Julius Caesar held the office of dictator perpetuo.

Dictator perpetuo Dictator perpetuo ( English : `` dictator in perpetuity '' ) , also called dictator in perpetuum , was the office held by Julius Caesar from 26 January or 15 February of the year 44 BCE until his death on 15 March . By abandoning the time restrictions usually applied in the case of the Roman dictatura , it elevated Caesar 's dictatorship into the monarchical sphere .   Julius Caesar held the dictator position for only eleven days in 49 BCE ( holding elections either as dictator Comit . habend . or as dictator rei gerundae causa ) and again for the year 48/47 BCE . In 46 BCE , he was elected dictator for the next ten years . At some point between January and February 44 BCE he was appointed dictator perpetuo , but was assassinated less than two months later ( on the Ides of March ) .   Dictator perpetuo is often mistranslated as `` dictator for life '' , but the title did not imply that Caesar would never resign it . Weinstock has argued that the perpetual dictatorship was part of the senatorial decrees regarding Caesar 's divine honors , as well as his planned apotheosis as Divus Iulius , a complex of honors aimed at eternity and divinity .


Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar ( -LSB- ˈɡaː.i.ʊs ˈjuː.li.ʊs ˈkae̯.sar -RSB- ; 13 July 100 BC -- 15 March 44 BC ) , known as Julius Caesar , was a Roman politician , general , and notable author of Latin prose . He played a critical role in the events that led to the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire .   In 60 BC , Caesar , Crassus , and Pompey formed a political alliance that dominated Roman politics for several years . Their attempts to amass power as Populares were opposed by the Optimates within the Roman Senate , among them Cato the Younger with the frequent support of Cicero . Caesar 's victories in the Gallic Wars , completed by 51 BC , extended Rome 's territory to the English Channel and the Rhine . Caesar became the first Roman general to cross both the Channel and the Rhine , when he built a bridge across the Rhine and crossed the Channel to invade Britain .   These achievements granted him unmatched military power and threatened to eclipse the standing of Pompey , who had realigned himself with the Senate after the death of Crassus in 53 BC . With the Gallic Wars concluded , the Senate ordered Caesar to step down from his military command and return to Rome . Caesar refused the order , and instead marked his defiance in 49 BC by crossing the Rubicon with the 13th Legion , leaving his province and illegally entering Roman Italy under arms . Civil war resulted , and Caesar 's victory in the war put him in an unrivalled position of power and influence .   After assuming control of government , Caesar began a programme of social and governmental reforms , including the creation of the Julian calendar . He centralised the bureaucracy of the Republic and was eventually proclaimed `` dictator in perpetuity '' , giving him additional authority . But the underlying political conflicts had not been resolved , and on the Ides of March ( 15 March ) 44 BC , Caesar was assassinated by a group of rebellious senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus . A new series of civil wars broke out , and the constitutional government of the Republic was never fully restored . Caesar 's adopted heir Octavian , later known as Augustus , rose to sole power after defeating his opponents in the civil war . Octavian set about solidifying his power , and the era of the Roman Empire began .   Much of Caesar 's life is known from his own accounts of his military campaigns , and from other contemporary sources , mainly the letters and speeches of Cicero and the historical writings of Sallust . The later biographies of Caesar by Suetonius and Plutarch are also major sources . Caesar is considered by many historians to be one of the greatest military commanders in history .


Sequels to the Warcraft video game have been made by Blizzard Entertainment.

Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment , Inc. is an American video game developer and publisher based in Irvine , California , and is a subsidiary of the American company Activision Blizzard . The company was founded on February 8 , 1991 , under the name Silicon & Synapse by three graduates of the University of California , Los Angeles : Michael Morhaime , Frank Pearce , and Allen Adham . The company originally concentrated primarily on the creation of game ports for other studios before beginning development of their own software in 1993 with the development of games like Rock n ' Roll Racing and The Lost Vikings . In 1994 the company became Chaos Studios , then Blizzard Entertainment , Inc. after being acquired by distributor Davidson & Associates .   Shortly thereafter , Blizzard released Warcraft : Orcs & Humans . Blizzard went on to create several other video games , including Warcraft sequels , the Diablo series , the StarCraft series , and in 2004 the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft . Their most recent projects include the first expansion for Diablo III , Reaper of Souls , the online collectible card game Hearthstone : Heroes of Warcraft , the sixth expansion for World of Warcraft , Legion , the multiplayer online battle arena Heroes of the Storm , the third and final expansion for StarCraft II : Wings of Liberty , Legacy of the Void , and the multiplayer first-person shooter Overwatch .   On July 9 , 2008 , Activision merged with Vivendi Games , culminating in the inclusion of the Blizzard brand name in the title of the resulting holding company . On July 25 , 2013 , Activision Blizzard announced the purchase of 429 million shares from majority owner Vivendi . As a result , Activision Blizzard became a completely independent company .   Blizzard Entertainment hosts conventions for fans to meet and to promote their games : the BlizzCon in California , United States , and the Blizzard Worldwide Invitational in other countries , including France and South Korea .


Brentwood, Los Angeles Brentwood is an affluent neighborhood in the Westside of Los Angeles , California . It is the home of seven private and two public schools .   Originally part of a Mexican land grant , the neighborhood began its modern development in the 1880s and hosted part of the pentathlon in the 1932 Summer Olympics . It was the site of the 1994 O.J. Simpson murder case and of a disastrous fire in 1961 . Brentwood is also home to many celebrities such as actors and actresses .


True Blood includes frightening themes of fantasy.

True Blood True Blood is an American dark fantasy horror  television series produced and created by Alan Ball and based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris .   The series revolves around Sookie Stackhouse ( Anna Paquin ) , a telepathic waitress living in the rural town of Bon Temps , Louisiana , two years after the invention of a synthetic blood that has allowed vampires to `` come out of the coffin '' and allow their presence to be known to mankind . Now they are struggling for equal rights and assimilation , while anti-vampire organizations begin to gain power . Sookie 's world is turned upside down when she falls in love with 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton ( Stephen Moyer ) and for the first time must navigate the trials , tribulations and terrors of intimacy and relationships .   The show was broadcast on the premium cable network HBO , in the United States , and was produced by HBO in association with Ball 's production company , Your Face Goes Here Entertainment . The series premiered on September 7 , 2008 and concluded on August 24 , 2014 , comprising seven seasons and 80 episodes . The first five seasons received highly positive reviews , and both nominations and wins for several awards , including a Golden Globe and an Emmy .


Dark fantasy Dark fantasy is a subgenre of fantasy literary , artistic , and cinematic works that incorporate darker and frightening themes of fantasy . It also often combines fantasy with elements of horror or has a gloomy , dark ( or grimdark ) atmosphere , or a sense of horror and dread .   A strict definition for dark fantasy is difficult to pin down . Gertrude Barrows Bennett has been called `` the woman who invented dark fantasy '' . Both Charles L. Grant and Karl Edward Wagner are credited with having coined the term `` dark fantasy '' -- although both authors were describing different styles of fiction . Brian Stableford argues `` dark fantasy '' can be usefully defined as subgenre of stories that attempt to `` incorporate elements of horror fiction '' into the standard formulae of fantasy stories . Stableford also suggests that supernatural horror set primarily in the real world is a form of `` contemporary fantasy '' , whereas supernatural horror set partly or wholly in `` secondary worlds '' should be described as `` dark fantasy '' .   Additionally , other authors , critics , and publishers have adopted dark fantasy to describe various other works . However , these stories rarely share universal similarities beyond supernatural occurrences and a dark , often brooding , tone . As a result , dark fantasy can not be solidly connected to a defining set of tropes . The term itself may refer collectively to tales that are either horror-based or fantasy-based .   Some writers also use `` dark fantasy '' ( or `` Gothic fantasy '' ) as an alternative description to `` horror '' , because they feel the latter term is too lurid or vivid .


Basketball is played on a circular court.

Basketball Basketball is a non-contact sport played on a rectangular court . While most often played as a team sport with five players on each side , three-on-three , two-on-two , and one-on-one competitions are also common . The objective is to shoot a ball through a hoop 18 in in diameter and 10 ft high that is mounted to a backboard at each end of the court . The game was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith , who would be the first basketball coach of the Kansas Jayhawks , one of the most successful programs in the game 's history .   A team can score a field goal by shooting the ball through the basket being defended by the opposition team during regular play . A field goal scores three points for the shooting team if the player shoots from behind the three-point line , and two points if shot from in front of the line . A team can also score via free throws , which are worth one point , after the other team is assessed with certain fouls . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins , but additional time ( overtime ) is mandated when the score is tied at the end of regulation . The ball can be advanced on the court by passing it to a teammate , or by bouncing it while walking or running ( dribbling ) . It is a violation to lift , or drag , one 's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it , or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling .   The game has many individual techniques for displaying skill -- ball-handling , shooting , passing , dribbling , dunking , shot-blocking , and rebounding . Basketball teams generally have player positions , the tallest and strongest members of a team are called a center or power forward , while slightly shorter and more agile players are called small forward , and the shortest players or those who possess the best ball handling skills are called a point guard or shooting guard . The point guard directs the on court action of the team , implementing the coach 's game plan , and managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays ( player positioning ) .   Basketball is one of the world 's most popular and widely viewed sports . The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is the most popular and widely considered to be the highest level of professional basketball in the world and NBA players are the world 's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player . Outside North America , the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the Euroleague and FIBA Americas League . The FIBA Basketball World Cup attracts the top national teams from around the world . Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams , like EuroBasket and FIBA Americas Championship .   The FIBA Women 's Basketball World Cup features the top national women 's basketball teams from continental championships . The main North American league is the WNBA , whereas the EuroLeague Women has been dominated by teams from the Russian Women 's Basketball Premier League .


Catching Fire is an installment of the Hunger Games.

Catching Fire Catching Fire is a 2009 science fiction young adult novel by the American novelist Suzanne Collins , the second book in The Hunger Games trilogy . As the sequel to the 2008 bestseller The Hunger Games , it continues the story of Katniss Everdeen and the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem . Following the events of the previous novel , a rebellion against the oppressive Capitol has begun , and Katniss and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark are forced to return to the arena in a special edition of the Hunger Games .   The book was first published on September 1 , 2009 , by Scholastic , in hardcover , and was later released in ebook and audiobook format . Catching Fire received mostly positive reviews , with reviewers praising Collins ' prose , the book 's ending , and the development of Katniss 's character . According to critics , major themes of the novel include survival , authoritarianism , rebellion and interdependence versus independence . The book has sold more than 19 million copies in the U.S. alone .   A film adaptation , The Hunger Games : Catching Fire , was released on November 22 , 2013 .


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


Evonne Goolagong Cawley was ranked in tennis World No. 1.

Evonne Goolagong Cawley Evonne Goolagong Cawley AO , MBE ( born 31 July 1951 ) is an Australian former World No. 1 tennis player . She was one of the world 's leading players in the 1970s and early 1980s , during which she won 14 Grand Slam titles : seven in singles ( four at the Australian Open , two at Wimbledon and one at the French Open ) , six in women 's doubles , and one in mixed doubles .


Maisie Williams Margaret Constance `` Maisie '' Williams ( born 15 April 1997 ) is an English actress . She made her professional acting debut as Arya Stark in the HBO fantasy television series Game of Thrones in 2011 , for which she won the EWwy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama , the Portal Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Television and Best Young Actor , and the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor . In 2016 , she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series .   Williams has also had a recurring role in Doctor Who as Ashildr in 2015 . In addition to television , she made her feature film debut in the mystery The Falling ( 2014 ) , for which she won the London Film Critics ' Circle Award for Young Performer of the Year .


Patrick Wilson's birthday is a date other than July 3.

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


Elephants' predator are primarily lions.

Elephant Elephants are large mammals of the family Elephantidae and the order Proboscidea . Three species are recognised , the African bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana ) , the African forest elephant ( L. cyclotis ) , and the Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus ) . Elephants are scattered throughout sub-Saharan Africa , South Asia , and Southeast Asia . Elephantidae is the only surviving family of the order Proboscidea ; other , now extinct , members of the order include deinotheres , gomphotheres , mammoths , and mastodons . Male African elephants are the largest extant terrestrial animals and can reach a height of 4 m and weigh 7000 kg . All elephants have several distinctive features , the most notable of which is a long trunk or proboscis , used for many purposes , particularly breathing , lifting water , and grasping objects . Their incisors grow into tusks , which can serve as weapons and as tools for moving objects and digging . Elephants ' large ear flaps help to control their body temperature . Their pillar-like legs can carry their great weight . African elephants have larger ears and concave backs while Asian elephants have smaller ears and convex or level backs .   Elephants are herbivorous and can be found in different habitats including savannahs , forests , deserts , and marshes . They prefer to stay near water . They are considered to be keystone species due to their impact on their environments . Other animals tend to keep their distance from elephants while predators , such as lions , tigers , hyenas , and any wild dogs , usually target only young elephants ( or `` calves '' ) . Females ( `` cows '' ) tend to live in family groups , which can consist of one female with her calves or several related females with offspring . The groups are led by an individual known as the matriarch , often the oldest cow . Elephants have a fission -- fusion society in which multiple family groups come together to socialise . Males ( `` bulls '' ) leave their family groups when they reach puberty and may live alone or with other males . Adult bulls mostly interact with family groups when looking for a mate and enter a state of increased testosterone and aggression known as musth , which helps them gain dominance and reproductive success . Calves are the centre of attention in their family groups and rely on their mothers for as long as three years . Elephants can live up to 70 years in the wild . They communicate by touch , sight , smell , and sound ; elephants use infrasound , and seismic communication over long distances . Elephant intelligence has been compared with that of primates and cetaceans . They appear to have self-awareness and show empathy for dying or dead individuals of their kind .   African elephants are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) while the Asian elephant is classed as endangered . One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade , as the animals are poached for their ivory tusks . Other threats to wild elephants include habitat destruction and conflicts with local people . Elephants are used as working animals in Asia . In the past , they were used in war ; today , they are often controversially put on display in zoos , or exploited for entertainment in circuses . Elephants are highly recognisable and have been featured in art , folklore , religion , literature , and popular culture .


Imagine Dragons have won five Grammy Awards.

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


There is no record of Mickey Mantle playing baseball.

Mickey Mantle Mickey Charles Mantle ( October 20 , 1931 -- August 13 , 1995 ) , nicknamed The Commerce Comet and The Mick , was an American professional baseball player . Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball ( MLB ) career with the New York Yankees as a center fielder and first baseman , from 1951 through 1968 . Mantle was one of the best players and sluggers , and is regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history . Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999 .   Mantle was arguably the greatest offensive threat of any center fielder in baseball history . He has the highest career OPS + of any center fielder and he had the highest stolen base percentage in history at the time of his retirement . In addition , compared to the four other center fielders on the all-century team , he had the lowest career rate of grounding into double plays ( by far ) and he had the highest World Series on-base percentage and World Series slugging percentage . He also had an excellent 0.984 fielding percentage when playing center field . Mantle was noted for his ability to hit for both average and power , especially tape measure home runs . He hit 536 MLB career home runs , batted .300 or more ten times , and is the career leader ( tied with Jim Thome ) in walk-off home runs , with a combined thirteen , twelve in the regular season and one in the postseason .   Mantle won the Triple Crown in 1956 , leading the major leagues in batting average , home runs , and runs batted in ( RBI ) ; he later wrote a book about his best year in baseball . He was an All-Star for 16 seasons , playing in 16 of the 20 All-Star Games that were played . He was an American League ( AL ) Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) three times and a Gold Glove winner once . Mantle appeared in 12 World Series including seven championships , and holds World Series records for the most home runs ( 18 ) , RBIs ( 40 ) , extra-base hits ( 26 ) , runs ( 42 ) , walks ( 43 ) , and total bases ( 123 ) .


Beauty Shop Beauty Shop is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Bille Woodruff . The film serves as a spin-off of the Barbershop film franchise , and stars Queen Latifah as Gina , a character first introduced in the 2004 film Barbershop 2 : Back in Business . This film also stars Alicia Silverstone , Andie MacDowell , Mena Suvari , Kevin Bacon and Djimon Hounsou .


One Direction's Where We Are Tour was the highest grossing concert tour in 2014.

One Direction One Direction ( commonly abbreviated as 1D ) are an English-Irish pop boy band based in London , composed of Niall Horan , Liam Payne , Harry Styles , Louis Tomlinson , and previously , Zayn Malik until his departure from the band on 25 March 2015 . The group signed with Simon Cowell 's record label Syco Records after forming and finishing third in the seventh series of the British televised singing competition The X Factor in 2010 . Propelled to international success by social media , One Direction 's five albums , Up All Night ( 2011 ) , Take Me Home ( 2012 ) , Midnight Memories ( 2013 ) , Four ( 2014 ) , and Made in the A.M. ( 2015 ) , topped charts in most major markets , and generated hit singles including `` What Makes You Beautiful '' , `` Live While We 're Young '' , `` Best Song Ever '' , `` Story of My Life '' , and `` Drag Me Down '' .   Their awards include six Brit Awards , four MTV Video Music Awards , eleven MTV Europe Music Awards , seven American Music Awards ( including Artist of the Year in 2014 and 2015 ) , and 27 Teen Choice Awards , among many others . According to Nick Gatfield , the chairman and chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment UK , One Direction represented a $ 50 million business empire by June 2012 . They were proclaimed 2012 's `` Top New Artist '' by Billboard . According to the Sunday Times Rich List , by April 2013 , they had an estimated personal combined wealth of # 25 million ( $ 41.2 m ) making them the second-wealthiest musicians in the UK under 30 years of age . In 2014 , Forbes listed them the second-highest earning celebrities under 30 , with the group earning an estimated $ 75 million from June 2013 to June 2014 . In June 2015 , Forbes listed their earnings at $ 130 million for the previous twelve months , and ranked them the fourth highest earning celebrities in the world . In 2016 Forbes ranked them the world 's second highest earning celebrities .   After the release of Four , One Direction became the first band in the US Billboard 200 history to have their first four albums debut at number one . Their third album , Midnight Memories , was the biggest-selling album worldwide of 2013 despite being released in late November . The band 's Where We Are Tour in support of Midnight Memories and Four , was the highest-grossing concert tour in 2014 , and the highest-grossing tour ever by a vocal group , generating $ 282 million . In 2014 , Billboard named One Direction Artist of the Year . The band is currently on a hiatus that began in January 2016 , allowing all members to pursue other projects .


Abraham Lincoln was in a Senate race with Stephen A. Douglas and lost.

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( -LSB- ˈeɪbrəhæm_ˈlIŋkən -RSB- February 12 , 1809 -- April 15 , 1865 ) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 16th President of the United States from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865 . Lincoln led the United States through its Civil War -- its bloodiest war and perhaps its greatest moral , constitutional , and political crisis . In doing so , he preserved the Union , paved the way to the abolition of slavery , strengthened the federal government , and modernized the economy .   Born in Hodgenville , Kentucky , Lincoln grew up on the western frontier in Kentucky and Indiana . Largely self-educated , he became a lawyer in Illinois , a Whig Party leader , and was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives , in which he served for eight years . Elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1846 , Lincoln promoted rapid modernization of the economy through banks , tariffs , and railroads . Because he had originally agreed not to run for a second term in Congress , and because his opposition to the Mexican -- American War was unpopular among Illinois voters , Lincoln returned to Springfield and resumed his successful law practice . Reentering politics in 1854 , he became a leader in building the new Republican Party , which had a statewide majority in Illinois . In 1858 , while taking part in a series of highly publicized debates with his opponent and rival , Democrat Stephen A. Douglas , Lincoln spoke out against the expansion of slavery , but lost the U.S. Senate race to Douglas .   In 1860 , Lincoln secured the Republican Party presidential nomination as a moderate from a swing state . Though he gained very little support in the slaveholding states of the South , he swept the North and was elected president in 1860 . Lincoln 's victory prompted seven southern slave states to form the Confederate States of America before he moved into the White House -- no compromise or reconciliation was found regarding slavery and secession . Subsequently , on April 12 , 1861 , a Confederate attack on Fort Sumter inspired the North to enthusiastically rally behind the Union . As the leader of the moderate faction of the Republican Party , Lincoln confronted Radical Republicans , who demanded harsher treatment of the South , War Democrats , who called for more compromise , anti-war Democrats ( called Copperheads ) , who despised him , and irreconcilable secessionists , who plotted his assassination . Politically , Lincoln fought back by pitting his opponents against each other , by carefully planned political patronage , and by appealing to the American people with his powers of oratory . His Gettysburg Address became an iconic endorsement of the principles of nationalism , republicanism , equal rights , liberty , and democracy .   Lincoln initially concentrated on the military and political dimensions of the war . His primary goal was to reunite the nation . He suspended habeas corpus , leading to the controversial ex parte Merryman decision , and he averted potential British intervention in the war by defusing the Trent Affair in late 1861 . Lincoln closely supervised the war effort , especially the selection of top generals , including his most successful general , Ulysses S. Grant . He also made major decisions on Union war strategy , including a naval blockade that shut down the South 's normal trade , moves to take control of Kentucky and Tennessee , and using gunboats to gain control of the southern river system . Lincoln tried repeatedly to capture the Confederate capital at Richmond ; each time a general failed , Lincoln substituted another , until finally Grant succeeded . As the war progressed , his complex moves toward ending slavery included the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 ; Lincoln used the U.S. Army to protect escaped slaves , encouraged the border states to outlaw slavery , and pushed through Congress the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution , which permanently outlawed slavery .   An exceptionally astute politician deeply involved with power issues in each state , Lincoln reached out to the War Democrats and managed his own re-election campaign in the 1864 presidential election . Anticipating the war 's conclusion , Lincoln pushed a moderate view of Reconstruction , seeking to reunite the nation speedily through a policy of generous reconciliation in the face of lingering and bitter divisiveness . On April 14 , 1865 , five days after the surrender of Confederate commanding general Robert E. Lee , Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth , a Confederate sympathizer .   Lincoln has been consistently ranked both by scholars and the public as among the greatest U.S. presidents .


Lincoln–Douglas debates The Lincoln -- Douglas Debates ( also known as The Great Debates of 1858 ) were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln , the Republican candidate for the United States Senate from Illinois , and incumbent Senator Stephen Douglas , the Democratic Party candidate . At the time , U.S. senators were elected by state legislatures ; thus Lincoln and Douglas were trying for their respective parties to win control of the Illinois legislature . The debates previewed the issues that Lincoln would face in the aftermath of his victory in the 1860 presidential election . Although Illinois was a free state , the main issue discussed in all seven debates was slavery in the United States .   In agreeing to the official debates , Lincoln and Douglas decided to hold one debate in each of the nine congressional districts in Illinois . Because both had already spoken in two -- Springfield and Chicago -- within a day of each other , they decided that their `` joint appearances '' would be held only in the remaining seven districts .   The debates were held in seven towns in the state of Illinois :  Ottawa on August 21  Freeport on August 27  Jonesboro on September 15  Charleston on September 18  Galesburg on October 7  Quincy on October 13  Alton on October 15   The debates in Freeport , Quincy and Alton drew especially large numbers of people from neighboring states , as the issue of slavery was of monumental importance to citizens across the nation . Newspaper coverage of the debates was intense . Major papers from Chicago sent stenographers to create complete texts of each debate , which newspapers across the United States reprinted in full , with some partisan edits . Newspapers that supported Douglas edited his speeches to remove any errors made by the stenographers and to correct grammatical errors , while they left Lincoln 's speeches in the rough form in which they had been transcribed . In the same way , pro-Lincoln papers edited Lincoln 's speeches , but left the Douglas texts as reported .   After losing the election for Senator in Illinois , Lincoln edited the texts of all the debates and had them published in a book . The widespread coverage of the original debates and the subsequent popularity of the book led eventually to Lincoln 's nomination for President of the United States by the 1860 Republican National Convention in Chicago .   The format for each debate was : one candidate spoke for 60 minutes , then the other candidate spoke for 90 minutes , and then the first candidate was allowed a 30-minute `` rejoinder . '' The candidates alternated speaking first . As the incumbent , Douglas spoke first in four of the debates .


Future (rapper) Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn ( born November 20 , 1983 ) , known professionally as Future , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter , and record producer . Born and raised in Atlanta , Georgia , Wilburn first became involved in music as part of the Dungeon Family collective , where he was nicknamed `` the Future '' . After amassing a series of mixtapes between 2010 and 2011 , Future signed a major record label deal with Epic Records and A1 Recordings , which helped launch Future 's own label imprint , Freebandz . He subsequently released his debut album , Pluto , in April 2012 to positive reviews . Future 's second album , Honest , was released in April 2014 , surpassing his debut on the album charts .   Between late 2014 and early 2015 , he released a trio of mixtapes to critical praise : Monster ( 2014 ) , Beast Mode ( 2015 ) , and 56 Nights ( 2015 ) . His next releases , DS2 ( 2015 ) , What a Time to Be Alive ( 2015 , in collaboration with Drake ) , EVOL ( 2016 ) , FUTURE ( 2017 ) and HNDRXX ( 2017 ) all debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 . The latter two made him the first artist to debut two albums in consecutive weeks at the top of that chart . Future has also released several singles certified gold or higher by the RIAA , including `` Turn On the Lights '' , `` Move That Dope '' , `` Fuck Up Some Commas '' , `` Where Ya At '' , `` Jumpman '' , `` Low Life '' and `` Mask Off '' .


Alpha House is inspired by Senator Dick Durbin.

Alpha House Alpha House is an American political satire web television series produced by Amazon Studios . The show stars John Goodman , Clark Johnson , Matt Malloy and Mark Consuelos as four Republican U.S. Senators who share a house in Washington , D.C. . It was created by Doonesbury creator Garry Trudeau . The show premiered on Amazon.com on April 19 , 2013 .   The series is inspired by several actual Democratic legislators who share a row house in D.C. : Senator Dick Durbin ( D-IL ) , Senator Chuck Schumer ( D-NY ) , and Representative George Miller ( D-CA ) . The series has a number of cameos from celebrities such as Bill Murray ( as Senator Vernon Smits ) and politicians such as Schumer as himself .  Amazon Studios offered the first three episodes of Alpha House for free , with each subsequent episode released weekly thereafter for Amazon Prime members on Amazon Video .   On February 11 , 2014 , the series was renewed for a second season . Production for the second season began filming in July 2014 , and the entire second season became available on Amazon.com on October 24 , 2014 . The series was canceled after the second season .


Lee Child James D. `` Jim '' Grant ( born 29 October 1954 ) , better known by his pen name Lee Child , is a British author who writes thriller novels . He is especially known for his Jack Reacher novel series . The books follow the adventures of a former American military policeman , Jack Reacher , who wanders the United States . His first novel , Killing Floor , won both the Anthony Award , and the Barry Award for Best First Novel .


Richard III of England Richard III ( 2 October 1452 -- 22 August 1485 ) was King of England from 1483 until his death in 1485 , at the age of 32 , in the Battle of Bosworth Field . He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty . His defeat at Bosworth Field , the last decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses , marked the end of the Middle Ages in England . He is the subject of the historical play Richard III by William Shakespeare .   When his brother King Edward IV died in April 1483 , Richard was named Lord Protector of the realm for Edward 's son and successor , the 12-year-old Edward V . As the young king travelled to London from Ludlow , Richard met and escorted him to lodgings in the Tower of London , where Edward V 's own brother Richard of Shrewsbury joined him shortly afterwards . Arrangements were made for Edward 's coronation on 22 June 1483 ; but , before the young king could be crowned , his father 's marriage to his mother Elizabeth Woodville was declared invalid , making their children illegitimate and ineligible for the throne . On 25 June , an assembly of Lords and commoners endorsed the claims . The following day , Richard III began his reign , and he was crowned on 6 July 1483 . The young princes were not seen in public after August , and accusations circulated that the boys had been murdered on Richard 's orders , giving rise to the legend of the Princes in the Tower .   There were two major rebellions against Richard . The first , in October 1483 , was led by staunch allies of Edward IV and Richard 's former ally , Henry Stafford , 2nd Duke of Buckingham ; but the revolt collapsed . In August 1485 , Henry Tudor and his uncle , Jasper Tudor , led a second rebellion . Henry Tudor landed in southern Wales with a small contingent of French troops and marched through his birthplace , Pembrokeshire , recruiting soldiers . Henry 's force engaged Richard 's army and defeated it at the Battle of Bosworth Field in Leicestershire . Richard was struck down in the conflict , making him the last English king to die in battle on home soil and the first since Harold Godwinson ( who was killed at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 ) . Henry then ascended the throne as Henry VII .   After the battle Richard 's corpse was taken to Leicester and buried without pomp . His original tomb monument is believed to have been removed during the Reformation , and his remains were lost for more than five centuries , believed to have been thrown into the River Soar . In 2012 , an archaeological excavation was commissioned by the Richard III Society on a city council car park on the site once occupied by Greyfriars Priory Church . The University of Leicester identified the skeleton found in the excavation as that of Richard III as a result of radiocarbon dating , comparison with contemporary reports of his appearance , and comparison of his mitochondrial DNA with that of two matrilineal descendants of Richard III 's eldest sister , Anne of York . Richard 's remains were reburied in Leicester Cathedral on 26 March 2015 .


Chris Weitz Christopher John `` Chris '' Weitz ( born November 30 , 1969 ) is an American film producer , screenwriter , author , occasional actor , and film director . He is the brother of filmmaker Paul Weitz . He is best known for his work with his brother on the comedy films American Pie and About a Boy , the latter of which was Oscar-nominated for adapted screenplay . Weitz directed the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass and the film adaptation of New Moon from the series of Twilight books , as well wrote the screenplay for Disney 's 2015 live-action adaptation of Cinderella and co-wrote Rogue One : A Star Wars Story alongside with Tony Gilroy .


Tyra Banks presented, created, and executive produced America's Next Top Model.

Tyra Banks Tyra Lynne Banks ( born December 4 , 1973 ) is an American television personality , producer , businesswoman , actress , author , former model and occasional singer . Born in Inglewood , California , she began her career as a model at age 15 , and was the first African American woman to be featured on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue , on which she appeared twice . She was a Victoria 's Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005 . By the early 2000s , Banks was one of the world 's top-earning models .   Banks began acting on television in 1993 on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , and made her film debut in Higher Learning in 1995 . She had major roles such as Eve in Disney Channel 's Life-Size and Zoe in the box office hit Coyote Ugly . She had small roles in the romantic film Love & Basketball and horror film Halloween : Resurrection , and appeared in television series Gossip Girl and Glee .   In 2003 , Banks created and began presenting the long-running reality television series America 's Next Top Model , which she executive produced and presented for the first twenty-two seasons until the series ' cancellation in October 2015 . She remained executive producer for the revival of the series , and enlisted Rita Ora as host for the twenty-third cycle before reassuming the duties herself for the upcoming twenty-fourth cycle . Banks was the co-creator of True Beauty , and had her own talk show , The Tyra Banks Show , which aired on The CW for five seasons and won two Daytime Emmy awards for Outstanding Talk Show Informative . She co-hosted the talk show FABLife for two months . In 2017 , Banks will replace Nick Cannon as host of America 's Got Talent for its 12th season .   In 2010 , she published a young adult novel titled Modelland , based on her life as a model which topped The New York Times Best Seller list in 2011 . Banks is one of four African Americans and seven women to have repeatedly ranked among the world 's most influential people by TIME magazine .


Geraldine Chaplin made her American acting debut in the 1960s.

Doctor Zhivago (film) Doctor Zhivago ( Italian : Il dottor Zivago ) is a 1965 British-Italian epic romantic drama film directed by David Lean . It is set in Russia between the years prior to World War I and the Russian Civil War of 1917 -- 1922 , and is based on the Boris Pasternak novel of the same name . While immensely popular in the West , the book was banned in the Soviet Union for decades . For this reason , the film could not be made in the Soviet Union and was instead filmed mostly in Spain .   The film stars Omar Sharif in the title role as Yuri Zhivago , a married physician whose life is irreversibly altered by the Russian Revolution and subsequent Civil War , and Julie Christie as his , also married , love interest Lara Antipova . The supporting cast includes Geraldine Chaplin , Rod Steiger , Alec Guinness , Tom Courtenay , Ralph Richardson , Siobhán McKenna and Rita Tushingham .   Contemporary critics were generally disappointed , complaining of its length at over three hours , and claiming that it trivialized history , but acknowledging the intensity of the love story and the film 's treatment of human themes . Over time , however , the film 's reputation has improved greatly . At the 38th Academy Awards , Doctor Zhivago won five Oscars : Best Adapted Screenplay , Best Original Score , Best Cinematography , Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design ; it was nominated for five others ( including Best Picture and Best Director ) , but lost four of these five to The Sound of Music . It also won five awards at the 23rd Golden Globe Awards including Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama for Sharif .   As of 2016 , it is the eighth highest-grossing film of all time in the United States and Canada , adjusted for ticket-price inflation . It was ranked by the American Film Institute in 1998 as the 39th greatest film on their 100 Years . .100 Movies list , and by the British Film Institute the following year as the 27th greatest British film of all time .


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 .


Dwight Schrute Dwight Kurt Schrute III -LSB- ˈdwait ˈkərt ˈshrut -RSB- is a fictional character on the American TV comedy series The Office , portrayed by Rainn Wilson , and based on Gareth Keenan from the original UK version of The Office . His character is one of the highest-ranking salesmen as well as assistant to the regional manager at the paper distribution company Dunder Mifflin , although the series expands on his character as bed-and-breakfast proprietor at Schrute Farms , a beet plantation , and as the owner of the business park enclosing Dunder Mifflin . He is notorious for his lack of social skills and common sense , his love for martial arts and the justice system , and his office rivalry with fellow salesman Jim Halpert . He has at times risen to the position of acting Branch Manager of the Scranton branch , but often serves as a second or third in command as Assistant ( to the ) Regional Manager . In the final season , Dwight is finally offered the position of permanent Regional Manager .


The cell is the most basic structural unit of all living things.

Cell (biology) The cell ( from Latin cella , meaning `` small room '' ) is the basic structural , functional , and biological unit of all known living organisms . A cell is the smallest unit of life that can replicate independently , and cells are often called the `` building blocks of life '' . The study of cells is called cell biology .   Cells consist of cytoplasm enclosed within a membrane , which contains many biomolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids . Organisms can be classified as unicellular ( consisting of a single cell ; including bacteria ) or multicellular ( including plants and animals ) . While the number of cells in plants and animals varies from species to species , humans contain more than 10 trillion ( 1012 ) cells . Most plant and animal cells are visible only under a microscope , with dimensions between 1 and 100 micrometres .   The cell was discovered by Robert Hooke in 1665 , who named the biological unit for its resemblance to cells inhabited by Christian monks in a monastery . Cell theory , first developed in 1839 by Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann , states that all organisms are composed of one or more cells , that cells are the fundamental unit of structure and function in all living organisms , that all cells come from preexisting cells , and that all cells contain the hereditary information necessary for regulating cell functions and for transmitting information to the next generation of cells . Cells emerged on Earth at least 3.5 billion years ago .


The Kitti's hog-nosed bat has webbed forelimb wings that give it the capability of flight.

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 .


Kitti's hog-nosed bat Kitti 's hog-nosed bat ( Craseonycteris thonglongyai ) , also known as the bumblebee bat , is a vulnerable species of bat and the only extant member of the family Craseonycteridae . It occurs in western Thailand and southeast Burma , where it occupies limestone caves along rivers .   Kitti 's hog-nosed bat is the smallest species of bat and arguably the world 's smallest mammal . It has a reddish-brown or grey coat , with a distinctive pig-like snout . Colonies range greatly in size , with an average of 100 individuals per cave . The bat feeds during short activity periods in the evening and dawn , foraging around nearby forest areas for insects . Females give birth annually to a single offspring .   Although the bat 's status in Burma is not well known , the Thai population is restricted to a single province and may be at risk for extinction . Its potential threats are primarily anthropogenic , and include habitat degradation and the disturbance of roosting sites .


The Chainsmokers has yet to have a top 5 single.

The Chainsmokers The Chainsmokers are an American DJ/producer duo consisting of Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall . The EDM-pop duo achieved a breakthrough with their 2014 song '' #Selfie '' , which was a top twenty single in several countries . Their debut EP , Bouquet was released in October 2015 and featured the single `` Roses '' , which reached the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 . `` Do n't Let Me Down '' became their first top 5 single there and won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 59th awards ceremony , while `` Closer '' became their first number-one single on the chart . They have also won an American Music Award and five iHeartRadio Music Awards .   The duo 's second EP Collage was released in November 2016 , consisting of several previously released singles . Their debut studio album Memories ... Do Not Open was released in April 2017 .


Helena Bonham Carter has acted in a film on HBO.

Live from Baghdad (film) Live from Baghdad is a television movie produced in 2002 by HBO . It was directed by Mick Jackson and written by Robert Wiener based on Wiener 's book of the same title . The movie was released during the prelude stage of the Iraq War .   Michael Keaton stars as CNN on-location producer Robert Wiener in Baghdad , Iraq during the Persian Gulf War in 1991 . The movie focuses on the news media 's ( primarily CNN 's ) coverage of the war . Fundamentally an action -- drama , the characters grapple with the ethics and implications of 24-hour journalism in the days leading up to and during the United States-led bombing of Baghdad .


Helena Bonham Carter Helena Bonham Carter , ( born 26 May 1966 ) is an English actress . She is known for her roles in low-budget arthouse and independent films to large-scale Hollywood productions . She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role as Kate Croy in The Wings of the Dove ( 1997 ) . For her role as Queen Elizabeth in The King 's Speech ( 2010 ) , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role . She also won the 2010 International Emmy Award for Best Actress for her role as British author Enid Blyton in the TV film Enid ( 2009 ) .   Bonham Carter began her film career playing the title character in Lady Jane ( 1986 ) , and playing Lucy Honeychurch in A Room with a View ( 1986 ) . Her other film roles include Ophelia in Hamlet ( 1990 ) , Where Angels Fear to Tread ( 1991 ) , Howards End ( 1992 ) , Elizabeth Lavenza in Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein ( 1994 ) , Woody Allen 's Mighty Aphrodite ( 1995 ) , Fight Club ( 1999 ) , Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series ( 2007 -- 11 ) , Terminator Salvation ( 2009 ) , Miss Havisham in Great Expectations ( 2012 ) , Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables ( 2012 ) , and The Fairy Godmother in Cinderella ( 2015 ) . She has frequently collaborated with director Tim Burton ; in Planet of the Apes ( 2001 ) , Big Fish ( 2003 ) , Corpse Bride ( 2005 ) , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ( 2005 ) , Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd : The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ( 2007 ) , Dark Shadows ( 2012 ) , and playing the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland ( 2010 ) and its sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass ( 2016 ) . Her other television films include A Pattern of Roses ( 1983 ) , Fatal Deception : Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald ( 1993 ) , Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) , Toast ( 2010 ) , and Burton & Taylor ( 2013 ) .   She was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) in the 2012 New Year Honours list for services to drama , and in January 2014 , the British prime minister , David Cameron , announced that Bonham Carter had been appointed to Britain 's new national Holocaust Commission .


David Simon has exclusively British heritage and has always lived in the Netherlands where he was born.

David Simon David Judah Simon ( born February 9 , 1960 ) is an American author , journalist , writer , and producer . He worked for the Baltimore Sun City Desk for twelve years ( 1982 -- 95 ) and wrote Homicide : A Year on the Killing Streets ( 1991 ) and co-wrote The Corner : A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood ( 1997 ) with Ed Burns . The former book was the basis for the NBC series Homicide : Life on the Street ( 1993 -- 99 ) , on which Simon served as a writer and producer . Simon adapted the latter book into the HBO mini-series The Corner ( 2000 ) .   He was the creator , executive producer , head writer , and show runner for all five seasons of the HBO television series The Wire ( 2002 -- 2008 ) . He adapted the non-fiction book Generation Kill into a television mini-series , and served as the show runner for the project . He was selected as one of the 2010 MacArthur Fellows and named an Utne Reader visionary in 2011 . Simon also created the HBO series Treme with Eric Overmyer , which aired for four seasons . Following Treme , Simon wrote the HBO mini-series Show Me a Hero with journalist William F. Zorzi , a colleague at The Baltimore Sun , and on The Wire .   In August 2015 , HBO commissioned two pilots from Simon 's company Blown Deadline Productions . The first drama , The Deuce , about the New York porn industry in the 1970s and 1980s , would star Maggie Gyllenhaal and co-producer James Franco with shooting in New York in the fall of 2015 . The second drama is an untitled program exploring a `` detailed examination of partisanship '' and money in Washington politics , to be co-produced with Carl Bernstein .


Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo is an American animated cartoon franchise , comprising several animated television series produced from 1969 to the present day . The original series , Scooby-Doo , Where Are You ! , was created for Hanna-Barbera Productions by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears in 1969 . This Saturday-morning cartoon series featured four teenagers -- Fred Jones , Daphne Blake , Velma Dinkley , and Norville `` Shaggy '' Rogers -- and their talking brown Great Dane named Scooby-Doo , who solve mysteries involving supposedly supernatural creatures through a series of antics and missteps .   Following the success of the original series , Hanna-Barbera and its successor Warner Bros. . Animation have produced numerous follow-up and spin-off animated series and several related works , including television specials and made-for-TV movies , a line of direct-to-video films , and two Warner Bros. -- produced theatrical feature films . Some versions of Scooby-Doo feature different variations on the show 's supernatural theme , and include characters such as Scooby 's cousin Scooby-Dum and nephew Scrappy-Doo in addition to or instead of some of the original characters .   Scooby-Doo was originally broadcast on CBS from 1969 to 1975 , when it moved to ABC . ABC aired the show until canceling it in 1986 , and presented a spin-off featuring the characters as children , A Pup Named Scooby-Doo , from 1988 until 1991 . New Scooby-Doo series aired as part of Kids ' WB on The WB Network and its successor , The CW Network , from 2002 until 2008 . Scooby-Doo ! Mystery Incorporated aired on Cartoon Network from 2010 to 2013 , and Be Cool , Scooby-Doo ! debuted on Cartoon Network in 2015 . Repeats of the various Scooby-Doo series are broadcast frequently on Cartoon Network and its sister channel Boomerang in the United States as well as other countries .   In 2013 , TV Guide ranked Scooby-Doo the fifth Greatest TV Cartoon of All Time .


An American media company was an employer of William Hanna.

William Hanna William Denby `` Bill '' Hanna ( July 14 , 1910 -- March 22 , 2001 ) was an American animator , director , producer , voice actor , and cartoon artist , whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century .   After working odd jobs in the first months of the Depression , Hanna joined the Harman and Ising animation studio in 1930 . During the 1930s , Hanna steadily gained skill and prominence while working on cartoons such as Captain and the Kids . In 1937 , while working at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ( MGM ) , Hanna met Joseph Barbera . The two men began a collaboration that was at first best known for producing Tom and Jerry and live action/animated hybrid films . In 1957 , they co-founded Hanna-Barbera , which became the most successful television animation studio in the business , producing programs such as The Flintstones , The Huckleberry Hound Show , The Jetsons , Scooby-Doo , The Smurfs , and Yogi Bear . In 1967 , Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting for $ 12 million , but Hanna and Barbera remained heads of the company until 1991 . At that time , the studio was sold to Turner Broadcasting System , which in turn was merged with Time Warner in 1996 ; Hanna and Barbera stayed on as advisors .   Hanna and Barbera won seven Academy Awards and eight Emmy Awards . Their cartoons have become cultural icons , and their cartoon characters have appeared in other media such as films , books , and toys . Hanna-Barbera 's shows had a worldwide audience of over 300 million people in their 1960s heyday , and have been translated into more than 28 languages .


Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. ( abbreviated as MGM or M-G-M , also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures , Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or simply Metro , and for a former interval known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists , or MGM/UA ) is an American media company , involved primarily in the production and distribution of feature films and television programs .   Once the largest , most glamorous , and most revered film studio , MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures , Goldwyn Pictures , and Louis B. Mayer Pictures . Its headquarters are in Beverly Hills , California . It is one of the world 's oldest film studios .   In 1971 , it was announced that MGM would merge with 20th Century Fox , a plan which never came into fruition . Over the next thirty-nine years , the studio was bought and sold at various points in its history until , on November 3 , 2010 , MGM filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . MGM emerged from bankruptcy on December 20 , 2010 , at which time the executives of Spyglass Entertainment , Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum , became co-Chairmen and co-CEOs of the holding company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .   As of 2017 , MGM co-produces , co-finances , and co-distributes a majority of its films with Sony Pictures Entertainment , which is not exclusive as MGM has partnered on select films with Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. .   MGM Resorts International , a Las Vegas-based hotel and casino company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol `` MGM '' , is not currently affiliated with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .


Black Sabbath are often called pioneers of a genre of music.

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock band , formed in Birmingham in 1968 , by guitarist and main songwriter Tony Iommi , bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler , singer Ozzy Osbourne , and drummer Bill Ward . The band experienced multiple line-up changes , with Iommi being the only constant member throughout its history . Originally formed as a blues rock band , the group soon adopted the Black Sabbath moniker and began incorporating occult themes with horror-inspired lyrics and tuned-down guitars . They also composed songs about social instability , political corruption and drugs .   Osbourne 's regular use of alcohol and other drugs led to his dismissal from the band in 1979 . He was replaced by former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio . Following two albums with Dio , Black Sabbath endured many personnel changes in the 1980s and 1990s that included vocalists Ian Gillan , Glenn Hughes , Ray Gillen and Tony Martin , as well as several drummers and bassists . In 1992 , Iommi and Butler rejoined Dio and drummer Vinny Appice to record Dehumanizer . The original line-up reunited with Osbourne in 1997 and released a live album Reunion . Black Sabbath 's final studio album and nineteenth overall , 13 ( 2013 ) , features all of the original members but Ward , who left the band prior to the recording sessions due to a contract dispute . A year after embarking on a farewell tour , the band played their final concert in their home city of Birmingham on 4 February 2017 , after which they broke up . Iommi has stated , however , that he has not ruled out the possibility of new material or one-off shows under the Black Sabbath name .   Black Sabbath are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music . The band helped define the genre with releases such as Black Sabbath ( 1970 ) , Paranoid ( 1970 ) and Master of Reality ( 1971 ) . They were ranked by MTV as the `` Greatest Metal Band '' of all time , and placed second in VH1 's `` 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock '' list . Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number 85 in their `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . They have sold over 70 million records worldwide . Black Sabbath were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 . They have also won two Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance .


Colombia is the country with the third-highest biodiversity in the world.

Colombia Colombia ( k ) , is a sovereign state largely situated in the northwest of South America , with territories in Central America . Colombia shares a border to the northwest with Panama , to the east with Venezuela and Brazil and to the south with Ecuador and Peru . It shares its maritime limits with Costa Rica , Nicaragua , Honduras , Jamaica , Haiti and the Dominican Republic . It is a unitary , constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments . The territory of what is now Colombia was originally inhabited by indigenous peoples , with as most advanced the Muisca , Quimbaya and the Tairona .   The Spanish set foot on Colombian soil for the first time in 1499 and in the first half of the 16th century initiated a period of conquest and colonization , ultimately creating the New Kingdom of Granada , with as capital Santafé de Bogotá . Independence from Spain was acquired in 1819 , but by 1830 the `` Gran Colombia '' Federation was dissolved . What is now Colombia and Panama emerged as the Republic of New Granada . The new nation experimented with federalism as the Granadine Confederation ( 1858 ) , and then the United States of Colombia ( 1863 ) , before the Republic of Colombia was finally declared in 1886 . Panama seceded in 1903 . Since the 1960s , the country has suffered from an asymmetric low-intensity armed conflict , which escalated in the 1990s but then decreased from 2005 onward . Colombia is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse countries in the world , and thereby possesses a rich cultural heritage . The urban centres are mostly located in the highlands of the Andes mountains .   Colombian territory also encompasses Amazon rainforest , tropical grassland and both Caribbean and Pacific coastlines . Ecologically , it is one of the world 's 17 megadiverse countries , and the most densely biodiverse of these per square kilometer . Colombia is a middle power and a regional actor with the fourth-largest economy in Latin America , is part of the CIVETS group of six leading emerging markets and is a member of the UN , the WTO , the OAS , the Pacific Alliance , and other international organizations . Colombia has a diversified economy with macroeconomic stability and favorable growth prospects in the long run .


That's So Raven That 's So Raven is an American supernatural teen comedy sitcom television series . It debuted on Disney Channel on January 17 , 2003 , and ended its run on November 10 , 2007 . The show had a spin-off series , Cory in the House . The series was nominated in 2005 and 2007 for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children 's Programming .   The show was set in San Francisco and revolved around teenager Raven Baxter , played by Raven-Symoné , her friends Eddie ( Orlando Brown ) and Chelsea ( Anneliese van der Pol ) , her family members ; mother Tanya Baxter ( T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh ) father Victor Baxter ( Rondell Sheridan ) and brother Cory ( Kyle Massey ) . The title character drew on her psychic powers , ingenuity , and talent as a fashion designer as well as a variety of disguises to get into and out of amusing adolescent and pre-adolescent situations .   Reruns of episodes aired on the ABC Kids Saturday morning segment of Disney-owned ABC broadcast network in the United States until August 27 , 2011 , when the block was discontinued . No announcement was made as to whether the show would get complete season releases on DVD . That 's So Raven garnered higher ratings than any other Disney Channel show and is also the first show in Disney channel history to make the 100 episode mark .   In October 2016 , Raven-Symoné announced that there is a spin-off in the works . Symoné will reprise her role as Raven Baxter who will now be a single mother with two children , one who has psychic visions . Symone has also stated that Anneliese Van Der Pol will return as Chelsea . In April 2017 , the spin-off was officially greenlit and ordered to series under the title Raven 's Home .


Lee Majors Lee Majors ( born Harvey Lee Yeary ; April 23 , 1939 ) is an American film , television and voice actor . Majors is best known for portraying the roles of Heath Barkley in the American television Western series The Big Valley ( 1965 -- 1969 ) , Colonel Steve Austin in the American television science fiction action series The Six Million Dollar Man ( 1973 -- 1978 ) , and Colt Seavers in American television action series The Fall Guy ( 1981 -- 1986 ) .   In the television series The Six Million Dollar Man , Steve Austin takes on special high-risk government missions using his superhuman bionic powers . The television character Steve Austin became a pop culture icon of the 1970s .   Majors reprised the role of Colonel Steve Austin in several bionic reunion television movies in the late 1980s and 1990s . He appeared in a number of supporting , recurring and cameo roles in feature films and television series , and lent his voice to a number of animated TV series and video games .


Chris Pratt portrayed Batman in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Chris Pratt Christopher Michael Pratt ( born June 21 , 1979 ) is an American actor . Pratt came to prominence with his television roles , including Bright Abbott in The WB drama series Everwood and Andy Dwyer in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation . His early film career began with supporting roles in such mainstream films as Wanted , Jennifer 's Body , Moneyball , The Five-Year Engagement , Zero Dark Thirty , Delivery Man and Her .   Pratt achieved leading man status after starring in two commercially successful films in 2014 : computer-animated adventure comedy The Lego Movie and Marvel Studios superhero film Guardians of the Galaxy ( in which he portrayed Star-Lord ) . In 2015 , he starred in Jurassic World , the fourth installment in the Jurassic Park franchise and his most financially successful film to date , earning $ 1.6 billion at the box office . Later that year , Time named Pratt one of the 100 most influential people in the world on the annual Time 100 list .   Pratt continued his leading man status with The Magnificent Seven and Passengers . He reprised his role as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol . 2 , and will play the character again in Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled fourth Avengers film .


Modern lawn tennis did not evolve from real tennis.

Real tennis Real tennis -- one of several games sometimes called `` the sport of kings '' -- is the original racquet sport from which the modern game of lawn tennis ( usually simply called tennis ) is derived . It is also known as court tennis in the United States , formerly royal tennis in England and Australia , and courte-paume in France ( a reference to the older , racquetless game of jeu de paume , the ancestor of modern handball and racquet games ; many French real tennis courts are at jeu de paume clubs ) .   The term real was first used by journalists in the early 20th century as a retronym to distinguish the ancient game from modern lawn tennis ( even though the latter sport is often not contested on lawns these days outside the few social-club-managed estates such as Wimbledon ) .   Real tennis is still played on about 43 surviving courts in the United Kingdom , Australia , the United States and France . Despite a documented history of courts existing in the German states from the 17th century , the sport evidently died out there during or after the World War II reconstruction . The sport is supported and governed by various organizations around the world .


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


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


Ava DuVernay Ava Marie DuVernay ( -LSB- ˈeɪvə_ˌdjuːvərˈneɪ -RSB- born August 24 , 1972 ) is an American director , screenwriter , film marketer , and film distributor . At the 2012 Sundance Film Festival , DuVernay won the Best Director Prize for her second feature film Middle of Nowhere , becoming the first African-American woman to win the award . For her work in Selma ( 2014 ) , DuVernay was the first black female director to be nominated for a Golden Globe Award . With Selma , she was also the first black female director to have her film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture , though she was not nominated for Best Director . In 2017 , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for her film 13th ( 2016 ) .   DuVernay 's next film , A Wrinkle in Time , reportedly has a budget exceeding $ 100 million , making DuVernay the first black woman to direct a live-action film with a budget of that size .


Wynonna Judd Wynonna Ellen Judd ( -LSB- waɪˈnoʊnə -RSB- born Christina Claire Ciminella ; May 30 , 1964 ) is an American country music singer . Her solo albums and singles are all credited to the single name Wynonna . Wynonna first rose to fame in the 1980s alongside her mother , Naomi , in the country music duo The Judds . The duo released seven albums on Curb Records in addition to charting 26 singles , of which 14 were number-one hits .   After The Judds disbanded in 1991 , Wynonna began a solo career , also on Curb . In her solo career , she has released eight studio albums , a live album , a holiday album and two compilation albums in addition to charting more than 20 singles of her own . Her first three singles -- `` She Is His Only Need '' , `` I Saw the Light , '' and `` No One Else on Earth '' -- all reached number one on the U.S. country singles charts consecutively , as did 1993 's `` Only Love '' and 1996 's , `` To Be Loved by You . '' Three of her albums are certified platinum or higher by the RIAA . Her most recent recording , Sing : Chapter 1 , was released on February 3 , 2009 and she released a new song , `` Something You Ca n't Live Without , '' in March 2013 . Wynonna is most recognized for her musical work , although starting in the 2000s she has also pursued other interests , including writing , acting and philanthropy .


Colin Farrell has been incapable of starring in a Steven Spielberg movie.

Colin Farrell Colin James Farrell ( born 31 May 1976 ) is an Irish actor . Farrell appeared in the BBC drama Ballykissangel in 1998 , made his film debut in the Tim Roth-directed drama The War Zone in 1999 , and was discovered by Hollywood when Joel Schumacher cast him in the lead role in the war drama Tigerland in 2000 . He then starred in Schumacher 's psychological thriller Phone Booth ( 2002 ) where he plays a hostage in a New York city phone booth and the American thrillers S.W.A.T. ( 2003 ) and The Recruit ( 2003 ) , establishing his international box-office appeal . During that time , he also appeared in Steven Spielberg 's science fiction thriller Minority Report ( 2002 ) and as the villain Bullseye in the superhero film Daredevil ( 2003 ) .   After starring in the independent films Intermission ( 2003 ) and A Home at the End of the World ( 2004 ) , Farrell headed Oliver Stone 's biopic Alexander ( 2004 ) and Terrence Malick 's The New World ( 2005 ) . Roles in Michael Mann 's Miami Vice ( 2006 ) , the adaptation of John Fante 's Ask the Dust ( 2006 ) , and Woody Allen 's Cassandra 's Dream ( 2007 ) followed , underscoring Farrell 's popularity among Hollywood writers and directors ; however , it was his role in Martin McDonagh 's In Bruges ( 2008 ) that earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy .   Farrell starred in the black comedy film Horrible Bosses ( 2011 ) , for which he received critical praise , along with the comedy-horror film Fright Night ( 2011 ) and the sci-fi action film Total Recall ( 2012 ) , both remakes , and McDonagh 's second feature , the black comedy crime film Seven Psychopaths ( 2012 ) . He also starred in the Niels Arden Oplev action film Dead Man Down ( 2013 ) , and as Travers Goff in the period drama Saving Mr. Banks ( 2013 ) . In 2014 , Farrell starred as Peter Lake in the supernatural fable Winter 's Tale , an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Mark Helprin . In 2015 , he starred as Detective Ray Velcoro in the second season of HBO 's True Detective , and also starred in the film The Lobster , for which he was nominated for his second Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy . In 2016 , he portrayed Percival Graves in the Harry Potter spin-off film Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them .


Jim Parsons James Joseph Parsons ( born March 24 , 1973 ) is an American actor . He is known for playing Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory . He has received several awards for his performance , including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy .   In 2011 , Parsons made his Broadway debut portraying Tommy Boatwright in the play The Normal Heart , for which he received a Drama Desk Award nomination . He reprised the role in the film adaptation of the play , and received his seventh Emmy nomination , this time in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie .


Kafka stars Jeremy Irons, Theresa Russell, Ian Holm, Jeroen Krabbé, Joel Grey, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Alec Guinness.

Kafka (film) Kafka is a 1991 mystery thriller film directed by Steven Soderbergh . Ostensibly a biopic , based on the life of Franz Kafka , the film blurs the lines between fact and Kafka 's fiction ( most notably The Castle and The Trial ) , creating a Kafkaesque atmosphere . It was written by Lem Dobbs , and stars Jeremy Irons in the title role , with Theresa Russell , Ian Holm , Jeroen Krabbé , Joel Grey , Armin Mueller-Stahl , and Alec Guinness .   Released after Soderbergh 's critically acclaimed debut Sex , Lies , and Videotape it was the first of what would be a series of low-budget box-office disappointments . It has since become a cult film , being compared to Terry Gilliam 's Brazil and David Cronenberg 's Naked Lunch ( all of which star Ian Holm ) .


Cat on a Hot Tin Roof features several recurring motifs, including mendacity.

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


Dysphonia can be characterized by rough or hoarse vocal qualities.

Dysphonia Dysphonia , one common form of which is referred to as hoarse voice , refers to dysfunction in the ability to produce voice . For voice to be classified as `` dysphonic '' , abnormalities must be present in one or more vocal parameters : pitch , loudness , quality , or variability . Perceptually , dysphonia can be characterised by hoarse , breathy , harsh , or rough vocal qualities , but some kind of phonation remains .   Current prevalence rates suggest that dysphonia is higher in females and the elderly , however , it can be found in both sexes and across the lifespan . Furthermore , certain occupational groups , such as teachers and singers , may be at increased risk for developing dysphonia .   Dysphonia can be categorized into two broad main types : organic and functional . The type of dysphonia is dependent on the cause of the pathology . While the causes of dysphonia can be divided into five basic categories , all of them result in an interruption of the ability of the vocal folds to vibrate normally during exhalation , which affects the voice . The assessment and diagnosis of dysphonia is done by a multidisciplinary team , and involves the use of a variety of subjective and objective measures , which look at both the quality of the voice as well as the physical state of the larynx.Multiple treatments have been developed to address organic and functional causes of dysphonia . Dysphonia can be targeted through direct therapy , indirect therapy , medical treatments , and surgery . Functional dysphonias may be treated through direct and indirect voice therapies , whereas surgeries are recommended for chronic , organic dysphonias .


Greenwich Greenwich ( -LSB- ˈɡrɛnɪtʃ -RSB- , -LSB- ˈɡrɪnɪdʒ -RSB- , -LSB- ˈɡrɪnɪtʃ -RSB- or -LSB- ˈɡrɛnɪdʒ -RSB- ) is an early-established district of south east London , England , centred 5.5 miles ( 8.9 km ) east south-east of Charing Cross . The town lends its name to the Royal Borough of Greenwich .   The town gives its name to one of the five boroughs of the London Docklands , and is connected to areas with docks of London historically by river and today to Canary Wharf and other districts by the Docklands Light Railway .   Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian ( 0 ° longitude ) and Greenwich Mean Time . The town became the site of a royal palace , the Palace of Placentia from the 15th century , and was the birthplace of many Tudors , including Henry VIII and Elizabeth I . The palace fell into disrepair during the English Civil War and was rebuilt as the Royal Naval Hospital for Sailors by Sir Christopher Wren and his assistant Nicholas Hawksmoor . These buildings became the Royal Naval College in 1873 , and they remained an establishment for military education until 1998 when they passed into the hands of the Greenwich Foundation . The historic rooms within these buildings remain open to the public ; other buildings are used by University of Greenwich and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance .   The town became a popular resort in the 18th century and many grand houses were built there , such as Vanbrugh Castle ( 1717 ) established on Maze Hill , next to the park . From the Georgian period estates of houses were constructed above the town centre . The maritime connections of Greenwich were celebrated in the 20th century , with the siting of the Cutty Sark and Gipsy Moth IV next to the river front , and the National Maritime Museum in the former buildings of the Royal Hospital School in 1934 . Greenwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created .


Bob Arum was incapable of being in the legal career.

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


Hannibal Hannibal Barca ( Punic language : ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ ð $ `` ð $ ' , Q-R-B L-A - ' - A-B-N-Ḥ ; 247 -- between 183 and 181 BC ) , was a Carthaginian general , considered one of the greatest military commanders in history . His father Hamilcar Barca was the leading Carthaginian commander during the First Punic War . His younger brothers were Mago and Hasdrubal , and he was brother-in-la   Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the Mediterranean Basin , when the Roman Republic established its supremacy over other great powers such as ancient Carthage and the Greek kingdoms of Macedonia , Syracuse , and the Seleucid Empire . One of his most famous achievements was at the outbreak of the Second Punic War , when he marched an army which included war elephants from Iberia over the Pyrenees and the Alps into Italy . In his first few years in Italy , he won three dramatic victories -- the Trebia , Lake Trasimene , and Cannae , in which he distinguished himself for his ability to determine his and his opponent 's strengths and weaknesses , and to play the battle to his strengths and the enemy 's weaknesses -- and won over many allies of Rome . Hannibal occupied much of Italy for 15 years but was unable to march on Rome . An enemy counter-invasion of North Africa forced him to return to Carthage , where he was decisively defeated by Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama . Scipio had studied Hannibal 's tactics and brilliantly devised some of his own , and finally defeated Rome 's nemesis at Zama , having previously driven Hannibal 's brother Hasdrubal out of the Iberian Peninsula .   After the war , Hannibal successfully ran for the office of sufet . He enacted political and financial reforms to enable the payment of the war indemnity imposed by Rome ; however , Hannibal 's reforms were unpopular with members of the Carthaginian aristocracy and in Rome , and he fled into voluntary exile . During this time , he lived at the Seleucid court , where he acted as military advisor to Antiochus III the Great in his war against Rome . Antiochus met defeat at the Battle of Magnesia and was forced to accept Rome 's terms , and Hannibal fled again , making a stop in the Kingdom of Armenia . His flight ended in the court of Bithynia , where he achieved an outstanding naval victory against a fleet from Pergamon . He was afterwards betrayed to the Romans and committed suicide by poisoning himself .   Hannibal is often regarded as one of the greatest military strategists in history and one of the greatest generals of Mediterranean antiquity , together with Philip of Macedon , Alexander the Great , Julius Caesar , and Scipio Africanus . Plutarch states that Hannibal was questioned by Scipio as to who was the greatest general , and Hannibal replied either Alexander or Pyrrhus , then himself , or , according to another version of the event , Pyrrhus , Scipio , then himself . Military historian Theodore Ayrault Dodge called Hannibal the `` father of strategy '' , because his greatest enemy , Rome , came to adopt elements of his military tactics in its own strategic arsenal . This praise has earned him a strong reputation in the modern world , and he was regarded as a great strategist by Napoleon and others .


Confessions (Usher album) Confessions is the fourth studio album by American singer Usher . It was released on March 23 , 2004 , by Arista Records . Recording sessions for the album took place during 2003 to 2004 , with its production handled by his longtime collaborator Jermaine Dupri , alongside with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and Lil Jon , among others . Primarily an R&B album , Confessions showcases Usher as a crooner through a mixture of ballads and up-tempos , incorporating musical genres of dance-pop , hip hop and crunk . The album 's themes generated controversy about Usher 's personal relationships ; however , the album 's primary producer Jermaine Dupri claimed the album reflects his personal story .   The album became an instant commercial success in the United States , selling 1.1 million copies in its first week . Its continued success was bolstered by its four chart-topping singles . To begin strategizing of boosting its sales amid threats of bootlegging , the special edition for the album was issued , which includes the hit single , `` My Boo '' ; a duet with Alicia Keys . Despite some mixed criticism towards its lyrical substance , Confessions received mostly positive reviews and earned Usher several awards ; including the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album .   The album has been regarded by music writers as Usher 's greatest work , and according to Billboard , is the second best-selling album of the 2000s decade in the United States . With over eight million copies sold in 2004 , the album 's commercial success was viewed as a sign of recovering album sales in the US , following three years of decline . It was also exemplary of urban music 's commercial peak and dominance of the Billboard charts in 2004 . Confessions has been certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) and , as of 2016 , has sold over 11 million copies in the US and over 20 million copies worldwide .


The Isle of Man was part of a treaty between Sweden and Wales.

Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( -LSB- ˈmæn -RSB- Mannin -LSB- ˈmanɪn -RSB- or Ellan Vannin -LSB- ˈɛlʲən ˈvanɪn -RSB- ) , also known simply as Mann , is a self-governing crown dependency in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland . The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II , who holds the title of Lord of Mann . The Lord of Mann is represented by a Lieutenant Governor . Foreign relations and defence are the responsibility of the British Government .   The island has been inhabited since before 6500 BC . Gaelic cultural influence began in the 5th century and the Manx language , a branch of the Gaelic languages , emerged . In 627 , Edwin of Northumbria conquered the Isle of Man along with most of Mercia . In the 9th century , Norsemen established the Kingdom of the Isles . Magnus III , King of Norway , was also known as King of Mann and the Isles between 1099 and 1103 .   In 1266 , the island became part of Scotland under the Treaty of Perth , after being ruled by Norway . After a period of alternating rule by the kings of Scotland and England , the island came under the feudal lordship of the English Crown in 1399 . The lordship revested into the British Crown in 1765 , but the island never became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain or its successor the United Kingdom : it retained its status as an internally self-governing Crown dependency .


The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was written by James Vanderbilt.

James Vanderbilt James Platten Vanderbilt ( born November 1975 ) is an American screenwriter . He is best known for the films Zodiac , White House Down , The Amazing Spider-Man , and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 .