1989 and a tour of Quadrophenia in 1996 -- 1997 . They resumed regular touring in 1999 , with drummer Zak Starkey . After Entwistle 's death in 2002 , plans for a new album were delayed . Townshend and Daltrey continued as the Who , releasing Endless Wire in 2006 , and continued to play live regularly .   The Who 's major contributions to rock music include the development of the Marshall stack , large PA systems , use of the synthesizer , Entwistle and Moon 's lead playing styles , Townshend 's feedback and power chord guitar technique , and the development of the rock opera . They are cited as an influence by hard rock , punk rock and mod bands , and their songs still receive regular exposure .


Gang Signs & Prayer is the debut album by Stormzy.

Gang Signs & Prayer Gang Signs & Prayer is the debut studio album by English grime artist Stormzy . It was released on 24 February 2017 independently through #Merky Records while being distributed by ADA of Warner Music Group . It is Stormzy 's first major commercial release , following the Dreamers Disease EP ( 2014 ) . The album features guest appearances from fellow MCs Wretch 32 , Ghetts and J Hus , along with singers Kehlani , Raleigh Ritchie and MNEK . It features production from Fraser T Smith and Sir Spyro , among others .   The album was supported by the lead single `` Big for Your Boots '' . Gang Signs & Prayer received critical acclaim upon release , and entered the UK Albums Chart at number 1 with sales of 69,000 , becoming the first grime album in history to reach number 1 . It holds the distinction of having every song from the album appear concurrently on the UK Singles Chart , including 7 songs in the Top 40 .


The Bible contains writings by early Christian Greeks.

Bible The Bible ( from Koine Greek τὰ βιβλία , tà biblía , `` the books '' ) is a collection of sacred texts or scriptures that Jews and Christians consider to be a product of divine inspiration and a record of the relationship between God and humans .   Many different authors contributed to the Bible . What is regarded as canonical text differs depending on traditions and groups ; a number of Bible canons have evolved , with overlapping and diverging contents . The Christian Old Testament overlaps with the Hebrew Bible and the Greek Septuagint ; the Hebrew Bible is known in Judaism as the Tanakh . The New Testament is a collection of writings by early Christians , believed to be mostly Jewish disciples of Christ , written in first-century Koine Greek . These early Christian Greek writings consist of narratives , letters , and apocalyptic writings . Among Christian denominations there is some disagreement about the contents of the canon , primarily the Apocrypha , a list of works that are regarded with varying levels of respect .   Attitudes towards the Bible also differ amongst Christian groups . Roman Catholics , Anglicans and Eastern Orthodox Christians stress the harmony and importance of the Bible and sacred tradition , while Protestant churches focus on the idea of sola scriptura , or scripture alone . This concept arose during the Protestant Reformation , and many denominations today support the use of the Bible as the only source of Christian teaching .   With estimated total sales of over 5 billion copies , the Bible is widely considered to be the best-selling book of all time . It has estimated annual sales of 100 million copies , and has been a major influence on literature and history , especially in the West , where the Gutenberg Bible was the first book printed using movable type .


This Is Us has Mandy Moore as a part of its cast in 2009.

This Is Us (TV series) This Is Us is an American television series created by Dan Fogelman that premiered on NBC on September 20 , 2016 . The ensemble cast stars Milo Ventimiglia , Mandy Moore , Sterling K. Brown , Chrissy Metz , Justin Hartley , Susan Kelechi Watson , Chris Sullivan , and Ron Cephas Jones . It is about the family lives and connections of several people who all share the same birthday and the ways in which they are similar and different .   The series has received positive reviews since its premiere , receiving nominations for Best Television Series -- Drama at the 74th Golden Globe Awards and Best Drama Series at the 7th Critics ' Choice Awards , as well as being chosen as a Top Television Program by the American Film Institute . The cast has received accolades , with Mandy Moore and Chrissy Metz receiving Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress , and Sterling K. Brown receiving a SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series . It was also nominated and won the MTV Movie & TV Awards for Best Tearjerker Moment in 2017 .   On September 27 , 2016 , NBC picked up the series for a full season of 18 episodes . In January 2017 , NBC renewed the series through its third season , for a total of 36 additional episodes , 18 per season .


Metro Boomin was conceived on July 1st, 1993.

Metro Boomin Leland Tyler Wayne ( born September 16 , 1993 ) , professionally known as Metro Boomin ( also known as Young Metro or simply Metro ) , is an American record producer , songwriter and DJ from St. Louis , Missouri .


Neighborhoods (Blink-182 album) Neighborhoods is the sixth studio album by American rock band Blink-182 , released September 27 , 2011 through DGC Records and Interscope Records . Their first album of new material in eight years ( the longest gap between albums to date ) , its recording followed the band 's breakup and later reconciliation . Due to conflicts within the trio , the band entered an `` indefinite hiatus '' in 2005 and the members explored various side-projects . After two separate tragedies regarding the band and their entourage , the members of the band decided to reunite in late 2008 , with plans for a new album and tour . It is the first Blink-182 album produced by the band members without the help of an outside record producer .   The band 's studio autonomy , tours , managers and personal projects stalled the recording process , which lasted from shortly after the band 's February 2009 reunion to July 2011 . The band developed Neighborhoods in separate studios and regrouped at various periods to record . The band 's numerous delays in the recording process resulted in the band canceling a European tour and the label setting a deadline for the album to be due . The trio wrote lyrics regarding such subjects as isolation , confusion and death . The band infused inspiration from each member 's various musical tastes to form a unique sound that recalled their separate upbringings , leading the trio to compare the album to separate neighborhoods .   Neighborhoods was released to mixed reviews from critics ; some felt it was a natural evolution from the band 's previous releases , while others found it stale and disjointed . The album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and `` Up All Night '' and `` After Midnight '' were released as singles , with both attracting modest success on Billboard 's Alternative Songs chart . Despite this , Neighborhoods did not sell as well as earlier releases and the band would depart from Interscope the following fall . The group would later look back on their comeback album with divided feelings ; DeLonge would admit that the recording methods perhaps created less unity within the group . Ever since the release of the band 's seventh studio album , California , songs from Neighborhoods have been omitted from the band 's live set .


Blink-182 Blink-182 ( often stylized as blink-182 ; pronounced `` blink one eighty two '' ) is an American rock band formed in Poway , California in 1992 . The band currently consists of bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus , drummer Travis Barker , and guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba . Founded by guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge , bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus and drummer Scott Raynor , the band emerged from the Southern California punk scene of the early 1990s and first gained notoriety for high-energy live shows and irreverent lyrical toilet humor . Blink-182 was initially known as Blink until an Irish band of the same name threatened legal action ; in response , the band appended the meaningless number '' -182 '' .   In its early years , Blink-182 toured heavily behind the band 's debut , Cheshire Cat ( 1995 ) . The group signed with major label MCA Records to co-distribute its second album , Dude Ranch ( 1997 ) . Raynor was fired midway through a 1998 tour and replaced by Barker . The group 's next two releases , Enema of the State ( 1999 ) and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket ( 2001 ) , were enormous successes on the strength of radio and MTV airplay . The eponymously titled Blink-182 followed in 2003 and marked a stylistic shift for the group . DeLonge quit in 2005 , sending the band into what was termed an `` indefinite hiatus '' . They reunited in 2009 , producing the trio 's sixth album , Neighborhoods ( 2011 ) . In 2015 , DeLonge again exited and was replaced by Alkaline Trio guitarist and vocalist Matt Skiba . The band 's seventh studio album , California , was released on July 1 , 2016 .   Blink-182 is considered a key group in the development of pop punk ; the band 's combination of pop melodies with fast-paced punk rock featured a more radio-friendly accessibility than prior bands . The trio has sold over thirteen million albums in the United States , and over 50 million albums worldwide . In 2011 , The New York Times asserted , `` no punk band of the 1990s has been more influential than Blink-182 , '' and even as the band receded after its 2005 split , `` its sound and style could be heard in the muscular pop punk of Fall Out Boy or in the current wave of high-gloss Warped Tour punk bands , like All Time Low and The Maine . ''


Enema of the State Enema of the State is the third studio album by American rock band Blink-182 . Produced by Jerry Finn , the album was released on June 1 , 1999 by MCA Records . After a long series of performances at various clubs and festivals and several indie recordings throughout the 1990s , Blink-182 first achieved popularity on the Warped Tour and in Australia following the release of their sophomore effort Dude Ranch ( 1997 ) and its rock radio hit `` Dammit '' . To record their third album , Blink-182 turned to veteran punk rock producer Jerry Finn , who previously worked on Green Day 's breakthrough album , Dookie ( 1994 ) . Enema was the band 's first album to feature second drummer Travis Barker , who replaced original drummer Scott Raynor .   The group recorded with Finn over a period of three months at numerous locations in their hometown of San Diego and in Los Angeles . Finn was key in producing the fast-paced , melodic mixes , creating pop punk with a more radio-friendly , accessible polish . Lyrically , the album is inspired by adolescent frustration and relationships . Guitarist Tom DeLonge and bassist Mark Hoppus primarily culled stories from friends and autobiographical situations to craft summery tracks revolving around breakups , suburban parties and maturity , as well as more offbeat subject matter such as UFO conspiracy theories . The cover artwork for Enema of the State features porn star Janine Lindemulder famously clad in a nurse uniform , and the title is a pun on the term enemy of the state .   Enema of the State was an enormous commercial success . The album sold over 15 million copies worldwide , catapulting the band to become one of the biggest rock bands of the turn of the century . `` What 's My Age Again ? '' , `` All the Small Things '' and `` Adam 's Song '' became hit singles and MTV staples , generating heavy radio airplay . Enema of the State had an extensive impact on contemporary pop punk , reinventing it for a new generation and spawning countless tributes and acolytes .


Cheshire Cat (Blink-182 album) Cheshire Cat is the debut studio album by American rock band Blink-182 . Recorded at Westbeach Recorders in Los Angeles and produced by Otis Barthoulameu and the band themselves , the album was released on February 17 , 1995 through local independent record label Cargo Music . The trio , composed of guitarist Tom DeLonge , bassist Mark Hoppus , and drummer Scott Raynor , formed in 1992 and recorded three demos that impressed the San Diego-based Cargo . In addition , their reputation as an irreverent local live act at venues such as SOMA alerted the label , which was trying to expand into different genres .   Cargo were still not in a position to offer more than a few days ' worth of finances to record the album , and so the band recorded under financial constraints at Westbeach . Ten Foot Pole member Steve Kravac engineered the recording and advised the trio to record additional overdubs . As such , the band spent an additional week re-recording several tracks at Santee , California 's Doubletime Studios . The record was originally released with the band 's name as Blink , until an Irish band of the same name threatened legal action , after which the band appended '' -182 '' to the end of their name .   Released during the breakthrough year for punk rock in California , the album brought the band great success in and outside of the San Diego skate punk scene . `` M+M 's '' and `` Wasting Time '' were released as singles to promote the album , and received popularity locally through radio play . The band toured in support of the album vigorously , most notably on the GoodTimes Tour of 1995 , which brought them outside of California for the first time . Cheshire Cat is cited by bands and fans as an iconic release and has sold in excess of 250,000 copies as of 2001 .


Blink-182 (album) Blink-182 is the fifth studio album by American rock band Blink-182 . It was produced by Jerry Finn and was released on November 18 , 2003 , through Geffen Records . Following the band 's ascent to stardom and success of their prior two releases , the trio were compelled to take a break and subsequently participated in various side projects ( Box Car Racer and Transplants ) . When they regrouped , the band felt inspired to approach song structure and arrangements differently on their next effort together . The record was left untitled as to refrain from labeling its content , and its packaging features a `` smiley face '' logo inspired by pop art .   Recorded throughout 2003 , Blink-182 marks a departure from the band 's earlier work , infusing experimental elements into their usual pop punk sound . These elements were inspired by lifestyle changes ( the band members all became fathers before the album was released ) and side projects . Its songs are characterized by downcast and expansive sonic atmospheres , showcasing what critics dubbed a more elaborate , mature side of the band . Songwriting is more personal in nature and explores darker territory , touching upon the realities of adulthood and unexpected hardships . The record features a collaboration with The Cure frontman Robert Smith .   Fans were generally split regarding the band 's `` new '' direction , but the record proved successful , selling 2.2 million copies in the United States . The album received positive reviews , with critics welcoming the change in tone . Lead singles `` Feeling This '' and `` I Miss You '' received the most radio airplay of the four singles released and peaked high on Billboard charts . The worldwide touring schedule , which saw the band travel to Japan and Australia , also found the three performing for troops stationed in the Middle East . Blink-182 was the band 's last recording with longtime producer Jerry Finn and their final original material before a four-year-long hiatus .


Take Off Your Pants and Jacket Take Off Your Pants and Jacket is the fourth studio album by American rock band Blink-182 . Produced by Jerry Finn , the album was released on June 12 , 2001 , through MCA Records . The band had spent much of the previous year traveling and supporting their third album Enema of the State ( 1999 ) , which launched the band 's mainstream career . The title is a tongue-in-cheek pun on male masturbation ( `` take off your pants and jack it '' ) . The cover art has icons for each member of the trio : an airplane ( `` take off '' ) , a pair of pants , and a jacket . The album 's first , limited pressing came in three separate discs reflecting each icon and containing separate bonus tracks and joke songs .   The album was recorded over three months at Signature Sound in San Diego . During the sessions , MCA executives pressured the band to retain the sound that helped their previous album sell millions . As such , Take Off Your Pants and Jacket continues the pop punk sound that the group honed and made famous , albeit with a heavier tone inspired by groups such as Fugazi and Refused . Regarding lyrics , the album has been referred to as a concept album chronicling adolescence , with songs dedicated to first dates , fighting authority and teenage parties . Due to differing opinions on direction , the trio worked in opposition to one another for the first time , and the sessions sometimes became contentious .   The album had near-immediate success , becoming the first punk rock-identified record to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 and being certified double platinum in May 2002 . The album produced three hit singles -- `` The Rock Show '' , `` First Date '' and `` Stay Together for the Kids '' -- that were top ten hits on modern rock charts . Critical impressions of the record were generally positive , commending the record 's expansion on teenage themes ; others viewed this as its weakness . To support the record , the band co-headlined the Pop Disaster Tour with Green Day . A European tour was canceled in the wake of the September 11 attacks . Take Off Your Pants and Jacket has sold over 14 million copies worldwide .


Dude Ranch (album) Dude Ranch is the second studio album by the American rock band Blink-182 . Recorded at Big Fish Studios in Encinitas , California with producer Mark Trombino , the album was released in the United States on June 17 , 1997 , jointly through independent label Cargo Music and major label MCA Records . MCA signed the band in 1996 following moderate sales of their debut Cheshire Cat ( 1995 ) and growing popularity of the trio in Australia . Dude Ranch was the band 's final recording released on Cargo and their last with original drummer Scott Raynor before he was dismissed from the band in 1998 and the last to feature their full original lineup .   The band recorded the album during the winter of 1996 -- 1997 . With lyrical material written on the band 's nonstop tours over the previous years , as well as completed songs , the band recorded with Trombino in sessions that lasted for five weeks . During the production for Dude Ranch , the members of Blink-182 were plagued with difficulties only made worse by the rushed schedule : bassist Mark Hoppus and guitarist Tom DeLonge , co-vocalists for the band , were having vocal problems and Raynor had to record his drum tracks with both heels broken , on crutches .   The record was released in the summer of 1997 and was a success . The second single , `` Dammit '' , became a rock radio hit single and helped the band gain mainstream credibility as they toured worldwide on the Vans Warped Tour . The band toured exhaustively behind the album , creating tensions which led to the firing of Raynor in mid-1998 . Three more singles were released , with `` Josie '' gathering MTV play and charting highly in Australia . Dude Ranch eventually grew in sales and was certified platinum in the US by the end of the decade .


California (Blink-182 album) California is the seventh studio album by the American rock band Blink-182 , released on July 1 , 2016 through BMG . Produced by John Feldmann , it is the first album by the band to feature vocalist/guitarist Matt Skiba , who replaced former member Tom DeLonge . After touring and releasing the band 's sixth album Neighborhoods ( 2011 ) , it became difficult for the trio to record new material , due to DeLonge 's various projects . After disagreements , the remaining members of the group -- vocalist/bassist Mark Hoppus and drummer Travis Barker -- sought separation from DeLonge and recruited Skiba , best known as the guitarist of punk rock band Alkaline Trio , in his place .   California was recorded at Foxy Studios between January and March 2016 with Feldmann . He was the group 's first new producer since longtime collaborator Jerry Finn . Prior to his involvement , the trio began writing together in September 2015 and completed dozens of songs . They decided to shelve them upon working with Feldmann to start fresh , and they proceeded to record another 28 songs ; in all , the group recorded upwards of 50 . The band , as well as Feldmann , would regularly spend 18 hours in the studio a day , aiming to start and complete multiple songs in that timeframe . The album 's title comes from the band 's home state of California , and its artwork was illustrated by the street artist D * Face .   The album debuted at number one in the US and several other countries , and was the group 's first domestic chart-topper in 15 years , and their first ever in the UK . In addition , its lead single , `` Bored to Death '' , became the group 's first number one single on any chart in a decade . The album received mostly positive reviews from music critics , who complimented its throwback sound . The band have supported the album with a large headlining tour in North America and Europe alongside A Day to Remember , the All-American Rejects , and All Time Low . The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards ; it is the band 's first-ever nomination . A deluxe edition of the album , which contains ten newer songs , was released on May 19 , 2017 .


Michael Keaton Michael John Douglas ( born September 5 , 1951 ) , known professionally as Michael Keaton , is an American actor , producer and director . He first rose to fame for his comedic film roles in Night Shift ( 1982 ) , Mr. Mom ( 1983 ) , Johnny Dangerously ( 1984 ) and Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , and he earned further acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of the title character in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) and Batman Returns ( 1992 ) .   Since then , he has appeared in a variety of films ranging from dramas and romantic comedies to thriller and action films ; such as Clean and Sober ( 1988 ) , The Dream Team ( 1989 ) , Pacific Heights ( 1990 ) , Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) , My Life ( 1993 ) , The Paper ( 1994 ) , Multiplicity ( 1996 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Herbie : Fully Loaded ( 2005 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) , Need for Speed ( 2014 ) , RoboCop ( 2014 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) and The Founder ( 2016 ) , and he has also provided voices for characters in animated films such as Cars ( 2006 ) , Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) and Minions ( 2015 ) . In 2017 , Keaton will play the role of Marvel Comics supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man : Homecoming .   Keaton 's lead performance in Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , the Critics ' Choice Award for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy , and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award , British Academy Film Award , and Academy Award for Best Actor . He previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for The Company ( 2007 ) . Keaton was awarded a Career Achievement Award from both the Hollywood Film Festival and Zurich Film Festivals .   On January 18 , 2016 , he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France . He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University . </span>


Chris Terrio Chris Terrio ( born December 31 , 1976 ) is an American screenwriter and film director . He is best known for writing the screenplay for the 2012 film Argo , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay . Terrio also won the Writers Guild Award for Best Adapted Screenplay of 2012 and was nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay , a BAFTA and the 2013 Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Adapted Screenplay .   Terrio wrote the screenplay for Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , the follow-up to Zack Snyder 's Man of Steel , based on an earlier draft by David S. Goyer . He has also recently completed a screenplay entitled A Foreigner , based on an article by the journalist David Grann , and Justice League for Warner Bros .


Hong Kong has the highest Financial Development Index score.

Hong Kong Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People 's Republic of China , is an autonomous territory on the Pearl River Delta of China . Macau lies across the delta to the west , and the province of Guangdong borders the territory to the north . With a total land area of 1,106 km2 and a population of over 7.3 million of various nationalities , it ranks as the world 's fourth most densely populated sovereign state or territory .   After the First Opium War ( 1839 -- 42 ) , Hong Kong became a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island , followed by the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898 . Hong Kong was later occupied by Japan during World War II until British control resumed in 1945 . In the early 1980s , negotiations between the United Kingdom and China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration , which paved way for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997 , when it became a special administrative region ( SAR ) of the Peoples Republic of China with a high degree of autonomy .   Under the principle of `` one country , two systems '' , Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system from China . Except in military defence and foreign affairs , Hong Kong maintains its independent executive , legislative and judiciary powers . In addition , Hong Kong develops relations directly with foreign states and international organisations in a broad range of `` appropriate fields '' .   Hong Kong is one of the world 's most significant financial centres , with the highest Financial Development Index score and consistently ranks as the world 's most competitive and freest economic entity . As the world 's 8th largest trading entity , its legal tender , the Hong Kong dollar , is the world 's 13th most traded currency . It 's also a member of the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) . Hong Kong 's tertiary sector dominated economy is characterised by simple taxation with a competitive level of corporate tax and supported by its independent judiciary system . However , while Hong Kong has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world , it suffers from severe income inequality .   Hong Kong is renowned for its deep natural harbour , which enables ready access by international cargo ships , and its impressive skyline , with a very high density of skyscrapers ; the territory boasts the second largest number of high rises of any city in the world . It has a very high Human Development Index ranking and the world 's longest life expectancy . Over 90 % of the population makes use of well-developed public transportation . Seasonal air pollution with origins from neighbouring industrial areas of Mainland China , which adopts loose emissions standards , has resulted in a high level of atmospheric particulates .


Charlize Theron played a role in a 2008 drama movie.

Charlize Theron Charlize Theron ( -LSB- ʃɑːrˈliːz_ˈθɛrən -RSB- or -LSB- ʃɑrˈliːs_ˈθɛərən -RSB- ; -LSB- ʃarˈlis trɔn -RSB- ; born 7 August 1975 ) is a South African-American actress and film producer . She has starred in several Hollywood films , such as The Devil 's Advocate ( 1997 ) , Mighty Joe Young ( 1998 ) , The Cider House Rules ( 1999 ) , Monster ( 2003 ) , The Italian Job ( 2003 ) , Hancock ( 2008 ) , A Million Ways to Die in the West ( 2014 ) , Mad Max : Fury Road ( 2015 ) and The Fate of the Furious ( 2017 ) .   Theron received critical acclaim for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster ( 2003 ) , for which she won the Academy Award , Silver Bear , Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress among several other accolades , becoming the first South African to win an Academy Award in a major acting category . She received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for her performance in the sexual harassment-themed drama North Country in 2005 and a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance in Jason Reitman 's 2011 film Young Adult .   Theron became a U.S. citizen in 2007 , while retaining her South African citizenship . In the late 2000s , she moved into the field of producing , both in television and film . In 2006 , she produced the documentary East of Havana . She had producing credits on the films The Burning Plain ( 2008 ) and Dark Places ( 2015 ) , both of which she starred in . In 2012 , she played Queen Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman and Meredith Vickers in Prometheus , both of which were box office successes . She reprised her role of Queen Ravenna in the 2016 follow-up film The Huntsman : Winter 's War . In 2016 , Time Magazine named her in the annual Time 100 most influential people list .


Hancock (film) Hancock is a 2008 American superhero comedy-drama film directed by Peter Berg and starring Will Smith , Charlize Theron , Jason Bateman and Eddie Marsan . It tells the story of a vigilante superhero , John Hancock ( Smith ) from Los Angeles whose reckless actions routinely cost the city millions of dollars . Eventually one person he saves , Ray Embrey ( Bateman ) , makes it his mission to change Hancock 's public image for the better .   The story was originally written by Vincent Ngo in 1996 . It languished in `` development hell '' for years and had various directors attached , including Tony Scott , Michael Mann , Jonathan Mostow , and Gabriele Muccino before going into production in 2007 . Hancock was filmed in Los Angeles with a production budget of $ 150 million .   In the United States , the film was rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America after changes were made at their request in order to avoid an R rating , which it had received twice before . The film was presented and widely released on July 2 , 2008 in the United States and the United Kingdom by Columbia Pictures . Hancock received mixed reviews from film critics and grossed $ 624 million worldwide .


LGBT is an anagram containing the word gay.

LGBT LGBT , or GLBT , is an initialism that stands for lesbian , gay , bisexual , and transgender . In use since the 1990s , the term is an adaptation of the initialism LGB , which was used to replace the term gay in reference to the LGBT community beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s . Activists believed that the term gay community did not accurately represent all those to whom it referred .   The initialism has become mainstream as a self-designation ; it has been adopted by the majority of sexuality and gender identity-based community centers and media in the United States , as well as some other English-speaking countries . The term is used also in some other countries , particularly those which languages use the initialism , such as Argentina , France , and Turkey .   The initialism , LGBT , is intended to emphasize a diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based cultures . It may be used to refer to anyone who is non-heterosexual or non-cisgender , instead of exclusively to people who are lesbian , gay , bisexual , or transgender . To recognize this inclusion , a popular variant adds the letter Q for those who identify as queer or are questioning their sexual identity ; LGBTQ has been recorded since 1996 . Those who add intersex people to LGBT groups or organizing use an extended initialism LGBTI . Some people combine the two acronyms and use the term LGBTIQ . Others use LGBT + to encompass a spectrum of gender and sexuality .


Tom Hardy has appeared in at least three films directed by Christopher Nolan.

Tom Hardy Edward Thomas Hardy  ( born 15 September 1977 ) is an English actor and producer . His motion picture debut was in Ridley Scott 's 2001 action film Black Hawk Down . Hardy 's other notable films include the science fiction film Star Trek : Nemesis ( 2002 ) , the crime film RocknRolla ( 2008 ) , biographical psychological drama Bronson ( 2008 ) , sports drama Warrior ( 2011 ) , Cold War espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ( 2011 ) , crime drama Lawless ( 2012 ) , drama Locke ( 2013 ) , mobster film The Drop ( 2014 ) , and the biographical western thriller The Revenant ( 2015 ) , for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor . He portrayed `` Mad '' Max Rockatansky in the post-apocalyptic film Mad Max : Fury Road ( 2015 ) , and both of the Kray twins in the crime thriller Legend ( 2015 ) . He has appeared in three Christopher Nolan films : the science fiction thriller Inception ( 2010 ) , portrayed Bane in the superhero film The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) , and the action-thriller Dunkirk ( 2017 ) based on the British evacuation in World War II .   Hardy 's television roles include the HBO war drama miniseries Band of Brothers ( 2001 ) , the BBC historical drama miniseries The Virgin Queen ( 2005 ) , ITV 's Wuthering Heights ( 2008 ) , the Sky 1 drama series The Take ( 2009 ) , and the BBC historical crime drama television series Peaky Blinders ( 2013 ) . He created , co-produced and took the lead in the eight-part historical fiction series Taboo ( 2017 ) on BBC One and FX .   Hardy has performed on both British and American stages . He was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his role as Skank in the 2003 production of In Arabia We 'd All Be Kings , and was awarded the 2003 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performances in both In Arabia We 'd All be Kings and for his role as Luca in Blood . He starred in the 2007 production of The Man of Mode and received positive reviews for his role in the 2010 Philip Seymour Hoffman-directed play The Long Red Road .


Drama school offers Doctor of Philosophy.

Drama school A drama school , stage school or theatre school is an undergraduate and/or graduate school or department at a college or university ; or a free-standing institution ( such as the Drama section at the Juilliard School ) ; which specializes in the pre-professional training in drama and theatre arts , such as acting , design and technical theatre , arts administration , and related subjects . If the drama school is part of a degree-granting institution , undergraduates typically take a Bachelor of Arts , Bachelor of Fine Arts , or , occasionally , Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Design . Graduate students may take a Master of Arts , Master of Science , Master of Fine Arts , Doctor of Arts , Doctor of Fine Arts , or Doctor of Philosophy degree .


Keanu Reeves did not play bass guitar for the band Dogstar.

Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( -LSB- kiːˈɑːnuː -RSB- ; born September 2 , 1964 ) is a Canadian actor , director , producer , and musician .   Reeves is best known for his acting career , beginning in 1985 and spanning more than three decades . He gained fame for his starring role performances in several blockbuster films including comedies from the Bill and Ted franchise ( 1989 -- 1991 ) ; action thrillers Point Break ( 1991 ) , Speed ( 1994 ) , and the John Wick franchise ; psychological thriller The Devil 's Advocate ( 1997 ) ; supernatural thriller Constantine ( 2005 ) ; and science fiction/action series The Matrix ( 1999 -- 2003 ) . He has also appeared in dramatic films such as Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) , My Own Private Idaho ( 1991 ) , and Little Buddha ( 1993 ) , as well as the romantic horror Bram Stoker 's Dracula ( 1992 ) .   Since becoming active in the film industry , Reeves has earned critical acclaim . One New York Times critic praised Reeves ' versatility , saying that he `` displays considerable discipline and range ... he moves easily between the buttoned-down demeanor that suits a police procedural story and the loose-jointed manner of his comic roles '' . However , Reeves has spent much of his later career being typecast . A recurring character arc in many roles he has portrayed is one of saving the world , as can be seen in the characters of Ted Logan , Buddha , Neo , Johnny Mnemonic , John Constantine , and Klaatu . His acting has garnered several awards , including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .   During his film career , Reeves has engaged in several forms of artistic expression . Active as a musician for over a decade , he played bass guitar for the bands Dogstar and Becky . Acting onstage , he performed as Prince Hamlet for the Manitoba Theatre Centre 's production of Hamlet . He wrote the text for a picture book , Ode to Happiness , illustrated by Alexandra Grant . He has also produced a documentary , Side by Side , and directed the martial arts film Man of Tai Chi .


Patrick Bateman is the narrator of the movie American Psycho.

Patrick Bateman Patrick Bateman is a fictional character , the villain protagonist and narrator of the novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis , and its film adaptation . He is a wealthy , materialistic Wall Street investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer . Bateman has also briefly appeared in other Ellis novels .


Graceland Graceland is a mansion on a 13.8 acre estate in Memphis , Tennessee that was owned by Elvis Presley . It is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the vast Whitehaven community , about 9 miles ( 14.5 km ) from Downtown and less than four miles ( 6 km ) north of the Mississippi border . It currently serves as a museum . It was opened to the public on June 7 , 1982 . The site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 7 , 1991 , and declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27 , 2006 . Graceland is the second most-visited house in America with over 650,000 visitors a year ; second only to the White House .


Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley ( January 8 , 1935 -- August 16 , 1977 ) was an American singer-songwriter and actor . Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century , he is often referred to as the `` King of Rock and Roll '' , or simply `` the King '' .   Presley was born in Tupelo , Mississippi , and relocated to Memphis , Tennessee , with his family when he was 13 years old . His music career began there in 1954 , when he recorded a song with producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records . Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black , Presley was an early popularizer of rockabilly , an uptempo , backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues . RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker , who managed the singer for more than two decades . Presley 's first RCA single , `` Heartbreak Hotel '' , was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States . He was regarded as the leading figure of rock and roll after a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records . His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style , combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines that coincided with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement , made him enormously popular -- and controversial .   In November 1956 , Presley made his film debut in Love Me Tender . In 1958 , he was drafted into military service . He resumed his recording career two years later , producing some of his most commercially successful work before devoting much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and their accompanying soundtrack albums , most of which were critically derided . In 1968 , following a seven-year break from live performances , he returned to the stage in the acclaimed televised comeback special Elvis , which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours . In 1973 , Presley featured in the first globally broadcast concert via satellite , Aloha from Hawaii . On August 16 , 1977 , he sustained a heart attack in the bathroom of his Graceland estate , and died as a result . His death came in the wake of many years of prescription drug abuse which lead to his poor health and death .   Presley is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century . Commercially successful in many genres , including pop , blues and gospel , he is one of the best-selling solo artists in the history of recorded music , with estimated record sales of around 600 million units worldwide . He won three Grammys , also receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36 , and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame .


Ultimate Spider-Man is based on the eponymous superhero.

Spider-Man Spider-Man is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character was created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Steve Ditko , and first appeared in the anthology comic book Amazing Fantasy # 15 ( Aug. 1962 ) in the Silver Age of Comic Books . Lee and Ditko conceived the character as an orphan being raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben , and as a teenager , having to deal with the normal struggles of adolescence in addition to those of a costumed crime-fighter . Spider-Man 's creators gave him super strength and agility , the ability to cling to most surfaces , shoot spider-webs using wrist-mounted devices of his own invention , which he calls `` web-shooters '' , and react to danger quickly with his `` spider-sense '' , enabling him to combat his foes .   When Spider-Man first appeared in the early 1960s , teenagers in superhero comic books were usually relegated to the role of sidekick to the protagonist . The Spider-Man series broke ground by featuring Peter Parker , the high school student behind Spider-Man 's secret identity and with whose `` self-obsessions with rejection , inadequacy , and loneliness '' young readers could relate . While Spider-Man had all the makings of a sidekick , unlike previous teen heroes such as Bucky and Robin , Spider-Man had no superhero mentor like Captain America and Batman ; he thus had to learn for himself that `` with great power there must also come great responsibility '' -- a line included in a text box in the final panel of the first Spider-Man story but later retroactively attributed to his guardian , the late Uncle Ben .   Marvel has featured Spider-Man in several comic book series , the first and longest-lasting of which is titled The Amazing Spider-Man . Over the years , the Peter Parker character has developed from shy , nerdy New York City high school student to troubled but outgoing college student , to married high school teacher to , in the late 2000s , a single freelance photographer . In the 2010s , he joins the Avengers , Marvel 's flagship superhero team . Spider-Man 's nemesis Doctor Octopus also took on the identity for a story arc spanning 2012 -- 2014 , following a body swap plot in which Peter appears to die . Separately , Marvel has also published books featuring alternate versions of Spider-Man , including Spider-Man 2099 , which features the adventures of Miguel O'Hara , the Spider-Man of the future ; Ultimate Spider-Man , which features the adventures of a teenaged Peter Parker in an alternate universe ; and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man , which depicts the teenager Miles Morales , who takes up the mantle of Spider-Man after Ultimate Peter Parker 's supposed death .   Spider-Man is one of the most popular and commercially successful superheroes . As Marvel 's flagship character and company mascot , he has appeared in countless forms of media , including several animated and live action television series , syndicated newspaper comic strips , and in a series of films . The character was first portrayed in live action by Danny Seagren in Spidey Super Stories , a The Electric Company skit which ran from 1974 to 1977 . In films , Spider-Man has been portrayed by actors Tobey Maguire ( 2002 -- 2007 ) and Andrew Garfield ( 2012 -- 2014 ) , while Tom Holland portrays the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , first appearing in Captain America : Civil War in 2016 . Reeve Carney starred as Spider-Man in the 2010 Broadway musical Spider-Man : Turn Off the Dark . Spider-Man has been well received as a superhero and comic book character , and he is often ranked as one of the most popular comic book characters of all time , alongside DC Comics ' most famous superheroes , Batman and Superman .


Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series) Ultimate Spider-Man is an American animated television series based on the Spider-Man comics published by Marvel Comics . The series featured writers such as Brian Michael Bendis ( who also writes the comic book series of the same name ) , Paul Dini , and Man of Action ( a group consisting of Steven T. Seagle , Joe Kelly , Joe Casey and Duncan Rouleau ) . The third season was retitled Marvel 's Ultimate Spider-Man : Web Warriors and the fourth and final season was retitled Marvel 's Ultimate Spider-Man vs. the Sinister 6 .   It was first announced to air on Disney XD in early 2012 , and debuted alongside the second season of The Avengers : Earth 's Mightiest Heroes as part of the Marvel Universe programming block on April 1 , 2012 .   At New York Comic Con 2016 , it was confirmed that Season 4 will be the series ' final season , making way for a new series titled Marvel 's Spider-Man '' . The series ended on January 7 , 2017 , with the two-part `` Graduation Day '' episode .


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 .


Sarah Michelle Gellar was not in Cruel Intentions.

Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Michelle Prinze ( née Gellar ; born April 14 , 1977 ) is an American actress , producer , and entrepreneur . After being spotted by an agent at the age of four in New York City , she made her acting debut in the made-for-TV movie An Invasion of Privacy ( 1983 ) . Gellar went on to appear in numerous television series and commercials . Her first leading part was in the 1992 miniseries Swans Crossing , for which she was nominated for two Young Artist Awards , and her television breakthrough came in 1993 , when she originated the role of Kendall Hart on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children , winning the 1995 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series .   Gellar received widespread recognition for her portrayal of Buffy Summers on the WB series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( 1997 -- 2003 ) , which earned her five Teen Choice Awards , a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination . The character was widely popular during the airing of the show and became recognized as one of the 100 greatest female characters in U.S. television . Gellar also gained significant attention for her appearances in the slasher movies I Know What You Did Last Summer ( 1997 ) and Scream 2 ( 1997 ) , and for her portrayal of Kathryn Merteuil in Cruel Intentions ( 1999 ) . She appeared as Daphne Blake in Scooby-Doo ( 2002 ) , her biggest live action commercial success .   In 2004 , Gellar reprised her role as Daphne in the sequel Scooby-Doo 2 : Monsters Unleashed and portrayed Karen Davis in the horror remake The Grudge , both of which grossed more than US$ 180 million worldwide . She subsequently appeared in smaller scale movies such as The Return ( 2006 ) and Southland Tales ( 2007 ) , and provided her voice for TMNT ( 2007 ) . Her later film credits include The Air I Breathe ( 2008 ) , Possession ( 2009 ) and Veronika Decides to Die ( 2009 ) . She headlined the short lived television series Ringer ( 2011 -- 2012 ) and The Crazy Ones ( 2013 -- 2014 ) , which co-starred Robin Williams .   In October 2015 , Gellar co-founded Foodstirs , a food crafting brand and e-commerce startup selling baking kits for children .


David Bowie David Robert Jones ( 8 January 1947 -- 10 January 2016 ) , known professionally as David Bowie ( -LSB- ˈboʊi -RSB- ) , was an English singer , songwriter and actor . He was a figure in popular music for over five decades , becoming acclaimed by critics and other musicians for his innovative work . His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation , his music and stagecraft significantly influencing popular music . During his lifetime , his record sales , estimated at 140 million worldwide , made him one of the world 's best-selling music artists . In the UK , he was awarded nine platinum album certifications , eleven gold and eight silver , releasing eleven number-one albums . In the US , he received five platinum and seven gold certifications . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 .   Born in Brixton , South London , Bowie developed an interest in music as a child , eventually studying art , music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963 . `` Space Oddity '' became his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart after its release in July 1969 . After a period of experimentation , he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust . The character was spearheaded by the success of his single `` Starman '' and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars , which won him widespread popularity . In 1975 , Bowie 's style shifted radically towards a sound he characterised as `` plastic soul '' , initially alienating many of his UK devotees but garnering him his first major US crossover success with the number-one single `` Fame '' and the album Young Americans . In 1976 , Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth and released Station to Station . The following year , he further confounded musical expectations with the electronic-inflected album Low ( 1977 ) , the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that would come to be known as the `` Berlin Trilogy '' . `` Heroes '' ( 1977 ) and Lodger ( 1979 ) followed ; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise .   After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s , Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single `` Ashes to Ashes '' , its parent album Scary Monsters and Super Creeps , and `` Under Pressure '' , a 1981 collaboration with Queen . He then reached his commercial peak in 1983 with Let 's Dance , with its title track topping both UK and US charts . Throughout the 1990s and 2000s , Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles , including industrial and jungle . He also continued acting ; his roles included Major Celliers in Merry Christmas , Mr. Lawrence ( 1983 ) , the Goblin King Jareth in Labyrinth ( 1986 ) , Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ ( 1988 ) , and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige ( 2006 ) , among other film and television appearances and cameos . He stopped concert touring after 2004 , and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006 . In 2013 , Bowie returned from a decade-long recording hiatus with the release of The Next Day . He remained musically active until he died of liver cancer two days after the release of his final album , Blackstar ( 2016 ) .


The Challenge (TV series) The Challenge ( originally known as Road Rules : All Stars , followed by Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) is a reality game show on MTV that is spun off from the network 's two reality shows , Real World and Road Rules . It features alumni from these two shows , in addition to first-time cast members called ` Fresh Meat ' , alumni from Are You the One ? , and relatives of these cast members called ` Bloodlines ' , competing against one another for a cash prize . The Challenge is currently hosted by T. J. Lavin .  The series premiered on June 1 , 1998 . The title of the show was originally Road Rules : All Stars before it was renamed Real World/Road Rules Challenge by the show 's 2nd season , then later abridged to simply The Challenge by the show 's 19th season . The series initially used no hosts but instead a former cast member who had been kicked off his or her season , providing assignments as `` Mr. '' or `` Ms. Big '' ( David `` Puck '' Rainey , David Edwards , and Gladys Sanabria served this role ) . Later on , however , the series began using hosts : Eric Nies and Mark Long co-hosted a season , and Jonny Moseley and Dave Mirra hosted various seasons before T. J. Lavin became the show 's regular host by the 11th season .   Since the 4th season , each season has supplied the show with a unique subtitle , such as Rivals . Each season consists of a format and theme whereby the subtitle is derived . Of each season 's format and theme , 8 have been repeated or revamped through sequel seasons with shared subtitles . In chronological order , these include : Battle of the Sexes ( tied to Battle of the Sexes II , the show 's first sequel season ) ; The Inferno ( tied to The Inferno II and The Inferno III , the show 's first trilogy ) ; The Gauntlet ( tied to The Gauntlet II and The Gauntlet III ) ; The Duel ( tied to The Duel II ) ; Fresh Meat ( tied to Fresh Meat II ) , Battle of the Seasons ( tied to the second Battle of the Seasons ) ; Rivals ( tied to Rivals II and Rivals III ) ; and Battle of the Exes ( tied to Battle of the Exes II ) .   The current 29th season , entitled Invasion of the Champions , premiered on February 7 , 2017 and concluded on May 16 , 2017 .


Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher ( October 21 , 1956 -- December 27 , 2016 ) was an American actress , writer and humorist who first became known for playing Princess Leia in the Star Wars film series . Her other film roles included Shampoo ( 1975 ) , The Blues Brothers ( 1980 ) , Hannah and Her Sisters ( 1986 ) , The ` Burbs ( 1989 ) , and When Harry Met Sally ... ( 1989 ) .   Fisher wrote several semi-autobiographical novels , including Postcards from the Edge and the screenplay for the film of the book , as well as an autobiographical one-woman play , and its non-fiction book , Wishful Drinking , based on the play . She worked on other writers ' screenplays as a script doctor . In later years , she earned praise for speaking publicly about her experiences with bipolar disorder and drug addiction .   The daughter of the singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds , Fisher and her mother appear in Bright Lights : Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds , a 2016 documentary about their relationship . It premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival . Fisher died of cardiac arrest on December 27 , 2016 , at age 60 , four days after experiencing a medical emergency during a transatlantic flight from London to Los Angeles . Her final film , Star Wars : The Last Jedi , is scheduled to be released on December 15 , 2017 .


Alessia Cara Alessia Caracciolo ( -LSB- aˈlɛssja kaˈrattʃolo -RSB- ; born July 11 , 1996 ) , professionally known as Alessia Cara , is a Canadian singer and songwriter . She is signed to EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings and released her debut single , `` Here '' , from the debut studio album , Know-It-All , released November 13 , 2015 . A sleeper hit , the song reached the top five in the United States and the top 20 in Canada . Prior to her work for Def Jam , she produced acoustic covers on YouTube .   In 2016 , her single `` Scars to Your Beautiful '' reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the US pop radio charts . In 2017 , Cara collaborated with producer Zedd to create the single `` Stay '' , which has since reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 , making it her third top ten song .


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


Nepal has 26.4 million people that make up its population.

Nepal fi     Nepal ( -LSB- Nepālhelp = no -RSB- -RCB- -RCB- -LSB- neˈpal -RSB- ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal , is a landlocked central Himalayan country in South Asia . Nepal is divided into 7 provinces and 75 districts and 744 local units including 4 metropolises , 13 sub-metropolises , 246 municipal councils and 481 villages . It has a population of 26.4 million and is the 93rd largest country by area . Bordering China in the north and India in the south , east , and west , it is the largest sovereign Himalayan state . Nepal does not border Bangladesh , which is located within only 27 km ( 17 mi ) of its southeastern tip . Neither does it border Bhutan due to the Indian state of Sikkim being located in between . Nepal has a diverse geography , including fertile plains , subalpine forested hills , and eight of the world 's ten tallest mountains , including Mount Everest , the highest point on Earth . Kathmandu is the nation 's capital and largest city . It is a multiethnic nation with Nepali as the official language .   The territory of Nepal has a recorded history since the Neolithic age . The name `` Nepal '' is first recorded in texts from the Vedic Age , the era which founded Hinduism , the predominant religion of the country . In the middle of the first millennium BCE , Gautama Buddha , the founder of Buddhism , was born in southern Nepal . Parts of northern Nepal were intertwined with the culture of Tibet . The Kathmandu Valley in central Nepal became known as Nepal proper because of its complex urban civilisation . It was the seat of the prosperous Newar confederacy known as Nepal Mandala . The Himalayan branch of the ancient Silk Road was dominated by the valley 's traders . The cosmopolitan region developed distinct traditional art and architecture . By the 18th century , the Gorkha Kingdom achieved the unification of Nepal . The Shah dynasty established the Kingdom of Nepal and later formed an alliance with the British Empire , under its Rana dynasty of premiers . The country was never colonised but served as a buffer state between Imperial China and Colonial India . In the 20th century , Nepal ended its isolation and forged strong ties with regional powers . Parliamentary democracy was introduced in 1951 , but was twice suspended by Nepalese monarchs in 1960 and 2005 . The Nepalese Civil War resulted in the proclamation of a republic in 2008 , ending the reign of the world 's last Hindu monarchy .   Modern Nepal is a federal secular parliamentary republic . It has seven states . Nepal is a developing nation , ranking 144th on the Human Development Index ( HDI ) in 2016 . The country struggles with the transition from a monarchy to a republic . It also suffers from high levels of hunger and poverty . Despite these challenges , Nepal is making steady progress , with the government declaring its commitment to elevate the nation from least developed country status by 2022 . Nepal also has a vast potential to generate hydropower for export .   Nepal 's foreign relations expanded after the Anglo-Nepal Treaty of 1923 , which was recognised by the League of Nations . After a Soviet veto in 1949 , Nepal was admitted to the United Nations in 1955 . Friendship treaties were signed with the Dominion of India in 1950 and the People 's Republic of China in 1960 . Nepal hosts the permanent secretariat of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC ) , of which it is a founding member . Nepal is also a member of the Non Aligned Movement and the Bay of Bengal Initiative . The military of Nepal is the fifth largest in South Asia and is notable for its Gurkha history , particularly during the world wars , and has been a significant contributor to United Nations peacekeeping operations .


Kathy Bates won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle Bates ( born June 28 , 1948 ) is an American actress . Bates began her career on the stage , and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play in 1983 for her performance in ` night , Mother . She rose to prominence with her performance in Misery ( 1990 ) , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . She followed this with major roles in Fried Green Tomatoes ( 1991 ) and Dolores Claiborne ( 1995 ) , before playing a featured role as Molly Brown in Titanic ( 1997 ) , which was at the time the highest grossing film of all time .   Bates ' television work has resulted in 14 Emmy Award nominations , two of which were for her starring role on the television series Harry 's Law , and most recently a win for her highly praised appearance in the third season of FX horror-thriller series American Horror Story , where she portrayed the real life socialite Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie . She won another Emmy Award in 2012 for her portrayal as the ghost of Charlie Harper on CBS comedy series Two and a Half Men , a role formerly portrayed by Charlie Sheen .


Dodecanese The Dodecanese ( -LSB- doʊdɪkəˈniːz -RSB- Δωδεκάνησα , Dodekánisa , -LSB- ðoðeˈkanisa -RSB- , literally `` twelve islands '' ) are a group of 15 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the southeastern Aegean Sea , off the coast of Asia Minor ( Turkey ) , of which 26 are inhabited . Τhis island group generally defines the eastern limit of the Sea of Crete . They belong to the wider Southern Sporades island group .   The most historically important and well-known is Rhodes , which has been the area 's dominant island since Antiquity . Of the others , Kos and Patmos are historically the more important ; the remaining eleven are Agathonisi , Astypalaia , Kalymnos , Karpathos , Kasos , Leipsoi , Leros , Nisyros , Symi , Tilos , and Kastellorizo . Other islands in the chain include Alimia , Arkoi , Chalki , Farmakonisi , Gyali , Kinaros , Levitha , Marathos , Nimos , Pserimos , Saria , Strongyli , Syrna and Telendos .


The ability to search telephone records without court order will be granted to the FBI from the Patriot Act.

Patriot Act The USA PATRIOT Act is an Act of Congress that was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 26 , 2001 . With its ten-letter abbreviation ( USA PATRIOT ) expanded , the full title is `` Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 '' .   On May 26 , 2011 , President Barack Obama signed the PATRIOT Sunsets Extension Act of 2011 , a four-year extension of three key provisions in the Act : roving wiretaps , searches of business records , and conducting surveillance of `` lone wolves '' -- individuals suspected of terrorist-related activities not linked to terrorist groups .   Following a lack of Congressional approval , parts of the Patriot Act expired on June 1 , 2015 . With the passage of the USA Freedom Act on June 2 , 2015 , the expired parts were restored and renewed through 2019 . However , Section 215 of the law was amended to stop the National Security Agency ( NSA ) from continuing its mass phone data collection program . Instead , phone companies will retain the data and the NSA can obtain information about targeted individuals with permission from a federal court .   From broad concern felt among Americans from both the September 11 attacks and the 2001 anthrax attacks , Congress rushed to pass legislation to strengthen security controls . On October 23 , 2001 , Republican Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner introduced H.R. 3162 incorporating provisions from a previously sponsored House bill and a Senate bill also introduced earlier in the month . The next day , the Act passed the House 357 to 66 , with Democrats comprising the overwhelming portion of dissent . The three Republicans voting ` no ' were Robert Ney of Ohio , Butch Otter of Idaho and Ron Paul of Texas . On October 25 , the Act passed the Senate by 98 to 1 , the only dissident being Russ Feingold of Wisconsin .   Opponents of the law have criticized its authorization of indefinite detentions of immigrants ; the permission given law enforcement officers to search a home or business without the owner 's or the occupant 's consent or knowledge ; the expanded use of National Security Letters , which allows the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) to search telephone , e-mail , and financial records without a court order ; and the expanded access of law enforcement agencies to business records , including library and financial records . Since its passage , several legal challenges have been brought against the act , and federal courts have ruled that a number of provisions are unconstitutional .   Many provisions of the act were to sunset beginning December 31 , 2005 , approximately four years after its passage . In the months preceding the sunset date , supporters of the act pushed to make its sun-setting provisions permanent , while critics sought to revise various sections to enhance civil liberty protections . In July 2005 , the U.S. Senate passed a reauthorization bill with substantial changes to several sections of the act , while the House reauthorization bill kept most of the act 's original language . The two bills were then reconciled in a conference committee that was criticized by Senators from both the Republican and Democratic parties for ignoring civil liberty concerns .   The bill , which removed most of the changes from the Senate version , passed Congress on March 2 , 2006 , and was signed into law by President George W. Bush on March 9 and 10 , 2006 .


Troy Baker has voiced the fictional character Gul 'dan in World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor.

Troy Baker Troy Edward Baker ( born April 1 , 1976 ) is an American voice actor and musician known for portraying lead characters in several video games . He has voiced Joel in The Last of Us , Booker DeWitt in BioShock Infinite , Rhys in Tales from the Borderlands , Delsin Rowe in Infamous Second Son , The Joker in Batman : Arkham Origins and Batman : Assault on Arkham , Talion in Middle-earth : Shadow of Mordor , Kai Leng in Mass Effect 3 , Jack Mitchell in Call of Duty : Advanced Warfare , Vincent Brooks in Catherine , Yuri Lowell in Tales of Vesperia , Kanji Tatsumi in Shin Megami Tensei : Persona 4 , Snow in the Final Fantasy XIII series , Pagan Min in Far Cry 4 , Gul ` dan in World of Warcraft : Warlords of Draenor , Sam Drake in Uncharted 4 : A Thief 's End and Bruce Wayne in Batman : The Telltale Series . He also voiced in a number of English adaptations of Japanese anime shows , including Basilisk , Trinity Blood , Fullmetal Alchemist , and Naruto : Shippuden .   Before pursuing acting , Baker was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the indie-rock band Tripp Fontaine , which released the radio single `` Burning Out '' from their debut album Random Thoughts on a Paper Napkin in 2004 . His first solo album , Sitting in the Fire , was released on October 14 , 2014 .


The Council on Foreign Relations is also known as the acronym CFR.

Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations ( CFR ) , founded in 1921 , is a United States nonprofit think tank specializing in U.S. foreign policy and international affairs . It is headquartered in New York City , with an additional office in Washington , D.C. Its membership , which numbers 4,900 , has included senior politicians , more than a dozen secretaries of state , CIA directors , bankers , lawyers , professors , and senior media figures . The CFR promotes globalization , free trade , reducing financial regulations on transnational corporations , and economic consolidation into regional blocs such as NAFTA or the European Union , and develops policy recommendations that reflect these goals .   The CFR meetings convene government officials , global business leaders and prominent members of the intelligence and foreign-policy community to discuss international issues . CFR publishes the bi-monthly journal Foreign Affairs , and runs the David Rockefeller Studies Program , which influences foreign policy by making recommendations to the presidential administration and diplomatic community , testifying before Congress , interacting with the media , and publishing on foreign policy issues .


Bob Arum Robert Arum ( born December 8 , 1931 ) is an American lawyer , boxing promoter and businessman . He is the founder and CEO of Top Rank , a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas . He also worked for the US Attorney 's Office for the southern district of New York in the tax division during his legal career before moving into boxing promotion .


Peggy Sue Got Married was directed by an American film director born in the 1930s.

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola ( -LSB- pronˈkoʊpələ -RSB- born April 7 , 1939 ) , also credited as Francis Coppola , is a semi-retired American film director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered to have been a central figure of the New Hollywood wave of filmmaking .   After directing The Rain People ( 1969 ) , he co-wrote the 1970 film Patton , earning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay along with co-writer Edmund H. North . His directorial prominence was cemented with the release in 1972 of The Godfather , a film which revolutionized movie-making in the gangster genre , earning praise from both critics and the public before winning three Academy Awards -- including his second Oscar ( Best Adapted Screenplay , with Mario Puzo ) , Best Picture , and his first nomination for Best Director .   He followed with The Godfather Part II in 1974 , which became the first sequel to win the Academy Award for Best Picture . Highly regarded by critics , it brought him three more Academy Awards : Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Director and Best Picture , and made him the second director , after Billy Wilder , to be honored three times for the same film . The Conversation , which he directed , produced and wrote , was released that same year , winning the Palme d'Or at the 1974 Cannes Film Festival . He next directed 1979 's Apocalypse Now . While notorious for its lengthy and strenuous production , the film was widely acclaimed for its vivid and stark depiction of the Vietnam War , winning the Palme d'Or at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival . Coppola is one of only eight filmmakers to win two Palme d'Or awards .   While a number of Coppola 's ventures in the 1980s and 1990s were critically lauded , he has never quite achieved the same commercial success with films as in the 1970s . His most well-known films released since the start of the 1980s are the dramas The Outsiders and Rumble Fish ( both 1983 ) , the crime-drama The Cotton Club ( 1984 ) , and the horror film Bram Stoker 's Dracula ( 1992 ) .


Peggy Sue Got Married Peggy Sue Got Married is a 1986 American comedy-drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola starring Kathleen Turner as a woman on the verge of a divorce , who finds herself transported back to the days of her senior year in high school in 1960 . The film was written by husband and wife team Jerry Leichtling and Arlene Sarner .   The film was nominated for three Academy Awards : Best Actress ( Turner ) , Best Cinematography , and Best Costume Design . In addition , Turner was nominated for Best Foreign Actress at the Sant Jordi Awards .


Steve McQueen was in an American drama film.

Steve McQueen Terence Steven `` Steve '' McQueen ( March 24 , 1930 -- November 7 , 1980 ) was an American actor . Called `` The King of Cool , '' his `` anti-hero '' persona developed at the height of the counterculture of the 1960s and made him a top box-office draw of the 1960s and 1970s . McQueen received an Academy Award nomination for his role in The Sand Pebbles . His other popular films include The Cincinnati Kid , The Thomas Crown Affair , Bullitt , The Getaway , and Papillon , as well as the all-star ensemble films The Magnificent Seven , The Great Escape , and The Towering Inferno . In 1974 , he became the highest-paid movie star in the world , although he did not act in films again for four years . McQueen was combative with directors and producers , but his popularity placed him in high demand and enabled him to command large salaries .


The Cincinnati Kid The Cincinnati Kid is a 1965 American drama film . It tells the story of Eric `` The Kid '' Stoner , a young Depression-era poker player , as he seeks to establish his reputation as the best . This quest leads him to challenge Lancey `` The Man '' Howard , an older player widely considered to be the best , culminating in a climactic final poker hand between the two .   The script , adapted from Richard Jessup 's novel , was written by Ring Lardner Jr. and Terry Southern ; it was Lardner 's first major studio work since his 1947 blacklisting as one of The Hollywood Ten . The film was directed by Norman Jewison and stars Steve McQueen in the title role and Edward G. Robinson as Howard . Jewison , who replaced original director Sam Peckinpah shortly after filming began , describes The Cincinnati Kid as his `` ugly duckling '' film . He considers it the film that allowed him to transition from the lighter comedic films he had previously been making and take on more serious films and subjects .   The film garnered mixed reviews from critics on its initial release ; supporting actors Robinson and Joan Blondell earned award nominations for their performances .


Wi-Fi Wi-Fi or WiFi is a technology for wireless local area networking with devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards . Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance , which restricts the use of the term Wi-Fi Certified to products that successfully complete interoperability certification testing .   Devices that can use Wi-Fi technology include personal computers , video-game consoles , smartphones , digital cameras , tablet computers , digital audio players and modern printers . Wi-Fi compatible devices can connect to the Internet via a WLAN and a wireless access point . Such an access point ( or hotspot ) has a range of about 20 m indoors and a greater range outdoors . Hotspot coverage can be as small as a single room with walls that block radio waves , or as large as many square kilometres achieved by using multiple overlapping access points .   Wi-Fi most commonly uses the 2.4 GHz UHF and 5 GHz SHF ISM radio bands . Having no physical connections , it is more vulnerable to attack than wired connections , such as Ethernet .


True Detective's second season was filmed in the most populous state of the United States.

True Detective True Detective is an American anthology crime drama television series created and written by Nic Pizzolatto . The series , broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States , premiered on January 12 , 2014 . Each season of the series is structured as a disparate , self-contained narrative , employing new cast ensembles and following various sets of characters and settings .   The first season , starring Matthew McConaughey , Woody Harrelson , Michelle Monaghan , Michael Potts , and Tory Kittles , takes place in Louisiana and follows a pair of Louisiana State Police homicide detectives , and their pursuit of a serial killer over a 17-year period . The second season , starring Colin Farrell , Rachel McAdams , Taylor Kitsch , Kelly Reilly , and Vince Vaughn , is set in California , and focuses on three detectives from three cooperating police departments and a criminal-turned-businessman as they investigate a series of crimes they believe are linked to the murder of a corrupt politician .   The first season received generally excellent reviews from critics and earned high ratings for HBO . It was nominated for and won numerous awards and other accolades , chiefly for its acting , cinematography , writing , and direction . Reception to the second season was more divided , though the show maintained high viewership for HBO .   In July 2016 , HBO head of programming Casey Bloys confirmed plans for a potential third season , stating , `` It is not dead . I talked to Nic about it and both Nic and HBO are open to another season . I do n't think Nic has a take and he 's working on some other projects . We 're open to somebody else writing it and Nic supervising it . It 's a valuable franchise , it 's not dead , we just do n't have a take for a third season yet . '' This came shortly after McConaughey said he would hypothetically be interested in reprising his role as Rust Cohle in a third season . In March 2017 , it was revealed that Pizzolatto has written the first two episodes of a potential third season and that David Milch joined the creative team .


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