Leonardo da Vinci didn't publish his scientific findings.

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


Roger Federer was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.

Roger Federer Roger Federer ( born 8 August 1981 ) is a Swiss professional tennis player . Many players and analysts have called him the greatest male tennis player of all time . Federer turned professional in 1998 and was continuously ranked in the top 10 from October 2002 to November 2016 . He is currently ranked world No. 5 by the Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) .   Federer has won 18 Grand Slam singles titles , the most in history for a male tennis player , and held the No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings for a record 237 consecutive weeks and a record total of 302 weeks . In majors , Federer has won seven Wimbledon titles , five Australian Open titles , five US Open titles and one French Open title . He is among the eight men to capture a career Grand Slam . He has reached a record 28 men 's singles Grand Slam finals , including 10 in a row from the 2005 Wimbledon Championships to the 2007 US Open .   Federer 's ATP tournament records include winning a record six ATP World Tour Finals and playing in the finals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments . He also won the Olympic gold medal in doubles with his compatriot Stan Wawrinka at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games and the Olympic silver medal in singles at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games . Representing Switzerland , he was a part of the 2014 winning Davis Cup team . He was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for a record four consecutive years from 2005 to 2008 .


Josh Homme was a founder of Queens of the Stone Age.

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


Furious 7 Furious 7 ( alternatively known as Fast & Furious 7 and Fast 7 ) is a 2015 American action film directed by James Wan and written by Chris Morgan . It is the seventh installment in The Fast and the Furious franchise . The film stars Vin Diesel , Paul Walker , Dwayne Johnson , Michelle Rodriguez , Tyrese Gibson , Chris ` Ludacris ' Bridges , Jordana Brewster , Djimon Hounsou , Kurt Russell , and Jason Statham . Furious 7 follows Dominic Toretto ( Diesel ) , Brian O'Conner ( Walker ) , and the rest of their team , who have returned to the United States to live normal lives after securing amnesty for their past crimes in Fast & Furious 6 ( 2013 ) , until Deckard Shaw ( Statham ) , a rogue special forces assassin seeking to avenge his comatose younger brother , puts the team in danger once again .   With the previous three installments set between 2 Fast 2 Furious ( 2003 ) and The Fast and the Furious : Tokyo Drift ( 2006 ) , Furious 7 is the first installment in the franchise to take place after Tokyo Drift . The film also marks the final film appearance of Walker , who died in a single-vehicle crash on November 30 , 2013 with filming only half-completed . Following Walker 's death , filming was delayed for script rewrites , and his brothers , Caleb and Cody , were used as stand-ins to complete his remaining scenes . These script rewrites completed the story arcs for both Walker and Brewster 's characters ( Brian O'Conner and Mia Toretto , respectively ) , causing both to be retired . As a result , it is also the final installment in the franchise to star Brewster .   Plans for a seventh installment were first announced in February 2012 when Johnson stated that production on the film would begin after the completion of Fast & Furious 6 . In April 2013 , Wan , predominantly known for horror films , was announced to direct the film in place of Justin Lin , who left the franchise after directing the previous four installments . Casting began in the same month with the re-signing of Diesel and Walker , and an initial release date was set . Principal photography began in Atlanta , Georgia , in September 2013 , resumed in April 2014 and ended in July 2014 , with other filming locations including Los Angeles , Colorado , Abu Dhabi , and Tokyo .   Furious 7 premiered in Los Angeles on April 1 , 2015 , and was theatrically released in the United States on April 3 , 2015 , playing in 3D , IMAX 3D , and 4DX internationally . Upon release , the film became a critical and commercial success , with praise being aimed at the film 's action sequences and its tribute to Walker . The film grossed $ 397.6 million worldwide during its opening weekend , which is the sixth highest-grossing opening of all time . The film has grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide -- more than the franchise 's first five installments combined -- making it the highest-grossing film of the franchise after just twelve days , the third highest-grossing film of 2015 and the sixth highest-grossing film of all time . A sequel , The Fate of the Furious , was released on April 14 , 2017 .


Charles Haley has a middle name, which is Lewis.

Charles Haley Charles Lewis Haley ( born January 6 , 1964 ) is a former American football linebacker and defensive end who played in the National Football League ( NFL ) for the San Francisco 49ers ( 1986 -- 1991 , 1998 -- 1999 ) and the Dallas Cowboys ( 1992 -- 1996 ) .   A versatile defensive player , Haley began his career as a specialty outside linebacker , eventually progressing to pass-rusher and finally full-fledged defensive end . He is the first five-time Super Bowl champion , and is one of only two such players , the other being Tom Brady . Haley was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015 .


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 .


Patrick Wilson (American actor) Patrick Joseph Wilson ( born July 3 , 1973 ) is an American actor and singer . He spent his early career starring in Broadway musicals , beginning in 1995 . He is a two-time Tony Award nominee for his roles in The Full Monty ( 2000 -- 2001 ) and Oklahoma ! ( 2002 ) . In 2003 , he appeared in the HBO miniseries Angels in America for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie .   Wilson has also appeared in feature films such as The Phantom of the Opera ( 2004 ) , Little Children ( 2006 ) , Watchmen ( 2009 ) , Insidious ( 2010 ) , Insidious : Chapter 2 ( 2013 ) , and as demonologist Ed Warren in James Wan 's supernatural horror films The Conjuring ( 2013 ) and The Conjuring 2 ( 2016 ) , the latter four earning him a reputation as a `` scream king '' . On television , he starred in the CBS drama series A Gifted Man ( 2011 -- 2012 ) , and as Lou Solverson in the second season of FX 's anthology series Fargo ( 2015 ) , for which he received a second Golden Globe Award nomination . He has been cast as Orm Marius/Ocean Master in the DC Extended Universe superhero film Aquaman ( 2018 ) .


Anaheim, California had a population of 336,265.

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( pronounced -LSB- ˈænəhaɪm -RSB- ) is a city in Orange County , California , part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area . As of the 2010 United States Census , the city had a population of 336,265 , making it the most populous city in Orange County and the 10th most populous city in California . Anaheim is the second largest city in Orange County in terms of land area ( after Irvine ) and is known for its theme parks , the Anaheim Convention Center , and its two major sports teams : the Anaheim Ducks ice hockey club and the Angels baseball team .   Anaheim was founded by fifty German families in 1857 and incorporated as the second city in Los Angeles County on March 18 , 1876 ; Orange County would later be split off from Los Angeles County in 1889 . Anaheim remained largely a rural community until Disneyland opened in the city in 1955 . This led to the construction of several hotels and motels around the area , and residential districts in Anaheim soon followed . The city also developed into an industrial center , producing electronics , aircraft parts and canned fruit .   Anaheim 's city limits extend from Cypress in the west to the Riverside County line in the east and encompass a diverse collection of neighborhoods and communities . Anaheim Hills is a master-planned community located in the city 's eastern stretches that is home to many of the city 's affluent . Downtown Anaheim has three mixed-use historic districts , the largest of which is the Anaheim Colony . The Anaheim Resort , a commercial district , includes Disneyland , Disney California Adventure , and numerous hotels and retail complexes . The Platinum Triangle , a neo-urban redevelopment district surrounding Angel Stadium , is planned to be populated with mixed-use streets and high-rises . Anaheim Canyon is an industrial district north of California State Route 91 and east of California State Route 57 .


Bill Black William Patton `` Bill '' Black , Jr. ( September 17 , 1926 -- October 21 , 1965 ) was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll music . Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley 's early trio after which he formed Bill Black 's Combo .


A production company founded Eleveneleven.

Eleveneleven eleveneleven is a record label founded in 2010 by Mike Hamlin , Ellen DeGeneres and her production company , A Very Good Production , in association with longtime affiliate Warner Bros. . DeGeneres announced it on her show saying that the label would concentrate on less known artists and that she had been looking for videos of performances on YouTube . DeGeneres explained her choice of name , claiming that she often sees the number 11:11 when looking at her clocks , that she found Greyson Chance on the 11th , and that the singer 's soccer jersey has the number 11 . All of the artists on the label have , thus far , been distributed via Interscope Geffen A&M .


Birth of the Dragon's filming started in a seaport city.

Vancouver Vancouver ( -LSB- vænˈkuːvər -RSB- , -LSB- localvæŋ - -RSB- ) is a coastal seaport city in Canada , located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia . As the most populous city in the province , the 2016 census recorded 631,486 people in the city , up from 603,502 in 2011 . The Greater Vancouver area had a population of 2,463,431 in 2016 , making it the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada . Vancouver has the highest population density in Canada with over 5,400 people per square kilometre . With over 250,000 residents , Vancouver is the fourth most densely populated city in North America behind New York City , San Francisco , and Mexico City according to the 2011 census . In that census , Vancouver was one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada ; 52 % of its residents have a first language other than English . Vancouver is classed as a Beta global city .   Vancouver is consistently named as one of the top five worldwide cities for livability and quality of life ,  and the Economist Intelligence Unit acknowledged it as the first city ranked among the top-ten of the world 's most well-living cities  for five consecutive years .  Vancouver has hosted many international conferences and events , including the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games , UN Habitat I , Expo 86 , the World Police and Fire Games in 1989 and 2009 ; and the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics which were held in Vancouver and Whistler , a resort community 125 km north of the city . In 2014 , following thirty years in California , the annual TED conference made Vancouver its indefinite home . Several matches of the 2015 FIFA Women 's World Cup were played in Vancouver , including the final at BC Place .   The original settlement , named Gastown , grew up on clearcuts on the west edge of the Hastings Mill logging sawmill 's property , where a makeshift tavern had been set up on a plank between two stumps and the proprietor , Gassy Jack , persuaded the curious millworkers to build him a tavern , on 1 July 1867 . From that first enterprise , other stores and some hotels quickly appeared along the waterfront to the west . Gastown became formally laid out as a registered townsite dubbed Granville , B.I. ( `` B.I '' standing for `` Burrard Inlet '' ) . As part of the land and political deal whereby the area of the townsite was made the railhead of the Canadian Pacific Railway ( CPR ) , it was renamed `` Vancouver '' and incorporated shortly thereafter as a city , in 1886 . By 1887 , the transcontinental railway was extended to the city to take advantage of its large natural seaport , which soon became a vital link in a trade route between the Orient , Eastern Canada , and Europe .  , Port Metro Vancouver is the third largest port by tonnage in the Americas ( displacing New York ) , 27th in the world , the busiest and largest in Canada , and the most diversified port in North America .  While forestry remains its largest industry , Vancouver is well known as an urban centre surrounded by nature , making tourism its second-largest industry .  Major film production studios in Vancouver and Burnaby have turned Greater Vancouver and nearby areas into one of the largest film production centres in North America ,  earning it the film industry nickname , Hollywood North .


Birth of the Dragon Birth of the Dragon is a 2016 American biopic martial arts action film directed by George Nolfi and written by Christopher Wilkinson and Stephen J. Rivele . The film stars Philip Ng , Xia Yu , and Billy Magnussen . The true story revolves around the young martial artist Bruce Lee , who challenges kung fu master Wong Jack Man in 1965 in San Francisco . Principal photography began on November 17 , 2015 in Vancouver . It was selected to be screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival . The film is scheduled to be released on August 25 , 2017 by BH Tilt and WWE Studios .


Napoleon's campaigns are studied at military schools.

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ( -LSB- nəˈpoʊliən_ˈboʊnəpɑrt -RSB- -LSB- napɔleɔ̃ bɔnapaʁt -RSB- ; 15 August 1769 -- 5 May 1821 ) was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars . As Napoleon I , he was Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814 , and again in 1815 . Napoleon dominated European and global affairs for more than a decade while leading France against a series of coalitions in the Napoleonic Wars . He won most of these wars and the vast majority of his battles , building a large empire that ruled over continental Europe before its final collapse in 1815 . One of the greatest commanders in history , his wars and campaigns are studied at military schools worldwide . Napoleon 's political and cultural legacy has endured as one of the most celebrated and controversial leaders in human history .   He was born Napoleone di Buonaparte ( -LSB- napoleoŋe dj buɔŋaparte -RSB- ) in Corsica , Republic of Genoa , to a relatively modest family from the minor nobility . When the Revolution broke out in 1789 , Napoleon was serving as an artillery officer in the French army . Seizing the new opportunities presented by the Revolution , he rapidly rose through the ranks of the military , becoming a general at age 24 . The Directory eventually gave him command of the Army of Italy after he suppressed a revolt against the government from royalist insurgents . At age 26 , he began his first military campaign against the Austrians and their Italian allies -- winning virtually every battle , conquering the Italian Peninsula in a year , and becoming a national hero . In 1798 , he led a military expedition to Egypt that served as a springboard to political power . He engineered a coup in November 1799 and became First Consul of the Republic . His ambition and public approval inspired him to go further , and in 1804 he became the first Emperor of the French '' . Intractable differences with the British meant that the French were facing a Third Coalition by 1805 . Napoleon shattered this coalition with decisive victories in the Ulm Campaign and a historic triumph over Russia and Austria at the Battle of Austerlitz , which led to the elimination of the thousand year-old Holy Roman Empire . In 1806 , the Fourth Coalition took up arms against him because Prussia became worried about growing French influence on the continent . Napoleon quickly defeated Prussia at the battles of Jena and Auerstedt , then marched the Grand Army deep into Eastern Europe and annihilated the Russians in June 1807 at the Battle of Friedland . France then forced the defeated nations of the Fourth Coalition to sign the Treaties of Tilsit in July 1807 , bringing an uneasy peace to the continent . Tilsit signified the high watermark of the French Empire . In 1809 , the Austrians and the British challenged the French again during the War of the Fifth Coalition , but Napoleon solidified his grip over Europe after triumphing at the Battle of Wagram in July .   Hoping to extend the Continental System and choke off British trade with the European mainland , Napoleon invaded Iberia and declared his brother Joseph the King of Spain in 1808 . The Spanish and the Portuguese revolted with British support . The Peninsular War lasted six years , featured extensive guerrilla warfare , and ended in victory for the Allies . The Continental System caused recurring diplomatic conflicts between France and its client states , especially Russia . Unwilling to bear the economic consequences of reduced trade , the Russians routinely violated the Continental System and enticed Napoleon into another war . The French launched a major invasion of Russia in the summer of 1812 . The resulting campaign witnessed the collapse of the Grand Army , the destruction of Russian cities , and inspired a renewed push against Napoleon by his enemies . In 1813 , Prussia and Austria joined Russian forces in a Sixth Coalition against France . A lengthy military campaign culminated in a large Allied army defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813 . The Allies then invaded France and captured Paris in the spring of 1814 , forcing Napoleon to abdicate in April . He was exiled to the island of Elba near Rome and the Bourbons were restored to power . However , Napoleon escaped from Elba in February 1815 and took control of France once again . The Allies responded by forming a Seventh Coalition , which defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in June . The British exiled him to the remote island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic , where he died six years later at the age of 51 .   Napoleon had an extensive and powerful influence on the modern world , bringing liberal reforms to the numerous territories that he conquered and controlled , such as the Low Countries , Switzerland , and large parts of modern Italy and Germany . He implemented fundamental liberal policies in France and throughout Western Europe . His legal achievement , the Napoleonic Code , has influenced the legal systems of more than 70 nations around the world . British historian Andrew Roberts stated , `` The ideas that underpin our modern world -- meritocracy , equality before the law , property rights , religious toleration , modern secular education , sound finances , and so on -- were championed , consolidated , codified and geographically extended by Napoleon . To them he added a rational and efficient local administration , an end to rural banditry , the encouragement of science and the arts , the abolition of feudalism and the greatest codification of laws since the fall of the Roman Empire '' .


Four Empires ceased to exist because of World War One

World War I World War I ( WWI or WW1 ) , also known as the First World War , the Great War , or the War to End All Wars , was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918 . More than 70 million military personnel , including 60 million Europeans , were mobilised in one of the largest wars in history . Over nine million combatants and seven million civilians died as a result of the war ( including the victims of a number of genocides ) , a casualty rate exacerbated by the belligerents ' technological and industrial sophistication , and the tactical stalemate caused by gruelling trench warfare . It was one of the deadliest conflicts in history , and paved the way for major political changes , including revolutions in many of the nations involved and to WWII twenty-one years later .   The war drew in all the world 's economic great powers , assembled in two opposing alliances : the Allies ( based on the Triple Entente of the Russian Empire , the French Third Republic , and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ) versus the Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary . Although Italy was a member of the Triple Alliance alongside Germany and Austria-Hungary , it did not join the Central Powers , as Austria-Hungary had taken the offensive against the terms of the alliance . These alliances were reorganised and expanded as more nations entered the war : Italy , Japan and the United States joined the Allies , while the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers .   The trigger for the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria , heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary , by Yugoslav nationalist Gavrilo Princip in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 . This set off a diplomatic crisis when Austria-Hungary delivered an ultimatum to the Kingdom of Serbia , and entangled international alliances formed over the previous decades were invoked . Within weeks , the major powers were at war and the conflict soon spread around the world .   On 25 July Russia began mobilisation and on 28 July , the Austro-Hungarians declared war on Serbia . Germany presented an ultimatum to Russia to demobilise , and when this was refused , declared war on Russia on 1 August . Being outnumbered on the eastern front , Russia urged its Triple Entente ally France to open up a second front in the west . Back in 1870 , the Franco-Prussian war had ended the Second French Empire and ceded the provinces of Alsace-Lorraine to a unified Germany . Bitterness over their defeat and the determinance to retake Alsace-Lorraine made the acceptance of Russia 's plea for help an easy choice so France began full mobilisation on 1 August and on 3 August , Germany declared war on France . The border between France and Germany was heavily fortified on both sides so according to the Schlieffen Plan , Germany then invaded neutral Belgium and Luxembourg before moving towards France from the north , leading the United Kingdom to declare war on Germany on 4 August due to their violation of Belgian neutrality . After the German march on Paris was halted in the Battle of the Marne , what became known as the Western Front settled into a battle of attrition , with a trench line that changed little until 1917 . On the Eastern Front , the Russian army led a successful campaign against the Austro-Hungarians , but the Germans stopped its invasion of East Prussia in the battles of Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes . In November 1914 , the Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers , opening fronts in the Caucasus , Mesopotamia and the Sinai . In 1915 , Italy joined the Allies and Bulgaria joined the Central Powers ; Romania joined the Allies in 1916 , as did the United States in 1917 .   The Russian government collapsed in March 1917 , and a revolution in November followed by a further military defeat brought the Russians to terms with the Central Powers via the Treaty of Brest Litovsk , which granted the Germans a significant victory . After a stunning German offensive along the Western Front in the spring of 1918 , the Allies rallied and drove back the Germans in a series of successful offensives . On 4 November 1918 , the Austro-Hungarian empire agreed to an armistice , and Germany , which had its own trouble with revolutionaries , agreed to an armistice on 11 November 1918 , ending the war in victory for the Allies .   By the end of the war or soon after , the German Empire , Russian Empire , Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Empire ceased to exist . National borders were redrawn , with several independent nations restored or created , and Germany 's colonies were parceled out among the victors . During the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 , the Big Four ( Britain , France , the United States and Italy ) imposed their terms in a series of treaties . The League of Nations was formed with the aim of preventing any repetition of such a conflict . This effort failed , and economic depression , renewed nationalism , weakened successor states , and feelings of humiliation ( particularly in Germany ) eventually contributed to the start of World War II .


Michael Clarke Duncan appeared in a 1998 American science fiction film.

Michael Clarke Duncan Michael Clarke Duncan ( December 10 , 1957September 3 , 2012 ) was an American actor , best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and various similar honors . He also appeared in motion pictures such as Armageddon ( 1998 ) , The Whole Nine Yards ( 2000 ) , The Scorpion King ( 2002 ) , Daredevil ( 2003 ) and Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby ( 2006 ) . His voice can be heard in films such as Brother Bear ( 2003 ) , Kung Fu Panda ( 2008 ) and Green Lantern ( 2011 ) .


Armageddon (1998 film) Armageddon is a 1998 American science fiction disaster film directed by Michael Bay , produced by Jerry Bruckheimer , and released by Touchstone Pictures . The film follows a group of blue-collar deep-core drillers sent by NASA to stop a gigantic asteroid on a collision course with Earth . It features an ensemble cast including Bruce Willis , Ben Affleck , Billy Bob Thornton , Liv Tyler , Owen Wilson , Will Patton , Peter Stormare , William Fichtner , Michael Clarke Duncan , Keith David , and Steve Buscemi .   Armageddon opened in theaters only two and a half months after the similar asteroid impact-based film Deep Impact , which starred Robert Duvall and Morgan Freeman . Armageddon fared better at the box office , while astronomers described Deep Impact as being more scientifically accurate . Armageddon was an international box-office success despite generally negative reviews from critics , becoming the highest-grossing film of 1998 worldwide .


Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun , orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days . It has the longest rotation period ( 243 days ) of any planet in the Solar System and rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets . It has no natural satellites . It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty . It is the second-brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon , reaching an apparent magnitude of − 4.6 , bright enough to cast shadows at night and , though rare , occasionally be visible in broad daylight . Because Venus orbits within Earth 's orbit it is an inferior planet and never appears to venture far from the Sun ; its maximum angular distance from the Sun ( elongation ) is 47.8 ° .   Venus is a terrestrial planet and is sometimes called Earth 's `` sister planet '' because of their similar size , mass , proximity to the Sun , and bulk composition . It is radically different from Earth in other respects . It has the densest atmosphere of the four terrestrial planets , consisting of more than 96 % carbon dioxide . The atmospheric pressure at the planet 's surface is 92 times that of Earth , or roughly the pressure found 900 m underwater on Earth . Venus is by far the hottest planet in the Solar System , with a mean surface temperature of 735 K , even though Mercury is closer to the Sun . Venus is shrouded by an opaque layer of highly reflective clouds of sulfuric acid , preventing its surface from being seen from space in visible light . It may have had water oceans in the past , but these would have vaporized as the temperature rose due to a runaway greenhouse effect . The water has probably photodissociated , and the free hydrogen has been swept into interplanetary space by the solar wind because of the lack of a planetary magnetic field . Venus 's surface is a dry desertscape interspersed with slab-like rocks and is periodically resurfaced by volcanism .   As one of the brightest objects in the sky , Venus has been a major fixture in human culture for as long as records have existed . It has been made sacred to gods of many cultures , and has been a prime inspiration for writers and poets as the `` morning star '' and `` evening star '' . Venus was the first planet to have its motions plotted across the sky , as early as the second millennium BC .   As the closest planet to Earth , Venus has been a prime target for early interplanetary exploration . It was the first planet beyond Earth visited by a spacecraft ( Mariner 2 in 1962 ) , and the first to be successfully landed on ( by Venera 7 in 1970 ) . Venus 's thick clouds render observation of its surface impossible in visible light , and the first detailed maps did not emerge until the arrival of the Magellan orbiter in 1991 . Plans have been proposed for rovers or more complex missions , but they are hindered by Venus 's hostile surface conditions .


Block (basketball) In basketball , a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player . The defender is not allowed to make contact with the offensive player 's hand ( unless the defender is also in contact with the ball ) or a foul is called . In order to be legal , the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward or at its apex . A deflected field goal that is made does not count as a blocked shot and simply counts as a successful field goal attempt for shooter plus the points awarded to the shooting team . Every successful blocked shot is counted as a missed field goal attempt for the shooter . Also , on a shooting foul , a blocked shot can not be awarded or counted , even if the player who deflected the field goal attempt is different from the player who committed the foul . If the ball is heading downward when the defender hits it , it is ruled as goaltending and counts as a made basket . Goaltending is also called if the block is made after the ball bounces on the backboard ( NFHS excepted ; the NCAA also used this rule until the 2009 -- 10 season ) .   Nicknames for blocked shots include `` rejections , '' `` stuffs , '' `` bushed '' , `` fudged '' , or notably `` double-fudged '' ( two-handed blocks ) , `` facials , '' `` swats , '' `` denials , '' and `` packs . '' Blocked shots were first officially recorded in the NBA during the 1973 -- 74 season .   Largely due to their height and position near the basket , centers and power forwards tend to record the most blocks , but shorter players with good jumping ability can also be blockers , an example being Dwyane Wade , the shortest player , at 6 ' 4 '' , to record 100 blocked shots in a single season . A player with the ability to block shots can be a positive asset to a team 's defense , as they can make it difficult for opposing players to shoot near the basket and by keeping the basketball in play , as opposed to swatting it out of bounds , a blocked shot can lead to a fast break , a skill Bill Russell was notable for . To be a good shot-blocker , a player needs great court sense and timing , and good height or jumping ability . One tactic is that a shot-blocker can intimidate opponents to alter their shots , resulting in a miss .


British Columbia's economic mainstay is not resource extraction.

British Columbia British Columbia ( BC ) is the westernmost province of Canada , with a population of more than four million people located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains .  British Columbia is also a component of the Pacific Northwest and the Cascadia bioregion , along with the U.S. states of Idaho , Oregon , Washington , Alaska , and western Montana .   The first British settlement in the area was Fort Victoria , established in 1843 , which gave rise to the city of Victoria , at first the capital of the separate Colony of Vancouver Island . Subsequently , on the mainland , the Colony of British Columbia ( 1858 -- 66 ) was founded by Richard Clement Moody and the Royal Engineers , Columbia Detachment , in response to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . Moody was Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works for the Colony and the first Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia : he was hand-picked by the Colonial Office in London to transform British Columbia into the British Empire 's `` bulwark in the farthest west '' , and `` to found a second England on the shores of the Pacific '' . Moody selected the site for and founded the original capital of British Columbia , New Westminster , established the Cariboo Road and Stanley Park , and designed the first version of the Coat of arms of British Columbia . Port Moody is named after him .   In 1866 , Vancouver Island became part of the colony of British Columbia , and Victoria became the united colony 's capital . In 1871 , British Columbia became the sixth province of Canada . Its Latin motto is Splendor sine occasu ( `` Splendour without Diminishment '' ) .   The capital of British Columbia remains Victoria , the fifteenth-largest metropolitan region in Canada , named for the Queen who created the original European colonies . The largest city is Vancouver , the third-largest metropolitan area in Canada , the largest in Western Canada , and the third-largest in the Pacific Northwest . In October 2013 , British Columbia had an estimated population of 4,606,371 ( about 2.5 million of whom were in Greater Vancouver ) . The province is currently governed by the BC Liberal Party , led by Premier Christy Clark , who became leader as a result of a leadership convention vote on February 26 , 2011 , and who led her party to an election victory on May 14 , 2013 .   British Columbia evolved from British possessions that were established in what is now British Columbia by 1871 . First Nations , the original inhabitants of the land , have a history of at least 10,000 years in the area . Today there are few treaties and the question of Aboriginal Title , long ignored , has become a legal and political question of frequent debate as a result of recent court actions . Notably , the Tsilhqot ` in Nation has established Aboriginal title to a portion of their territory , as a result of the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision ( William -LSB- Tsilhqot ` in Nation -RSB- v. British Columbia ) .   BC 's economy is diverse , with service producing industries accounting for the largest portion of the province 's GDP . It is the endpoint of transcontinental railways , and the site of major Pacific ports that enable international trade . Though less than 5 % of its vast 944735 km2 land is arable , the province is agriculturally rich ( particularly in the Fraser and Okanagan valleys ) , because of milder weather near the coast and in certain sheltered southern valleys . Its climate encourages outdoor recreation and tourism , though its economic mainstay has long been resource extraction , principally logging , farming , and mining . Vancouver , the province 's largest city and metropolitan area , also serves as the headquarters of many western-based natural resource companies . It also benefits from a strong housing market and a per capita income well above the national average . While the coast of British Columbia and certain valleys in the south-central part of the province have mild weather , the majority of its land mass experiences a cold-winter-temperate climate similar to that of the rest of Canada . The Northern Interior region has a subarctic climate with very cold winters . The climate of Vancouver is by far the mildest winter climate of the major Canadian cities , with nighttime January temperatures averaging above the freezing point .


Michelle Rodriguez Mayte Michelle Rodriguez ( -LSB- rɑːˈdriːgɛz -RSB- born July 12 , 1978 ) is an American actress and screenwriter . Her breakout role was as a troubled boxer in the independent film Girlfight ( 2000 ) , which was met with critical acclaim and earned her several awards , including the Independent Spirit Award and Gotham Award for Best Debut Performance . The following year , she starred as Letty in the blockbuster film The Fast and the Furious ( 2001 ) , a role she has reprised in four additional films in the Fast and Furious franchise to date . During her career , Rodriguez has played in a number of successful action films , including Resident Evil , S.W.A.T. , and Avatar .   Rodriguez also branched into television , playing Ana Lucia Cortez in the second season of the television series Lost . She has also had numerous voice work appearances in video games such as Call of Duty and Halo , and lent her voice for the 3D animated film Turbo and the television series IGPX . With her films grossing over $ 5 billion ( U.S. ) collectively , a 2013 Entertainment Weekly article described Rodriguez as `` arguably the most iconic actress in the action genre , as well as one of the most visible Latinas in Hollywood '' .


Twelve Filmfare Award nominations were garnered by Tezaab.

Tezaab Tezaab ( translation : Acid ) , released on 11 November 1988 , is an Indian action romantic Hindi movie starring Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit in lead roles . The film gave actress Madhuri Dixit her first big break , making her an overnight star . It reaffirmed Anil Kapoor 's star status , after a successful Mr India ( 1987 ) .   The film was produced and directed by N. Chandra . The music is by Laxmikant-Pyarelal . Tezaab is known for the song `` Ek Do Teen , '' , `` kehdo ke tum ho meri '' . which was a chart success . It ran in theatres for more than 50 weeks becoming a golden jubilee , and it was the highest blockbuster at the box office for the year 1988 in Bollywood . With Tezaab , N Chandra scored a box office hat-trick with his previous hits Ankush ( 1986 ) and Pratighaat ( 1987 ) .   Tezaab was critically acclaimed and garnered four Filmfare Awards from twelve nominations . Anil Kapoor won his first Best Actor award and Madhuri Dixit garnered her first ever nomination for Best Actress .   The film was remade in Telugu as Two Town Rowdy with Daggubati Venkatesh . The plot is loosely based on the commercially failed Hollywood movie Streets of Fire ( 1984 ) directed by Walter Hill .


One dystopian science fiction film is Fahrenheit 451.

Fahrenheit 451 (film) Fahrenheit 451 is a 1966 British Dystopian science fiction drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Oskar Werner , Julie Christie , and Cyril Cusack . Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ray Bradbury , the film takes place in a controlled society in an oppressive future in which a fireman , whose duty it is to burn all literature , becomes a fugitive for reading . This was Truffaut 's first colour film as well as his only English-language film . At the 1966 Venice Film Festival , Fahrenheit 451 was nominated for the Golden Lion .


Remote Control Productions has made the scores for Transformers.

Remote Control Productions Remote Control Productions , Inc. is a film score company run by composer Hans Zimmer and based in Santa Monica , California . Originally known as `` Media Ventures , '' which was conceived and founded by Jay Rifkin and Hans Zimmer , the company changed its name after the partners both filed lawsuits against each other . Today , Remote Control is home to a large group of composers mentored by Zimmer , many of whom have had successful film scoring careers as part of the company or on their own .   Remote Control Productions has been responsible for the scores for a number of successful live-action films including the Pirates of the Caribbean movies , Iron Man , Gladiator , Mission : Impossible 2 , The Last Samurai , Transformers , Hancock , Kingdom of Heaven , The Da Vinci Code , Inception , Sherlock Holmes and its sequel , and The Dark Knight Trilogy , along with successful animated films such as the Shrek series , Kung Fu Panda , Madagascar , The Lion King , and more .  Many composers from Remote Control Productions have also worked on the scores of successful video games such as the Metal Gear and Skylanders series , The Sims 3 , Gears of War 2 , Call of Duty : Modern Warfare , its sequel , Call of Duty : Modern Warfare 2 , Crysis 2 , Assassin 's Creed : Revelations , and Assassin 's Creed III . Harry Gregson-Williams was the first Media Ventures composer to work in the video game industry on Metal Gear Solid 2 : Sons of Liberty in 2001 . Klaus Badelt , Stephen Barton , Steve Jablonsky , Lorne Balfe , and Hans Zimmer joined a few years later .


Underworld (2003 film) Underworld is a 2003 action horror film directed by Len Wiseman and written by Danny McBride , based on a story by McBride , Kevin Grevioux , and Wiseman . The film centers on the secret history of vampires and lycans ( an abbreviated form of lycanthrope , which means werewolf ) . It is the first installment in the Underworld franchise . The main plot revolves around Selene ( Kate Beckinsale ) , a vampire Death Dealer hunting Lycans . She finds herself attracted to a human , Michael Corvin ( Scott Speedman ) , who is being targeted by the Lycans . After Michael is bitten by a Lycan , Selene must decide whether to do her duty and kill him or go against her clan and save him . Alongside Beckinsale and Speedman , the film stars Michael Sheen , Shane Brolly , and Bill Nighy .   An international co-production between companies from the United Kingdom , Germany , Hungary , and the United States , the film was released on September 19 , 2003 . Upon its release , the film received generally negative reviews from critics , but a smaller number of reviewers praised elements such as the film 's stylish Gothic visuals , the `` icy English composure '' in Kate Beckinsale 's performance , and the extensively worked-out vampire -- werewolf mythology that serves as the film 's backstory . A surprise hit , the film grossed $ 95 million against a production budget of $ 22 million . The film was followed by Underworld : Evolution , released three years later , and by three other films .


Evolution (Sabrina Carpenter album) Evolution is the second studio album by American singer Sabrina Carpenter , released on October 14 , 2016 , by Hollywood Records . Carpenter began recording the album in 2015 after releasing her first studio album , Eyes Wide Open .


Girl Meets World Girl Meets World is an American coming of age television sitcom created by Michael Jacobs and April Kelly that premiered on Disney Channel on June 27 , 2014 , and ended on January 20 , 2017 . Jacobs also served as the executive producer of the series .   The series is a sequel to Boy Meets World , which aired on ABC from 1993 to 2000 and followed the fictitious upbringing of Cory Matthews and his relationship with Topanga Lawrence . Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel reprise their roles as Cory and Topanga , respectively , and are now living in New York City as parents of Riley Matthews , and their younger son Auggie . The series centers around the life of Riley and her friends and family , particularly their school life , in which Cory is their history teacher . Riley shares a strong relationship with her best friend Maya Hart , who assists her in learning to cope with the social and personal issues of adolescence . Several Boy Meets World castmembers made appearances in the series , reprising their roles from Boy Meets World .


Sabrina Carpenter Sabrina Ann Lynn Carpenter ( born May 11 , 1999 ) is an American singer , songwriter and actress . She had a recurring role as the young version of Chloe Goodwin in The Goodwin Games and starred as Maya Hart in the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World . She is signed to Hollywood Records . Her debut EP Ca n't Blame a Girl for Trying was released in 2014 , and she has since released two full-length albums : Eyes Wide Open ( 2015 ) and Evolution ( 2016 )


Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group , distributed by the Universal Music Group . The label focuses in pop , rock , alternative , hip hop , and country genres , as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records label . Founded in 1989 , its current roster includes artists such as Jordan Fisher , Zella Day , Demi Lovato , Queen , Zendaya , Ocean Park Standoff , Dreamers , Bea Miller , Martina Stoessel , Breaking Benjamin , Jorge Blanco , Sabrina Carpenter , R5 , The Young Wild , Olivia Holt , Sofia Carson , Forever in Your Mind , Grace Potter and the Nocturnals , Boy Epic , and Joywave . The label also releases Marvel Studios 's soundtrack and compilation albums in conjunction with Marvel Music .


Frank Morgan Frank Morgan ( born Francis Phillip Wuppermann ; June 1 , 1890 -- September 18 , 1949 ) was an American character actor . He is best known as a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract player and as the title character in The Wizard of Oz ( 1939 ) .


Saratoga (film) Saratoga is a 1937 American romantic comedy film written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway . The film stars Clark Gable and Jean Harlow in their sixth and final film collaboration , and features Lionel Barrymore , Frank Morgan , Walter Pidgeon , Hattie McDaniel , and Margaret Hamilton .   Jean Harlow died before filming was finished , and it was completed using stand-ins . Saratoga was MGM 's biggest moneymaker of 1937 .


Hattie McDaniel Hattie McDaniel ( June 10 , 1895October 26 , 1952 ) was an African American stage actress , professional singer-songwriter , and comedian . She is best known for her role as Mammy in Gone with the Wind ( 1939 ) , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress , the first Academy Award won by an African American entertainer .   In addition to acting in many films , McDaniel was a radio performer and television star ; she was the first black woman to sing on radio in the United States . She appeared in over 300 films , although she received screen credits for only 80 or so .   McDaniel has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood : one at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard for her contributions to radio and one at 1719 Vine Street for acting in motion pictures . In 1975 , she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame and in 2006 became the first black Oscar winner honored with a US postage stamp .


Clark Gable William Clark Gable ( February 1 , 1901 -- November 16 , 1960 ) was an American film actor , often referred to as `` The King of Hollywood '' or just simply as `` The King '' . Gable began his career as a stage actor and appeared as an extra in silent films between 1924 and 1926 , and progressed to supporting roles with a few films for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1931 . The next year , he landed his first leading Hollywood role and over the next three decades he became a leading man in more than 60 motion pictures .   Gable won an Academy Award for Best Actor for It Happened One Night ( 1934 ) , and was nominated for leading roles in Mutiny on the Bounty ( 1935 ) and for his arguably best-known role as Rhett Butler in the epic Civil War drama Gone with the Wind ( 1939 ) .   Gable also found success commercially and critically with films such as Red Dust ( 1932 ) , Manhattan Melodrama ( 1934 ) , San Francisco ( 1936 ) , Saratoga ( 1937 ) Boom Town ( 1940 ) , The Hucksters ( 1947 ) , Homecoming ( 1948 ) , and The Misfits ( 1961 ) , which was his final screen appearance .   Gable appeared opposite some of the most popular actresses of the time . Joan Crawford was his favorite actress to work with , and she was partnered with Gable in eight films . Myrna Loy worked with him seven times , and he was paired with Jean Harlow in six productions . He also starred with Lana Turner in four features , and with Norma Shearer and Ava Gardner in three each . Gable 's final film , The Misfits ( 1961 ) , united him with Marilyn Monroe ( also in her last screen appearance ) . Gable is considered one of the most consistent box-office performers in history , appearing on Quigley Publishing 's annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll 16 times . He was named the seventh-greatest male star of classic American cinema by the American Film Institute .


Get Out (film) Get Out is a 2017 American horror film written , co-produced and directed by Jordan Peele , in his directorial debut . The film stars Daniel Kaluuya , Allison Williams , Lil Rel Howery , Bradley Whitford , Caleb Landry Jones , Stephen Root and Catherine Keener , and follows a young interracial couple who visit the mysterious estate of the woman 's parents .   Get Out premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 24 , 2017 , and was theatrically released in the United States on February 24 by Universal Pictures . The film has grossed $ 241 million worldwide against its $ 4.5 million budget and received universal acclaim from critics and audiences alike .


Jing Tian Jing Tian ( born July 21 , 1988 ) is a Chinese actress . She graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy and Beijing Film Academy . She is known for her roles in The Warring States , Special ID , and Police Story 2013 . She is part of the cast for three Legendary Pictures films , 2016 's The Great Wall , 2017 's Kong : Skull Island , and the upcoming Pacific Rim : Uprising .


Usain Bolt Usain St Leo Bolt , OJ , CD ( -LSB- ˈjuːseɪn -RSB- born 21 August 1986 ) is a Jamaican sprinter . He is the first person to hold both the 100 metres and 200 metres world records since fully automatic time became mandatory . He also holds the world record as a part of the 4 × 100 metres relay . He is the reigning world and Olympic champion in these three events . Due to his unprecedented dominance and achievements in sprint competition , he is widely considered to be the greatest sprinter of all time .   An eight-time Olympic gold medalist , Bolt won the 100 m , 200 m and 4 × 100 m relay at three consecutive Olympic Games , although he subsequently lost one of the gold medals ( as well as the world record set therein ) nine years after the fact due to teammate Nesta Carter 's disqualification for doping offences . He gained worldwide popularity for his double sprint victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in world record times . Bolt is the only sprinter to win Olympic 100 m and 200 m titles at three consecutive olympics ( 2008 , 2012 and 2016 ) , a feat referred to as the `` triple double . ''   An eleven-time World Champion , he won consecutive World Championship 100 m , 200 m and 4 × 100 metres relay gold medals from 2009 to 2015 , with the exception of a 100 m false start in 2011 . He is the most successful athlete of the World Championships and was the first athlete to win three titles in both the 100 m and 200 m at the competition .   Bolt improved upon his first 100 m world record of 9.69 with 9.58 seconds in 2009 -- the biggest improvement since the start of electronic timing . He has twice broken the 200 metres world record , setting 19.30 in 2008 and 19.19 in 2009 . He has helped Jamaica to three 4 × 100 metres relay world records , with the current record being 36.84 seconds set in 2012 . Bolt 's most successful event is the 200 m , with three Olympic and four World titles . The 2008 Olympics was his international debut over 100 m ; he had earlier won numerous 200 m medals ( including 2007 World Championship silver ) and holds the world under-20 and world under-18 records for the event .   His achievements as a sprinter have earned him the media nickname `` Lightning Bolt '' , and his awards include the IAAF World Athlete of the Year , Track & Field Athlete of the Year , and Laureus World Sportsman of the Year ( four times ) . Bolt has stated that he intends to retire from athletics after the 2017 World Championships .


Katie Holmes was born in December of 1978.

Katie Holmes Kate Noelle Holmes ( born December 18 , 1978 ) is an American actress who first achieved fame for her role as Joey Potter on The WB television teen drama Dawson 's Creek from 1998 to 2003 . She appeared in 1998 's Disturbing Behavior , a thriller , which won her an MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance . In 2000 Holmes featured in Wonder Boys which got positive attention from many leading critics .   Holmes had a starring role in 2003 's Pieces of April , a gritty comedy about a dysfunctional family on Thanksgiving . In the 2005 film Batman Begins , the highest-grossing film of her career to date , she played Rachel Dawes , Gotham City 's assistant district attorney and Bruce Wayne 's childhood sweetheart . She also appeared in art house films such as The Ice Storm , horror films such as Do n't Be Afraid of the Dark and thrillers including Abandon . She has also played on Broadway in a production of Arthur Miller 's All My Sons and had numerous guest roles on television programs such as How I Met Your Mother . In 2011 , she starred as Jacqueline Kennedy in the The Kennedys miniseries , a role she later reprised in the 2017 miniseries The Kennedys : After Camelot .   Her marriage to actor Tom Cruise from 2006 to 2012 led to a great deal of media attention , with the pair being called a supercouple and given the nickname `` TomKat '' .


Marc Forster directed Stranger than Fiction.

Stranger than Fiction (2006 film) Stranger than Fiction is a 2006 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Marc Forster , produced by Lindsay Doran , and written by Zach Helm . The film stars Will Ferrell , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Dustin Hoffman , Queen Latifah , and Emma Thompson . The main plot follows Harold Crick ( portrayed by Ferrell ) , a nondescript white-collar worker who begins hearing a disembodied voice narrating his life as it happens -- seemingly the text of a novel in which it is stated that he will soon die -- and he frantically seeks to somehow prevent that ending . The film was shot on location in Chicago , and has been praised for its innovative , intelligent story and fine performances . Ferrell , who came to prominence playing brash comedic parts , garnered particular attention for offering a restrained performance in his first starring dramatic role .


The Twilight Zone is a series in the anthology format.

The Twilight Zone The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling . The episodes are in various genres , including psychological horror , fantasy , science fiction , suspense , and psychological thriller ; and often conclude with a macabre or unexpected twist , and usually with a moral . A popular and critical success , it introduced many Americans to common science fiction and fantasy tropes . The original series , shot entirely in black and white , ran for five seasons from 1959 to 1964 .   The Twilight Zone followed in the tradition of earlier television shows such as Tales of Tomorrow ( 1951 -- 53 , which also dramatized the short story `` What You Need '' ) and Science Fiction Theatre ( 1955 -- 57 ) ; radio programs such as The Weird Circle , Dimension X , and X Minus One ; and the radio work of one of Serling 's inspirations , Norman Corwin . The success of the series led to a feature film , a radio series , a comic book , a magazine , and various other spin-offs that spanned five decades , including two revival television series . The first revival ran on CBS and in syndication in the 1980s , while the second ran on UPN from 2002 to 2003 . TV Guide ranked the original TV series # 5 in their 2013 list of the 60 greatest dramas of all time .


Morgan Freeman was an actor in The Shawshank Redemption.

The Shawshank Redemption The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont , and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman . Adapted from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption , the film tells the story of Andy Dufresne , a banker who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover , despite his claims of innocence . During his time at the prison , he befriends a fellow inmate , Ellis Boyd `` Red '' Redding , and finds himself protected by the guards after the warden begins using him in his money-laundering operation .   While The Shawshank Redemption received positive reviews at release , it suffered from poor viewership and competition from other films such as Pulp Fiction at its initial release , and was a box office disappointment . The film received multiple award nominations ( including seven Oscar nominations ) and highly positive reviews from critics for its acting , story , and realism . Through Ted Turner 's acquisition of Castle Rock Entertainment , the film started gaining more popularity in 1997 after it started near-daily airings on Turner 's TNT network . It is now considered to be one of the greatest films of the 1990s . It has since been successful on cable television , VHS , DVD , and Blu-ray .   It was included in the American Film Institute 's 100 Years ... 100 Movies ( 10th Anniversary Edition ) . In 2015 , the United States Library of Congress selected the film for preservation in the National Film Registry , finding it `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' .


Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman ( born June 1 , 1937 ) is an American actor , producer and narrator . Freeman won an Academy Award in 2005 for Best Supporting Actor with Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , and he has received Oscar nominations for his performances in Street Smart ( 1987 ) , Driving Miss Daisy ( 1989 ) , The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994 ) and Invictus ( 2009 ) . He has also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award .   Freeman has appeared in many other box office hits , including Glory ( 1989 ) , Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves ( 1991 ) , Seven ( 1995 ) , Deep Impact ( 1998 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , Bruce Almighty ( 2003 ) , The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) , The Lego Movie ( 2014 ) , and Lucy ( 2014 ) . He rose to fame as part of the cast of the 1970s children 's program The Electric Company . Morgan Freeman is ranked as the 4th highest box office star with over $ 4.316 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 74.4 million per film .


Plato had a student named Aristotle, who was an ancient Greek philosopher.

Aristotle Aristotle ( -LSB- ˈærɪˌstɒtəl -RSB- Ἀριστοτέλης , -LSB- aristotélɛːs -RSB- , Aristotélēs ; 384 -- 322 BC ) was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist born in the city of Stagira , Chalkidice , on the northern periphery of Classical Greece . His father , Nicomachus , died when Aristotle was a child , whereafter Proxenus of Atarneus became his guardian . At seventeen or eighteen years of age , he joined Plato 's Academy in Athens and remained there until the age of thirty-seven ( c. 347 BC ) . His writings cover many subjects -- including physics , biology , zoology , metaphysics , logic , ethics , aesthetics , poetry , theater , music , rhetoric , linguistics , politics and government -- and constitute the first comprehensive system of Western philosophy . Shortly after Plato died , Aristotle left Athens and , at the request of Philip II of Macedon , tutored Alexander the Great beginning in 343 BC .   Teaching Alexander the Great gave Aristotle many opportunities and an abundance of supplies . He established a library in the Lyceum which aided in the production of many of his hundreds of books . The fact that Aristotle was a pupil of Plato contributed to his former views of Platonism , but , following Plato 's death , Aristotle immersed himself in empirical studies and shifted from Platonism to empiricism . He believed all peoples ' concepts and all of their knowledge was ultimately based on perception . Aristotle 's views on natural sciences represent the groundwork underlying many of his works .   Aristotle 's views on physical science profoundly shaped medieval scholarship . Their influence extended from Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages into the Renaissance , and were not replaced systematically until the Enlightenment and theories such as classical mechanics . Some of Aristotle 's zoological observations , such as on the hectocotyl ( reproductive ) arm of the octopus , were not confirmed or refuted until the 19th century . His works contain the earliest known formal study of logic , which was incorporated in the late 19th century into modern formal logic .   In metaphysics , Aristotelianism profoundly influenced Judeo-Islamic philosophical and theological thought during the Middle Ages and continues to influence Christian theology , especially the Neoplatonism of the Early Church and the scholastic tradition of the Roman Catholic Church . Aristotle was well known among medieval Muslim intellectuals and revered as `` The First Teacher '' ( -LSB- ) .   His ethics , though always influential , gained renewed interest with the modern advent of virtue ethics . All aspects of Aristotle 's philosophy continue to be the object of active academic study today . Though Aristotle wrote many elegant treatises and dialogues -- Cicero described his literary style as `` a river of gold '' -- it is thought that only around a third of his original output has survived .


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


There was a former U.S president name Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( -LSB- ˈrɒnəld_ˈwɪlsən_ˈreɪɡən -RSB- ) ( February 6 , 1911 -- June 5 , 2004 ) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . Before his presidency , he was the 33rd Governor of California , from 1967 to 1975 , after a career as a Hollywood actor and union leader .   Raised in a poor family in small towns of northern Illinois , Reagan graduated from Eureka College in 1932 and worked as a sports announcer on several regional radio stations . After moving to Hollywood in 1937 , he became an actor and starred in a few major productions . Reagan was twice elected President of the Screen Actors Guild , the labor union for actors , where he worked to root out Communist influence . In the 1950s , he moved into television and was a motivational speaker at General Electric factories . Having been a lifelong Democrat , his views changed . He became a conservative and in 1962 switched to the Republican Party . In 1964 , Reagan 's speech , `` A Time for Choosing '' , in support of Barry Goldwater 's foundering presidential campaign , earned him national attention as a new conservative spokesman . Building a network of supporters , he was elected Governor of California in 1966 . As governor , Reagan raised taxes , turned a state budget deficit to a surplus , challenged the protesters at the University of California , ordered National Guard troops in during a period of protest movements in 1969 , and was re-elected in 1970 . He twice ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for the U.S. presidency in 1968 and 1976 ; four years later , he easily won the nomination outright , becoming the oldest elected U.S. president up to that time , defeating incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980 .   Entering the presidency in 1981 , Reagan implemented sweeping new political and economic initiatives . His supply-side economic policies , dubbed `` Reaganomics '' , advocated tax rate reduction to spur economic growth , control of the money supply to curb inflation , economic deregulation , and reduction in government spending . In his first term he survived an assassination attempt , spurred the War on Drugs , and fought public sector labor . Over his two terms , the economy saw a reduction of inflation from 12.5 % to 4.4 % , and an average annual growth of real GDP of 3.4 ; while Reagan did enact cuts in domestic discretionary spending , tax cuts and increased military spending contributed to increased federal outlays overall , even after adjustment for inflation . During his re-election bid , Reagan campaigned on the notion that it was `` Morning in America '' , winning a landslide in 1984 with the largest electoral college victory in American history . Foreign affairs dominated his second term , including ending of the Cold War , the bombing of Libya , and the Iran -- Contra affair . Publicly describing the Soviet Union as an `` evil empire '' , and during his famous speech at the Brandenburg Gate , President Reagan challenged Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to `` tear down this wall ! '' . He transitioned Cold War policy from détente to rollback , by escalating an arms race with the USSR while engaging in talks with Gorbachev , which culminated in the INF Treaty , shrinking both countries ' nuclear arsenals . Reagan 's presidency came during the decline of the Soviet Union and just ten months after the end of his term , the Berlin Wall fell , and on December 26 , 1991 , nearly three years after he left office , the Soviet Union collapsed .   Leaving office in 1989 , Reagan held an approval rating of sixty-eight percent , matching those of Franklin D. Roosevelt , and later Bill Clinton , as the highest ratings for departing presidents in the modern era . He was the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower to serve two full terms , after a succession of five prior presidents failed to do so . While having planned an active post-presidency , in 1994 Reagan disclosed his diagnosis with Alzheimer 's disease earlier that year , appearing publicly for the last time at the funeral of Richard Nixon ; he died ten years later in 2004 at the age of 93 ; Reagan had the second-longest life out of all the presidents ; the current longest lifespan of a president is held by Gerald Ford , who died two years after Reagan . An icon among Republicans , he is viewed favorably in historian rankings of U.S. presidents , and his tenure constituted a realignment toward conservative policies in the U.S.


The United States' territories are spread out.

United States The United States of America ( USA ) , commonly known as the United States ( U.S. ) or America , is a constitutional federal republic composed of 50 states , a federal district , five major self-governing territories , and various possessions .  Forty-eight of the fifty states and the federal district are contiguous and located in North America between Canada and Mexico . The state of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America , bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west . The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean . The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea . Nine time zones are covered . The geography , climate and wildlife of the country are extremely diverse .   At 3.8 million square miles ( 9.8 million km2 ) and with over 324 million people , the United States is the world 's third - or fourth-largest country by total area , third-largest by land area , and the third-most populous . It is one of the world 's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations , and is home to the world 's largest immigrant population . The capital is Washington , D.C. , and the largest city is New York City ; nine other major metropolitan areas -- each with at least 4.5 million inhabitants and the largest having more than 13 million people -- are Los Angeles , Chicago , Dallas , Houston , Philadelphia , Miami , Atlanta , Boston , and San Francisco .   Paleo-Indians migrated from Asia to the North American mainland at least 15,000 years ago . European colonization began in the 16th century . The United States emerged from 13 British colonies along the East Coast . Numerous disputes between Great Britain and the colonies following the Seven Years ' War led to the American Revolution , which began in 1775 . On July 4 , 1776 , during the course of the American Revolutionary War , the colonies unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence . The war ended in 1783 with recognition of the independence of the United States by Great Britain , representing the first successful war of independence against a European power . The current constitution was adopted in 1788 , after the Articles of Confederation , adopted in 1781 , were felt to have provided inadequate federal powers . The first ten amendments , collectively named the Bill of Rights , were ratified in 1791 and designed to guarantee many fundamental civil liberties .   The United States embarked on a vigorous expansion across North America throughout the 19th century , displacing Native American tribes , acquiring new territories , and gradually admitting new states until it spanned the continent by 1848 . During the second half of the 19th century , the American Civil War led to the end of legal slavery in the country . By the end of that century , the United States extended into the Pacific Ocean , and its economy , driven in large part by the Industrial Revolution , began to soar . The Spanish -- American War and confirmed the country 's status as a global military power . The United States emerged from as a global superpower , the first country to develop nuclear weapons , the only country to use them in warfare , and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council . The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the world 's sole superpower . The U.S. is a founding member of the United Nations , World Bank , International Monetary Fund , Organization of American States ( OAS ) , and other international organizations .   The United States is a highly developed country , with the world 's largest economy by nominal GDP and second-largest economy by PPP . Though its population is only 4.3 % of the world total , Americans hold nearly 40 % of the total wealth in the world . The United States ranks among the highest in several measures of socioeconomic performance , including average wage , human development , per capita GDP , and productivity per person . While the U.S. economy is considered post-industrial , characterized by the dominance of services and knowledge economy , the manufacturing sector remains the second-largest in the world . Accounting for approximately a quarter of global GDP and a third of global military spending , the United States is the world 's foremost economic and military power . The United States is a prominent political and cultural force internationally , and a leader in scientific research and technological innovations .


On October 25th, 1495 John II of Portugal passed away.

John II of Portugal John II ( Portuguese : João II , -LSB- ʒuˈɐ̃w̃ -RSB- ; 3 March 1455 -- 25 October 1495 ) , the Perfect Prince ( o Príncipe Perfeito ) , was the king of Portugal and the Algarves in 1477/1481 -- 1495 .   He is known for re-establishing the power of the Portuguese throne , reinvigorating the Portuguese economy , and renewing his country 's exploration of Africa and the Orient .


The Great Debaters has more than one actor who is American.

The Great Debaters The Great Debaters is a 2007 American biographical drama film directed by and starring Denzel Washington . It is based on an article written about the Wiley College debate team by Tony Scherman for the spring 1997 issue of American Legacy .   The film co-stars Forest Whitaker , Kimberly Elise , Nate Parker , Gina Ravera , Jermaine Williams and Jurnee Smollett . The screenplay was written by Robert Eisele . The film was released in theaters on December 25 , 2007 .


David Schwimmer starred in a television movie that premiered in July 1989.

David Schwimmer David Lawrence Schwimmer ( born November 2 , 1966 ) is an American actor , director , and producer . He was born in Flushing , Queens , New York , and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was 2 . He began his acting career performing in school plays at Beverly Hills High School . In 1988 , he graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Arts in theater and speech . After graduation , Schwimmer co-founded the Lookingglass Theatre Company . For much of the late 1980s , he lived in Los Angeles as a struggling , unemployed actor .   He starred in the television movie A Deadly Silence in 1989 and appeared in a number of television roles , including on L.A. Law , The Wonder Years , NYPD Blue , and Monty , in the early 1990s . Schwimmer later gained worldwide recognition for playing Ross Geller in the sitcom Friends , for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1995 . His first leading film role was in The Pallbearer ( 1996 ) , followed by roles in Kissing a Fool ( 1998 ) , Six Days , Seven Nights ( 1998 ) , Apt Pupil , and Picking Up the Pieces ( 2000 ) . He was then cast in the miniseries Band of Brothers ( 2001 ) as Herbert Sobel .   After the series finale of Friends in 2004 , Schwimmer was cast as the title character in the 2005 drama Duane Hopwood . Other film roles include the voice of Melman the Giraffe in the computer-animated Madagascar film franchise , the dark comedy Big Nothing ( 2006 ) , and the thriller Nothing But the Truth ( 2008 ) . Schwimmer made his West End stage debut in the leading role in Some Girl ( s ) in 2005 . In 2006 , he made his Broadway debut in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial . Schwimmer made his feature film directorial debut with the 2007 comedy Run Fatboy Run . The following year he made his Off-Broadway directorial debut in the 2008 production , Fault Lines .   In 2016 , he starred as lawyer Robert Kardashian in American Crime Story , for which he received his second Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie .


Angelina Jolie Angelina Jolie Pitt ( -LSB- dʒoʊˈliː -RSB- ; née Voight ; born June 4 , 1975 ) is an American actress , filmmaker , philanthropist and humanitarian . She has received an Academy Award , two Screen Actors Guild Awards , and three Golden Globe Awards , and has been cited as Hollywood 's highest-paid actress . Jolie made her screen debut as a child alongside her father , Jon Voight , in Lookin ' to Get Out ( 1982 ) . Her film career began in earnest a decade later with the low-budget production Cyborg 2 ( 1993 ) , followed by her first leading role in a major film , Hackers ( 1995 ) . She starred in the critically acclaimed biographical cable films George Wallace ( 1997 ) and Gia ( 1998 ) , and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama Girl , Interrupted ( 1999 ) .   Jolie 's starring role as the video game heroine Lara Croft in Lara Croft : Tomb Raider ( 2001 ) established her as a leading Hollywood actress . She continued her successful action-star career with Mr. & Mrs. Smith ( 2005 ) , Wanted ( 2008 ) , and Salt ( 2010 ) , and received critical acclaim for her performances in the dramas A Mighty Heart ( 2007 ) and Changeling ( 2008 ) , which earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress . Beginning in the 2010s , she expanded her career into directing , screenwriting , and producing , starting with the wartime dramas In the Land of Blood and Honey ( 2011 ) and Unbroken ( 2014 ) . Her biggest commercial success came with the fantasy picture Maleficent ( 2014 ) .   In addition to her film career , Jolie is noted for her humanitarian efforts , for which she has received a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and an honorary damehood of the Order of St Michael and St George ( DCMG ) , among other honors . She promotes various causes , including conservation , education , and women 's rights , and is most noted for her advocacy on behalf of refugees as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) . As a public figure , Jolie has been cited as one of the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry , as well as the world 's most beautiful woman , by various media outlets . Her personal life is the subject of wide publicity . Divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton , she separated from her third husband , actor Brad Pitt , in September 2016 . They have six children together , three of whom were adopted internationally .


Funny or Die Funny or Die is a comedy video website and film/TV production company founded by Will Ferrell , Adam McKay and Chris Henchy . The website Funny Or Die contains exclusive material from a regular staff of in-house writers , producers , and directors , and occasionally from a number of famous contributors like Judd Apatow , James Franco , and Norm Macdonald . The production company makes TV shows like truTV 's Billy on the Street , Comedy Central 's @midnight , and Zach Galifianakis 's popular Emmy-winning web series Between Two Ferns .   Many videos on the site feature well-known actors ( examples include Steve Carell , Charlie Sheen , Ryan Gosling , Patrick Stewart , Daniel Radcliffe , Sophia Bush , Mila Kunis , AnnaSophia Robb , Hilary Duff , Adam West , James Van Der Beek , Jim Carrey , Ariel Winter , and Selena Gomez ) . Michael Kvamme , an aspiring young comedian , came up with a concept for a new kind of comedy site ; and the site was developed by Randy Adams .   Funny Or Die launched on April 12 , 2007 with the site 's first video , `` The Landlord '' . `` The Landlord '' has received over 84 million views and features Ferrell confronted by a swearing , beer-drinking two-year-old landlord . In June 2007 , they received venture capital funding from Sequoia Capital , and in June 2008 , they announced a partnership with HBO . On August 3 , 2016 , Funny or Die shut-down one of its California offices , reducing its headcount by 30 % to 95 employees , with the announcement coming just two month after the new CEO , Mike Farah , took office


Jon Snow is a prominent character in the short story A Dance with Dragons.

A Dance with Dragons A Dance with Dragons is the fifth of seven planned novels in the epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire by American author George R. R. Martin . In some areas the paperback edition was published in two parts titled Dreams and Dust and After the Feast . It was the first novel in the series to be published following the commencement of the HBO series adaptation , Game of Thrones , and runs to 1,040 pages .   On March 3 , 2011 , publishing imprint Bantam Spectra announced that the novel would be released on July 12 , 2011 . Martin delivered the manuscript to his editor on April 27 , 2011 ; however , as early as 2006 , Martin made sample chapters available on his website and at Amazon.co.uk . Additionally , the German branch of Amazon.com ( Amazon.de ) released a reported 180 copies two weeks early by mistake . The US hardcover was officially published on July 12 , 2011 , having gone back to press for six printings ( totaling more than 650,000 copies ) prior to the 1,000 + page novel being available ; 298,000 copies in print , digital , and audio formats were sold that first day alone , becoming publishing giant Random House 's biggest book of 2011 and a runaway bestseller . The book was the second in the series to debut at the # 1 position on the New York Times Best Seller list . A few weeks after publication , A Dance with Dragons went on to be # 1 on both Publishers Weekly and USA Today Bestsellers lists .   The novel , along with A Feast for Crows , has been adapted for television as the fifth season of Game of Thrones , although elements of the book have also appeared in the series ' third , fourth and sixth seasons .


Jon Snow (character) Jon Snow is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin , and its television adaptation Game of Thrones . He is a prominent point of view character in the novels , and has been called one of the author 's `` finest creations '' and most popular characters by The New York Times . Jon is a main character in the TV series , and his storyline in the 2015 season 5 finale generated a strong reaction among viewers . Speculation about the character 's parentage has also been a popular topic of discussion among fans of both the books and the TV series .   Jon is introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones as the illegitimate son of Ned Stark , the honorable lord of Winterfell , an ancient fortress in the North of the fictional kingdom of Westeros . Knowing his prospects are limited by his status , Jon joins the Night 's Watch , who guard the far northern borders from the wildlings who live beyond The Wall . As the rest of the Starks face grave adversity , Jon finds himself honor bound to remain with the Watch . In A Clash of Kings ( 1998 ) , he joins a scouting party investigating the growing threat from the otherworldly `` Others '' beyond the Wall , and manages to infiltrate the wildlings . Jon learns of their plans to invade Westeros in A Storm of Swords ( 2000 ) , and begins to fall in love with the fierce wildling woman Ygritte . He betrays them -- and Ygritte -- before they can attack , but the Night Watch 's victory comes at a heavy price for Jon . Now the Lord Commander of the Watch , he appears briefly in 2005 's A Feast for Crows . Jon returns as a prominent character in a A Dance with Dragons ( 2011 ) , working to negotiate an alliance between the Night 's Watch and the wildlings . The growing animosity he has attracted from among the Watch finally catches up with him , and he is forced to face the dire consequences .   Jon is portrayed by Kit Harington on the HBO series Game of Thrones . His storyline follows the character 's plot arc from the novel series , though season 6 of the TV adaptation continued on from the events of Martin 's latest published installment . Harington was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the role in 2016 . He was also nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television in 2012 and 2016 . He and the rest of the cast were nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2012 , 2014 , 2015 and 2016 .


Veronika Decides to Die is based on a movie by Paulo Coelho.

Veronika Decides to Die (film) Veronika Decides to Die is a 2009 psychological drama film directed by Emily Young and starring Sarah Michelle Gellar , Jonathan Tucker , Melissa Leo , David Thewlis and Erika Christensen , . The film is written by Larry Gross and Roberta Hanley and is adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Paulo Coelho .   The setting of the movie is New York instead of the original location of the novel in Ljubljana , Slovenia .


Lance Armstrong did not race between 2010 and 2011.

Lance Armstrong Lance Edward Armstrong ( born Lance Edward Gunderson on September 18 , 1971 ) is an American former professional road racing cyclist . Armstrong is the 1993 professional world champion , and won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005 . However , in 2012 , he was banned from sanctioned Olympic sports for life as a result of long-term doping offenses . As part of those sanctions , all results going back to August 1998 , including his seven Tour wins , were voided .   At age 16 , Armstrong began competing as a triathlete and was a national sprint-course triathlon champion in 1989 and 1990 . In 1992 , Armstrong began his career as a professional cyclist with the Motorola team . He had notable success between 1993 and 1996 , including the World Championship in 1993 , Clásica de San Sebastián in 1995 , Tour DuPont in 1995 and 1996 , and a handful of stage victories in Europe , including stage 18 of the 1995 Tour de France .   In 1996 , he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal metastatic testicular cancer . After his recovery , he founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation ( now the Livestrong Foundation ) to assist other cancer survivors .   Returning to cycling in 1998 , he was a member of the US Postal/Discovery team between 1998 and 2005 , when he won his Tour de France titles , as well as a bronze medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics . Armstrong retired from racing at the end of the 2005 Tour de France , but returned to competitive cycling with the Astana team in January 2009 , finishing third in the 2009 Tour de France later that year . Between 2010 and 2011 , he raced with Team Radio Shack , the UCI ProTeam he helped found . He retired for a second time in 2011 .   Armstrong had been the subject of doping allegations ever since winning the 1999 Tour de France . In 2012 , a United States Anti-Doping Agency investigation concluded that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs over the course of his career and named him as the ringleader of `` the most sophisticated , professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen . '' Armstrong chose not to contest the charges , citing the potential toll on his family . As a result , he received a lifetime ban from all sports that follow the World Anti-Doping Code -- effectively ending his competitive career . He was also stripped of all of his achievements from August 1998 onward , including his seven Tour de France titles . The Union Cycliste Internationale upheld USADA 's decision and decided that his stripped wins would not be allocated to other riders . Armstrong chose not to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport . In a 2013 interview , Armstrong confessed that some of the allegations were true . He has declined to testify about the full extent of his use of the drugs . In the aftermath of his fall from grace , a CNN article wrote that `` The epic downfall of cycling 's star , once an idolized icon of millions around the globe , stands out in the history of professional sports . ''


Kaitlin Olson does not portray Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds.

Kaitlin Olson Kaitlin Willow Olson ( born August 18 , 1975 ) is an American actress and comedian . She began her career in the Groundlings , an improvisational group in Los Angeles , California , and had minor roles in several television series before being cast as Deandra `` Sweet Dee '' Reynolds on the FX black comedy series It 's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in 2005 .   Olson has also appeared in film , with roles in Leap Year ( 2010 ) , The Heat ( 2013 ) , and also provided the voice for Destiny in Finding Dory ( 2016 ) . Beginning in 2017 , she stars as Mickey on the Fox comedy series The Mick .


The 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held in Spain.

1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 69th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League ( AL ) and National League ( NL ) , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball . The game was held on July 7 , 1998 , at Coors Field in Denver , Colorado , the home of the Colorado Rockies of the National League . The game resulted in the American League defeating the National League 13-8 . It was ( and remains ) the highest-scoring All-Star Game in MLB history .   The pregame ceremony honored the United States Air Force Academy who provided the five-man color guard , flag presentations , and , at the end of country music singer Faith Hill 's performance of the U.S. National Anthem , the flyover ceremonies . Hill 's National Anthem performance was preceded by actress Gloria Reuben 's performance of The Canadian National Anthem .   Twelve-year-old Elias Kurts was given the honor of throwing out the ceremonial first pitch , the first `` non-celebrity '' so honored .


Ben Kingsley's birth name was Krishna Pandit Bhanji.

Ben Kingsley Sir Ben Kingsley ( born Krishna Pandit Bhanji ; 31 December 1943 ) is an English actor with a career spanning over 40 years . He has won an Oscar , Grammy , BAFTA , two Golden Globes , and a Screen Actors Guild Award . He is known for his starring role as Mohandas Gandhi in the 1982 film Gandhi , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor . He is also known for his performances in the films Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Twelfth Night ( 1996 ) , Sexy Beast ( 2000 ) , Lucky Number Slevin ( 2006 ) , Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time ( 2010 ) , Hugo ( 2011 ) , and Iron Man 3 ( 2013 ) .   Kingsley was made a Knight Bachelor at Buckingham Palace in 2002 for services to the British film industry . In 2010 , he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2013 , he received the BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Filmed Entertainment .


Morgan Freeman is in the entertainment industry.

Morgan Freeman Morgan Freeman ( born June 1 , 1937 ) is an American actor , producer and narrator . Freeman won an Academy Award in 2005 for Best Supporting Actor with Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , and he has received Oscar nominations for his performances in Street Smart ( 1987 ) , Driving Miss Daisy ( 1989 ) , The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994 ) and Invictus ( 2009 ) . He has also won a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award .   Freeman has appeared in many other box office hits , including Glory ( 1989 ) , Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves ( 1991 ) , Seven ( 1995 ) , Deep Impact ( 1998 ) , The Sum of All Fears ( 2002 ) , Bruce Almighty ( 2003 ) , The Dark Knight Trilogy ( 2005 -- 2012 ) , The Lego Movie ( 2014 ) , and Lucy ( 2014 ) . He rose to fame as part of the cast of the 1970s children 's program The Electric Company . Morgan Freeman is ranked as the 4th highest box office star with over $ 4.316 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 74.4 million per film .