Snoop Dogg Cordozar Calvin Broadus , Jr. ( born October 20 , 1971 ) , known professionally as Snoop Dogg ( sometimes shortened to Snoop and formerly called Snoop Doggy Dogg and Snoop Lion ) , is an American rapper and actor from Long Beach , California . His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre of N.W.A , and as a result was prominently featured throughout Dr. Dre 's solo debut album , The Chronic ( 1992 ) . He has since sold over twenty-three million albums in the United States and thirty-five million albums worldwide .   Snoop 's debut album , Doggystyle , was released in 1993 under Death Row Records , debuting at number one on both the Billboard 200 and Billboard Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums charts . Selling almost a million copies in the first week of its release , Doggystyle became certified 4 × platinum in 1994 and spawned several hit singles , including `` What 's My Name ? '' and `` Gin & Juice '' . In 1994 Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder Was The Case , starring himself . His second album Tha Doggfather ( 1996 ) , also debuted at number one on both charts with `` Snoop 's Upside Ya Head '' , as the lead single . The album was certified double platinum in 1997 .   After leaving Death Row Records , Snoop signed with No Limit Records , where he recorded his next three albums . Da Game Is to Be Sold , Not to Be Told ( 1998 ) , No Limit Top Dogg ( 1999 ) , and Tha Last Meal ( 2000 ) . Snoop then signed with Priority/Capitol/EMI Records in 2002 , where he released Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss . He then signed with Geffen Records in 2004 for his next three albums R&G ( Rhythm & Gangsta ) : The Masterpiece , Tha Blue Carpet Treatment , and Ego Trippin ' . Malice 'n Wonderland ( 2009 ) , and Doggumentary ( 2011 ) , were released on Priority . Snoop Dogg has starred in motion pictures and hosted several television shows , including Doggy Fizzle Televizzle , Snoop Dogg 's Father Hood , and Dogg After Dark . He also coaches a youth football league and high school football team . In September 2009 , Snoop was hired by EMI as the chairman of a reactivated Priority Records .   In 2012 , after a trip to Jamaica , Snoop announced a conversion to the Rastafari movement and a new alias , Snoop Lion . Under the new moniker , he released a reggae album , Reincarnated , and a documentary film of the same name , of his Jamaican experience , in early 2013 . His fourteenth solo studio album , Coolaid , was released in July 2016 .   Snoop Dogg holds the dubious distinction of having seventeen Grammy nominations without a win .   In March 2016 , the night before WrestleMania 32 in Arlington , Texas , Snoop was inducted into the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame having made several appearances for the company , including as Master of Ceremonies during a match at Wrestlemania XXIV .


Tamera Mowry Tamera Darvette Mowry-Housley ( -LSB- tə 'm ɛrə _ 'm ɔːri -RSB- born July 6 , 1978 ) is an American actress and model . She first gained fame for her teen role as Tamera Campbell on the ABC/WB sitcom Sister , Sister ( opposite her identical twin sister Tia Mowry ) . She has also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Twitches and its sequel , Twitches Too , and she played Dr. Kayla Thornton on the medical drama Strong Medicine . A reality TV show following her and her twin sister 's lives , Tia & Tamera , began airing on the Style Network in 2011 , ending in 2013 after three seasons .   Currently , she is one of the hosts of The Real talk show along with former fellow Disney Channel star Adrienne Bailon , Jeannie Mai , and Loni Love , which premiered on July 15 , 2013 .   She and her identical twin sister Tia Mowry were in a singing group in the early 1990s called Voices . The group debuted their first single , `` Yeah , Yeah , Yeah ! '' in 1992 and charted No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 .


Natasha Richardson Natasha Jane Richardson ( 11 May 1963 -- 18 March 2009 ) was an English stage and screen actress .   Richardson was a member of the Redgrave family . She was the daughter of actress Vanessa Redgrave and director/producer Tony Richardson and the granddaughter of Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson . Early in her career , she portrayed Mary Shelley in Ken Russell 's Gothic ( 1986 ) , and Patty Hearst in the eponymous 1988 film directed by Paul Schrader , and later received critical acclaim and a Theatre World Award for her Broadway debut in the 1993 revival of Anna Christie .   She won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical , the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical , and the Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance as Sally Bowles in the 1998 Broadway revival of Cabaret . Some of her notable films included Patty Hearst ( 1988 ) , The Handmaid 's Tale ( 1990 ) , Nell ( 1994 ) , The Parent Trap ( 1998 ) , and Maid in Manhattan ( 2002 ) .   Richardson died on 18 March 2009 from an epidural hematoma after a skiing accident in Quebec , Canada .


Smoke + Mirrors Smoke + Mirrors is the second studio album by American rock band Imagine Dragons . The album was recorded during 2014 at the band 's home studio in Las Vegas , Nevada . Self-produced by members of the band along with English hip-hop producer Alexander Grant , known by his moniker Alex da Kid , the album was released by Interscope Records and Grant 's KIDinaKORNER label on February 17 , 2015 , in the United States .   The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics upon release . However , it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in the United States , moving more than 172,000 units , and also debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and the Canadian Albums Chart . It has since been certified gold in the United States , United Kingdom , Mexico , and Brazil . Three official singles have been released from the album : `` I Bet My Life '' , `` Gold '' and `` Shots '' . As of November 2016 the album has sold 1,200,000 copies worldwide .


Night Visions Night Visions is the debut studio album by American rock band Imagine Dragons . It was released on September 4 , 2012 , through KIDinaKORNER and Interscope Records . The extended track was released on February 12 , 2013 , adding three more songs . Recorded between 2010 and 2012 , the album was primarily produced by the band themselves , as well as English hip-hop producer Alex da Kid and Brandon Darner from the American indie rock group The Envy Corps . It was mastered by Joe LaPorta . According to frontman Dan Reynolds , the album took three years to finish , with six of the album 's tracks being previously released on multiple EPs . Musically , Night Visions exhibits influences of folk , hip hop and pop .   The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics upon release . However it debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 in the United States , selling more than 83,000 copies within its first week where it has since been certified double Platinum . It also peaked at the summit of the Billboard Alternative Albums and Rock Albums charts , as well as in the top ten albums in Australia , Austria , Canada , Germany , Ireland , Mexico , Netherlands , New Zealand , Norway , Portugal , Sweden , Switzerland , and United Kingdom . Night Visions appeared in the Billboard 200 top 10 in 2012 , 2013 , and 2014 . The album became the fourth best-selling album of 2013 in the US . It was nominated for the Juno Award for International Album of the Year ( 2014 ) and won the Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Album ( 2014 ) .


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


Gang Signs & Prayer is an album by a trip hop artist.

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


Romance film Romance films or romance movies are romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theaters and on TV that focus on passion , emotion , and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters and the journey that their genuinely strong , true and pure romantic love takes them through dating , courtship or marriage . Romance films make the romantic love story or the search for strong and pure love and romance the main plot focus . Occasionally , romance lovers face obstacles such as finances , physical illness , various forms of discrimination , psychological restraints or family that threaten to break their union of love . As in all quite strong , deep , and close romantic relationships , tensions of day-to-day life , temptations ( of infidelity ) , and differences in compatibility enter into the plots of romantic films .   Romantic films often explore the essential themes of love at first sight , young with older love , unrequited romantic love , obsessive love , sentimental love , spiritual love , forbidden love/romance , platonic love , sexual and passionate love , sacrificial love , explosive and destructive love , and tragic love . Romantic films serve as great escapes and fantasies for viewers , especially if the two people finally overcome their difficulties , declare their love , and experience life `` happily ever after '' , implied by a reunion and final kiss . In romantic television series , the development of such romantic relationships may play out over many episodes , and different characters may become intertwined in different romantic arcs .


Western (genre) The Western is a genre of various arts which tell stories set primarily in the later half of the 19th century in the American Old West , often centering on the life of a nomadic cowboy or gunfighter armed with a revolver and a rifle who rides a horse . Cowboys and gunslingers typically wear Stetson hats , bandannas , spurs , cowboy boots and buckskins . Other characters include Native Americans , bandits , lawmen , bounty hunters , outlaws , soldiers ( escecially mounted cavalry ) , settlers and townsfolk .   Westerns often stress the harshness of the wilderness and frequently set the action in an arid , desolate landscape of deserts and mountains . Often , the vast landscape plays an important role , presenting a '' ... mythic vision of the plains and deserts of the American West '' . Specific settings include ranches , small frontier towns , saloons , railways and isolated military forts of the Wild West . Common plots include the construction of a railroad or a telegraph line on the wild frontier ; ranchers protecting their family ranch from rustlers or large landowners or who build a ranch empire ; revenge stories , which hinge on the chase and pursuit by a wronged individual ; stories about cavalry fighting Indians ; outlaw gang plots ; and stories about a lawman or bounty hunter tracking down his quarry . Many Westerns use a stock plot of depicting a crime , then showing the pursuit of the wrongdoer , ending in revenge and retribution , which is often dispensed through a shootout or quick draw duel .   The Western was the most popular Hollywood genre , from the early 20th century to the 1960s .  Western films first became well-attended in the 1930s . John Ford 's landmark Western adventure Stagecoach became one of the biggest hits in 1939 and it made John Wayne a mainstream screen star . Westerns were very popular throughout the 1950s and 1960s . Many of the most acclaimed Westerns were released during this time -- including High Noon ( 1952 ) , Shane ( 1953 ) , The Searchers ( 1956 ) , and The Wild Bunch ( 1969 ) . Classic Westerns such as these have been the inspiration for various films about Western-type characters in contemporary settings , such as Junior Bonner ( 1972 ) , set in the 1970s and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada ( 2005 ) , which is set in the 21st century .


All the Pretty Horses (film) All the Pretty Horses is a 2000 American romance western film produced and directed by Billy Bob Thornton , and based on Cormac McCarthy 's novel of the same name . Starring Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz , the film was released on Christmas Day 2000 to mostly negative reviews . It grossed $ 18 million worldwide , against a $ 57 million budget .


Reese Witherspoon owns a production company.

Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon ( -LSB- ˈriːs_ˈwɪðərspuːn -RSB- born March 22 , 1976 ) is an American actress , producer , and entrepreneur . Born in New Orleans and raised in Tennessee , she began her career as a child actress , making her professional screen debut in The Man in the Moon ( 1991 ) , for which she was nominated for a Young Artist Award . Following breakout roles in Desperate Choices : To Save My Child ( 1992 ) and Jack the Bear , she starred in the comedy-drama Pleasantville ( 1998 ) , for which she won the Young Hollywood Award for Breakthrough Performance . Her leading role of Tracy Flick in Election ( 1999 ) was nominated for a Golden Globe Award .   Witherspoon 's breakthrough role was playing Elle Woods in the 2001 film Legally Blonde , for which she received her second Golden Globe nomination . The following year , she starred in the romantic comedy Sweet Home Alabama , which emerged as her biggest live-action commercial success . In 2005 , she portrayed June Carter in Walk the Line , which earned her the Academy Award , Golden Globe Award , BAFTA Award , Screen Actors Guild Award , and Critics Choice Award for Best Actress . Other notable films of hers include Legally Blonde 2 : Red , White & Blonde ( 2003 ) , Monsters vs. Aliens ( 2009 ) , Water for Elephants ( 2011 ) , and Sing ( 2016 ) . In 2014 , Witherspoon produced the thriller Gone Girl and received critical acclaim for portraying Cheryl Strayed in Wild , for which she earned her second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress and a fourth Golden Globe nomination . In 2017 , she produced and starred in the HBO drama series Big Little Lies .   Witherspoon owns a production company , Pacific Standard , and she is actively involved in children 's and women 's advocacy organizations . She serves on the board of the Children 's Defense Fund ( CDF ) and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007 , serving as honorary chair of the charitable Avon Foundation . She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 .


International Relations includes animals.

International relations International relations ( IR ) or international affairs , depending on academic institution , is either a field of political science , an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies , or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines . In both cases , the field studies relationships between political entities ( polities ) such as states , sovereign states , empires , inter-governmental organizations ( IGOs ) , international non-governmental organizations ( INs ) , non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) , and multinational corporations ( MNCs ) , and the wider world-systems produced by this interaction . International relations is an academic and a public policy field , and so can be positive and normative , because it analyzes and formulates the foreign policy of a given State .   As political activity , international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides ( c. 460 -- 395 BC ) , and , in the early 20th century , became a discrete academic field ( No. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature ) within political science . In practice International Relations and International Affairs forms a separate academic program or field from Political Science , and the courses taught therein are highly interdisciplinary .   For example , international relations draws from the fields of : technology and engineering , economics , communication studies , history , international law , demography , philosophy , geography , social work , sociology , anthropology , criminology , psychology , gender studies , cultural studies , culturology , and diplomacy . The scope of international relations comprehends globalization , diplomatic relations , state sovereignty , international security , ecological sustainability , nuclear proliferation , nationalism , economic development , global finance , as well as terrorism and organized crime , human security , foreign interventionism , and human rights , as well , as , more recently , comparative religion .


On November 15, 1993, Paulo Dybala was born.

Paulo Dybala Paulo Bruno Exequiel Dybala ( -LSB- ˈpaulo ðiˈβala -RSB- ; born 15 November 1993 ) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Juventus and the Argentina national team . After beginning his career in Argentina with Instituto de Córdoba in 2011 , he moved to Italian club Palermo in 2012 ; his performances in Serie A later earned him a transfer to Juventus in 2015 , where he won the league title , the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana during his first season with the club . Due to his creative style of play , pace , talent , technique and eye for goal , he has been nicknamed `` La Joya '' ( `` The Jewel '' in Spanish ) .


The Great White Fleet was sent on a world tour by Theodore Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( -LSB- ˈroʊzəvɛlt -RSB- ; October 27 , 1858 -- January 6 , 1919 ) was an American statesman , author , explorer , soldier , naturalist , and reformer who served as the 26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 . He also served as the 25th Vice President of the United States and as the 33rd Governor of New York . As a leader of the Republican Party during this time , he became a driving force for the Progressive Era in the United States in the early 20th century . His face is depicted on Mount Rushmore , alongside those of George Washington , Thomas Jefferson , and Abraham Lincoln .   Roosevelt was born a sickly child with debilitating asthma , but he successfully overcame his physical health problems by embracing a strenuous lifestyle . He integrated his exuberant personality , vast range of interests , and world-famous achievements into a `` cowboy '' persona defined by robust masculinity . Home-schooled , he began a lifelong naturalist avocation before attending Harvard College . His book , The Naval War of 1812 ( 1882 ) , established his reputation as both a learned historian and as a popular writer . Upon entering politics , he became the leader of the reform faction of Republicans in New York 's state legislature . Following the near-simultaneous deaths of his wife and mother , he escaped to a cattle ranch in the Dakotas . Roosevelt served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President William McKinley , but resigned from that post to lead the Rough Riders during the Spanish -- American War . Returning a war hero , he was elected Governor of New York in 1898 . After the death of Vice President Garret Hobart , the New York state party leadership convinced McKinley to accept Roosevelt as his running mate in the 1900 election , moving Roosevelt to the prestigious but powerless role of vice president . Roosevelt campaigned vigorously and the McKinley-Roosevelt ticket won a landslide victory based on a platform of peace , prosperity , and conservatism .   Following McKinley 's assassination in September 1901 , Roosevelt became president at age 42 , and remains the youngest president . As a leader of the Progressive movement , he championed his `` Square Deal '' domestic policies , promising the average citizen fairness , breaking of trusts , regulation of railroads , and pure food and drugs . Making conservation a top priority , he established a myriad of new national parks , forests , and monuments intended to preserve the nation 's natural resources . In foreign policy , he focused on Central America , where he began construction of the Panama Canal . He expanded the Navy and sent the Great White Fleet on a world tour to project the United States ' naval power around the globe . His successful efforts to broker the end of the Russo-Japanese War won him the 1906 Nobel Peace Prize . He avoided the controversial tariff and money issues . Elected in 1904 to a full term , Roosevelt continued to promote progressive policies , but many of his efforts and much of his legislative agenda were eventually blocked in Congress . Roosevelt successfully groomed his close friend , William Howard Taft , and Taft won the 1908 presidential election to succeed him . In polls of historians and political scientists , Roosevelt is generally ranked as one of the five best presidents .   Frustrated with Taft 's conservatism , Roosevelt belatedly tried to win the 1912 Republican nomination . He failed , walked out , and founded a third party , the Progressive , so-called `` Bull Moose '' Party , which called for wide-ranging progressive reforms . The split allowed the Democrats to win the White House and a majority in both houses of Congress . Following his election defeat , Roosevelt led a two-year expedition to the Amazon basin , where he nearly died of tropical disease . During World War I , he criticized President Woodrow Wilson for keeping the country out of the war with Germany , and his offer to lead volunteers to France was rejected . Though he had considered running for president again in 1920 , Roosevelt 's health continued to deteriorate , and he died in 1919 .


Tina Fey commented on current events on SNL.

Weekend Update Weekend Update is a Saturday Night Live sketch that comments on and parodies current events . It is the show 's longest-running recurring sketch , having been on since the show 's first broadcast , and is typically presented in the middle of the show immediately after the first musical performance . One or two of the players are cast in the role of news anchor , presenting gag news items based on current events and acting as hosts for occasional editorials , commentaries , or other performances by other cast members or guests . Chevy Chase has credited Weekend Update which he started as anchor in 1975 for paving the way for comedic news shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report .


Tina Fey Elizabeth Stamatina `` Tina '' Fey ( -LSB- feɪ -RSB- born May 18 , 1970 ) is an American actress , comedian , writer , and producer . She is known for her work on the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live ( 1998 -- today ) , for her impression of former Alaska Governor and 2008 Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin , and for creating acclaimed series 30 Rock ( 2006 -- 2013 ) and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ( 2015 -- present ) . She is also well known for writing and co-starring in the film Mean Girls ( 2004 ) , as well as appearing in such films as Baby Mama ( 2008 ) , Date Night ( 2010 ) , Muppets Most Wanted ( 2014 ) , and Sisters ( 2015 ) .   Fey broke into comedy as a featured player in the Chicago-based improvisational comedy group The Second City . She then joined SNL as a writer , later becoming head writer and a performer , known for her position as co-anchor in the Weekend Update segment . In 2004 , she co-starred in and wrote the screenplay for Mean Girls , which was adapted from the 2002 self-help book Queen Bees and Wannabes . After leaving SNL in 2006 , she created the television series 30 Rock for Broadway Video , a situation comedy loosely based on her experiences at SNL . In the series , Fey portrays the head writer of a fictional sketch comedy series . In 2008 , she starred in the comedy film Baby Mama , alongside former SNL co-star Amy Poehler . Fey next appeared in the 2010 comedy film Date Night and the animated film Megamind . In 2015 , she created and produced the television series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt , originally for NBC and eventually for Netflix . Her other films include Sisters and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot .   Fey has received nine Emmy Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , five Screen Actors Guild Awards , and four Writers Guild of America Awards . Her autobiography Bossypants topped The New York Times Best Seller list for five weeks . In 2008 , the Associated Press gave Fey the AP Entertainer of the Year award for her satirical portrayal of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin in a guest appearance on SNL . In 2010 , Fey was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor , becoming the youngest-ever recipient of the award . On January 13 , 2013 , Fey hosted the 70th Golden Globe Awards with her long-time friend and fellow comedian , Amy Poehler , to critical acclaim . The duo hosted again the following two years , generating the highest ratings for the annual ceremony in a decade and receiving similar acclaim .


Southport hosts the largest independent flower show in the Netherlands.

Southport Southport ( -LSB- ˈsaʊθpɔrt -RSB- ) is a large seaside town in Merseyside , England . At the 2001 census , it had a population of 90,336 , making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England .   Southport lies on the Irish Sea coast and is fringed to the north by the Ribble estuary . The town is 16.7 mi north of Liverpool and 14.8 mi southwest of Preston .   Historically part of Lancashire , the town was founded in 1792 when William Sutton , an innkeeper from Churchtown , built a bathing house at what now is the south end of Lord Street . At that time , the area , known as South Hawes , was sparsely populated and dominated by sand dunes . At the turn of the 19th century , the area became popular with tourists due to the easy access from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal . The rapid growth of Southport largely coincided with the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era . Town attractions include Southport Pier with its Southport Pier Tramway , the second longest seaside pleasure pier in the British Isles and Lord Street , an elegant tree-lined shopping street , once home of Napoleon III of France .   Extensive sand dunes stretch for several miles between Birkdale and Woodvale to the south of the town . The Ainsdale sand dunes have been designated as a national nature reserve and a Ramsar site . Local fauna include the Natterjack toad and the Sand lizard . The town contains examples of Victorian architecture and town planning , on Lord Street and elsewhere . A particular feature of the town is the extensive tree planting . This was one of the conditions required by the Hesketh family when they made land available for development in the 19th century . Hesketh Park at the northern end of the town is named after them , having been built on land donated by Rev. Charles Hesketh .   Southport today is still one of the most popular seaside resorts in the UK . It hosts various events , including an annual air show on and over the beach , and the largest independent flower show in the UK , in Victoria Park . The town is at the centre of England 's Golf Coast and has hosted the Open Championship at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club .


George Tuska only illustrated under the name George Tuska.

George Tuska George Tuska ( April 26 , 1916 -- October 16 , 2009 ) , who early in his career used a variety of pen names including Carl Larson , was an American comic book and newspaper comic strip artist best known for his 1940s work on various Captain Marvel titles and the crime fiction series Crime Does Not Pay , for and his 1960s work illustrating Iron Man and other Marvel Comics characters . As well , he drew the DC Comics newspaper comic strip The World 's Greatest Superheroes from 1978 -- 1982 .


Tim Rice created stuff with Alan Menken.

Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon `` Tim '' Rice ( born 10 November 1944 ) is an English author and Academy Award , Golden Globe Award , Tony Award , and Grammy Award-winning lyricist . He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber , with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , Jesus Christ Superstar , and Evita ; with Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA , with whom he wrote Chess ; for additional songs for the 2011 West End revival of The Wizard of Oz ; and for his work for Walt Disney Studios with Alan Menken ( Aladdin , Beauty and the Beast , King David ) , Elton John ( The Lion King , Aida , The Road to El Dorado ) and Ennio Morricone .   One of the most celebrated lyricists in British popular culture , Rice was knighted by Elizabeth II for services to music in 1994 . He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , is an inductee into the Songwriter 's Hall of Fame , is a Disney Legend recipient , and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters , Composers and Authors . The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List values Rice at # 150m ; the 15th richest music millionaire in the UK .


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


The Big Trail was directed by Raoul Walsh.

The Big Trail The Big Trail is a 1930 American pre-Code early widescreen movie shot on location across the American West starring John Wayne in his first leading role and directed by Raoul Walsh .   In 2006 , the United States Library of Congress deemed this film `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' , and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry , saying `` the plot of a trek along the Oregon Trail is aided immensely by the majestic sweep provided by the experimental Grandeur wide-screen process used in filming '' .


Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski ( January 24 , 1943 -- August 9 , 1969 ) was an American actress and model . During the 1960s , she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover girl . After receiving positive reviews for her comedic and dramatic acting performances , Tate was hailed as one of Hollywood 's most promising newcomers .   She made her film debut in 1966 with the occult-themed Eye of the Devil . Her most remembered performance was as Jennifer North in the 1967 cult classic film , Valley of the Dolls , earning her a Golden Globe Award nomination . Tate 's last completed film , 12 +1 was released posthumously in 1969 , with the actress receiving top billing .   In January 20 , 1968 , Tate married Roman Polanski , her director and co-star in 1967 's The Fearless Vampire Killers . On August 9 , 1969 , Tate , along with four others , was murdered by members of the Manson Family in the home she shared with Polanski . At the time of her death , she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with the couple 's son .   A decade after Tate 's murder , the actress ' mother , Doris Tate , in response to the growing cult status of the killers and the possibility of them being granted parole , organized a public campaign that resulted in amendments to the California criminal law . Tate 's mother went on to say that the law would `` help transform Sharon 's legacy from murder victim to a symbol of victims ' rights '' . A book by Tate 's sister , Debra Tate , titled Sharon Tate : Recollection , was released in 2014 .


One America News Network is owned by Disney.

One America News Network One America News Network ( abbreviated as OANN ) , commonly referred to as One America News ( abbreviated as OAN ) , is an American cable news television channel that is owned by Herring Networks , Inc. . The network is headquartered in San Diego , California , and operates a news bureau in Washington , D.C. and New York City .   Originally envisioned as a conservative-oriented news network , OAN 's stated focus is delivering a credible source of national and international news 24/7 . OAN features news programming and political talk shows , along with network special documentary-style reports . OAN states a goal of delivering objective news coverage and political talk shows that illustrate a strong conservative view .   The channel was launched on July 4 , 2013 . One America has national carriage on DirecTV , Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-verse , along with a number of regional cable providers , including Frontier Communications , CenturyLink PRISM TV , Consolidated Communications , Buckeye Broadband , and GCI . On April 5 , 2017 , DirecTV started carrying OAN on channel 347 . As of April 2017 , One America News Network is available in 35 million homes .


Quinoa Quinoa ( -LSB- ˈkiːnwɑː -RSB- or -LSB- kɪˈnoʊ.ə -RSB- , from Quechua kinwa or kinuwa ) is the common name for Chenopodium quinoa , a flowering plant in the amaranth family Amaranthaceae . It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a grain crop primarily for its edible seeds . Because it is not a grass , it is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal . Quinoa is closely related to the edible plants beetroot , spinach , and amaranth ( Amaranthus spp . ) , another pseudocereal which it closely resembles .   After harvest , the seeds are processed to remove the outer coating that contains bitter-tasting saponins . They are gluten-free . Generally , the seeds are cooked the same way as rice and can be used in a wide range of dishes . The leaves are sometimes eaten as a leaf vegetable , much like amaranth , but commercial availability of quinoa greens is limited .   When cooked , the nutrient composition is comparable to common cereals like wheat and rice , supplying a moderate amount of dietary fiber and minerals . The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations declared 2013 to be the `` International Year of Quinoa '' .   Quinoa originated in the Andean region of Peru , Bolivia , Ecuador , Colombia and Chile , and was domesticated 3,000 to 4,000 years ago for human consumption in the Lake Titicaca basin of Peru and Bolivia , though archaeological evidence shows a non-domesticated association with pastoral herding 5,200 to 7,000 years ago .


Pseudocereal Pseudocereals are non-grasses that are used in much the same way as cereals ( true cereals are grasses ) . Their seed can be ground into flour and otherwise used as cereals . Examples of pseudocereals are amaranth ( Love-lies-bleeding , red amaranth , Prince-of-Wales-feather ) , quinoa , and buckwheat .


San Jose, California is not the most populous city in the world.

San Jose, California San Jose ( -LSB- ˌsæn_hoʊˈzeɪ -RSB- , Spanish for `` Saint Joseph '' ; -LSB- saŋ xoˈse -RSB- ) , officially the City of San José , is the economic , cultural , and political center of Silicon Valley and the largest city in Northern California . With an estimated 2015 population of 1,026,908 , it is the third most populous city in California ( after Los Angeles and San Diego ) and the tenth most populous in United States . Located in the center of the Santa Clara Valley , on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay , San Jose covers an area of 179.97 square miles ( 466.109 km2 ) . San Jose is the county seat of Santa Clara County , the most affluent county in California and one of the most affluent counties in the United States . San Jose is the largest city in both the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Combined Statistical Area , which contain 7.7 million and 8.7 million people respectively .   Before the arrival of the Spanish , the area around San Jose was inhabited by the Ohlone people . San Jose was founded on November 29 , 1777 , as the Pueblo of San José de Guadalupe , the first civilian town founded in Spanish Alta California . When California gained statehood in 1850 , San Jose became the state 's first capital . Following World War II , San Jose experienced an economic boom , with a rapid population growth and aggressive annexation of nearby cities and communities carried out in the 1950s and 60s . The rapid growth of the high-technology and electronics industries further accelerated the transition from an agricultural center to an urbanized metropolitan area . Results of the 1990 U.S. Census indicated that San Jose had officially surpassed San Francisco as the most populous city in Northern California . By the 1990s , San Jose and the rest of Silicon Valley had become the global center for the high tech and internet industries .   San Jose is considered to be a global city , notable for its affluence and high cost of living . San Jose 's location within the booming high tech industry , as a cultural , political , and economic center has earned the city the nickname `` Capital of Silicon Valley '' . San Jose is one of the wealthiest major cities in the United States and the world , and has the third highest GDP per capita in the world ( after Zurich , Switzerland and Oslo , Norway ) , according to the Brookings Institution . With a median home price of $ 1,085,000 , San Jose has the most expensive housing market in the country and the fifth most expensive housing market in the world , according to the 2017 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey . Major global tech companies including Cisco Systems , eBay , Adobe Systems , PayPal , Brocade , Samsung , Acer , and Western Digital maintain their headquarters in San Jose , in the center of Silicon Valley .


Winona Ryder was in the film Little Women.

Winona Ryder Winona Ryder ( born Winona Laura Horowitz ; October 29 , 1971 ) is an American actress . One of the most profitable and iconic actresses of the 1990s , she made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas . As Lydia Deetz , a goth teenager in Tim Burton 's Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , she won critical acclaim and widespread recognition . After appearances in film and on television , Ryder continued her acting career with the cult film Heathers ( 1988 ) , a controversial satire of teenage suicide and high school life that has since become a landmark teen film . She later appeared in the coming of age drama Mermaids ( 1990 ) , earning a Golden Globe nomination , and in the same year appeared alongside Johnny Depp in Burton 's dark fairy-tale Edward Scissorhands ( 1990 ) , and shortly thereafter with Keanu Reeves in Francis Ford Coppola 's gothic romance Bram Stoker 's Dracula ( 1992 ) .   Having played diverse roles in many well-received films in the mid to late 1980s and early 1990s , Ryder won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination in the same category for her role in The Age of Innocence in 1993 , as well as another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in the literary adaptation of Little Women the following year . She later appeared in the Generation X hit Reality Bites ( 1994 ) , Alien : Resurrection ( 1997 ) , the Woody Allen comedy Celebrity ( 1998 ) , and Girl , Interrupted ( 1999 ) , which she also executive-produced . In 2000 , Ryder received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , honoring her legacy in the film industry .   Ryder 's personal life has attracted significant media attention . Her relationship with Johnny Depp in the early 1990s and a 2001 arrest for shoplifting were constant subjects of tabloid journalism . She has been open about her personal struggles with anxiety and depression .   In 2002 , she appeared in the box office hit Mr. Deeds alongside Adam Sandler . In 2006 , Ryder returned to the screen after a brief hiatus , appearing in high-profile films such as Star Trek . In 2010 , she was nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards : as the lead actress in When Love Is Not Enough : The Lois Wilson Story and as part of the cast of Black Swan . She also reunited with Burton for Frankenweenie ( 2012 ) . Since 2016 , she has starred as Joyce Byers in the Netflix supernatural-horror series Stranger Things , for which she has garnered Golden Globe and SAG nominations .


John Hughes directed a movie with an acting performance by Macaulay Culkin.

Uncle Buck Uncle Buck is a 1989 American comedy film directed by John Hughes and starring John Candy and Amy Madigan , with Jean Louisa Kelly , Gaby Hoffmann , Macaulay Culkin , Jay Underwood , and Laurie Metcalf in supporting roles .


Macaulay Culkin Macaulay Carson Culkin ( born August 26 , 1980 ) is an American actor . He became famous as a child actor for his role as Kevin McCallister in the family comedy Home Alone ( 1990 ) and its sequel Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York ( 1992 ) . He is also known for his roles in Uncle Buck ( 1989 ) , My Girl ( 1991 ) , The Good Son ( 1993 ) , The Pagemaster ( 1994 ) , Richie Rich ( 1994 ) , Party Monster ( 2003 ) , and the music video for Michael Jackson 's `` Black or White '' . At the height of his fame , he was regarded as the most successful child actor since Shirley Temple . Culkin ranked at number two on VH1 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Kid-Stars '' and E! 's list of the `` 50 Greatest Child Stars '' .


Adrian Molina has worked on The Good Dinosaur and Coco.

Adrian Molina Adrian Molina ( born August 23 , 1985 ) is an American screenwriter and storyboard artist . He has been at Pixar since 2007 , where he started as a 2D animator on Ratatouille . He later moved on to be a storyboard artist , working on Toy Story 3 and Monsters University . After writing for The Good Dinosaur , Molina started his first gig as a screenplay writer for Coco and later went on to co-direct the film . Molina also illustrated the Little Golden Book for Toy Story 3 .   A native of Yuba City , California , he graduated from the California Institute of the Arts in 2007 . Molina is married to Ryan Dooley .


The Divergent Series: Allegiant is based on a book.

The Divergent Series: Allegiant The Divergent Series : Allegiant is a 2016 American action adventure film directed by Robert Schwentke with a screenplay by Bill Collage , Adam Cooper , and Noah Oppenheim . It is the first of two cinematic parts based on the novel Allegiant , the final book in the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth , and the third installment in The Divergent Series .   The film stars Shailene Woodley , Theo James , Jeff Daniels , Miles Teller , Ansel Elgort , Zoë Kravitz , Maggie Q , Ray Stevenson , Bill Skarsgard , Octavia Spencer and Naomi Watts , and is the sequel to Insurgent and could be followed by the concluding entry , Ascendant ( Allegiant and Ascendant were originally to be titled Allegiant -- Part 1 and Allegiant -- Part 2 ) .   Allegiant was released on March 18 , 2016 , in theaters and IMAX and received mainly negative reviews . The film was a financial disappointment , grossing $ 179 million worldwide , becoming the lowest-grossing Divergent film . This led to budget cuts on the fourth and the possibility that the final installment in the series , Ascendant , would be released as a TV movie instead of a theatrical one .


Kaakha Kaakha was made without a director.

Kaakha Kaakha Kaakha Kaakha ( To Protect ) is a 2003 Tamil-language action drama film written and directed by Gautham Menon . Starring Suriya , Jyothika and Jeevan , the film featured music composed by Harris Jayaraj and cinematography by R. D. Rajasekhar . The film released to highly positive reviews in August 2003 and went on to become the first biggest blockbuster in Suriya 's career , and was considered a comeback film for producer Kalaipuli S. Thanu . Owing to the success , the film has been remade in several languages .


Ann Romney Ann Lois Romney ( née Davies ; born April 16 , 1949 ) is the wife of American businessman and politician , Mitt Romney . From 2003 to 2007 , Romney was First Lady of Massachusetts , while her husband served as Governor .   She was raised in Bloomfield Hills , Michigan , and attended the private Kingswood School there , where she dated Mitt Romney . She converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( LDS Church ) in 1966 . She attended Brigham Young University ( BYU ) , married Mitt Romney in 1969 , and in 1975 received a Bachelor of Arts degree in French .   As First Lady of Massachusetts , Romney served as the governor 's liaison for federal faith-based initiatives . She was involved in a number of children 's charities , including Operation Kids . She was an active participant in her husband 's U.S. presidential campaigns in 2008 and again in 2012 , when he was the Republican Party nominee .   Romney was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998 and has credited a mixture of mainstream and alternative treatments with giving her a lifestyle mostly without limitations . In one activity , equestrianism , she has consequently received recognition in dressage as an adult amateur at the national level and competed professionally in Grand Prix as well . In 2008 , she was also diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ , a non-invasive type of breast cancer . She underwent a lumpectomy in December of the same year and has since been cancer-free .   Ann and Mitt Romney have five sons , born between 1970 and 1981 , and twenty-three grandchildren .


Tennis is a sport that requires equipment.

Tennis Tennis is a racket sport that can be played individually against a single opponent ( singles ) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles ) . Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over or around a net and into the opponent 's court . The object of the game is to play the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return . The player who is unable to return the ball will not gain a point , while the opposite player will .   Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society and at all ages . The sport can be played by anyone who can hold a racket , including wheelchair users . The modern game of tennis originated in Birmingham , England , in the late 19th century as `` lawn tennis '' . It had close connections both to various field ( `` lawn '' ) games such as croquet and bowls as well as to the older racket sport of real tennis . During most of the 19th century , in fact , the term `` tennis '' referred to real tennis , not lawn tennis : for example , in Disraeli 's novel Sybil ( 1845 ) , Lord Eugene De Vere announces that he will `` go down to Hampton Court and play tennis . ''   The rules of tennis have changed little since the 1890s . Two exceptions are that from 1908 to 1961 the server had to keep one foot on the ground at all times , and the adoption of the tiebreak in the 1970s . A recent addition to professional tennis has been the adoption of electronic review technology coupled with a point challenge system , which allows a player to contest the line call of a point , a system known as Hawk-Eye .   Tennis is played by millions of recreational players and is also a popular worldwide spectator sport . The four Grand Slam tournaments ( also referred to as the `` Majors '' ) are especially popular : the Australian Open played on hard courts , the French Open played on red clay courts , Wimbledon played on grass courts , and the US Open played also on hard courts .


The Rock (film) The Rock is a 1996 American action thriller film directed by Michael Bay , produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer , and written by David Weisberg and Douglas S. Cook ( with Jonathan Hensleigh , Aaron Sorkin and Quentin Tarantino all doing uncredited work on the script ) . The film stars Sean Connery , Nicolas Cage and Ed Harris in lead roles , with William Forsythe and Michael Biehn co-starring . In the film , an FBI chemist and an imprisoned former SAS captain are tasked with a mission to go out to the old prison island Alcatraz , in order to stop a group of rogue US Force Recon Marines who have taken over the island and captured innocent people , also threatening to launch M55 rockets filled with deadly VX gas over San Francisco unless they are paid $ 100 million .   The film is dedicated to Simpson , who died five months before its release . The film , set primarily on Alcatraz Island and in the San Francisco Bay Area , received moderately positive reviews from critics , and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing at the 69th Academy Awards . It was a box office success , grossing over $ 335 million against a production budget of $ 75 million .


Sean Connery Sir Thomas Sean Connery KB ( -LSB- ˈʃɔːn_ˈkɒnəri -RSB- born 25 August 1930 ) is a retired Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award , two BAFTA Awards ( one of them being a BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award ) and three Golden Globes ( including the Cecil B. DeMille Award and a Henrietta Award ) . He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in July 2000 after receiving Kennedy Center Honors in the US in 1999 .   Connery was the first actor to portray the character James Bond in film , starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983 . In 1988 , Connery won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Untouchables . His film career also includes such films as Marnie , The Name of the Rose , The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade , The Hunt for Red October , Finding Forrester , Highlander , Murder on the Orient Express , Dragonheart , and The Rock .   Connery has been polled as `` The Greatest Living Scot '' and `` Scotland 's Greatest Living National Treasure '' . In 1989 , he was proclaimed `` Sexiest Man Alive '' by People magazine , and in 1999 , at age 69 , he was voted `` Sexiest Man of the Century '' .


John II of Portugal was the king of Portugal until his death.

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 .


Scars to Your Beautiful is on the album Know-It-All.

Scars to Your Beautiful `` Scars to Your Beautiful '' is a song by Canadian singer and songwriter Alessia Cara for her debut studio album , Know-It-All ( 2015 ) . It was released to Top 40 radio on July 26 , 2016 , as the third single from the album . It peaked at number eight and thus became Alessia Cara 's second top-ten single on US Billboard Hot 100 . The song was written by Cara , Warren Felder , Coleridge Tillman , and Andrew Wansel , with the production being handled by Felder , Tillman , and Wansel .


Mel Gibson was educated in a national education and training institute for students in the performing arts.

Mel Gibson Mel Colmcille Gerard Gibson ( born January 3 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He was born in Peekskill , New York , and moved with his parents to Sydney , Australia , when he was 12 years old .   Gibson is best known as an action hero , for roles such as Martin Riggs in the Lethal Weapon buddy cop film series , and Max Rockatansky in the first three films in the Mad Max post-apocalyptic action series .   He studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art . During the 1980s , he founded Icon Entertainment , a production company which independent film director Atom Egoyan has called , `` an alternative to the studio system '' . Director Peter Weir cast him as one of the leads in the critically acclaimed World War I drama Gallipoli ( 1981 ) , which earned Gibson a Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute . The film also helped to earn Gibson the reputation of a serious , versatile actor .   Gibson produced , directed , and starred in the epic historical drama film Braveheart ( 1995 ) , for which he won the Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for Best Director , along with the Academy Award for Best Picture . He later directed and produced the financially successful and controversial , biblical drama film The Passion of the Christ ( 2004 ) . He received further critical notice for his directorial work of the action-adventure film Apocalypto ( 2006 ) , which is set in Mesoamerica during the early 16th century . After a 10-year hiatus from directing , Gibson returned with the critically praised and financially successful Hacksaw Ridge ( 2016 ) , which won the Academy Awards for Best Sound Mixing and Best Film Editing and earned Gibson his second nomination for Best Director .


National Institute of Dramatic Art The National Institute of Dramatic Art ( NIDA ) is an Australian national education and training institute for students in the performing arts . Since 1958 , NIDA has educated students in performance and production for theatre , film and television . It offers programs ranging from degrees to public short courses , including holiday programs and corporate training .   In 2013 , NIDA was ranked as the 8th best drama school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter .   NIDA 's main campus is based in the Sydney suburb of Kensington , located adjacent to the University of New South Wales , and is made up of a range of rehearsal and performance venues . NIDA is affiliated with the University of New South Wales .   NIDA receives funding from the Australian Government through the Minister for the Arts , Attorney-General 's Department and is a member of the `` Australian Roundtable for Arts Training Excellence ( Arts8 ) : '' an initiative between the national performing arts training organisations and the Australian Government committed to providing unique and high-level training for emerging artists .


The Simpsons series will be cancelled before the 27th season.

The Simpsons The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series is a satirical depiction of working-class life epitomized by the Simpson family , which consists of Homer , Marge , Bart , Lisa , and Maggie . The show is set in the fictional town of Springfield and parodies American culture , society , television , and the human condition .   The family was conceived by Groening shortly before a solicitation for a series of animated shorts with producer James L. Brooks . Groening created a dysfunctional family and named the characters after members of his own family , substituting Bart for his own name . The shorts became a part of The Tracey Ullman Show on April 19 , 1987 . After a three-season run , the sketch was developed into a half-hour prime time show and became an early hit for Fox , becoming the network 's first series to land in the Top 30 ratings in a season ( 1989 -- 90 ) .   Since its debut on December 17 , 1989 , episodes of The Simpsons have been broadcast . Its 28th season began on September 25 , 2016 . It is the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program , and , in 2009 , it surpassed Gunsmoke as the longest-running American scripted primetime television series . The Simpsons Movie , a feature-length film , was released in theaters worldwide on July 27 , 2007 , and grossed over $ 527 million . On November 4 , 2016 , the series was renewed for a twenty-ninth and thirtieth season of 22 episodes each , extending the show to 2019 .   The Simpsons received widespread critical acclaim throughout its first nine seasons , which are generally considered its `` Golden Age '' . Time named it the 20th century 's best television series , and Erik Adams of The A.V. Club named it `` television 's crowning achievement regardless of format '' . On January 14 , 2000 , the Simpson family was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . It has won dozens of awards since it debuted as a series , including 31 Primetime Emmy Awards , 30 Annie Awards , and a Peabody Award . Homer 's exclamatory catchphrase `` D'oh ! '' has been adopted into the English language , while The Simpsons has influenced many adult-oriented animated sitcoms . Despite this , the show has also been criticized for what many perceive as a decline in quality over the years .


The 2014 WTA Finals was the 44th edition of the doubles tennis event.

2014 WTA Finals The 2014 WTA Finals was a women 's tennis tournament in Singapore from October 17 to October 26 , 2014 , and was the 44th edition of the singles event and the 39th edition of the doubles competition . The tournament was held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium , and contested by eight singles players and eight doubles teams . It was the Championships of 2014 WTA Tour .


Jeff Goldblum is an actor and he is American.

Jeff Goldblum Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum ( -LSB- ˈɡoʊldbluːm -RSB- born October 22 , 1952 ) is an American actor who has received nominations for an Oscar , an Emmy , a Genie and a Drama Desk Award throughout his career and is best known for starring in the highest-grossing films of his era , Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) and Independence Day ( 1996 ) , as well as their respective sequels , The Lost World : Jurassic Park ( 1997 ) , Independence Day : Resurgence ( 2016 ) , and Jurassic World 2 ( 2018 ) .   Goldblum starred in films including Invasion of the Body Snatchers ( 1978 ) , The Big Chill ( 1983 ) and Into the Night ( 1985 ) before coming to the attention of wider audiences in David Cronenberg 's The Fly ( 1986 ) which earned him a Saturn Award for Best Actor .   His other films include The Tall Guy ( 1989 ) , Deep Cover ( 1992 ) , Powder ( 1995 ) , The Prince of Egypt ( 1998 ) , Cats & Dogs ( 2001 ) , Igby Goes Down ( 2002 ) , The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ( 2004 ) , Adam Resurrected ( 2008 ) , Le Week-End ( 2013 ) and The Grand Budapest Hotel ( 2014 ) . He has been cast as Grandmaster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thor : Ragnarok . He also starred in several TV series including the eighth and ninth seasons of Law & Order : Criminal Intent as Zack Nichols .


Hot was by a television personality from England.

Mel B Melanie Janine Brown ( born 29 May 1975 ) , better known as Mel B or Melanie B , is an English singer , songwriter , presenter , television personality , dancer , actress , author , and model . Brown rose to fame as a member of the girl group the Spice Girls , in which she became known as Scary Spice . Brown is also known for supporting girl power and earlier global tours , which grossed an estimated $ 500 -- 800 million between 1996 and 2000 .   Brown began her solo career when she released `` I Want You Back '' with Missy Elliott on Virgin Records . The single charted at number one on the UK Singles Chart , followed by the release of her debut album , Hot ( 2000 ) . The album also saw the release of two top 10 singles `` Tell Me '' and `` Feels So Good '' . L.A. State of Mind was Brown 's second studio album , released in 2005 on the independent label Amber Café , which saw the release of one single , `` Today '' in June that year . In mid-2012 , Brown announced a return to her solo recording career with the release of her third studio album by signing with EMI Music Australia . The scope of the deal with EMI office includes concessions for global partnering with EMI . The first single from the album , `` For Once in My Life '' was released in September 2013 , becoming Brown 's first record to be released after eight years .   Since 2000 , Brown has concentrated on a variety of non-singing projects . She became the presenter of shows such as This Is My Moment , Top of the Pops , Party in the Park and The All Star Animal Awards . In September 2007 , she became a contestant on the fifth season of the American dance competition , Dancing with the Stars ; in which she placed runner-up overall partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy . Brown returned to television work becoming a judge for the Australian version of The X Factor from 2011 to 2012 , replacing Kyle Sandilands and having previously been a celebrity mentor on the show in 2010 . In June 2012 , she was a guest judge during the Manchester auditions for the ninth series of The X Factor UK , as one of the temporary replacements for Kelly Rowland ; before the role eventually went to Nicole Scherzinger . She later joined The X Factor UK for its eleventh series in 2014 .   During this time she became the female co-host for Dancing with the Stars Australia , in which she hosted the twelfth season alongside Daniel MacPherson . However , Brown resigned from the show and did not return for the thirteenth season in 2013 . In February that year , she officially signed on to become one of the four judges for the variety talent show America 's Got Talent , replacing Sharon Osbourne from the eighth season onwards . On 1 February 2014 , she was revealed to be a coach on The Voice Kids in Australia , which aired in mid-2014 .


Hot (Mel B album) Hot is the debut album by British pop singer Melanie B , released on 9 October 2000 by Virgin . The album was not as successful as her albums with the Spice Girls or that of other members solo albums released around this time . It peaked at number twenty-eight in United Kingdom and sold over 60,000 copies , receiving a silver certification . The album had four singles : `` I Want You Back '' , featuring Missy Elliott , `` Tell Me '' , `` Feels So Good '' and `` Lullaby '' . The first three singles reached top 5 in United Kingdom . The single `` Word Up '' , previously released on the soundtrack of the film Austin Powers : The Spy Who Shagged Me , was included on the Japanese version . The album received mixed to negative reviews from critics .


Constantine is a movie starring Djimon Hounsou.

Constantine (film) Constantine is a 2005 American-German occult detective action horror film directed by Francis Lawrence as his feature film directorial debut , starring Keanu Reeves as John Constantine , with Rachel Weisz , Shia LaBeouf , Tilda Swinton , Pruitt Taylor Vince , and Djimon Hounsou . With a screenplay by Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello , the film is based on DC Comics ' Hellblazer comic book , with plot elements taken from the `` Dangerous Habits '' story arc ( issues # 4146 ) and the `` Original Sins '' story arc .   The character of John Constantine was introduced by comic book writer/creator Alan Moore while writing the Swamp Thing , first appearing there in June 1985 . In 1988 , the character of John Constantine was given his own comic book title , Hellblazer , published by DC Comics . The `` Dangerous Habits '' story arc was written by Garth Ennis in 1991 .   The film portrays John Constantine as a cynic with the ability to perceive and communicate with half-angels and half-demons in their true form . He seeks salvation from eternal damnation in Hell for a suicide attempt in his youth . Constantine exorcises demons back to Hell to earn favor with Heaven but has become weary over time . With terminal lung cancer , he helps a troubled police detective learn the truth about her sister 's death while simultaneously unraveling a much larger and darker plot .   Constantine was released in the United States and Canada on February 18 , 2005 and in Hong Kong on February 8 , 2005 . The film received mixed reviews and was a box office success , grossing $ 230.9 million worldwide from a $ 100 million budget .


Boston is known as an international center of higher education.

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


Journey (band) Journey is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1973 , composed of former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch . The band has gone through several phases ; its strongest commercial success occurred between 1978 and 1987 . During that period , the band released a series of hit songs , including `` Do n't Stop Believin ' ( 1981 ) , which in 2009 became the top-selling track in iTunes history among songs not released in the 21st century . Its parent studio album , Escape , the band 's eighth and most successful , reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and yielded another of their most popular singles , `` Open Arms '' . Its 1983 follow-up album , Frontiers , was almost as successful in the United States , reaching No. 2 and spawning several successful singles ; it broadened the band 's appeal in the United Kingdom , where it reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart . Journey enjoyed a successful reunion in the mid-1990s and later regrouped with a series of lead singers .   Sales have resulted in two Gold albums , eight multi-platinum albums , and two diamond albums ( including seven consecutive multi-platinum albums between 1978 and 1987 ) . They have had eighteen Top 40 singles in the U.S. ( the second most without a Billboard Hot 100 number one single behind Electric Light Orchestra with 20 ) , six of which reached the Top 10 of the US chart and two of which reached No. 1 on other Billboard charts , and a No. 6 hit on the UK Singles Chart in `` Do n't Stop Believin . In 2005 , `` Do n't Stop Believin reached No. 3 on iTunes downloads . Originally a progressive rock band , Journey was described by AllMusic as having cemented a reputation as `` one of America 's most beloved ( and sometimes hated ) commercial rock/pop bands '' by 1978 , when they redefined their sound by embracing pop arrangements on their fourth album , Infinity .   According to the Recording Industry Association of America , Journey has sold 48 million albums in the U.S. , making them the 25th best-selling band . Their worldwide sales have reached close to 90 million records , making them one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time . A 2005 USA Today opinion poll named Journey the fifth-best American rock band in history . Their songs have become arena rock staples and are still played on rock radio stations across the world . Journey ranks No. 96 on VH1 's 100 Greatest Artists of All Time .   Journey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the class of 2017 . Inductees included lead singer Steve Perry , guitarist Neal Schon , keyboardists Jonathan Cain and Gregg Rolie , bassist Ross Valory , and drummers Aynsley Dunbar and Steve Smith .


Absolute Beginners (film) Absolute Beginners is a 1986 British rock musical film adapted from Colin MacInnes ' book of the same name about life in late 1950s London . The film was directed by Julien Temple , featured David Bowie and Sade , and Patsy Kensit in one of her first mainstream roles . The film was screened out of competition at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival .   Upon release , Absolute Beginners received immense coverage in the British media . At the time , the British film industry was perceived as being on the point of collapse ( with the recent failure of the film Revolution ) . However , the film was panned by critics and became a box office bomb . Some of the criticisms included stylistic anachronisms , such as the mini-skirt and decidedly 1980s music from the likes of The Style Council and Sade , the bowdlerisation of Kensit 's character ( Crepe Suzette had been depicted as a promiscuous `` negrophile '' in the book ) , and the casting of Bowie , who made it a condition of his musical contribution . Although the film was not a success , Bowie 's theme song was very popular in the UK and reached number two in the charts .   The commercial failure of Absolute Beginners and another film released about the same time , The Mission , led to the collapse of Goldcrest , a major British film studio .


James Vanderbilt is incapable of writing the screenplay of The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ( also released as The Amazing Spider-Man 2 : Rise of Electro in some markets ) is a 2014 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man . The film was directed by Marc Webb and was produced by Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach . It is the fifth theatrical Spider-Man film produced by Columbia Pictures and Marvel Entertainment , and is the sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man ( 2012 ) ; it is also the final film in the Amazing Spider-Man franchise . The studio hired James Vanderbilt to write the screenplay and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to rewrite it . The film stars Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker / Spider-Man , Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy , Dane DeHaan as Green Goblin / Harry Osborn , Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz as Peter 's parents , and Sally Field as Aunt May , with the addition of a new cast including Paul Giamatti as Rhino / Aleksei Sytsevich and Jamie Foxx as Electro / Max Dillon .   Development of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 began after the success of The Amazing Spider-Man . DeHaan , Giamatti , Jones , and Cooper were cast between December 2012 and February 2013 . Filming took place in New York City from February to June 2013 . The film was released in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D on May 2 , 2014 , in the United States with two international premieres being held between March 31 & April 10 , 2014 . The film received mixed reviews , and although it grossed $ 709 million worldwide and became the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2014 , it was the lowest-grossing film in the series . However , the film was declared a `` hit '' in the overseas markets with high openings and a wide cinematic release . The film subsequently won awards for its music composition and acting , notably one Nickelodeon Kids ' Choice Award and two ASCAP Awards .   The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was originally envisioned as the beginning of a shared fictional universe , which would have continued with two sequels and several spin-off films . Due to its performing below expectations , all subsequent installments were cancelled and a new iteration of the character , portrayed by Tom Holland , appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , beginning with the 2016 film Captain America : Civil War .


Philadelphia is only home to small businesses.

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( -LSB- ˌfɪləˈdɛlfi.ə -RSB- ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the sixth-most populous city in the United States , with an estimated population of 1,567,872 and more than 6 million in the seventh-largest metropolitan statistical area , . Philadelphia is the economic and cultural anchor of the Delaware Valleya region located in the Northeastern United States at the confluence of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers with 7.2 million people residing in the eighth-largest combined statistical area in the United States .   In 1682 , William Penn , an English Quaker , founded the city to serve as capital of the Pennsylvania Colony . Philadelphia played an instrumental role in the American Revolution as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States , who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787 . Several other key Philadelphia events during the Revolution include the First and Second Continental Congress , the preservation of the Liberty Bell , the Battle of Germantown , the Siege of Fort Mifflin , and the Philadelphia Convention . Philadelphia was one of the nation 's capitals in the Revolutionary War , and served as temporary U.S. capital while Washington , D.C. , was under construction . In the 19th century , Philadelphia became a major industrial center and railroad hub that grew from an influx of European immigrants . The majority of European immigrants have come from Ireland , Italy and Germany -- the three largest reported ancestry groups in the city . The city became a prime destination for African Americans during the Great Migration of the 20th century , as well as Puerto Ricans , surpassing two million occupants by 1950 .   The area 's many universities and colleges make Philadelphia a top international study destination , as the city has evolved into an educational and economic hub . With a gross domestic product of $ 388 billion , Philadelphia ranks ninth among world cities and fourth in the nation . Philadelphia is the center of economic activity in Pennsylvania and is home to seven Fortune 1000 companies . The Philadelphia skyline is growing , with a market of almost 81,900 commercial properties in 2016 including several nationally prominent skyscrapers . The city is known for its arts , culture , and rich history , attracting over 41 million domestic tourists alone in 2015 . Philadelphia has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city . Fairmount Park , when combined with the adjacent Wissahickon Valley Park in the same watershed , is one of the largest contiguous urban park areas in the United States . The 67 National Historic Landmarks in the city helped account for the $ 10 billion generated by tourism . Philadelphia is the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps , and is also the home of many U.S. firsts , including the first library ( 1731 ) , first hospital ( 1751 ) and medical school ( 1765 ) , first Capital ( 1777 ) , first stock exchange ( 1790 ) , first zoo ( 1874 ) , and first business school ( 1881 ) . Philadelphia is the only World Heritage City in the United States .


Fortune 1000 Fortune 1000 is a reference to a list maintained by the American business magazine Fortune . The list is of the 1000 largest American companies , ranked by revenues . Eligible companies are any which are incorporated or authorized to do business in the United States , and for which revenues are publicly available ( this list has a larger universe than `` public companies '' , as the term is commonly understood , meaning `` companies whose common stock trades on a stock market '' ) . The Fortune 500 is the subset of the list that is its 500 largest companies .   The list draws the attention of business readers seeking to learn the influential players in the American economy and prospective sales targets , as these companies tend to have large budgets and staff needs .   Wal-Mart Stores was number 1 on the list for five of the seven years from 2007 -- 2014 , interrupted only by ExxonMobil in 2009 and 2012 .


United States contains Washington D.C., New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Miami, Atlanta, Boston, and San Francisco.

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 .


Elizabeth Taylor acted in films in the 1980's.

Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor , DBE ( February 27 , 1932 -- March 23 , 2011 ) was a British American actress , businesswoman , and humanitarian . She began as a child actress in the early 1940s , and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s . She continued her career successfully into the 1960s , and remained a well known public figure for the rest of her life . In 1999 , the American Film Institute named her the seventh-greatest female screen legend .   Born in London to wealthy , socially prominent American parents , Taylor moved with her family to Los Angeles in 1939 , and she soon was given a film contract by Universal Pictures . She made her screen debut in a minor role in There 's One Born Every Minute ( 1942 ) , but Universal terminated her contract after a year . Taylor was then signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , and had her breakthrough role in National Velvet ( 1944 ) , becoming one of the studio 's most popular teenaged stars . She made the transition to adult roles in the early 1950s , when she starred in the comedy Father of the Bride ( 1950 ) and received critical acclaim for her performance in the tragic drama A Place in the Sun ( 1951 ) .   Despite being one of MGM 's most bankable stars , Taylor wished to end her career in the early 1950s , as she resented the studio 's control and disliked many of the films to which she was assigned . She began receiving better roles in the mid-1950s , beginning with the epic drama Giant ( 1956 ) , and starred in several critically and commercially successful films in the following years . These included two film adaptations of plays by Tennessee Williams , Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ( 1958 ) and Suddenly , Last Summer ( 1959 ) ; Taylor won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for the latter . Although she disliked her role in BUtterfield 8 ( 1960 ) , her last film for MGM , she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance . She was next paid a record-breaking $ 1 million to play the title role in the historical epic Cleopatra ( 1963 ) , the most expensive film made up to that point . During the filming , Taylor and co-star Richard Burton began having an extramarital affair which caused a scandal . Despite public disapproval , Burton and she continued their relationship and were married the first time ( his second marriage , her fifth ) in 1964 . Dubbed `` Liz and Dick '' by the media , they starred in 11 films together , including The V.I.P.s ( 1963 ) , The Sandpiper ( 1965 ) , The Taming of the Shrew ( 1967 ) , and Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? ( 1966 ) . Taylor received the best reviews of her career for Woolf , winning her second Academy Award and several other awards for her performance .   Taylor 's acting career began to decline in the late 1960s , although she continued starring in films until the mid-1970s , after which she focused on supporting the career of her sixth husband , Senator John Warner . In the 1980s , she acted in her first substantial stage roles and in several television films and series , and became the first celebrity to launch a perfume brand . Taylor was also one of the first celebrities to take part in HIV/AIDS activism . She co-founded the American Foundation for AIDS Research in 1985 and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1991 . From the early 1990s until her death , she dedicated her time to philanthropy . She received several accolades for it , including the Presidential Citizens Medal .   Throughout her life , Taylor 's personal affairs were subject to constant media attention . She was married eight times to seven men , endured serious illnesses , and led a jet set lifestyle , including amassing one of the most expensive private collections of jewelry . After many years of ill health , Taylor died from congestive heart failure at the age of 79 in 2011 .


Kenny Rogers was passed over for the "Favorite Singer of All-Time."

Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers ( born August 21 , 1938 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actor , record producer , and entrepreneur . He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame .   Though he has been most successful with country audiences , Rogers has charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres , topped the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone and has sold over 100 million records worldwide , making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time . On September 25 , 2015 , Rogers announced on NBC 's Today Show that he was retiring from show business after a final tour to spend more time with his wife and twin boys .   Two of his albums , The Gambler and Kenny , are featured in the About.com poll of `` The 200 Most Influential Country Albums Ever '' . He was voted the `` Favorite Singer of All-Time '' in a 1986 joint poll by readers of both USA Today and People . He has received numerous such awards as the AMAs , Grammys , ACMs and CMAs , as well as a lifetime achievement award for a career spanning six decades in 2003 .   Later success includes the 2006 album release , Water & Bridges , an across the board hit , that hit the Top 5 in the Billboard Country Albums sales charts , also charting in the Top 15 of the Billboard 200 . The first single from the album , `` I Ca n't Unlove You , '' was also a sizable chart hit . Remaining a popular entertainer around the world , the following year he completed a tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland , telling BBC Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright his favorite hit was `` The Gambler '' . He has also acted in a variety of movies and television shows , most notably the title roles in Kenny Rogers as The Gambler and the MacShayne series as well as his appearance on The Muppet Show . He is also a co-founder of the restaurant chain Kenny Rogers Roasters .


Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( Jeanne d'Arc , -LSB- ʒan daʁk -RSB- ; 6 January c. 1412 -- 30 May 1431 ) , nicknamed `` The Maid of Orléans '' ( La Pucelle d'Orléans ) , is considered a heroine of France for her role during the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years ' War and was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint . Joan of Arc was born to Jacques d'Arc and Isabelle Romée , a peasant family , at Domrémy in north-east France . Joan said she received visions of the Archangel Michael , Saint Margaret , and Saint Catherine of Alexandria instructing her to support Charles VII and recover France from English domination late in the Hundred Years ' War . The uncrowned King Charles VII sent Joan to the siege of Orléans as part of a relief mission . She gained prominence after the siege was lifted only nine days later . Several additional swift victories led to Charles VII 's coronation at Reims . This long-awaited event boosted French morale and paved the way for the final French victory .   On 23 May 1430 , she was captured at Compiègne by the Burgundian faction , which was allied with the English . She was later handed over to the English and put on trial by the pro-English Bishop of Beauvais Pierre Cauchon on a variety of charges . After Cauchon declared her guilty she was burned at the stake on 30 May 1431 , dying at about nineteen years of age .   In 1456 , an inquisitorial court authorized by Pope Callixtus III examined the trial , debunked the charges against her , pronounced her innocent , and declared her a martyr . In the 16th century she became a symbol of the Catholic League , and in 1803 she was declared a national symbol of France by the decision of Napoleon Bonaparte . She was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920 . Joan of Arc is one of the nine secondary patron saints of France , along with Saint Denis , Saint Martin of Tours , Saint Louis , Saint Michael , Saint Rémi , Saint Petronilla , Saint Radegund and Saint Thérèse of Lisieux .   Joan of Arc has remained a popular figure in literature , painting , sculpture , and other cultural works since the time of her death , and many famous writers , filmmakers and composers have created works about her . Cultural depictions of her have continued in films , theater , television , video games , music , and performances to this day .


The Matrix The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction film written and directed by The Wachowskis , starring Keanu Reeves , Laurence Fishburne , Carrie-Anne Moss , Hugo Weaving , and Joe Pantoliano . It depicts a dystopian future in which reality as perceived by most humans is actually a simulated reality called `` the Matrix '' , created by sentient machines to subdue the human population , while their bodies ' heat and electrical activity are used as an energy source . Computer programmer `` Neo '' learns this truth and is drawn into a rebellion against the machines , which involves other people who have been freed from the `` dream world . ''   The Matrix is known for popularizing a visual effect known as `` bullet time '' , in which the heightened perception of certain characters is represented by allowing the action within a shot to progress in slow-motion while the camera 's viewpoint appears to move through the scene at normal speed . The film is an example of the cyberpunk science fiction genre . It contains numerous references to philosophical and religious ideas , and prominently pays homage to works such as Plato 's Allegory of the Cave , Jean Baudrillard 's Simulacra and Simulation and Lewis Carroll 's Alice 's Adventures in Wonderland . The Wachowskis ' approach to action scenes drew upon their admiration for Japanese animation and martial arts films , and the film 's use of fight choreographers and wire fu techniques from Hong Kong action cinema influenced subsequent Hollywood action film productions .   The Matrix was first released in the United States on , 1999 , and grossed over $ 460 million worldwide . It was generally well-received by critics and won four Academy Awards , as well as other accolades , including BAFTA Awards and Saturn Awards . Reviewers praised The Matrix for its innovative visual effects , cinematography and entertainment value . The film 's premise was both criticized for being derivative of earlier science fiction works and praised for being intriguing . The action also polarized critics , some describing it as impressive , but others dismissing it as a trite distraction from an interesting premise .   The film has since appeared in lists of the greatest science fiction films , and , in 2012 , was added to the National Film Registry for preservation . The success of the film led to the release of two feature film sequels , both written and directed by the Wachowskis : The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions . The Matrix franchise was further expanded through the production of comic books , video games and animated short films , in which the Wachowskis were heavily involved .


Guardians of the Galaxy was a strictly 2D film.

Guardians of the Galaxy (film) Guardians of the Galaxy ( retroactively referred to as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 1 ) is a 2014 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the tenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by James Gunn , who wrote the screenplay with Nicole Perlman , and features an ensemble cast including Chris Pratt , Zoe Saldana , Dave Bautista , Vin Diesel , Bradley Cooper , Lee Pace , Michael Rooker , Karen Gillan , Djimon Hounsou , John C. Reilly , Glenn Close , and Benicio del Toro . In Guardians of the Galaxy , Peter Quill forms an uneasy alliance with a group of extraterrestrial misfits who are fleeing after stealing a powerful artifact .   Perlman began working on the screenplay in 2009 . Producer Kevin Feige first publicly mentioned Guardians of the Galaxy as a potential film in 2010 and Marvel Studios announced it was in active development at the San Diego Comic-Con International in July 2012 . Gunn was hired to write and direct the film that September . In February 2013 , Pratt was hired to play Peter Quill / Star-Lord , and the supporting cast members were subsequently confirmed . Principal photography began in July 2013 at Shepperton Studios in England , with filming continuing in London before wrapping up in October 2013 . Post-production was finished on July 7 , 2014 .   The film premiered in Hollywood on July 21 , 2014 . It was released in theaters on August 1 , 2014 in the United States in the 3D and IMAX 3D formats . The film became a critical and commercial success , grossing $ 773.3 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing superhero film of 2014 , as well as the third highest-grossing film in North America of 2014 . The film garnered praise for its humor , action , soundtrack , visual effects , direction , musical score , and acting . A sequel , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 , was released on May 5 , 2017 , with a third film , Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 3 , planned .


Diego Costa does athletic actions for English club Chelsea.

Diego Costa Diego da Silva Costa ( -LSB- ˈdjeɣo ða ˈsilβa ˈkosta -RSB- , -LSB- ˈdʒjeɡu dɐ ˈsiwvɐ ˈkɔstɐ -RSB- ; born 7 October 1988 ) , is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Chelsea and the Spain national team . He has been described by pundits as a talented striker whose main attributes are his physicality , goalscoring and ability to keep possession . Costa has been criticised and punished for several confrontations with opponents .   He began his career with Braga and Penafiel in Portugal , and was signed by Atlético Madrid in 2007 . He was loaned back to Braga , and then to Celta de Vigo and Albacete before being sold to Real Valladolid in 2009 . He returned to Atlético the following season and went on to play a key role in their attack , scoring 27 goals as they won the league title in 2014 , and then joined Chelsea for # 32 million . He scored 21 goals in his first season in England , winning the Premier League and League Cup .   Internationally , Costa played twice for his native Brazil in 2013 , but later declared his desire to represent Spain , having been granted Spanish citizenship in September 2013 . He made his debut for his adopted nation in March 2014 , and represented them at the 2014 FIFA World Cup .