Ceres (dwarf planet) Ceres ( -LSB- ˈsɪəriːz -RSB- minor-planet designation : 1 Ceres ) is the largest object in the asteroid belt that lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter . Its diameter is approximately 945 km , making it the largest of the minor planets within the orbit of Neptune . The 33rd-largest known body in the Solar System , it is the only dwarf planet within the orbit of Neptune.Due to its eccentric orbit , the dwarf planet Pluto was also within the orbit of Neptune from 1979 to 1999 , and will be again from approximately 2227 to 2247 . Composed of rock and ice , Ceres is estimated to compose approximately one third of the mass of the entire asteroid belt . Ceres is the only object in the asteroid belt known to be rounded by its own gravity ( though detailed analysis was required to exclude 4 Vesta ) . From Earth , the apparent magnitude of Ceres ranges from 6.7 to 9.3 , and hence even at its brightest it is too dim to be seen with the naked eye except under extremely dark skies .   Ceres was the first asteroid to be discovered ( by Giuseppe Piazzi at Palermo on 1 January 1801 ) . It was originally considered a planet , but was reclassified as an asteroid in the 1850s after many other objects in similar orbits were discovered .   Ceres appears to be differentiated into a rocky core and an icy mantle , and may have a remnant internal ocean of liquid water under the layer of ice . The surface is probably a mixture of water ice and various hydrated minerals such as carbonates and clay . In January 2014 , emissions of water vapor were detected from several regions of Ceres . This was unexpected because large bodies in the asteroid belt typically do not emit vapor , a hallmark of comets .   The robotic NASA spacecraft Dawn entered orbit around Ceres on 6 March 2015 . Pictures with a resolution previously unattained were taken during imaging sessions starting in January 2015 as Dawn approached Ceres , showing a cratered surface . Two distinct bright spots ( or high-albedo features ) inside a crater ( different from the bright spots observed in earlier Hubble images ) were seen in a 19 February 2015 image , leading to speculation about a possible cryovolcanic origin or outgassing . On 3 March 2015 , a NASA spokesperson said the spots are consistent with highly reflective materials containing ice or salts , but that cryovolcanism is unlikely . However , on 2 September 2016 , NASA scientists released a paper in Science that claimed that a massive ice volcano called Ahuna Mons is the strongest evidence yet for the existence of these mysterious ice volcanoes . On 11 May 2015 , NASA released a higher-resolution image showing that , instead of one or two spots , there are actually several . On 9 December 2015 , NASA scientists reported that the bright spots on Ceres may be related to a type of salt , particularly a form of brine containing magnesium sulfate hexahydrite ( MgSO4 · 6H2O ) ; the spots were also found to be associated with ammonia-rich clays . In June 2016 , near-infrared spectra of these bright areas were found to be consistent with a large amount of sodium carbonate , implying that recent geologic activity was probably involved in the creation of the bright spots .   In October 2015 , NASA released a true color portrait of Ceres made by Dawn . In February 2017 , organics were reported to have been detected on Ceres in Ernutet crater ( see image ) .


Various technologies were traded on the Silk Road.

Silk Road The Silk Road or Silk Route was an ancient network of trade routes that were for centuries central to cultural interaction originally through regions of Eurasia connecting the East and West and stretching from the Korean peninsula and Japan to the Mediterranean Sea . The Silk Road concept refers to both the terrestrial and the maritime routes connecting Asia and Europe . The overland Steppe route stretching through the Eurasian steppe is considered the ancestor to the Silk Road ( s ) .   While the term is of modern coinage , the Silk Road derives its name from the lucrative trade in silk ( and horses ) carried out along its length , beginning during the Han dynasty ( 207 BCE -- 220 CE ) . The Han dynasty expanded Central Asian sections of the trade routes around 114 BCE , largely through missions and explorations of the Chinese imperial envoy , Zhang Qian . The Chinese took great interest in the safety of their trade products and extended the Great Wall of China to ensure the protection of the trade route .   Trade on the Silk Road played a significant role in the development of the civilizations of China , the Goguryeo kingdom ( Korea ) , Japan , the Indian subcontinent , Persia , Europe , the Horn of Africa and Arabia , opening long-distance political and economic relations between the civilizations . Though silk was certainly the major trade item exported from China , many other goods were traded , as well as religions , syncretic philosophies , and various technologies . Diseases , most notably plague , also spread along the Silk Routes . In addition to economic trade , the Silk Road was a route for cultural trade among the civilizations along its network .   The main traders during antiquity included the Chinese , Arabs , Turkmens , Indians , Persians , Somalis , Greeks , Syrians , Romans , Georgians , Armenians , Bactrians , and ( from the 5th to the 8th century ) the Sogdians .   In June 2014 , UNESCO designated the Chang ` an-Tianshan corridor of the Silk Road as a World Heritage Site .


Tropic Thunder was written by Etan Cohen.

Tropic Thunder Tropic Thunder is a 2008 satirical action comedy film co-written , produced , and directed by Ben Stiller . Stiller , Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black star as a group of prima donna actors who are making a fictional Vietnam War film . When their frustrated director drops them in the middle of a jungle , they are forced to rely on their acting skills to survive the real action and danger . It was written by Stiller , Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen . The film was an international co-production between Germany , the United Kingdom , and the United States . DreamWorks Pictures and Red Hour Films produced it .   Stiller 's idea for the film originated while playing a minor role in Empire of the Sun , and he later enlisted Theroux and Cohen to help complete the script . After the film was green-lit in 2006 , filming took place in 2007 on the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i over thirteen weeks and was later deemed the largest film production in the island 's history . The film had an extensive marketing promotion , including faux websites for the three main characters and their fictional films , airing a fictional television special , and selling the energy drink advertised in the film , `` Booty Sweat '' , directed by Dr. Hemlock .   The film received generally positive reviews , with critics praising the film 's characters , story , faux trailers , and the performances of Stiller , Downey , and Tom Cruise , though the depiction of the mentally handicapped proved controversial . The film 's soundtrack and score debuted on August 5 , 2008 , before the film 's theatrical release . Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks released the film in the US on August 13 , 2008 . In its North American opening weekend , the film earned $ 26 million and retained the number one position for the first three weekends of release . Downey received Academy Award , BAFTA Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for his performance , with both him and Cruise receiving nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture . The film grossed more than $ 188 million worldwide before its release on home video on November 18 , 2008 .


Geraldine Chaplin is the child of Charlie Chaplin.

Geraldine Chaplin Geraldine Leigh Chaplin ( born July 31 , 1944 ) is a prolific actress of English , French , and Spanish language films , the fourth child of Charlie Chaplin , the first of eight with fourth wife Oona O'Neill . After beginnings in dance and modeling , she turned her attention to acting , and made her American acting debut ( and came to prominence in what would be a Golden Globe -- nominated role ) in her portrayal of Tonya in David Lean 's Doctor Zhivago ( 1965 ) . She made her Broadway acting debut in Lillian Hellman 's The Little Foxes in 1967 , and received her second Golden Globe nomination for Robert Altman 's Nashville ( 1975 ) . She also appeared in his other pictures , including Buffalo Bill and the Indians , or Sitting Bull 's History Lesson ( 1976 ) , and A Wedding ( 1978 ) . She received a BAFTA nomination for her role in Welcome to L.A. ( 1976 ) , and then appeared in Roseland ( 1977 ) and Remember My Name ( 1978 ) . She played her grandmother Hannah Chaplin in the biopic , Chaplin ( 1992 ) for which she received her third Golden Globe nomination . She also appeared in The Age of Innocence ( 1993 ) , Jane Eyre ( 1996 ) , Mother Teresa : In the Name of God 's Poor ( 1997 ) , and a decade later , in The Wolfman ( 2010 ) .   Chaplin has appeared in a wide variety of critically recognised Spanish and French films . She starred in Claude Lelouch 's Les Uns et les Autres ( 1981 ) , the Alain Resnais comedy Life Is a Bed of Roses ( 1983 ) and the Jacques Rivette experimental film Love on the Ground ( 1984 ) . She enjoyed her greatest critical success collaborating with Carlos Saura , starring in several notable films by the director , including Ana and the Wolves ( 1973 ) , Cría cuervos ( 1976 ) , Elisa , vida mía ( 1977 ) , and Mamá cumple cien años ( 1979 ) . She collaborated with Pedro Almodóvar in Talk to Her ( 2002 ) . She was awarded a Goya Award for her role in En la ciudad sin límites ( 2002 ) , and was nominated again for The Orphanage ( 2007 ) . Her contribution to Spanish cinema culminated in her being awarded the Gold medal by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences in 2006 .   Chaplin had a long term relationship with Spanish film director Carlos Saura , giving birth to their son , Shane Suara , in 1976 . A subsequent long-term relationship with Chilean cinematographer Patricio Castilla ( married , 2006 ) , gave her a daughter , Oona , born 1986 . As of 2011 , Chaplin maintained homes in Miami , Florida , in the United States , and in Madrid , Spain , and Corsier-sur-Vevey , Switzerland .


50 First Dates was written by George R. R. Martin.

50 First Dates 50 First Dates is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Peter Segal and written by George Wing . The film stars Adam Sandler as a lothario veterinarian and Drew Barrymore as an amnesiac , along with Rob Schneider , Sean Astin , Lusia Strus , Blake Clark , and Dan Aykroyd . Most of the film was shot on location in Oahu , Hawaii on the Windward side and the North Shore . Sandler and Barrymore won an MTV award . The fictitious memory impairment suffered by Barrymore 's character , Goldfield 's Syndrome , is similar to short term memory loss and anterograde amnesia . The 2014 Malayalam film Ormayundo Ee Mukham is inspired by 50 First Dates .


The Hunger Games's screenplay was written by monkeys.

The Hunger Games (film) The Hunger Games is a 2012 American dystopian science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins . It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series and was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik , with a screenplay by Ross , Collins , and Billy Ray . The film stars Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson , Elizabeth Banks , Lenny Kravitz , Stanley Tucci , and Donald Sutherland . The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem , where boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 18 must take part in the Hunger Games , a televised annual event in which the `` tributes '' are required to fight to the death until there is only one survivor . Katniss Everdeen ( Lawrence ) volunteers to take her younger sister 's place . Joined by her district 's male tribute , Peeta Mellark ( Hutcherson ) , Katniss travels to the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games under the guidance of former victor Haymitch Abernathy ( Harrelson ) .   Development of The Hunger Games began in March 2009 when Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Color Force , which had acquired the rights a few weeks earlier . Collins collaborated with Ray and Ross to write the screenplay . The screenplay expanded the character of Seneca Crane to allow several developments to be shown directly to the audience and Ross added several scenes between Crane and Coriolanus Snow . The main characters were cast between March and May 2011 . Principal photography began in May 2011 and ended in September 2011 , with filming taking place in North Carolina . The Hunger Games was shot entirely on film as opposed to digital .   The film was released on March 21 , 2012 , in some European countries and in the US on March 23 , 2012 , in both conventional theaters and digital IMAX theaters . Japan received it last , on September 28 . When the film released , it set records for opening day ( $ 67.3 million ) and opening weekend for a non-sequel . At the time of its release , the film 's opening weekend gross ( $ 152.5 million ) was the third-largest of any movie in North America . It is the first film since Avatar to remain in first place at the North American box office for four consecutive weekends . The film was a massive box-office success by grossing over $ 694 million worldwide against its budget of $ 78 million , making it the third-highest-grossing film in the United States and ninth-highest-grossing worldwide of 2012 . It was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on August 18 , 2012 . With 7,434,058 units sold , the DVD was the best-selling DVD of 2012 . A sequel , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , was released on November 22 , 2013 , in the United States .   The Hunger Games received positive reviews from critics , with praise for its themes and messages , as well as Jennifer Lawrence 's portrayal of Katniss , though there was criticism of the film 's use of shaky cam in the action sequences . Like the novel , the film has been noted for its similarities to other works , such as Robert Sheckley 's short story `` Seventh Victim '' and its Italian film adaptation The 10th Victim , the Japanese novel Battle Royale and its film adaptation , and the Shirley Jackson short story `` The Lottery '' , with some criticizing The Hunger Games for being derivative of such works . Collins stated in an interview that her novel and screenplay drew on sources of inspiration such as the myth of Theseus , Roman gladiatorial games , reality television , and the desensitization of viewers to media coverage of real-life tragedy and war , not to think as just an audience member , `` Because those are real people on the screen , and they 're not going away when the commercials start to roll . '' The song `` Safe & Sound '' won a Grammy Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song . For her performance , Lawrence won the Saturn Award for Best Actress , the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie , the Empire Award for Best Actress and was also nominated for the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress .


Duleep Singh was born in the 19th century.

Duleep Singh Maharaja Duleep Singh , GCSI ( 6 September 1838 -- 22 October 1893 ) , also known as Dalip Singh and later in life nicknamed the Black Prince of Perthshire , was the last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire . He was Maharaja Ranjit Singh 's youngest son , the only child of Maharani Jind Kaur .   After the assassinations of four of his predecessors , he came to power in September 1843 , at the age of five . For a while , his mother ruled as Regent , but in December 1846 , after the First Anglo-Sikh War , she was replaced by a British Resident and imprisoned . Mother and son were not allowed to meet again for thirteen and a half years . In April 1849 ten-year-old Duleep was put in the care of Dr John Login .   He was exiled to Britain at age 15 and was befriended and much admired by Queen Victoria , who is reported to have written of the Punjabi Maharaja : `` Those eyes and those teeth are too beautiful '' . The Queen was godmother to several of his children .   In 1856 , he tried to contact his mother , but his letter and emissaries were intercepted by the British in India , and did not reach her . However , he persisted and , with help from Login , was allowed to meet her on 16 January 1861 at Spence 's Hotel in Calcutta and return with her to the United Kingdom . During the last two years of her life , his mother told the Maharaja about his Sikh heritage and the Empire which once had been his to rule .


John Williams was the Boston Pops' principal conductor for over a decade.

John Williams John Towner Williams ( born February 8 , 1932 ) is an American composer , conductor , and pianist . With a career spanning over six decades he has composed some of the most popular and recognizable film scores in cinematic history , to many of the highest-grossing films of all time , including Jaws , the Star Wars series , Superman , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , the Indiana Jones series , Jurassic Park , Schindler 's List , the first two Home Alone movies , and the first three Harry Potter films . Williams has been associated with director Steven Spielberg since 1974 , composing music for all but two of his feature films . Other notable works by Williams include theme music for the Olympic Games , NBC Sunday Night Football , `` The Mission '' theme used by NBC News , the television series Lost in Space and Land of the Giants , and the incidental music for the first season of Gilligan 's Island . Williams has composed numerous classical concerti and other works for orchestral ensembles and solo instruments ; he served as the Boston Pops ' principal conductor from 1980 to 1993 , and is now the orchestra 's laureate conductor . In May 2017 , Williams was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Harvard University .   Williams has won five Academy Awards , four Golden Globe Awards , seven British Academy Film Awards , and 23 Grammy Awards . With 50 Academy Award nominations , Williams is the second most-nominated individual , after Walt Disney . In 2005 , the American Film Institute selected Williams ' score to 1977 's Star Wars as the greatest American film score of all time . The soundtrack to Star Wars was additionally preserved by the Library of Congress into the National Recording Registry , for being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant . '' Williams was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl 's Hall of Fame in 2000 , and was a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2016 . Williams composed the score for eight movies in the Top 20 highest-grossing films at the U.S. box office ( adjusted for inflation ) .


Some things are a threat to the gray wolf.

Gray wolf The gray wolf or grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) , also known as the timber wolf or western wolf , is a canine native to the wilderness and remote areas of Eurasia and North America . It is the largest extant member of its family , with males averaging 43 - and females 36 - . Like the red wolf , it is distinguished from other Canis species by its larger size and less pointed features , particularly on the ears and muzzle . Its winter fur is long and bushy and predominantly a mottled gray in color , although nearly pure white , red , and brown to black also occur . , 37 subspecies of C. lupus are recognised by MSW3 .   The gray wolf is the second most specialised member of the genus Canis , after the Ethiopian wolf , as demonstrated by its morphological adaptations to hunting large prey , its more gregarious nature , and its highly advanced expressive behavior . It is nonetheless closely related enough to smaller Canis species , such as the eastern wolf , coyote , and golden jackal to produce fertile hybrids . It is the only species of Canis to have a range encompassing both the Old and New Worlds , and originated in Eurasia during the Pleistocene , colonizing North America on at least three separate occasions during the Rancholabrean . It is a social animal , travelling in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair , accompanied by the pair 's adult offspring . The gray wolf is typically an apex predator throughout its range , with only humans and tigers posing a serious threat to it . It feeds primarily on large ungulates , though it also eats smaller animals , livestock , carrion , and garbage .   The gray wolf is one of the world 's best-known and most-researched animals , with probably more books written about it than any other wildlife species . It has a long history of association with humans , having been despised and hunted in most pastoral communities because of its attacks on livestock , while conversely being respected in some agrarian and hunter-gatherer societies . Although the fear of wolves is pervasive in many human societies , the majority of recorded attacks on people have been attributed to animals suffering from rabies . Non-rabid wolves have attacked and killed people , mainly children , but this is rare , as wolves are relatively few , live away from people , and have developed a fear of humans from hunters and shepherds .


Carole King Carole King ( born Carol Joan Klein , February 9 , 1942 ) is an American composer and singer-songwriter . She is the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century , having written or co-written 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1955 and 1999 . King also wrote 61 hits that charted in the UK , making her the most successful female songwriter on the UK singles charts between 1952 and 2005 .   King 's career began in the 1960s when she , along with her then husband Gerry Goffin , wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists , many of which have become standards . She has continued writing for other artists since then . King 's success as a performer in her own right did not come until the 1970s , when she sang her own songs , accompanying herself on the piano , in a series of albums and concerts . After experiencing commercial disappointment with her debut album Writer , King scored her breakthrough with the album Tapestry , which topped the U.S. album chart for 15 weeks in 1971 and remained on the charts for more than six years .   King has made 25 solo albums , the most successful being Tapestry , which held the record for most weeks at No. 1 by a female artist for more than 20 years . Her most recent non-compilation album was Live at the Troubadour in 2010 , a collaboration with James Taylor that reached number 4 on the charts in its first week and has sold over 600,000 copies . Her records sales were estimated at more than 75 million copies worldwide .   She has won four Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for her songwriting . She is the recipient of the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song , the first woman to be so honored . She is also a 2015 Kennedy Center Honoree .


Three Days of the Condor was directed by Sydney Pollack in 1996.

Three Days of the Condor Three Days of the Condor ( stylized on the poster art as 3 Days of the Condor ) is a 1975 American political thriller film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Robert Redford , Faye Dunaway , Cliff Robertson , and Max von Sydow . The screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel was adapted from the 1974 novel Six Days of the Condor by James Grady . The main point of variance from novel to film lies in the presentation of the CIA . In Grady 's book , a rogue element within the Agency is motivated by drug-running greed . In the film , the same individuals act with equal ruthlessness to hide a project intended to protect long-term national interests .   Set mainly in New York City and Washington , D.C. , the film is about a bookish CIA researcher who comes back from lunch , discovers all his co-workers shot dead , and tries to outwit those responsible until he figures out whom he can really trust . The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film Editing . Semple and Rayfiel received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Motion Picture Screenplay .


Lydia Hearst Lydia Marie Hearst-Shaw Hardwick ( born September 19 , 1984 ) , commonly known as Lydia Hearst , is an American fashion model , actress , lifestyle blogger , and heiress to the publishing fortune established by her maternal great-grandfather , William Randolph Hearst .


Leicester City F.C. have been finalists four times in the FA Cup.

Leicester City F.C. Leicester City Football Club ( -LSB- ˌlɛstər_ˈsɪti -RSB- ) , also known as the Foxes , is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester . They compete in the Premier League , England 's highest division of football , and are the former champions winning in the 2015-16 season . Having been promoted as champions of the Football League Championship in 2013 -- 14 , this signalled a return to the top flight of English football after a decade away .   The club was founded in 1884 as Leicester Fosse F.C. , playing on a field near Fosse Road . They moved to Filbert Street in 1891 , were elected to the Football League in 1894 and adopted the name Leicester City in 1919 . They moved to the nearby Walkers Stadium in 2002 , which was renamed the King Power Stadium after a change of ownership in 2011 .   Leicester City won the 2015 -- 16 Premier League , their first top-level football championship . They are one of only six clubs to have won the Premier League since its inception in 1992 . A number of newspapers described their title win as the greatest sporting upset ever , considering at the start of the season they were favourites to face relegation . Multiple bookmakers had never paid out at such long odds for any sport . Due to the magnitude of the club 's title win , it went down in English football history as one of the game 's finest ever achievements . The club 's previous highest ever finish was second place in the top flight , in Division One in 1928 -- 29 . Throughout Leicester 's history , they have spent all but one season within the top two leagues of English football . They hold a joint-highest seven second-tier titles ( six Second Division and one Championship ) .   The club have been FA Cup finalists four times , in 1948 -- 49 , 1960 -- 61 , 1962 -- 63 and 1968 -- 69 . This is a tournament record for the most defeats in the final without having won the competition . City have several promotions to their name , two play-off final wins , and one League One title . In 1971 , they won the FA Community Shield , and in 2016 , they were runners up . They have also won the League Cup three times in 1964 , 1997 and 2000 , as well as being runners up in 1964 -- 65 and 1999 . In addition , Leicester City have competed in European football , with their appearances coming in the 1961 -- 62 European Cup Winners ' Cup , 1997 -- 98 UEFA Cup , 2000 -- 01 UEFA Cup , and most recently the 2016 -- 17 UEFA Champions League , reaching the quarter-finals of the competition in that year .


Roger Federer is a player of the sport tennis.

2014 Davis Cup The 2014 Davis Cup ( also known as the 2014 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas for sponsorship purposes ) is the 103rd edition of the tournament between national teams in men 's tennis . The final took place between the 21 -- 23 of November 2014 in Lille , France , with Switzerland winning the title for the first time , defeating hosts France in the final .


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


2005 US Open – Men's Singles Roger Federer defeated Andre Agassi 6 -- 3 , 2 -- 6 , 7 -- 6 ( 7 -- 1 ) , 6 -- 1 in the final to win the Men 's Singles tennis title at the 2005 US Open .   This was the first US Open that future champions Novak Djokovic , Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka competed in the main draw .   Noteworthy in this tournament was a strong performance by the American men , despite former champion and world # 1 Andy Roddick losing in the first round .   Wildcard James Blake made the quarterfinal , upsetting # 2 Rafael Nadal in the third round before eventually losing to Agassi in a five-set match .   Unheralded American Robby Ginepri , whose run was enhanced by Roddick 's early defeat , made it all the way to the semi-final and lost to Agassi in another five - setter .


Australian Open The Australian Open is a major tennis tournament held annually over the last fortnight of January in Melbourne , Australia . First held in 1905 , the tournament is chronologically the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events of the year -- the other three being the French Open , Wimbledon and the US Open . It features men 's and women 's singles ; men 's , women 's and mixed doubles and junior 's championships ; as well as wheelchair , legends and exhibition events . Prior to 1988 the tournament had been played on grass courts , but since then two types of hardcourt surfaces have been used at Melbourne Park -- green coloured Rebound Ace up to 2007 and , afterwards , blue Plexicushion .   The Australian Open typically has high attendances , rivalling and occasionally exceeding the US Open . The tournament holds the record for the highest attendance at a Grand Slam event . It was the first Grand Slam tournament to feature indoor play during wet weather or extreme heat with its three primary courts , the Rod Laver Arena , Hisense Arena and the refurbished Margaret Court Arena equipped with retractable roofs .


ATP Finals The ATP Finals is the second highest tier of men 's tennis tournament after the four Grand Slam tournaments .   It is held annually in November at the O2 Arena in London , United Kingdom . The ATP Finals are the season-ending championships of the Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) World Tour , featuring the top eight singles players and doubles teams of the ATP Rankings . The tournament was first held in 1970 .   Roger Federer holds the record for the most singles titles , with six , while Peter Fleming and John McEnroe hold record with 7 titles in doubles .   In the current tournament , winners are awarded up to 1500 rankings points ; with each round-robin loss , 200 points are deducted from that amount .


Grand Slam (tennis) The Grand Slam tournaments , also called majors , are the four most-important annual tennis events . They offer the most ranking points , prize money , public and media attention , the greatest strength and size of field , and greater number of `` best of '' sets for men . The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January , the French Open in May and June , Wimbledon in June and July , and the US Open in August and September . Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks . The Australian and United States tournaments are played on hard courts , the French on clay , and Wimbledon on grass . Wimbledon is the oldest , founded in 1877 , followed by the US in 1881 , the French in 1891 , and the Australian in 1905 . However , of these four , only Wimbledon was a major before 1924 -- 25 , the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments . Skipping Grand Slam tournaments -- especially the Australian Open because of the remoteness , the inconvenient dates ( around Christmas and New Year 's Day ) and the low prize money -- was not unusual before 1982 , which was the start of the norm of counting Grand Slam titles .   The term Grand Slam also , and originally , refers to the achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year within one of the five events : men 's and women 's singles ; men 's , women 's , and mixed doubles . In doubles , one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners . The term `` Grand Slam '' without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year .   Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam , while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam . Winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in addition to the four majors in a one calendar year is known as a `` Golden Grand Slam '' or more commonly the `` Golden Slam '' . Also , winning the Year-End Championship ( known as ATP World Tour Finals for men 's singles and doubles disciplines , and WTA Tour Championships for both women 's disciplines ) in the same period is known as a `` Super Slam '' . Together , all four Majors in all three disciplines ( singles , doubles , and mixed doubles ) are called a `` boxed set '' of Grand Slam titles . No male or female player has won all twelve events in one calendar year , although a `` career boxed set '' has been achieved by three female players .


Stan Wawrinka Stanislas `` Stan '' Wawrinka ( -LSB- stanislas vavʁiŋka -RSB- ; born 28 March 1985 ) is a Swiss professional tennis player . He reached a career-high Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) world No. 3 singles ranking for the first time on January 27 , 2014 . His career highlights include three Grand Slam titles at the 2014 Australian Open , 2015 French Open and 2016 US Open , where he defeated the world No. 1 player in the final on all three occasions , and an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the Monte-Carlo Masters in 2014 , as well as three other finals at 2008 Rome , 2013 Madrid and 2017 Indian Wells .   Wawrinka considers clay his best and favorite surface and his serve and backhand his best shots . John McEnroe once said that Wawrinka has one of the most powerful backhands ever , and in 2009 described him as having `` the best one-handed backhand in the game . '' He has been described by The Economist '' as `` Tennis 's great latecomer '' , due to finding success later in his career . Prior to the 2014 French Open , he requested and the ATP granted a formal change in his name from `` Stanislas Wawrinka '' to `` Stan Wawrinka '' , stating that he plans to use the abbreviated name in tournament draws and press conferences .


Susan Slept Here Susan Slept Here is a 1954 American romantic comedy film starring Dick Powell ( in his last film role ) and Debbie Reynolds . Shot in Technicolor , the film was based on the play of the same name by Steve Fisher and Alex Gottlieb . The film 's plotline was later used again by director Frank Tashlin for 1962 's Bachelor Flat .


The Catered Affair The Catered Affair ( 1956 ) , also known as Wedding Party , is a family drama film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . It was directed by Richard Brooks and produced by Sam Zimbalist from a screenplay by Gore Vidal , based on a television play by Paddy Chayefsky . The film score was by André Previn and the cinematography by John Alton .   The film stars Bette Davis , Ernest Borgnine , Debbie Reynolds , Barry Fitzgerald and Rod Taylor . It was Taylor 's first film for MGM after having been signed by the studio to a long-term contract .


Three Little Words (film) Three Little Words is a 1950 American musical film biography of the Tin Pan Alley songwriting partnership of Kalmar and Ruby and stars Fred Astaire as lyricist Bert Kalmar , Red Skelton as composer Harry Ruby , along with Vera-Ellen and Arlene Dahl as their wives , with Debbie Reynolds in a small but notable role as singer Helen Kane . The film , released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , was written by Academy Award winning screenwriter George Wells , directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Jack Cummings . Harry Ruby served as a consultant on the project , and appears in a cameo role as a baseball catcher . It was the third in a series of MGM biopics about Broadway composers ; it was preceded by Till the Clouds Roll By ( Jerome Kern , 1946 ) and Words and Music ( Rodgers and Hart , 1948 ) and followed by Deep in My Heart ( Sigmund Romberg , 1954 ) .


Tammy and the Bachelor Tammy and the Bachelor is a 1957 romantic comedy film and is the first of the four Tammy films . It stars Debbie Reynolds as Tambrey `` Tammy '' Tyree , Walter Brennan as Grandpa Dinwitty and Leslie Nielsen as Peter Brent . It was adapted from the 1948 novel Tammy Out of Time by Cid Ricketts Sumner .


Divorce American Style Divorce American Style is a 1967 American satirical comedy film directed by Bud Yorkin and starring Dick Van Dyke , Debbie Reynolds , Jean Simmons , Jason Robards and Van Johnson . Norman Lear produced the film and wrote the script based on a story by Robert Kaufman . It focuses on a married couple that opts for divorce when counseling fails to help them resolve their various problems , and the problems presented to divorced people by alimony . The title is an homage to Divorce Italian Style ( 1961 ) .


Mother (1996 film) Mother is a 1996 comedy-drama film directed by Albert Brooks , co-written by Brooks with Monica Johnson , and starring Brooks and Debbie Reynolds as son-and-mother .   Brooks portrays a novelist who moves back home with his mother after his second divorce , hoping to determine why all his relationships with women were unsuccessful . Mother was Reynolds 's first major film role in over 20 years . The film earned positive reviews and was Brooks 's most financially successful film as a director .


Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances `` Debbie '' Reynolds ( April 1 , 1932 -- December 28 , 2016 ) was an American actress , singer , businesswoman , film historian , humanitarian , and mother of the actress and writer Carrie Fisher . She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portrayal of Helen Kane in the 1950 film Three Little Words , and her breakout role was her first leading role , as Kathy Selden in Singin ' in the Rain ( 1952 ) . Other successes include The Affairs of Dobie Gillis ( 1953 ) , Susan Slept Here ( 1954 ) , Bundle of Joy ( 1956 Golden Globe nomination ) , The Catered Affair ( 1956 National Board of Review Best Supporting Actress Winner ) , and Tammy and the Bachelor ( 1957 ) , in which her performance of the song `` Tammy '' reached number one on the Billboard music charts . In 1959 , she released her first pop music album , titled Debbie .   She starred in How the West Was Won ( 1963 ) , and The Unsinkable Molly Brown ( 1964 ) , a biographical film about the famously boisterous Molly Brown . Her performance as Brown earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress . Her other films include The Singing Nun ( 1966 ) , Divorce American Style ( 1967 ) , What 's the Matter with Helen ? ( 1971 ) , Charlotte 's Web ( 1973 ) , Mother ( 1996 ) ( Golden Globe nomination ) , and In & Out ( 1997 ) . Reynolds was also a cabaret performer . In 1979 , she founded the Debbie Reynolds Dance Studio in North Hollywood , which still operates today .   In 1969 , she starred on television in The Debbie Reynolds Show , for which she received a Golden Globe nomination . In 1973 , Reynolds starred in a Broadway revival of the musical Irene and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical . She was also nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her performance in A Gift of Love ( 1999 ) and an Emmy Award for playing Grace 's mother Bobbi on Will & Grace . At the turn of the millennium , Reynolds reached a new younger generation with her role as Aggie Cromwell in Disney 's Halloweentown series . In 1988 , she released her autobiography titled , Debbie : My Life . In 2013 , she released a second autobiography , Unsinkable : A Memoir .   Reynolds also had several business ventures , including ownership of a dance studio and a Las Vegas hotel and casino , and she was an avid collector of film memorabilia , beginning with items purchased at the landmark 1970 MGM auction . She served as president of The Thalians , an organization dedicated to mental health causes . Reynolds continued to perform successfully on stage , television , and film into her eighties . In January 2015 , Reynolds received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award . In 2016 , she received the Academy Awards Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award . In the same year , a documentary about her life was released titled Bright Lights : Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds , which turned out to be her final film appearance ; the film premiered on HBO on January 7 , 2017 .   On December 28 , 2016 , Reynolds was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center following a medical emergency , which her son Todd Fisher later described as a `` severe stroke '' . She died from the stroke that afternoon , one day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher .


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


The Singing Nun (film) The Singing Nun is a 1966 American semi-biographical film about the life of Jeanine Deckers , a nun who recorded the chart-topping hit song `` Dominique '' . It starred Debbie Reynolds in the title role . The film also stars Ricardo Montalbán , Katharine Ross , Chad Everett , and Ed Sullivan as himself . It was Henry Koster 's final directing job .   Harry Sukman was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music , Scoring of Music , Adaptation or Treatment . Randy Sparks wrote the English translations of Jeanine Deckers ' songs as well as writing a couple of original songs for the film .


The Affairs of Dobie Gillis The Affairs of Dobie Gillis ( also called Casanova Junior ) is a 1953 comedy musical film . The film is based on the same writings by Max Shulman as the subsequent television series , The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis . Bobby Van played Gillis in this musical version , co-starring with Debbie Reynolds and Bob Fosse .


Bundle of Joy Bundle of Joy ( 1956 ) is a Technicolor musical remake of the comedy film Bachelor Mother ( 1939 ) , which starred Ginger Rogers . It stars Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds ( who were married in real-life at the time ) , and Adolphe Menjou . An unmarried salesgirl at a department store finds and takes care of an abandoned baby . Much confusion results when her co-workers assume the child is hers and that the father is the son of the store owner .


Bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera ( -LSB- kaɪˈrɒptərə -RSB- from the χείρ - cheir , `` hand '' and πτερόν - pteron , `` wing '' ) whose forelimbs form webbed wings , making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight . By contrast , other mammals said to fly , such as flying squirrels , gliding possums , and colugos , can only glide for short distances . Bats are less efficient at flying than birds , but are more manoeuvrable , using their very long spread-out digits which are covered with a thin membrane or patagium .   Bats are the second largest order of mammals ( after the rodents ) , representing about 20 % of all classified mammal species worldwide , with about 1,240 bat species divided into two suborders : the less specialized and largely fruit-eating megabats , or flying foxes , and the highly specialized and echolocating microbats . About 70 % of bat species are insectivores . Most of the rest are frugivores , or fruit eaters . A few species , such as the fish-eating bat , feed from animals other than insects , with the vampire bats being hematophagous , or feeding on blood .   Bats are present throughout most of the world , with the exception of extremely cold regions . They perform the vital ecological roles of pollinating flowers and dispersing fruit seeds ; many tropical plant species depend entirely on bats for the distribution of their seeds . Bats are economically important , as they consume insect pests , reducing the need for pesticides . The smallest bat is the Kitti 's hog-nosed bat , measuring 29 - in length , 15 cm across the wings and 2 - in mass . It is also arguably the smallest extant species of mammal , with the Etruscan shrew being the other contender . The largest species of bat are a few species of Pteropus ( fruit bats or flying foxes ) and the giant golden-crowned flying fox with a weight up to 1.6 kg and wingspan up to 1.7 m.   The Mexican free-tailed bat is the fastest flying animal in horizontal flight .


IPhone 5C The iPhone 5C ( marketed with a stylized lowercase ` c ' as iPhone 5c ) is a smartphone that was designed and marketed by Apple Inc. . The device was part of the iPhone series and was unveiled on September 10 , 2013 , and released on September 20 , 2013 , along with its higher-end counterpart , the iPhone 5S .   The iPhone 5C is a variant of the iPhone 5 , with similar hardware specifications but a hard-coated polycarbonate shell instead of the aluminium of the original iPhone 5 . The iPhone 5C was available in several color options , and shipped with iOS 7 . The iPhone 5C was sold at a discounted price point in comparison to the 5S : unlike Apple 's prior practice of lowering the price of the previous model upon release of a new version , the iPhone 5 was explicitly discontinued and replaced by the 5C . On September 9 , 2014 , the 16 and 32 GB iPhone 5C models were replaced by the 8 GB model with the announcement of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus . On September 9 , 2015 , the 8 GB version was discontinued upon the announcement of the iPhone 6S .


Thanos Thanos ( -LSB- ˈθænɒs -RSB- , -LSB- ˈθænoʊs -RSB- ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The character is usually depicted as a Titanian mutant -- Eternal superhuman . The character first appeared in Iron Man # 55 ( February 1973 ) and was created by writer Mike Friedrich and writer-artist Jim Starlin . Debuting in the Bronze Age of Comic Books , the character has been featured in more than four decades of Marvel continuity and a self-titled series .   Thanos appears in the Marvel Cinematic Universe 's various films , including The Avengers ( 2012 ) , portrayed by Damion Poitier , and Guardians of the Galaxy ( 2014 ) , Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) , Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and its untitled sequel ( 2019 ) , portrayed by Josh Brolin . The character has appeared in other Marvel-endorsed products , including animated television series , arcade , and video games .


Stevie Nicks had a solo career beginning in 1981.

Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn `` Stevie '' Nicks ( born May 26 , 1948 ) is an American singer-songwriter who is often regarded as the Queen of Rock n ' Roll .   Nicks is best known for her work as the front-woman of Fleetwood Mac and for her chart-topping solo career . She is known for her distinctive voice , mystical visual style , and symbolic lyrics . Collectively , her work both as a member of Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist has produced over 40 top-50 hits and sold over 140 million records , making her one of the best selling music acts of all time with Fleetwood Mac .   Her influence in fashion , music and musical performance is widely acknowledged ; and as such , she has been named one of music 's top 55 `` Greatest Songwriters of All Time '' , and as one of the world 's top `` 100 Greatest Singers of All Time '' by Rolling Stone . As a member of Fleetwood Mac , she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 . She has garnered eight Grammy Award nominations and two American Music Award nominations as a solo artist . She has won numerous awards with Fleetwood Mac , including a Grammy Award and five Grammy Award nominations .   Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 along with her then boyfriend , Lindsey Buckingham . Rumours , Fleetwood Mac 's second album after the incorporation of Nicks and Buckingham , was the best-selling album of the year of its release , and to date , has made sales of over 40 million copies worldwide , making it the fifth-highest selling studio album of all time . The album remained at number one on the American albums chart for 31 weeks and reached Number One in various countries worldwide . The album won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978 . it produced four U.S. top-10 singles , with Nicks ' `` Dreams '' being the band 's first and only U.S. number-one hit .   In 1981 , while remaining a member of Fleetwood Mac , Nicks began her solo career , releasing the album Bella Donna , which topped the Billboard album charts and reached platinum status less than three months after its release , and has since been certified quadruple-platinum . She has released a total of eight solo studio albums to date , with her most recent titled 24 Karat Gold : Songs from the Vault , released in October 2014 . During her solo career , she has had a close working relationship with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers . They served as a backing band for several tracks on each of her solo albums , and the two have toured and performed together frequently over the past three decades . The song `` Stop Draggin ' My Heart Around '' , performed by Nicks and Petty , was one of the biggest hits for either artist .


Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( -LSB- mænˈdɛlə -RSB- 18 July 1918 -- 5 December 2013 ) was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary , politician , and philanthropist , who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999 . He was the country 's first black head of state and the first elected in a fully representative democratic election . His government focused on dismantling the legacy of apartheid by tackling institutionalised racism and fostering racial reconciliation . Ideologically an African nationalist and socialist , he served as President of the African National Congress ( ANC ) party from 1991 to 1997 .   A Xhosa , Mandela was born in Mvezo to the Thembu royal family . He studied law at the University of Fort Hare and the University of the Witwatersrand before working as a lawyer in Johannesburg . There he became involved in anti-colonial and African nationalist politics , joining the ANC in 1943 and co-founding its Youth League in 1944 . After the National Party 's white-only government established apartheid -- a system of racial segregation that privileged whites -- he and the ANC committed themselves to its overthrow . Mandela was appointed President of the ANC 's Transvaal branch , rising to prominence for his involvement in the 1952 Defiance Campaign and the 1955 Congress of the People . He was repeatedly arrested for seditious activities and was unsuccessfully prosecuted in the 1956 Treason Trial . Influenced by Marxism , he secretly joined the banned South African Communist Party ( SACP ) . Although initially committed to non-violent protest , in association with the SACP he co-founded the militant Umkhonto we Sizwe in 1961 and led a sabotage campaign against the government . In 1962 , he was arrested for conspiring to overthrow the state and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Rivonia Trial .   Mandela served 27 years in prison , initially on Robben Island , and later in Pollsmoor Prison and Victor Verster Prison . Amid growing domestic and international pressure , and with fears of a racial civil war , President F. W. de Klerk released him in 1990 . Mandela and de Klerk negotiated an end to apartheid and organised the 1994 multiracial general election in which Mandela led the ANC to victory and became President . Leading a broad coalition government which promulgated a new constitution , Mandela emphasised reconciliation between the country 's racial groups and created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate past human rights abuses . Economically , Mandela 's administration retained its predecessor 's liberal framework despite his own socialist beliefs , also introducing measures to encourage land reform , combat poverty , and expand healthcare services . Internationally , he acted as mediator in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial and served as Secretary-General of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1998 to 1999 . He declined a second presidential term and in 1999 was succeeded by his deputy , Thabo Mbeki . Mandela became an elder statesman and focused on combating poverty and HIV/AIDS through the charitable Nelson Mandela Foundation .   Mandela was a controversial figure for much of his life . Although critics on the right denounced him as a communist terrorist and those on the radical left deemed him too eager to negotiate and reconcile with apartheid 's supporters , he gained international acclaim for his activism . Widely regarded as an icon of democracy and social justice , he received more than 250 honours -- including the Nobel Peace Prize -- and became the subject of a cult of personality . He is held in deep respect within South Africa , where he is often referred to by his Xhosa clan name , Madiba , and described as the `` Father of the Nation '' .


Brunei Brunei ( -LSB- bruːˈnaɪ -RSB- , ) , officially the Nation of Brunei , the Abode of Peace ( Negara Brunei Darussalam , Jawi : ) , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia . Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea , the country is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak , Malaysia . It is separated into two parts by the Sarawak district of Limbang . Brunei is the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo ; the remainder of the island 's territory is divided between the nations of Malaysia and Indonesia . Brunei 's population was 408,786 in July 2012 .   At the peak of the Bruneian Empire , Sultan Bolkiah ( reigned 1485 -- 1528 ) is alleged to have had control over most regions of Borneo , including modern-day Sarawak and Sabah , as well as the Sulu archipelago off the northeast tip of Borneo , Seludong ( modern-day Manila ) , and the islands off the northwest tip of Borneo . The maritime state was visited by Spain 's Magellan Expedition in 1521 and fought against Spain in the 1578 Castille War .   During the 19th century , the Bruneian Empire began to decline . The Sultanate ceded Sarawak ( Kuching ) to James Brooke and installed him as the White Rajah , and it ceded Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company . In 1888 , Brunei became a British protectorate and was assigned a British resident as colonial manager in 1906 . After the Japanese occupation during World War II , in 1959 a new constitution was written . In 1962 , a small armed rebellion against the monarchy was ended with the help of the British .   Brunei gained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984 . Economic growth during the 1990s and 2000s , with the GDP increasing 56 % from 1999 to 2008 , transformed Brunei into an industrialised country . It has developed wealth from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields . Brunei has the second-highest Human Development Index among the Southeast Asian nations , after Singapore , and is classified as a `` developed country '' . According to the International Monetary Fund ( IMF ) , Brunei is ranked fifth in the world by gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity . The IMF estimated in 2011 that Brunei was one of two countries ( the other being Libya ) with a public debt at 0 % of the national GDP . Forbes also ranks Brunei as the fifth-richest nation out of 182 , based on its petroleum and natural gas fields .


The Hateful Eight's soundtrack was composed by an Italian.

Ennio Morricone Ennio Morricone , Grand Officer OMRI ( -LSB- ˈɛnnjo morriˈkoːne -RSB- ; born 10 November 1928 ) is an Italian composer , orchestrator , conductor , and former trumpet player . He composes a wide range of music styles , making him one of the most versatile , experimental and influential composers of all time , working in any medium . Since 1946 Morricone has composed over 500 scores for cinema and television , as well as over 100 classical works . His filmography includes over 70 award-winning films , including all Sergio Leone films since A Fistful of Dollars ( including The Good , the Bad and the Ugly and Once Upon a Time in the West ) , all Giuseppe Tornatore films ( since Cinema Paradiso ) , The Battle of Algiers , Dario Argento 's Animal Trilogy , Bernardo Bertolucci 's 1900 , Exorcist II , Days of Heaven , several major films in French cinema , in particular the comedy trilogy La Cage aux Folles I , II , III and Le Professionnel , John Carpenter 's The Thing , The Mission , The Untouchables , Bugsy , In the Line of Fire , Disclosure , Bulworth , Mission to Mars , Ripley 's Game and The Hateful Eight .   After playing the trumpet in jazz bands in the 1940s , he became a studio arranger for RCA Victor and in 1955 started ghost writing for film and theatre . Throughout his career , he has composed music for artists such as Paul Anka , Mina , Milva , Zucchero and Andrea Bocelli . From 1960 to 1975 , Morricone gained international fame for composing music for westerns . His score to 1966 's The Good , the Bad and the Ugly is considered one of the most influential soundtracks in history and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . With an estimated 10 million copies sold , Once Upon a Time in the West is one of the best-selling scores worldwide . He also scored seven westerns for Sergio Corbucci , Duccio Tessari 's Ringo duology and Sergio Sollima 's The Big Gundown and Face to Face . Morricone worked extensively for other film genres with directors such as Mauro Bolognini , Giuliano Montaldo , Roland Joffé , Roman Polanski and Henri Verneuil . His acclaimed soundtrack for The Mission ( 1986 ) was certified gold in the United States . The album Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone stayed 105 weeks on the Billboard Top Classical Albums .   Morricone 's best-known compositions include `` The Ecstasy of Gold '' , `` Se Telefonando '' , `` Man with a Harmonica '' , `` Here 's to You '' , the UK No. 2 single `` Chi Mai '' , `` Gabriel 's Oboe '' and `` E Più Ti Penso '' . He functioned during the period 1966 -- 1980 as a main member of Il Gruppo , one of the first experimental composers collectives . In 1969 , he co-founded Forum Music Village , a prestigious recording studio . From the 1970s , Morricone excelled in Hollywood , composing for prolific American directors such as Don Siegel , Mike Nichols , Brian De Palma , Barry Levinson , Oliver Stone , Warren Beatty and Quentin Tarantino . In 1977 , he composed the official theme for the 1978 FIFA World Cup . He continued to compose music for European productions , such as Marco Polo , La Piovra , Nostromo , Fateless , Karol and En mai , fais ce qu'il te plait . Morricone 's music has been reused in television series , including The Simpsons and The Sopranos , and in many films , including Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained .   As of 2013 , Ennio Morricone has sold over 70 million records worldwide . In 1971 , he received a `` Targa d'Oro '' for the worldwide sales of 22 million . In 2007 , he received the Academy Honorary Award `` for his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music . '' He has been nominated for a further six Oscars . In 2016 , Morricone received his first Academy Award for his score to Quentin Tarantino 's film The Hateful Eight ( 2015 ) . His other achievements include three Grammy Awards , three Golden Globes , six BAFTAs , ten David di Donatello , eleven Nastro d'Argento , two European Film Awards , the Golden Lion Honorary Award and the Polar Music Prize in 2010 .


The Hateful Eight The Hateful Eight is a 2015 American revisionist Western mystery film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino . It stars Samuel L. Jackson , Kurt Russell , Jennifer Jason Leigh , Walton Goggins , Demián Bichir , Tim Roth , Michael Madsen , and Bruce Dern as eight strangers who seek refuge from a blizzard in a stagecoach stopover some time after the American Civil War .   Tarantino announced The Hateful Eight in November 2013 , having originally conceived it as a novel and sequel to his previous film Django Unchained ( 2012 ) . After the script leaked in January 2014 , he cancelled the film but announced that he had changed his mind after directing a live reading of the script at the United Artists Theater in Los Angeles . Filming began on December 8 , 2014 , near Telluride , Colorado . The original score composed by Ennio Morricone , the first for a Tarantino film , was Morricone 's first complete Western score in 34 years , and his first score for a high-profile Hollywood production since Brian De Palma 's Mission to Mars in 2000 .   Distributed by The Weinstein Company in the United States , The Hateful Eight was released on December 25 , 2015 , in a roadshow release in 70 mm film . It had a wide digital release on December 30 , 2015 . It received positive reviews , with Leigh receiving considerable praise . For his work on the score , Morricone won the Golden Globe and his first Academy Award for Best Original Score . The film also earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress ( Leigh ) and Best Cinematography ( Robert Richardson ) .


How to Train Your Dragon (film) was nominated for an Academy Award.

How to Train Your Dragon (film) How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated action-fantasy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Paramount Pictures . Loosely based on the British book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell , the film was directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois , the duo who directed Disney 's Lilo & Stitch . It stars the voices of Jay Baruchel , Gerard Butler , Craig Ferguson , America Ferrera , Jonah Hill , T.J. Miller , Kristen Wiig , and Christopher Mintz-Plasse .   The story takes place in a mythical Viking world where a young Viking teenager named Hiccup aspires to follow his tribe 's tradition of becoming a dragon slayer . After finally capturing his first dragon , and with his chance at last of gaining the tribe 's acceptance , he finds that he no longer wants to kill the dragon and instead befriends it .   The film was released March 26 , 2010 , and was a critical and commercial success , earning acclaim from film critics and audiences and earning nearly $ 500 million worldwide . It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score at the 83rd Academy Awards , but lost to Toy Story 3 and The Social Network , respectively . The movie also won ten Annie Awards , including Best Animated Feature .   A sequel , How to Train Your Dragon 2 , was released on June 13 , 2014 , with Deblois writing and directing by himself . Much like its predecessor , the sequel was also universally acclaimed and became a box office success . A second sequel , How to Train Your Dragon 3 is to be released on March 1 , 2019 . The film 's success has also inspired other merchandise , including a video game and a television series .


The thirtieth season of the Simpsons will have 22 episodes.

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 Economic Times was first published in 1961.

The Economic Times The Economic Times is an English-language , Indian daily newspaper published by the Bennett , Coleman & Co. Ltd. . First published in 1961 , it is the world 's second-most widely read English-language business newspaper , after the Wall Street Journal , with a readership of over 800,000 . The Economic Times is published simultaneously from 12 cities -- Mumbai , Bangalore , Delhi , Chennai , Kolkata , Lucknow , Hyderabad , Jaipur , Ahmedabad , Nagpur , Chandigarh , and Pune .   The Economic Times is headquartered in Mumbai at The Times of India building . Its main content is based on the Indian economy , international finance , share prices , prices of commodities as well as other matters related to finance . The founder - editor of the paper when it was launched in 1961 was P.S. Hariharan . The current editor of The Economic Times is Bodhisattva Ganguli .   Like the London-based Financial Times , The Economic Times is printed on salmon pink paper . It is sold in all major cities in India . In June 2009 , it launched a television channel called ET Now .


David Schwimmer graduated from a university based in the United States.

Northwestern University Northwestern University ( NU ) is a private research university based in Evanston , Illinois , with campuses in Chicago , Illinois , and Doha , Qatar , and academic programs/facilities in Washington , D.C. , and San Francisco , California . Composed of twelve schools and colleges , Northwestern offers 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees . It is considered one of the most prestigious universities in the United States , notably in social sciences where it ranks 11th worldwide .   Northwestern was founded in 1851 by John Evans , for whom the City of Evanston is named , and eight other lawyers , businessmen and Methodist leaders . Its founding purpose was to serve the Northwest Territory , an area that today includes the states of Ohio , Indiana , Illinois , Michigan , Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota . Instruction began in 1855 ; women were admitted in 1869 . Today , the main campus is a 240 acre parcel in Evanston , along the shores of Lake Michigan 12 miles north of downtown Chicago . The university 's law , medical , and professional schools are located on a 25 acre campus in Chicago 's Streeterville neighborhood . In 2008 , the university opened a campus in Education City , Doha , Qatar with programs in journalism and communication . In 2016 , Northwestern opened its San Francisco space at 44 Montgomery St. , which hosts journalism , engineering , and marketing programs .   Northwestern is a large research university with a comprehensive doctoral program and it attracts over $ 650 million in sponsored research each year . Northwestern has the tenth largest university endowment in the United States , currently valued at $ 9.6 billion . In 2017 , the university accepted 9.0 % of undergraduate applicants from a pool of 37,255 .   Northwestern is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and remains the only private university in the conference . The Northwestern Wildcats compete in 19 intercollegiate sports in the NCAA 's Division I Big Ten Conference .


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


One example of a staple food are dried legumes.

Staple food A staple food , or simply a staple , is a food that is eaten routinely and in such quantities that it constitutes a dominant portion of a standard diet for a given people , supplying a large fraction of energy needs and generally forming a significant proportion of the intake of other nutrients as well . The staple food of a specific society may be eaten as often as every day or every meal , and most people live on a diet based on just a small number of staples .   Staple foods vary from place to place , but typically they are inexpensive or readily-available foods that supply one or more of the three organic macronutrients needed for survival and health : carbohydrates , proteins , and fats . Typical examples of staples include tubers and roots ; and grains , legumes , and other seeds . Early agricultural civilizations valued the foods that they established as staples because , in addition to providing necessary nutrition , they generally are suitable for storage over long periods of time without decay . Such nonperishable foods are the only possible staples during seasons of shortage , such as dry seasons or cold temperate winters , against which times harvests have been stored . During seasons of plenty , wider choices of foods may be available .   Main staple foods are derived either from vegetals and animal products , including cereals ( such as rice , wheat , maize , millet , or sorghum ) , starchy tubers or root vegetables ( such as potatoes , cassava , yams , or taro ) , meat , fish , eggs , milk , and cheese . Other staple foods include pulses ( dried legumes ) , sago ( derived from the pith of the sago palm tree ) , and fruits ( such as breadfruit and plantains ) . Staple foods may also contain ( depending on the region ) : olive oil , coconut oil and sugar ( e.g. from plantains ) .


A reflex is also known as a reflex action.

Reflex A reflex , or reflex action , is an involuntary and nearly instantaneous movement in response to a stimulus . A reflex is made possible by neural pathways called reflex arcs which can act on an impulse before that impulse reaches the brain . The reflex is then an automatic response to a stimulus that does not receive or need conscious thought .


Injustice 2 was directed by a programmer.

Injustice 2 Injustice 2 is a fighting video game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. . Interactive Entertainment . It is the sequel to 2013 's Injustice : Gods Among Us . The game was released in May 2017 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One . Similar to the previous installment , a companion mobile app was released for iOS and Android devices .   The core gameplay remains similar to its predecessor , albeit with minor adjustments to returning game mechanics . Injustice 2 introduces a new feature called the Gear System , a loot-dropping system that rewards players with costume pieces and equipment that can be used to customize characters ' appearances and modify their abilities and stats . According to developers , the idea for implementing an RPG-style progression system into a fighting game had existed since before the fall of Midway Games , the original publisher for the Mortal Kombat series . Director Ed Boon also sought to incorporate gameplay mechanics used by multiplayer shooter games , such as personalization , character creation , loot , and leveling up , into the fighting game genre , which led to the development of the Gear System .   Injustice 2 's storyline centers around Batman and his insurgency 's attempt to restore society after the fall of Superman 's regime ; however , the arrivals of the newly formed supervillain group `` The Society '' and the alien Brainiac force Batman to consider freeing the imprisoned Superman to help combat the threats . The game received positive reviews from critics , who praised its story , presentation , improved gameplay mechanics , abundance of in-game content , and character customization options , while criticizing its random loot and microtransaction systems .


Nina Dobrev Nina Dobrev ( born Nikolina Konstantinova Dobreva ; January 9 , 1989 ) is a Bulgarian-Canadian actress . She portrayed Mia Jones on the drama series Degrassi : The Next Generation ( 2006 -- 2009 ) , and then played the role of Elena Gilbert/Katherine Pierce/Amara/Tatia on The CW 's supernatural drama series The Vampire Diaries ( 2009 -- 2015 , 2017 ) .   Dobrev has also starred in several feature films , including the 2012 film The Perks of Being a Wallflower , the 2014 comedy Let 's Be Cops , the 2015 horror comedy The Final Girls , and the 2017 action movie xXx : Return of Xander Cage .


The Vampire Diaries The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series developed by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec , based on the popular book series of the same name written by L. J. Smith . The series premiered on The CW on September 10 , 2009 and concluded on March 10 , 2017 , airing 171 episodes over eight seasons .   The pilot episode attracted the largest audience for The CW of any series premiere since the network began in 2006 . The first season averaged 3.60 million viewers . It was the most-watched series on the network before being supplanted by Arrow . The show has received numerous award nominations , winning four People 's Choice Award and many Teen Choice Awards .   On April 26 , 2013 , The CW officially announced that the spin-off The Originals , which focuses on the Original family of vampires , had been ordered to series , and the show began airing during the 2013 -- 14 American television season .   On April 6 , 2015 , lead actress Nina Dobrev confirmed via Instagram that she and co-star Michael Trevino ( who plays Tyler Lockwood ) would be leaving the show after its sixth season . Dobrev returned to record a voiceover for the seventh-season finale . Trevino appeared as a guest star in season seven and returned for season 8 . On March 11 , 2016 , The CW renewed the series for an eighth season , but on July 23 , 2016 , announced that the eighth season , which would have 16 episodes , would be the show 's last . The final season began airing on October 21 , 2016 .


Rick and Morty had at least four seasons.

Rick and Morty Rick and Morty is an American adult animated science-fiction sitcom created by Justin Roiland and Dan Harmon for Cartoon Network 's late night programming block Adult Swim . The series follows the misadventures of cynical mad scientist Rick and his fretful , easily influenced grandson Morty , who split their time between domestic family life and interdimensional adventures . Roiland voices the series ' eponymous characters , with the voice talent of Chris Parnell , Spencer Grammer , and Sarah Chalke providing the rest of the family . It premiered on December 2 , 2013 .   The series originated from an animated short parody film of Back to the Future created by Roiland for film festival Channel 101 . Adult Swim approached Harmon for television show ideas , and he and Roiland developed the program based on the short , replacing the characters of Doc with Rick and Marty with Morty . In January 2014 , the series was renewed for a second season which premiered on July 26 , 2015 . In August 2015 , Adult Swim renewed the series for a 14-episode third season , which premiered unannounced on April 1 , 2017 , with the rest of the season scheduled to air during the summer . The show has received universal critical acclaim for its originality , creativity , and humor .


Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them premiered in New York City.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film) Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is a 2016 fantasy film directed by David Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures . A spin-off of the Harry Potter film series , it was produced and written by J. K. Rowling , in her screenwriting debut , and inspired by her book of the same name . Set in 1926 New York , the film stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander with Katherine Waterston , Dan Fogler , Alison Sudol , Ezra Miller , Samantha Morton , Jon Voight , Carmen Ejogo , Ron Perlman and Colin Farrell in supporting roles . It is the first instalment in the Fantastic Beasts series , and the ninth overall in J. K. Rowling 's Wizarding World , the franchise that began with the Harry Potter films .   Principal photography began at Warner Bros. . Studios , Leavesden , England in August 2015 and was completed in January 2016 . Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them premiered in New York City on 10 November 2016 and was released worldwide on 18 November 2016 in 3D , IMAX 4K Laser and other large format cinemas . The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed $ 814 million worldwide , making it the eighth highest-grossing film of 2016 .   The film was nominated for five BAFTAs , winning for Best Production Design , as well as two Academy Awards , winning Best Costume Design , becoming the first film in J.K. Rowling 's Wizarding World to win an Academy Award .


West Hollywood, California is in a place.

West Hollywood, California West Hollywood , occasionally referred to locally as WeHo ( -LSB- ˈwiːhoʊ -RSB- ) , is a city in Los Angeles County , California , United States . Incorporated in 1984 , it is home to the Sunset Strip . As of the 2010 census , its population was 34,399 . It is considered one of the most prominent gay villages in the United States .


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 .


Wikipedia had 18 billion page views every month.

Wikipedia Wikipedia ( -LSB- wɪkiˈpiːdiə -RSB- ) is a free online encyclopedia with the aim to allow anyone to edit articles . Wikipedia is the largest and most popular general reference work on the Internet and is ranked among the ten most popular websites . Wikipedia is owned by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation .   Wikipedia was launched on January 15 , 2001 , by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger . Sanger coined Wikipedia , a portmanteau of wiki and encyclopedia . There was only the English language version initially , but it quickly developed similar versions in other languages , which differ in content and in editing practices . With articles , the English Wikipedia is the largest of the more than 290 Wikipedia encyclopedias . Overall , Wikipedia consists of more than 40 million articles in more than 250 different languages and , , it had 18 billion page views and nearly 500 million unique visitors each month .   As of March 2017 , Wikipedia has about forty thousand high-quality articles known as Featured Articles and Good Articles that cover vital topics . In 2005 , Nature published a peer review comparing 42 science articles from Encyclopædia Britannica and Wikipedia , and found that Wikipedia 's level of accuracy approached Encyclopædia Britannicas . Criticism of Wikipedia includes claims that it exhibits systemic bias , presents a mixture of `` truths , half truths , and some falsehoods '' , and that , in controversial topics , it is subject to manipulation and spin .


Sindh Sindh -LSB- sɪnd -RSB- ( سنڌ ; -LSB- ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan , in the southeast of the country . Historically home to the Sindhi people , it is also locally known as the Mehran . It was formerly known as Sind until 1956 . Sindh is the third largest province of Pakistan by area , and second largest province by population after Punjab . Sindh is bordered by Balochistan province to the west , and Punjab province to the north . Sindh also borders the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan to the east , and Arabian Sea to the south . Sindh 's landscape consists mostly of alluvial plains flanking the Indus River , the Thar desert in the eastern portion of the province closest to the border with India , and the Kirthar Mountains in the western part of Sindh . Sindh 's climate is noted for hot summers and mild winters . The provincial capital of Sindh is Pakistan 's largest city and financial hub , Karachi .   Sindh has Pakistan 's second largest economy with Karachi being its capital that hosts the headquarters of several multinational banks . Sindh is home to a large portion of Pakistan 's industrial sector and contains two of Pakistan 's commercial seaports -- Port Bin Qasim and the Karachi Port . The remainder of Sindh has an agriculture based economy , and produces fruit , food consumer items , and vegetables for the consumption other parts of the country . Sindh is also the centre of Pakistan 's pharmaceutical industry .   Sindh is known for its distinct culture which is strongly influenced by Sufism , an important marker of Sindhi identity for both Hindus ( Sindh has Pakistan 's highest percentage of Hindu residents ) . and Muslims in the province . Several important Sufi shrines are located throughout the province which attract millions of annual devotees . Sindh 's capital , Karachi , is Pakistan 's most ethnically diverse city , with Muhajirs , or descendants of those who migrated to Pakistan from India after 1947 and throughout the 1950s and 1960s , making up the majority of the population . Karachi and other urban centres of Sindh have seen ethnic tensions between the native Sindhis and the Muhajirs boil over into violence on several occasions . Sindh is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites - the Historical Monuments at Makli , and the Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro .


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 .


Ford Motor Company The Ford Motor Company ( commonly referred to simply as `` Ford '' ) is an American multinational automaker headquartered in Dearborn , Michigan , a suburb of Detroit . It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16 , 1903 . The company sells automobiles and commercial vehicles under the Ford brand and most luxury cars under the Lincoln brand . Ford also owns Brazilian SUV manufacturer , Troller , and Australian performance car manufacturer FPV . In the past , it has also produced tractors and automotive components . Ford owns an 8 % stake in Aston Martin of the United Kingdom , and a 49 % stake in Jiangling of China . It also has a number of joint-ventures , one in China ( Changan Ford ) , one in Taiwan ( Ford Lio Ho ) , one in Thailand ( AutoAlliance Thailand ) , one in Turkey ( Ford Otosan ) , and one in Russia ( Ford Sollers ) . It is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is controlled by the Ford family , although they have minority ownership ( but majority of the voting power ) .   Ford introduced methods for large-scale manufacturing of cars and large-scale management of an industrial workforce using elaborately engineered manufacturing sequences typified by moving assembly lines ; by 1914 , these methods were known around the world as Fordism . Ford 's former UK subsidiaries Jaguar and Land Rover , acquired in 1989 and 2000 respectively , were sold to Tata Motors in March 2008 . Ford owned the Swedish automaker Volvo from 1999 to 2010 . In 2011 , Ford discontinued the Mercury brand , under which it had marketed entry-level luxury cars in the United States , Canada , Mexico , and the Middle East since 1938 .   During the financial crisis at the beginning of the 21st century , it was close to bankruptcy , but it has since returned to profitability .   Ford is the second-largest U.S.-based automaker ( preceded by General Motors ) and the fifth-largest in the world ( behind Toyota , VW , Hyundai-Kia and General Motors ) based on 2015 vehicle production . At the end of 2010 , Ford was the fifth largest automaker in Europe . Ford is the eighth-ranked overall American-based company in the 2010 Fortune 500 list , based on global revenues in 2009 of $ 118.3 billion . In 2008 , Ford produced 5.532 million automobiles and employed about 213,000 employees at around 90 plants and facilities worldwide .   The company went public in 1956 but the Ford family , through special Class B shares , still retain 40 percent voting rights .