Veronica Mars Veronica Mars is an American teen noir mystery drama television series created by screenwriter Rob Thomas . The series is set in the fictional town of Neptune , California , and stars Kristen Bell as the eponymous character . The series premiered on September 22 , 2004 , during television network UPN 's final two years , and ended on May 22 , 2007 , after a season on UPN 's successor , The CW , airing for three seasons total . Veronica Mars was produced by Warner Bros. . Television , Silver Pictures Television , Stu Segall Productions , and Rob Thomas Productions . Joel Silver and Rob Thomas were executive producers for the entire run of the series , while Diane Ruggiero was promoted in the third season .   Veronica Mars is a student who progresses from high school to college while moonlighting as a private investigator under the tutelage of her detective father . In each episode , Veronica solves a different stand-alone case while working to solve a more complex mystery . The first two seasons of the series each had a season-long mystery arc , introduced in the first episode of the season and solved in the season finale . The third season took a different format , focusing on smaller mystery arcs that would last the course of several episodes .   Thomas initially wrote Veronica Mars as a young adult novel , which featured a male protagonist ; he changed the gender because he thought a noir piece told from a female point of view would be more interesting and original . Filming began in March 2004 , and the series premiered in September to 2.49 million American viewers . The critically acclaimed first season 's run of 22 episodes garnered an average of 2.5 million viewers per episode in the United States . Veronica Mars appeared on a number of fall television best lists , and garnered several awards and nominations . During the series ' run , it was nominated for two Satellite Awards , four Saturn Awards , five Teen Choice Awards and was featured on AFI 's TV Programs of the Year for 2005 .   Following the cancellation of the series , Thomas wrote a feature film script continuing the series . Warner Bros. opted not to fund the project at the time . On March 13 , 2013 , Bell and Thomas launched a fundraising campaign to produce the film through Kickstarter and attained the $ 2 million goal in less than eleven hours . They accumulated over $ 5.7 million via Kickstarter . The film was released on March 14 , 2014 .


Veronica Mars (character) Veronica Mars is the fictional protagonist , occasional narrator ( through voiceovers ) , and antiheroine of the American television series Veronica Mars , which aired on UPN from 2004 to 2006 and on The CW from 2006 to 2007 . The character was portrayed by Kristen Bell through the duration of the series . Following the show 's cancellation , Bell reprised the role in the 2014 film continuation . The character , created by Rob Thomas , was originally male and the protagonist of his unproduced novel Untitled Rob Thomas Teen Detective Novel , which eventually became the basis of the series . After the work 's transition from novel to television series , Thomas changed the character 's gender from male to female as he believed a noir piece told from a female point of view would be more interesting .   Prior to the series , Veronica had to deal with her best friend Lily being murdered , her father losing his reputation as sheriff and her mother leaving him as a result , and losing her status as one of the popular girls in high school because of it .


Elvis Presley returned to the stage in 1315.

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


Leroy Jethro Gibbs Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a fictional character of the CBS TV series NCIS , portrayed by Mark Harmon . He is a former U.S Marine Corps Scout Sniper turned special agent who commands a team for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service . Gibbs is the most accomplished marksman on the team and the most skilled at handling violent standoffs ; he depends on his other agents heavily for technical forensics and background checks . He is patient but firm with his team and has little patience for bureaucracy ; he commands most other main characters -- including his current staff Timothy McGee , Ellie Bishop , Nick Torres and Alexandra Quinn and previous staff Caitlin Todd ( killed in the line of duty ) , Anthony DiNozzo ( left to look after his newly found daughter ) , and Ziva David ( killed after leaving NCIS )


Oliver Reed Robert Oliver Reed ( 13 February 1938 -- 2 May 1999 ) was an English actor known for his upper-class , macho image , hellraiser lifestyle , and `` tough guy '' roles . Notable films include The Trap ( 1966 ) , Oliver ! ( 1968 ) , Women in Love ( 1969 ) , Hannibal Brooks ( 1969 ) , The Devils ( 1971 ) , The Three Musketeers ( 1973 ) , Tommy ( 1975 ) , Lion of the Desert ( 1981 ) , Castaway ( 1986 ) , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen ( 1988 ) and Funny Bones ( 1995 ) . For Gladiator ( 2000 ) , his final film , Reed was posthumously nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role .   At the peak of his career , in 1971 , British exhibitors voted Reed 5th most popular star at the box office .


Billy Bob Thornton oversaw direction of Sling Blade.

Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton ( born August 4 , 1955 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , singer , songwriter , and musician .   Thornton had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller One False Move , and came to international attention after writing , directing , and starring in the independent drama film Sling Blade ( 1996 ) , for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor . He appeared in several major film roles in the 1990s following Sling Blade , including Oliver Stone 's neo-noir U Turn ( 1997 ) , political drama Primary Colors ( 1998 ) , science fiction disaster film Armageddon ( 1998 ) , which was the highest-grossing film of that year , and the crime drama A Simple Plan ( 1998 ) , which earned him his third Academy Awards nomination .   In the 2000s , Thornton achieved further success in starring dramas Monster 's Ball ( 2001 ) , The Man Who Was n't There ( 2001 ) , and Friday Night Lights ( 2004 ) ; comedies Bandits ( 2001 ) , Intolerable Cruelty ( 2003 ) , and Bad Santa ( 2003 ) ; and action films Eagle Eye ( 2008 ) and Faster ( 2010 ) . In 2014 , Thornton starred as Lorne Malvo in the first season of the anthology series Fargo , earning a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie at the Emmy Awards and won Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards . In 2016 , he starred in an Amazon original series , Goliath about a washed up attorney with a great new case .   Thornton has been vocal about his disrespect for celebrity culture , choosing to keep his life out of the public eye . However , the attention of the media has proven unavoidable in certain cases , his marriage to Angelina Jolie being a notable example . Thornton has appeared in at least one film per year nearly every year since 1991 . Thornton has written a variety of films , usually set in the Southern United States and mainly co-written with Tom Epperson , including A Family Thing ( 1996 ) and The Gift ( 2000 ) . After Sling Blade , he directed several other films , including Daddy and Them ( 2001 ) , All the Pretty Horses ( 2000 ) , and Jayne Mansfield 's Car ( 2012 ) .   Thornton has received the President 's Award from the Academy of Science Fiction , Fantasy & Horror Films , a Special Achievement Award from the National Board of Review , and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He has also been nominated for an Emmy Award , four Golden Globes , and three Screen Actors Guild Awards . In addition to film work , Thornton began a career as a singer-songwriter . He has released four solo albums and is the vocalist of the blues rock band The Boxmasters .


Sling Blade (film) Sling Blade is a 1996 American drama film set in rural Arkansas , written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton , who also stars in the lead role . It tells the story of a man named Karl Childers who has a developmental disability and is released from a psychiatric hospital , where he has lived since killing his mother and her lover when he was 12 years old , and the friendship he develops with a young boy and his mother . In addition to Thornton , it stars Dwight Yoakam , J. T. Walsh , John Ritter , Lucas Black , Natalie Canerday , James Hampton , and Robert Duvall .   The movie was adapted by Thornton from his short film and previous screenplay , Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade . Sling Blade proved to be a sleeper hit , launching Thornton into stardom . It won the Academy Award for Best Writing , Adapted Screenplay , and Thornton was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role . The music for the soundtrack was provided by French Canadian artist/producer Daniel Lanois .


Kris Wu Wu Yifan ( , pronounced -LSB- - cmnu2-i4fan4 -RSB- , ; born November 6 , 1990 ) , professionally known as Kris Wu or Kris , is a Chinese-born Canadian actor , singer , and model . He is active as a solo artist and actor in China and has starred in several # 1 box office hits including Mr. Six and Journey to the West : The Demons Strike Back , which are among the highest-grossing Chinese films of all time in China . He made his Hollywood debut in xXx : Return of Xander Cage ( 2017 ) .


Anderson Cooper Anderson Hays Cooper ( born June 3 , 1967 ) is an American journalist , television personality , and author . He is the primary anchor of the CNN news show Anderson Cooper 360 ° . The program is normally broadcast live from a New York City studio ; however , Cooper often broadcasts live from CNN 's studios in Washington , D.C. , or on location for breaking news stories . In addition , he is a major correspondent for 60 Minutes .   From September 2011 to May 2013 , he also served as host of his own eponymous syndicated daytime talk show , Anderson Live .


The Danish Girl (film) The Danish Girl is a 2015 British-American romantic drama film directed by Tom Hooper , based on the 2000 fictional novel of the same name by David Ebershoff and loosely inspired by the lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener . The film stars Eddie Redmayne as Elbe , one of the first known recipients of sex reassignment surgery , Alicia Vikander as Wegener , Ben Whishaw as Henrik , Sebastian Koch as Dr. Kurt Warnekros , Amber Heard as Ulla Paulson and Matthias Schoenaerts as Hans Axgil .   The film was screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival , and it was shown in the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival . The film was released in a limited release on 27 November 2015 by Focus Features in the United States . The film was released on 1 January 2016 , in the United Kingdom , with Universal Pictures International handling international distribution .   The film received some criticism for its inaccurate portrayal of historical events , but Redmayne and Vikander 's performances received widespread acclaim and nominations for all of the major acting awards . Vikander won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and Redmayne was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor . It was also nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best British Film .


Leonardo DiCaprio has received critical acclaim.

Leonardo DiCaprio Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio ( -LSB- dᵻˈkæpri.oʊ -RSB- born November 11 , 1974 ) is an American actor , film producer , and environmental activist . DiCaprio began his career by appearing in television commercials in the early 1990s , after which he had recurring roles in various television series such as the soap opera Santa Barbara and the sitcom Growing Pains . He began his film career by starring as Josh in Critters 3 ( 1991 ) . He starred in the film adaptation of the memoir This Boy 's Life ( 1993 ) , and was praised for his supporting role in What 's Eating Gilbert Grape ( 1993 ) . He gained public recognition with leading roles in The Basketball Diaries ( 1995 ) and the romantic drama Romeo + Juliet ( 1996 ) , before achieving international fame with James Cameron 's epic romance Titanic ( 1997 ) , which became the highest-grossing film of all time until Cameron 's science fiction film Avatar ( 2009 ) overtook it .   Since 2000 , DiCaprio has received critical acclaim for his work in a wide range of film genres . DiCaprio 's subsequent films include The Man in the Iron Mask ( 1998 ) , the biographical crime drama Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , and the epic historical drama Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) , which marked his first of many collaborations with director Martin Scorsese . He was acclaimed for his performances in the political war thriller Blood Diamond ( 2006 ) , the neo-noir crime drama The Departed ( 2006 ) , the espionage thriller Body of Lies ( 2008 ) , the drama Revolutionary Road ( 2008 ) , the psychological thriller Shutter Island ( 2010 ) , the science fiction thriller Inception ( 2010 ) , the biographical film J. Edgar ( 2011 ) , the western Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and the period drama The Great Gatsby ( 2013 ) .   DiCaprio 's portrayals of Howard Hughes in The Aviator ( 2004 ) and Hugh Glass in The Revenant ( 2015 ) won him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Drama , and his role as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street ( 2013 ) won him the award for Best Actor -- Motion Picture Musical or Comedy . He also won his first Academy Award and BAFTA Award for his performance in The Revenant . DiCaprio is the founder of his own production company , Appian Way Productions .


Nile The Nile ( النيل , Egyptian Arabic en-Nīl , Standard Arabic an-Nīl ; ⲫⲓⲁⲣⲱ , P ( h ) iaro ; Ancient Egyptian : Ḥ ` pī and Iteru ; Biblical Hebrew : יאור , Ye'or ) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa . It is generally regarded as the longest river in the world , however other conflicting sources cite a 2007 study that gave the title to the Amazon River in South America . The Nile , which is 6,853 km ( 4,258 miles ) long , is an `` international '' river as its drainage basin covers eleven countries , namely , Tanzania , Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , Congo-Kinshasa , Kenya , Ethiopia , Eritrea , South Sudan , Sudan and Egypt . In particular , the Nile is the primary water source of Egypt and Sudan .   The Nile has two major tributaries , the White Nile and Blue Nile . The White Nile is considered to be the headwaters and primary stream of the Nile itself . The Blue Nile , however , is the source of most of the water and silt . The White Nile is longer and rises in the Great Lakes region of central Africa , with the most distant source still undetermined but located in either Rwanda or Burundi . It flows north through Tanzania , Lake Victoria , Uganda and South Sudan . The Blue Nile ( ዓባይ , ʿĀbay ) begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows into Sudan from the southeast . The two rivers meet just north of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum .   The northern section of the river flows north almost entirely through the Sudanese desert to Egypt , then ends in a large delta and flows into the Mediterranean Sea . Egyptian civilization and Sudanese kingdoms have depended on the river since ancient times . Most of the population and cities of Egypt lie along those parts of the Nile valley north of Aswan , and nearly all the cultural and historical sites of Ancient Egypt are found along riverbanks .   In the ancient Egyptian language , the Nile is called Ḥ ` pī or Iteru ( Hapy ) , meaning `` river '' . In Coptic , the words piaro ( Sahidic ) or phiaro ( Bohairic ) meaning `` the river '' ( lit . p ( h ) . iar-o `` the.canal-great '' ) come from the same ancient name .   The English name Nile and the Arabic names en-Nîl and an-Nîl both derive from the Latin Nilus and the Ancient Greek Νεῖλος . Beyond that , however , the etymology is disputed . One possible etymology derives it from a Semitic Nahal , meaning `` river '' . The standard English names `` White Nile '' and `` Blue Nile '' , to refer to the river 's source , derive from Arabic names formerly applied only to the Sudanese stretches which meet at Khartoum .


Futurama Futurama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company . The series follows the adventures of a late-20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy , Philip J. Fry , who , after being unwittingly cryogenically frozen for one thousand years , finds employment at Planet Express , an interplanetary delivery company in the retro-futuristic 31st century . The series was envisioned by Groening in the mid-1990s while working on The Simpsons ; he later brought David X. Cohen aboard to develop storylines and characters to pitch the show to Fox .   In the United States , the series aired on Fox from March 28 , 1999 , to August 10 , 2003 , before ceasing production . Futurama also aired in reruns on Cartoon Network 's Adult Swim from 2003 to 2007 , until the network 's contract expired . It was revived in 2007 as four direct-to-video films ; the last of which was released in early 2009 . Comedy Central entered into an agreement with 20th Century Fox Television to syndicate the existing episodes and air the films as 16 new , half-hour episodes , constituting a fifth season .   In June 2009 , producing studio 20th Century Fox announced that Comedy Central had picked up the show for 26 new half-hour episodes , which began airing in 2010 and 2011 . The show was renewed for a seventh season , with the first half airing in June 2012 and the second set for mid-2013 . It was later revealed that the seventh season would be the final season , as Comedy Central announced that they would not be commissioning any further episodes . The series finale aired on September 4 , 2013 . While Groening has said he will try to get it picked up by another network , David X. Cohen stated that the episode `` Meanwhile '' would be the last episode of season 7 and also the series finale .   Throughout its run , Futurama has received critical acclaim . The show has been nominated for 17 Annie Awards and 12 Emmy Awards , winning seven of the former and six of the latter . It has also been nominated four times for a Writers Guild of America Award , winning two for the episodes `` Godfellas '' and `` The Prisoner of Benda '' , been nominated for a Nebula Award and has received Environmental Media Awards for episodes `` The Problem with Popplers '' and `` The Futurama Holiday Spectacular '' . Futurama-related merchandise has also been released , including a tie-in comic book series and video game , calendars , clothes and figurines . In 2013 , TV Guide ranked Futurama as one of the top 60 Greatest TV Cartoons of All Time .


Audra McDonald Audra Ann McDonald ( born July 3 , 1970 ) is an American actress and singer . She has appeared on the stage in both musicals and dramas , such as Ragtime , A Raisin in the Sun , and Porgy and Bess . With her full lyric soprano voice , she maintains an active concert and recording career , performing song cycles and operas as well as performing in concert throughout the U.S. . She has won six Tony Awards , more performance wins than any other actor , and is the only person to win all four acting categories.Best Actress in a Play , Best Actress in a Musical , Best Featured Actress in a Play , and Best Featured Actress in a Musical . She starred as Dr. Naomi Bennett on the ABC television drama Private Practice .


Charlize Theron acted in a 2008 drama film.

The Burning Plain The Burning Plain is a 2008 drama film directed and written by Guillermo Arriaga , the screenwriter of Amores perros ( 2000 ) , 21 Grams ( 2003 ) , and Babel ( 2006 ) . The film stars Charlize Theron , Jennifer Lawrence , Kim Basinger and Joaquim de Almeida . In Arriaga 's directorial debut , he films a story that has multipart story strands woven together as in his previous screenplays . Filming of The Burning Plain began in New Mexico in November 2007 , and the film was released in late 2008 in various festivals , before a limited theatrical release in 2009 .


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


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


Sicily Sicily ( -LSB- ˈsɪsᵻli -RSB- ; Sicilia -LSB- siˈtʃiːlja -RSB- , Sicìlia ) is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous Region of Italy , along with surrounding minor islands , officially referred to as Regione Siciliana ( in Italian , Sicilian Region ) .   Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea , south of the Italian Peninsula , from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina . Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna , the tallest active volcano in Europe , and one of the most active in the world , currently 3329 m high . The island has a typical Mediterranean climate .   The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC . By around 750 BC , Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and , for the next 600 years , it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars . Sicily frequently remained Independent while the rest of Italy frequently changed hands after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD . It was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals , the Ostrogoths , the Byzantine Empire , and the Emirate of Sicily . The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily , which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen , the Capetian House of Anjou , Spain , the House of Habsburg , It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand , a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification , and a plebiscite . Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region after the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946 .   Sicily has a rich and unique culture , especially with regard to the arts , music , literature , cuisine , and architecture . It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites , such as the Necropolis of Pantalica , the Valley of the Temples , and Selinunte . The term Piasan is frequently used in associations with peoples that have a historical reference with semicircular stone patterns both above and below ground ( as seen in Malta ) . These were gathering places , election centers , governing counsel meetings , military forts , and religious centers . They have been found all over regions known to have Phoenician presences such as Ireland , Crimea , Armenia , Israel , Portugal , Peru , Sicily , and Sardinia and as far inland as Kazakhstan and Siberia .


The Dark Half is a 1993 film directed by Stephen Spielberg.

The Dark Half (film) The Dark Half is a 1993 American horror film adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name . The film was directed by George A. Romero and stars Timothy Hutton as Thad Beaumont and George Stark , Amy Madigan as Liz Beaumont , Michael Rooker as Sheriff Alan Pangborn and Royal Dano in his final film .


Turn: Washington's Spies was renewed for a third 10-episode season.

Turn: Washington's Spies Turn : Washington 's Spies ( formerly known as Turn and stylized as TURN : Washington 's Spies and TURИ : Washington 's Spies ) is a period drama based on Alexander Rose 's book Washington 's Spies : The Story of America 's First Spy Ring ( 2007 ) , a history of the Culper Ring . The series debuted on AMC on April 6 , 2014 .   Turn : Washington 's Spies was renewed for a second 10-episode season on June 23 , 2014 , which premiered on April 13 , 2015 , and for a third 10-episode season on July 15 , 2015 , which premiered on April 25 , 2016 . On July 26 , 2016 , Turn : Washington 's Spies was renewed for a fourth and final 10-episode season , which will air with a two-hour premiere on June 17 , 2017 .


Brian Eno Brian Peter George St John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , RDI ( -LSB- ˈiːnoʊ -RSB- born 15 May 1948 and originally christened Brian Peter George Eno ) is an English musician , composer , record producer , singer , writer , and visual artist . He is best known for his pioneering work in rock , ambient , pop , and electronic music . A self-described `` non-musician '' , Eno has helped to introduce a variety of unique conceptual approaches and recording techniques into contemporary music , advocating a methodology of `` theory over practice '' throughout his career . He has been described as one of popular music 's most influential and innovative figures .   Born in Suffolk , Eno studied painting and experimental music at art school in the late 1960s before joining glam rock group Roxy Music as synthesizer player in 1971 . After recording two albums with the band , he departed in 1973 to record a number of solo albums , contributing to and ultimately coining the concept of ambient music with works such as Another Green World ( 1975 ) , Discreet Music ( 1975 ) , and Music for Airports ( 1978 ) . He took part in frequent collaborations with artists such as Robert Fripp , Harold Budd , Cluster , David Bowie on his `` Berlin Trilogy '' , and David Byrne on 1981 's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts . During the 1970s , Eno would also begin a parallel career as a producer , which included work on albums by Talking Heads and Devo , the no wave compilation No New York ( 1978 ) , and recordings by avant-garde artists such as John Cale , Jon Hassell , Laraaji , and Harold Budd , among others .   In subsequent decades , Eno continued to record solo albums , collaborate , and produce for other artists , including U2 , Coldplay , Laurie Anderson , James , Grace Jones , and Slowdive . Dating back to his time as a student , he has also pursued a variety of multimedia projects in parallel with his music career , including sound installations and his mid-70s co-development of Oblique Strategies , a deck of cards featuring cryptic aphorisms  intended to spur creative thinking . He continues to release music , produce , and write , and maintains a regular column in Prospect Magazine .


Rod Serling was recognized as the "angry young man" of Hollywood.

Rod Serling Rodman Edward `` Rod '' Serling ( December 25 , 1924 -- June 28 , 1975 ) was an American screenwriter , playwright , television producer , and narrator known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science-fiction anthology TV series , The Twilight Zone . Serling was active in politics , both on and off the screen , and helped form television industry standards . He was known as the `` angry young man '' of Hollywood , clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship , racism , and war .


Chandni is exclusively an Armenian film.

Chandni Chandni ( Translation : Moonlight ) is a 1989 Indian Hindi language romantic drama film , starring Sridevi as the eponymous lead alongside Rishi Kapoor and Vinod Khanna and Waheeda Rehman . It was directed by Yash Chopra and the screenplay was written by Kamna Chandra , Arun Kaul , Sagar Sarhadi and Umesh Kalbagh .   Chandni was a great success in 1989 and is considered one of the most successful films of all time . The profits of this romantic musical brought an end to Chopra 's lean phase . The platinum success of its music was also instrumental in bringing music back into Hindi films .   For the cast , the film reaffirmed Sridevi 's position as the top female star of the 1980s . It prolonged Rishi Kapoor 's fading career and showed that he was still profitable as a leading hero . Chandni provided a boost for Vinod Khanna 's career and reunited Kapoor and Khanna , who were last seen together in the popular Amar Akbar Anthony ( 1977 ) . Sridevi 's white costumes became popular as the ` Chandni Look ' and the songs of the film are still a rage . Though this was not the first time Yash Chopra shot a film in Switzerland , the extensive scenes shot there made it a popular tourist destination for Indians .   Chandni won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film of 1989 and is regarded as one of the Yash Chopra 's best films.द


Lion (2016 film) Lion is a 2016 biographical film directed by Garth Davis ( in his feature debut ) and written by Luke Davies , based on the non-fiction book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley with Larry Buttrose . The film stars Dev Patel , Rooney Mara , David Wenham and Nicole Kidman .   The film , which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10 , 2016 , was given a limited release on November 25 , 2016 , by the Weinstein Company before opening generally on January 6 , 2017 . It was released in Australia on January 19 , 2017 and in the United Kingdom on January 20 , 2017 .


Matt Groening Matthew Abraham `` Matt '' Groening ( -LSB- ˈɡreɪnɪŋ -RSB- ; born February 15 , 1954 ) is an American cartoonist , writer , producer , animator , and voice actor . He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell ( 1977 -- 2012 ) and the television series The Simpsons ( 1989 -- present ) and Futurama ( 1999 -- 2003 , 2008 -- 2013 ) . The Simpsons has gone on to become the longest-running U.S. primetime-television series in history , as well as the longest-running animated series and sitcom .   Groening made his first professional cartoon sale of Life in Hell to the avant-garde Wet magazine in 1978 . At its peak , the cartoon was carried in 250 weekly newspapers . Life in Hell caught the attention of James L. Brooks . In 1985 , Brooks contacted Groening with the proposition of working in animation for the Fox variety show The Tracey Ullman Show . Originally , Brooks wanted Groening to adapt his Life in Hell characters for the show . Fearing the loss of ownership rights , Groening decided to create something new and came up with a cartoon family , the Simpson family , and named the members after his own parents and sisters -- while Bart was an anagram of the word brat . The shorts would be spun off into their own series The Simpsons , which has since aired episodes . In 1997 , Groening and former Simpsons writer David X. Cohen developed Futurama , an animated series about life in the year 3000 , which premiered in 1999 , running for four years on Fox , then picked up by Comedy Central for additional seasons .   Groening has won 12 Primetime Emmy Awards , ten for The Simpsons and two for Futurama as well as a British Comedy Award for `` outstanding contribution to comedy '' in 2004 . In 2002 , he won the National Cartoonist Society Reuben Award for his work on Life in Hell . He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 14 , 2012 .


Zakhm Zakhm ( Devanagari : ज़ख़्म ; English : wound ) is a 1998 Hindi drama film produced by Mukesh Bhatt for Pooja Bhatt Productions and directed by Mahesh Bhatt . The lead roles are played by Ajay Devgan , Pooja Bhatt , Sonali Bendre , Kunal Khemu and Nagarjuna , with music composed by M. M. Keeravani . The film won the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration .


Jigar Jigar is a 1992 Bollywood martial arts action film directed by Farogh Siddique . It was inspired by the 1989 Hollywood movie Kickboxer . Jigar was released during Diwali weekend and proved to be successful . It was Ajay Devgn 's second success after Phool Aur Kaante and premiered at the Plaza cinema , Mumbai .


Apaharan Apaharan ( English : `` Abduction '' ) is a 2005 Indian Hindi crime drama film directed by Prakash Jha and stars Ajay Devgan and Nana Patekar in the lead roles . It is the story of a complex relationship and clashing ideologies between a father and son set in the backdrop of the kidnapping industry in the eastern state of Bihar , India . Apaharan was declared Above Average at the Indian box-office .


The Legend of Bhagat Singh The Legend of Bhagat Singh is a 2002 Indian historical biographical film about Bhagat Singh , a freedom fighter who fought for Indian independence . It was directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starred Ajay Devgan , Sushant Singh , and D. Santosh . It was released on 7 June 2002 and went on to win two National Film Awards , including the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi , and three Filmfare Awards , including the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Movie .   The Legend of Bhagat Singh shows in detail how Singh came to develop his views on the British Raj and his struggle for Indian independence . The film begins with scenes depicting how the British attempted to dispose of Singh 's body , so that he could not be made into a martyr , and then flashbacks to the past to tell his story . A historical feel was created by using a sepia tint throughout the film .


Ajay Devgn Ajay Devgan ( born Vishal Veeru Devgan on 2 April 1969 ) , also credited as Ajay Devgn , is an Indian film actor , director and producer . He is widely considered as one of the most popular actors of Hindi cinema , who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films . Devgan has won numerous accolades , including two National Film Awards and four Filmfare Awards . In 2016 , he was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri , the fourth highest civilian honour of the country .   Devgan began his professional career with Phool Aur Kaante in 1991 and received a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut for his performance . He then starred in successful films such as Jigar ( 1992 ) , Dilwale ( 1994 ) , Suhaag ( 1994 ) , Naajayaz ( 1995 ) , Diljale ( 1996 ) and Ishq ( 1997 ) . In 1998 , he appeared in a critically acclaimed performance in Mahesh Bhatt 's drama Zakhm and he received his first National Film Award for Best Actor for his role in the movie . In 1999 , his most-talked-about film was Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam in which he played Vanraj , a man who tries to unite his wife with her lover .   In the early 2000s , he gave critically acclaimed performances in Ram Gopal Varma 's fictional expose of Mumbai underworld Company . He played the character of a gangster , for which he won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor . The same year he gave another critically acclaimed performance in Deewangee for which he received the Filmfare Best Villain Award . In 2003 , he won his second National Film Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Bhagat Singh in Rajkumar Santoshi 's biopic The Legend of Bhagat Singh . Throughout his career he has performed in many critically and commercially successful films including Raincoat ( 2004 ) , '' Gangajal , ( 2004 ) , Yuva ( 2004 ) , Apaharan ( 2005 ) , Omkara ( 2006 ) , Golmaal : Fun Unlimited ( 2006 ) , Golmaal Returns ( 2008 ) , All the Best : Fun Begins ( 2009 ) , Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai ( 2010 ) , Golmaal 3 ( 2010 ) , Raajneeti ( 2010 ) , Singham ( 2011 ) , Bol Bachchan ( 2012 ) , Son of Sardaar ( 2012 ) , Singham Returns ( 2014 ) and Drishyam ( 2015 ) . He has starred in more than hundred Hindi films . Having done so , he established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema .   In addition , Devgn owns a production company Ajay Devgn FFilms which was established in 2000 . In 2008 , he debuted as a film director with U Me Aur Hum . He is married to film actress , Kajol since 1999 and the couple have two children . In August 2009 , Devgn changed his surname from Devgan to Devgn on the request of his family .


Howard Hughes was a maverick film tycoon in the 1930s.

Howard Hughes Howard Robard Hughes Jr. ( December 24 , 1905 -- April 5 , 1976 ) was an American businessman , investor , pilot , film director , and philanthropist , known during his lifetime as one of the most financially successful individuals in the world . He first made a name for himself as a film producer , and then became an influential figure in the aviation industry . Later in life , he became known for his eccentric behavior and reclusive lifestyle -- oddities that were caused in part by a worsening obsessive -- compulsive disorder ( OCD ) and chronic pain from a plane crash .   As a maverick film tycoon , Hughes gained prominence in Hollywood beginning in the late 1920s , when he produced big-budget and often controversial films like The Racket ( 1928 ) , Hell 's Angels ( 1930 ) , and Scarface ( 1932 ) . Later he controlled the RKO film studio .   Hughes formed the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932 , hiring numerous engineers and designers . He spent the rest of the 1930s setting multiple world air speed records and building the Hughes H-1 Racer and H-4 Hercules ( the `` Spruce Goose '' ) . He acquired and expanded Trans World Airlines and later acquired Air West , renaming it Hughes Airwest . Hughes was included in Flying Magazine 's list of the 51 Heroes of Aviation , ranked at 25 . Today , his legacy is maintained through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute .


The Midwestern United States includes South Dakota.

Midwestern United States The Midwestern United States , also referred to as the American Midwest or simply the Midwest , is one of the four geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau , occupying the northern central part of the United States of America . It was officially named the North Central region by the Census Bureau until 1984 .   Although the region is often defined in a number of ways , the Census Bureau 's definition consists of 12 states in the north central United States : Illinois , Indiana , Iowa , Kansas , Michigan , Minnesota , Missouri , Nebraska , North Dakota , Ohio , South Dakota , and Wisconsin . Illinois is the most populous of the states and North Dakota the least . A 2012 report from the United States Census put the population of the Midwest at 65,377,684 . The Midwest is divided by the Census Bureau into two divisions . The East North Central Division includes Illinois , Indiana , Michigan , Ohio and Wisconsin , all of which are also part of the Great Lakes region . The West North Central Division includes Iowa , Kansas , Minnesota , Missouri , North Dakota , Nebraska , and South Dakota , several of which are located at least partly , within the Great Plains region . Major rivers in the region include , from east to west , the Ohio River , the Upper Mississippi River , and the Missouri River . The region generally lies on the broad Interior Plain between the states occupying the Appalachian Mountain range and the states occupying the Rocky Mountain range .   Chicago is the most populated city in the American Midwest and the third most populous in the entire country . Other large Midwest cities include ( in order by population ) : Indianapolis , Columbus , Detroit , Milwaukee , Kansas City , Omaha , Minneapolis , Cleveland , Wichita and St. Louis . Chicago and its suburbs form the largest metropolitan statistical area with 9.8 million people , followed by Metro Detroit , Minneapolis -- St. Paul , Greater St. Louis , Greater Cleveland , Greater Cincinnati ( without the Kentucky portion ) , Kansas City metro area , and the Columbus metro area .


Argo (2012 film) Argo is a 2012 American historical drama film directed by Ben Affleck . The screenplay by Chris Terrio is adapted from U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operative Tony Mendez 's book The Master of Disguise and Joshuah Bearman 's 2007 Wired article `` The Great Escape : How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans from Tehran . '' The latter deals with the `` Canadian Caper , '' in which Mendez led the rescue of six U.S. diplomats from Tehran , Iran , under the guise of filming a science fiction film during the 1979 -- 1981 Iran hostage crisis .   The film stars Affleck as Mendez with Bryan Cranston , Alan Arkin and John Goodman in supporting roles , and was released in the United States on October 12 , 2012 . The film was produced by Grant Heslov , Affleck and George Clooney .   Upon release , Argo received widespread acclaim , with praise directed towards the acting ( particularly Arkin ) , Affleck 's direction , Terrio 's screenplay , the editing and Desplat 's score . The film received seven nominations at the 85th Academy Awards and won three , for Best Picture , Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing . The film also earned five Golden Globe Award nominations , winning Best Motion Picture -- Drama and Best Director , while being nominated for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture for Alan Arkin . It won Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at the 19th Screen Actors Guild Awards , with Arkin being nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role . It also won Best Film , Best Editing and Best Director at the 66th British Academy Film Awards and 37th Hochi Film Award for Best International Picture .   Despite its praise , Argo has also been criticized for some specific inaccuracies : in particular for minimizing the role of the Canadian embassy in the rescue , for falsely showing that the Americans were turned away by the British and New Zealand embassies , and for exaggerating the danger that the group faced during events preceding their escape from the country .


Diana (album) Diana ( stylized as diana ) is the tenth studio solo album by American singer Diana Ross , released on May 22 , 1980 by Motown Records . The album is the biggest-selling studio album of Ross 's career , selling nine million copies worldwide and spawning three international hit singles , including the US number 1 hit `` Upside Down '' . All songs are composed , played and produced by Chic members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards .


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


Wishful Drinking Wishful Drinking is an autobiographical humor book by American actress and author Carrie Fisher , published by Simon & Schuster in 2008 . Fisher 's book was based on her one-woman stage show , which she developed with writer/director Joshua Ravetch .   The show debuted at The Geffen Playhouse with Ravetch directing . It enjoyed a successful Broadway run and then toured in other cities . In 2010 , HBO filmed a feature-length documentary of the stage play .


Nina Simone was enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music.

Nina Simone Nina Simone ( -LSB- ˈniːnə_sᵻˈmoʊn -RSB- born Eunice Kathleen Waymon ; February 21 , 1933 -- April 21 , 2003 ) was an American singer , songwriter , pianist , arranger , and activist in the Civil Rights Movement . Simone employed a broad range of musical styles including classical , jazz , blues , folk , R&B , gospel , and pop .   Born in North Carolina , the sixth child of a preacher , Waymon aspired to be a concert pianist . With the help of a few supporters in her hometown of Tryon , North Carolina , she enrolled in the Juilliard School of Music in New York .   Waymon then applied for a scholarship to study at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia , where she was denied despite a well-received audition . Waymon became fully convinced this rejection had been entirely due to her race , a statement that has been a matter of controversy . Years later , two days before her death , the Curtis Institute of Music bestowed on her an honorary degree .   To make a living , Eunice Waymon changed her name to `` Nina Simone '' . The change related to her need to disguise herself from family members , having chosen to play `` the devil 's music '' or `` cocktail piano '' at a nightclub in Atlantic City . She was told in the nightclub that she would have to sing to her own accompaniment , and this effectively launched her career as a jazz vocalist .   Simone recorded more than 40 albums , mostly between 1958 , when she made her debut with Little Girl Blue , and 1974 . She had a hit in the United States in 1958 with `` I Loves You , Porgy '' .   Simone 's musical style fused gospel and pop with classical music , in particular Johann Sebastian Bach , and accompanied expressive , jazz-like singing in her contralto voice .


Hawaii Hawaii ( -LSB- langpronaudio = en-us-Hawaii . ogghəˈwaɪ.i , _ - ji , _ - ʔi -RSB- ; Hawai -LSB- - hawhəˈvɐjʔi -RSB- ) is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America , having received statehood on August 21 , 1959 . Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands . It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia , occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean . Hawaii is the only U.S. state not located in the Americas .   The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago , which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1500 mi . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are -- in order from northwest to southeast : Niihau , Kauai , Oahu , Molokai , Lānai , Kahoolawe , Maui , and the Island of Hawaii . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the `` Big Island '' or `` Hawaii Island '' to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania .   Hawaii 's diverse natural scenery , warm tropical climate , abundance of public beaches , oceanic surroundings , and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists , surfers , biologists , and volcanologists . Because of its central location in the Pacific and 19th-century labor migration , Hawaii 's culture is strongly influenced by North American and Asian cultures , in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture . Hawaii has over a million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oahu .   Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U.S. states . It is the only state with an Asian plurality . The state 's coastline is about 750 mi long , the fourth longest in the U.S. after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California .


The United States fought in the Vietnam War to cease the spread of communism.

Vietnam War The Vietnam War ( Chiến tranh Việt Nam ) , also known as the Second Indochina War , and known in Vietnam as Resistance War Against America ( Kháng chiến chống Mỹ ) or simply the American War , was a war that occurred in Vietnam , Laos , and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975 . It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and the government of South Vietnam . The North Vietnamese army was supported by the Soviet Union , China and other communist allies and the South Vietnamese army was supported by the United States , South Korea , Australia , Thailand and other anti-communist allies . The war is therefore considered a Cold War-era proxy war .   The Viet Cong ( also known as the National Liberation Front , or NLF ) , a South Vietnamese communist common front aided by the North , fought a guerrilla war against anti-communist forces in the region , while the People 's Army of Vietnam , also known as the North Vietnamese Army ( NVA ) , engaged in more conventional warfare , at times committing large units to battle . As the war continued , the military actions of the Viet Cong decreased as the role and engagement of the NVA grew . U.S. and South Vietnamese forces relied on air superiority and overwhelming firepower to conduct search and destroy operations , involving ground forces , artillery , and airstrikes . In the course of the war , the U.S. conducted a large-scale strategic bombing campaign against North Vietnam .   The North Vietnamese government and the Viet Cong were fighting to reunify Vietnam . They viewed the conflict as a colonial war and a continuation of the First Indochina War against forces from France and later on the United States . The U.S. government viewed its involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam . This was part of the domino theory of a wider containment policy , with the stated aim of stopping the spread of communism worldwide .   Beginning in 1950 , American military advisors arrived in what was then French Indochina.The Military Assistance Advisory Group , Indochina ( with an authorized strength of 128 men ) was set up in September 1950 with a mission to oversee the use and distribution of US military equipment by the French and their allies . U.S. involvement escalated in the early 1960s , with troop levels tripling in 1961 and again in 1962 . U.S. involvement escalated further following the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident , in which a U.S. destroyer clashed with North Vietnamese fast attack craft , which was followed by the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution , which gave the U.S. president authorization to increase U.S. military presence . Regular U.S. combat units were deployed beginning in 1965 . Operations crossed international borders : bordering areas of Laos and Cambodia were heavily bombed by U.S. forces as American involvement in the war peaked in 1968 , the same year that the communist side launched the Tet Offensive . The Tet Offensive failed in its goal of overthrowing the South Vietnamese government , but became the turning point in the war , as it persuaded a large segment of the U.S. population that its government 's claims of progress toward winning the war were illusory despite many years of massive U.S. military aid to South Vietnam .   Gradual withdrawal of U.S. ground forces began as part of `` Vietnamization '' , which aimed to end American involvement in the war while transferring the task of fighting the communists to the South Vietnamese themselves . Despite the Paris Peace Accord , which was signed by all parties in January 1973 , the fighting continued . In the U.S. and the Western world , a large anti-Vietnam War movement developed as part of a larger counterculture . The war changed the dynamics between the Eastern and Western Blocs , and altered North -- South relations .   Direct U.S. military involvement ended on 15 August 1973 . The capture of Saigon by the North Vietnamese Army in April 1975 marked the end of the war , and North and South Vietnam were reunified the following year . The war exacted a huge human cost in terms of fatalities ( see Vietnam War casualties ) . Estimates of the number of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians killed vary from 966,000 to 3.8 million . Some 240,000 -- 300,000 Cambodians , 20,000 -- 62,000 Laotians , and 58,220 U.S. service members also died in the conflict , and a further 1,626 remain missing in action .


In Avengers: Age of Ultron, the Avengers fight Ultron.

Avengers: Age of Ultron Avengers : Age of Ultron is a 2015 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the Avengers , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sequel to 2012 's The Avengers and the eleventh film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Hemsworth , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Evans , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Don Cheadle , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Elizabeth Olsen , Paul Bettany , Cobie Smulders , Anthony Mackie , Hayley Atwell , Idris Elba , Stellan Skarsgård , James Spader , and Samuel L. Jackson . In Avengers : Age of Ultron , the Avengers fight Ultron , an artificial intelligence obsessed with causing human extinction .   The sequel was announced in May 2012 , after the successful release of The Avengers . Whedon , the director of the first film , was brought back on board in August and a release date was set . By April 2013 , Whedon had completed a draft of the script , and casting began in June with the re-signing of Downey . Second unit filming began in February 2014 in South Africa with principal photography taking place between March and August 2014 . The film was primarily shot at Shepperton Studios in Surrey , England , with additional footage filmed in Italy , South Korea , Bangladesh , New York City , and various locations around England . While in post production , the film was converted to 3D and over 3,000 visual effects shots were added .   Avengers : Age of Ultron premiered in Los Angeles on April 13 , 2015 , and was released on May 1 , 2015 , in North America , in 3D and IMAX 3D . The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $ 1.4 billion worldwide , making it the seventh-highest-grossing film in history and the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2015 . A sequel , Avengers : Infinity War , is scheduled to be released on May 4 , 2018 , and another untitled sequel is scheduled for May 3 , 2019 .


Gil Sharone Gil Sharone is an American drummer and member of the band Stolen Babies , Marilyn Manson , Team Sleep , and formerly The Dillinger Escape Plan . He was also a fill in for punk rock band +44 . His twin brother is Rani Sharone , also of Stolen Babies . He is highly regarded as one of the most versatile touring/session drummers in the world .   Sharone supported Mark Hoppus 's band +44 when Travis Barker broke his arm . Gil toured around Europe , Japan and Australia with +44 in early 2007 , it is believed he learned all of +44 's setlist on the flight from America to Europe . He played on Travis 's OCDP Drum Kit , which is a custom made transparent green . He started using Drum Workshop drums and hardware in October 2011 .   Sharone also recorded the drum tracks on the third Dillinger Escape Plan record Ire Works , and joined the band during all of their tour dates in 2008 ( he played the European tour in early 2008 both with Dillinger and also as support with Stolen Babies ) . Gil also performed on Maynard James Keenan 's V Is for Vagina album by Puscifer .   In January 2009 , it was announced that Sharone had parted ways with Dillinger Escape Plan , due to his focus on Stolen Babies and other personal projects including his DVD , Wicked Beats , based on the drumming styles of Ska , Rocksteady and Reggae .  Wicked Beats will be released through Hudson Music late 2010 .   Sharone played Teenage Alex on an episode of Full House along with his twin brother , who played Teenage Nicky .   As of November 2013 , Sharone began working with Marilyn Manson on a new album . On January 15 , 2015 The Pale Emperor was released . Sharone is currently working on the follow up Heaven Upside Down   due to be released in Summer 2017 .   Sharone was featured on Reggae Grammy winners Morgan Heritage track `` So Amazing '' on the album Strictly Roots ( 2016 ) . You can also hear his work playing on the film scores to `` John Wick , '' `` John Wick 2 , '' `` Slackers '' and the TV shows , `` Salem , '' `` Kingdom , '' and the Netflix series `` The Punisher ( 2017 ) . ''


Professional wrestling promotion A professional wrestling promotion ( also federation or fed ) is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling . `` Promotion '' also describes a role which entails management , advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event ( see promoter ) . Within the convention of the show , the company is a sports governing body which sanctions wrestling matches and gives authority to the championships and is responsible for determining the divisions , rankings , etc. of wrestlers . In truth , the company serves as a touring theatre troupe , as well as event promotion body for its own events .   Currently , the major wrestling organizations in the United States are World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) , Total Nonstop Action ( TNA ) and Ring of Honor ( ROH ) . The major Mexican lucha libre promotions are Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre ( CMLL ) and AAA . The top Japanese puroresu promotions are New Japan Pro Wrestling ( NJPW ) , Dragon Gate ( DG ) , All Japan Pro Wrestling ( AJPW ) , and Pro Wrestling Noah . There are also small promotions called indies or territories around the world .


Kurt Angle Kurt Steven Angle ( born December 9 , 1968 ) is an American professional wrestler , actor , and retired amateur wrestler . He is currently signed to WWE , performing as the on-screen general manager for the Raw brand . While a student at Clarion University of Pennsylvania , Angle won numerous accolades , including being a two-time National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) Division I Heavyweight Wrestling Champion . After graduating college , Angle won a gold medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1995 World Wrestling Championships . He then won a freestyle wrestling gold medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics . Angle is one of four people to complete an amateur wrestling Grand Slam ( junior nationals , NCAA , World Championships , Olympics ) . In 2006 , he was named by USA Wrestling as the greatest shoot wrestler ever and one of the top 15 college wrestlers of all time . He was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 for his amateur accomplishments .   Angle made his first appearance at a professional wrestling event in 1996 , with his in-ring debut in 1999 . He signed a long-term contract with the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) that same year , and participated in his first televised storyline in March 1999 . After months of unaired matches , Angle made his official debut in November and received his first major push in the company in February 2000 , when he held the European Championship and the Intercontinental Championship simultaneously . Four months later , he won the King of the Ring tournament , and not long after he began pursuing the WWF Championship , which he won in October ; this capped off a rookie year which is considered by many to be the greatest in professional wrestling history . Throughout his tenure in the WWF/WWE , Angle was a six-time world champion ( four reigns as WWF/WWE Champion , one as WCW Champion , and one as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion ) , a one-time United States Champion , one-time Intercontinental Champion , one-time European Champion , one-time Hardcore Champion , and one-time WWE Tag Team Champion . He is the tenth Triple Crown Champion and the fifth Grand Slam Champion ( achieving this accolade twice under both the original and current format ) in WWE history . On March 31 2017 , Angle was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame , becoming the third active wrestler to be inducted , after Ric Flair and Sting .   After leaving WWE in 2006 , Angle joined Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ( TNA , now Impact Wrestling ) where he became a record six-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion ( and the inaugural titleholder ) , a two-time TNA World Tag Team Champion , and a one-time TNA X Division Champion . He is the second Triple Crown winner in TNA history and the only one to hold all the required titles at once . Angle is also a two-time King of the Mountain . As part of TNA , he made appearances for New Japan Pro-Wrestling ( NJPW ) and the Inoki Genome Federation ( IGF ) , holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship once . In 2013 , Angle was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame ( he is the second wrestler -- after Sting -- to be inducted into both the WWE and TNA halls of fame ) .   Between WWF/WWE , Japan , and TNA , Angle has won 13 world championships and 21 total championships . He is the only professional wrestler in history to have won the WWE Championship , WWE 's World Heavyweight Championship , the WCW Championship , the TNA World Heavyweight Championship , and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship . Angle is also the only person to have been King of the Mountain and King of the Ring . He has headlined numerous pay-per-view events for both WWF/WWE and TNA throughout his career , including the flagship event for both promotions : WrestleMania in WWE , and Bound for Glory in TNA . In 2004 , the Wrestling Observer Newsletter inducted Angle into its Hall of Fame , and later named him `` Wrestler of the Decade '' for the 2000s . He is considered to be one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time ; ESPN journalist and former WWE personality Jonathan Coachman described Angle as `` the greatest I 've ever seen in the ring '' .


WWE World Wrestling Entertainment , Inc. ( d/b/a WWE ) is an American publicly traded , privately controlled entertainment company that deals primarily in professional wrestling , with revenue also coming from film , music , video games , product licensing , and direct product sales .   WWE also refers to the professional wrestling promotion itself , founded by Jess McMahon and Toots Mondt in 1952 as Capitol Wrestling Corporation Ltd. . As of 2016 , it is the largest wrestling promotion in the world , holding over 500 events a year ( with the roster divided up into various globally traveling brands ) , and broadcasting to about 36 million viewers in more than 150 countries . The company 's global headquarters is located in Stamford , Connecticut , with offices in major cities across the world .   As in other professional wrestling promotions , WWE shows are not legitimate contests , but purely entertainment-based , featuring storyline-driven , scripted , and choreographed matches , though they often include moves that can put performers at risk of injury if not performed correctly . This was first publicly acknowledged by WWE 's owner Vince McMahon in 1989 to avoid taxes from athletic commissions . Since the 1980s , WWE publicly has branded their product as sports entertainment , acknowledging the product 's roots in competitive sport and dramatic theater .   The company 's majority owner is its chairman and CEO , Vince McMahon . Along with his wife Linda , children Shane and Stephanie , and son-in-law Paul `` Triple H '' Levesque , the McMahon family holds approximately 70 % of WWE 's equity and 96 % of the voting power . As of August 2014 , Eminence Capital , a New York-based hedge fund , acquired a 9.6 % stake in WWE while the McMahon family retains 90.4 % interest .   The current entity , incorporated on February 21 , 1980 , was previously known as Titan Sports , Inc. , which was founded in 1979 in South Yarmouth , Massachusetts . It acquired Capitol Wrestling Corporation , the holding company for the World Wrestling Federation , in 1982 . Titan was renamed World Wrestling Federation , Inc. in 1998 , then World Wrestling Federation Entertainment , Inc. in 1999 , and finally the current World Wrestling Entertainment , Inc. in 2002 . Since 2011 , the company has officially branded itself solely as WWE though the company 's legal name was not changed .


The Eagles released their third album in 2005.

Eagles (band) The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by Glenn Frey , Don Henley , Bernie Leadon , and Randy Meisner . With five number-one singles , six Grammy Awards , five American Music Awards , and six number one albums , the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s . At the end of the 20th century , two of their albums , Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) and Hotel California , were ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America . Hotel California is ranked 37th in Rolling Stones list of `` The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' and the band was ranked number 75 on the magazine 's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time .   The Eagles are one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time , having sold more than 150 million records -- 100 million in the U.S. alone -- including 42 million copies of Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) and 32 million copies of Hotel California . Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) was the best selling album of the 20th century in the U.S. . They are the fifth-highest-selling music act and the highest-selling American band in U.S. history .   The band released their debut album , Eagles , in 1972 , which spawned three top 40 singles : `` Take It Easy , '' `` Witchy Woman , '' and `` Peaceful Easy Feeling . '' Their next album , Desperado ( 1973 ) , was less successful than the first , only reaching number 41 on the charts ; neither of its singles reached the top 40 . However , the album does contain what would go on to be two of the band 's most popular tracks : `` Desperado '' and `` Tequila Sunrise . '' The band released On the Border in 1974 , adding guitarist Don Felder as the fifth member midway through the recording of the album . The album generated two top 40 singles : `` Already Gone '' and their first number one , `` Best of My Love . ''   Their 1975 album One of These Nights included three top 10 singles : `` One of These Nights , '' `` Lyin ' Eyes , '' and `` Take It to the Limit , '' the first hitting the top of the charts . Guitarist and vocalist , Joe Walsh , also joined the band in 1975 . The Eagles continued that success and hit their commercial peak in late 1976 with the release of Hotel California , which would go on to sell more than 16 million copies in the U.S. alone and more than 32 million copies worldwide . The album yielded two number-one singles , `` New Kid in Town '' and `` Hotel California . '' They released their last studio album for nearly 28 years in 1979 with The Long Run , which spawned three top 10 singles : `` Heartache Tonight , '' `` The Long Run , '' and `` I Ca n't Tell You Why , '' the lead single being another chart-topping hit .   The Eagles disbanded in July 1980 but reunited in 1994 for the album Hell Freezes Over , a mix of live and new studio tracks . They toured consistently and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 . In 2007 , the Eagles released Long Road Out of Eden , their first full studio album in 28 years and their sixth number one album . The next year they launched the Long Road Out of Eden Tour in support of the album . In 2013 , they began the extended History of the Eagles Tour in conjunction with the band 's documentary release , History of the Eagles .   Following the death of Frey in January 2016 , Henley stated in several interviews that he did n't think the band would perform again . However , in March 2017 it was announced that the Eagles would be headlining two concerts in July 2017 .


On the Border On the Border is the third studio album by American rock group the Eagles , released in 1974 . Apart from two songs produced by Glyn Johns , it was produced by Bill Szymczyk because the group wanted a more rock‑oriented sound instead of the country-rock feel of the first two albums . It is the first Eagles album to feature guitarist Don Felder . On the Border reached number 17 on the Billboard album chart and has sold two million copies .   Three singles were released from the album : `` Already Gone '' , `` James Dean '' and `` Best of My Love '' . The singles peaked at numbers 32 , 77 and 1 respectively . `` Best of My Love '' became the band 's first of five chart toppers . The album also includes `` My Man '' , Bernie Leadon 's tribute to his deceased friend Gram Parsons . Leadon and Parsons had played together in the pioneer country rock band Flying Burrito Brothers , before Leadon joined the Eagles .   This is the first album by the Eagles to be released in Quadraphonic surround sound . It was released on Quadraphonic 8-track tape and CD-4 LP . A hidden message carved into the run out groove of some vinyl LPs reads : `` He who hesitates is lunch '' .


Manatee Manatees ( family Trichechidae , genus Trichechus ) are large , fully aquatic , mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows . There are three accepted living species of Trichechidae , representing three of the four living species in the order Sirenia : the Amazonian manatee ( Trichechus inunguis ) , the West Indian manatee ( Trichechus manatus ) , and the West African manatee ( Trichechus senegalensis ) . They measure up to 4.0 m long , weigh as much as 590 kg , and have paddle-like flippers . The etymology of the name is dubious , with connections having been made to Latin `` manus '' ( hand ) , and to a word sometimes cited as `` manati '' used by the Taíno , a pre-Columbian people of the Caribbean , meaning `` breast '' . Manatees are occasionally called sea cows , as they are slow plant-eaters , peaceful and similar to cows on land . They often graze on water plants in tropical seas .


Kamala Harris Kamala Devi Harris ( -LSB- ˈkɑːmələ -RSB- born October 20 , 1964 ) is an American attorney and politician who is the junior United States Senator from California . She is a member of the Democratic Party and served as the 32nd Attorney General of California .   Harris graduated from Howard University and University of California , Hastings College of the Law . She worked as a Deputy District Attorney in Alameda County , California ( 1990 -- 98 ) . She served as Managing Attorney of the Career Criminal Unit in the San Francisco District Attorney 's Office ( 1998-2000 ) and as Chief of the Community and Neighborhood Division in the office of San Francisco City Attorney ( 2000 -- 03 ) . In 2003 , she was elected as California 's first African American female District Attorney of San Francisco , defeating incumbent Terence Hallinan . She was re-elected in 2007 and served from 2004 to 2011 .   Harris was elected California 's Attorney General in 2010 and re-elected in 2014 . Harris was the first woman , the first Jamaican American , the first Asian American , the first Indian American , and the first African American attorney general in California .   On November 8 , 2016 , she defeated Loretta Sanchez in the 2016 U.S. Senate election to replace outgoing Democratic senator Barbara Boxer , becoming the third woman of color , first Indian American , and first biracial woman ( alongside Tammy Duckworth and Catherine Cortez Masto ) elected to serve in the United States Senate .


Hilary Swank played the role of single mother Carly Reynolds on the television drama Beverly Hills 90210.

Hilary Swank Hilary Swank ( born July 30 , 1974 ) is an American actress and producer . She has won two Academy Awards for Best Actress and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 .   Swank made her film debut in a minor role for Buffy the Vampire Slayer , before she made her breakout lead role in the fourth installment of the The Karate Kid franchise , The Next Karate Kid in 1994 . On television , she was cast as part of the main cast in the eighth season of the drama series Beverly Hills 90210 as single mother Carly Reynolds from 1997 to 1998 . Swank garnered critical acclaim for her portrayal of Brandon Teena in the 1999 biographical independent film Boys Do n't Cry , which earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama . She starred in Clint Eastwood 's 2004 sports drama film Million Dollar Baby as struggling-waitress-turned-boxer Maggie Fitzgerald , which won her a second Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Actress .   She starred in other films , such as The Gift ( 2000 ) , Insomnia ( 2002 ) , Iron Jawed Angels ( 2004 ) , Red Dust ( 2004 ) The Reaping ( 2007 ) , P.S. I Love You ( 2007 ) , Freedom Writers ( 2007 ) and The Homesman ( 2014 ) .


Sarah Paulson Sarah Catharine Paulson ( born December 17 , 1974 ) is an American actress . After beginning her acting career on stage , she starred in the 1990s television series American Gothic ( 1995 -- 96 ) and Jack & Jill ( 1999 -- 2001 ) . Paulson later appeared in comedy films such as What Women Want ( 2000 ) and Down with Love ( 2003 ) , and had dramatic roles in films such as Path to War ( 2002 ) and The Notorious Bettie Page ( 2005 ) . From 2006 to 2007 , Paulson played the role of Harriet Hayes in the NBC comedy-drama series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip , for which she received her first Golden Globe Award nomination . In 2008 , she starred as Ellen Dolan in the superhero noir film The Spirit .   Paulson has appeared on Broadway in the plays The Glass Menagerie ( 2005 ) and Collected Stories ( 2010 ) . She also starred in a number of independent films , and had a leading role on the ABC comedy series Cupid in 2009 . She later starred in the independent drama Martha Marcy May Marlene ( 2011 ) , and received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for her performance as Nicolle Wallace in the HBO film Game Change ( 2012 ) . Paulson starred as Mary Epps in the 2013 historical drama film 12 Years a Slave and as Abby Gerhard in the 2015 drama film Carol . Both films received widespread critical acclaim and were nominated for multiple Academy Awards .   In 2011 , Paulson began starring in the FX anthology series American Horror Story , playing different characters in each of the show 's six seasons . For her work throughout the series , she has been nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards ( 2013 -- 16 ) and won two Critics ' Choice Television Awards for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries ( 2013 and 2015 ) . In 2016 , Paulson portrayed real life prosecutor Marcia Clark in the first season of the anthology series American Crime Story , subtitled The People v. O. J. Simpson . For her work in the series , she has been awarded the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries , Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie , TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama , and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Miniseries or Television Film as well as the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie .   According to Time magazine , she is one of the 100 most influential people of the year 2017 .


As the World Turns is set in a state in the Midwestern region of Poland.

Illinois Illinois ( -LSB- ɪlᵻˈnɔɪ -RSB- ) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States , achieving statehood in 1818 . It is the 6th-most populous state and 25th-largest state in terms of land area , and is noted as a microcosm of the entire country . The word `` Illinois '' comes from a French rendering of a native Algonquin word . With Chicago in the northeast , small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois , and natural resources like coal , timber , and petroleum in the south , Illinois has a diverse economic base and is a major transportation hub . The Port of Chicago connects the state to other global ports from the Great Lakes , via the Saint Lawrence Seaway , to the Atlantic Ocean , as well as the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River , via the Illinois Waterway . For decades , O'Hare International Airport has been ranked as one of the world 's busiest airports . Illinois has long had a reputation as a bellwether both in social and cultural terms and politics .   Although today the state 's largest population center is around Chicago in the northern part of the state , the state 's European population grew first in the west , with French Canadian colonists who settled along the Mississippi River in the 17th and 18th century , and gave the area the name , `` Pays des Illinois '' or Illinois Country a region that was known as part of New France . After the American Revolutionary War established the United States , American settlers began arriving crossing the Appalachians barrier range in the 1810s via the gaps of the Allegheny to boat building centers in Pittsburgh , from Cumberland , Maryland via the Cumberland Narrows pass to outfit in Brownsville , Pennsylvania , from North Carolina and Virginia via the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky and Tennessee , all on the Ohio River .   With the War of 1812 , the growth of Illinois slowed as both Native Americans and Canadian forces often raided the American Frontier . After the war 's end , the federal government re-established forts such as Fort Dearborn ( in 1816 -- now the site is within Chicago ) and army patrols west of the Mississippi diminished the threat from Amerindian raids , so settlers were able to move into all of Illinois from the eastern and southern emigrant trails .   Mineral finds and timber stands also had spurred immigration -- by the 1810s , the Eastern U.S. had exhausted most timber stands close to the established cities creating a hard felt first energy crisis by the late-1790s , and after 1818 , the industrial revolution was being fueled by new canals such as the Lehigh Canal feeding the furnaces of the rapidly industrializing east coast . Also in 1818 , Illinois achieved statehood and its growth , as yet untroubled by the speed of as yet unrefined railway technology , would be fueled by the new religion of industrialized forward thinking .   After construction of the Erie Canal with increasing traffic and trade through the Great Lakes , Chicago was founded in the 1830s on the banks of the Chicago River , at one of the few natural harbors on southern Lake Michigan . John Deere 's invention of the self-scouring steel plow turned Illinois ' rich prairie into some of the world 's most productive and valuable farmlands , attracting new immigrant farmers from Germany and Sweden . Railroads arose and matured in the 1840s , and soon carried immigrants to new homes in Illinois , as well as being a resource to ship their commodity crops out to markets . Railroads freed most of the land of Illinois and other mid-western states from the tyranny of water transport ; no longer was a location near a river or canal a need to ship bulk goods .   By 1900 , the growth of industrial jobs in the northern cities and coal mining in the central and southern areas attracted a new group of immigrants , from Eastern and Southern Europe . Illinois was an important manufacturing center during both world wars . The Great Migration from the South established a large community of African Americans in Chicago , who created the city 's famous jazz and blues cultures .   Three U.S. presidents have been elected while living in Illinois : Abraham Lincoln , Ulysses S. Grant , and most recently Barack Obama . Additionally , Ronald Reagan , whose political career was based in California , was the only U.S. president born and raised in Illinois . Today , Illinois honors Lincoln with its official state nickname `` The Land of Lincoln , '' which has been displayed on its license plates since 1954 . The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is located in the state capital of Springfield , and the Barack Obama Presidential Center will be completed in Chicago by 2020 .


As the World Turns As the World Turns ( often referred to as ATWT ) is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2 , 1956 , to September 17 , 2010 . Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light . Running for 54 years , As the World Turns holds the second-longest continuous run of any daytime network soap opera on American television , surpassed only by Guiding Light . As the World Turns was produced for the first 43 years in Manhattan and in Brooklyn from 2000 until 2010 .   Set in the fictional town of Oakdale , Illinois , the show debuted on April 2 , 1956 , at 1:30 pm EST. . Prior to that date , all serials had been 15 minutes in length . As the World Turns and The Edge of Night , which premiered on the same day at 4:30 pm EST , were the first two to be 30 minutes in length from their premiere . At first , viewers did not respond to the new half-hour serial , but ratings picked up in its second year , eventually reaching the top spot in the daytime Nielsen ratings by fall 1958 . In 1959 , the show started a streak of weekly ratings wins that was not interrupted for over 12 years . The show switched to color on August 21 , 1967 , and expanded from a half-hour in length to one hour starting on December 1 , 1975 , when The Edge of Night moved to ABC . In the year-to-date ratings , As the World Turns was the most-watched daytime drama from 1958 until 1978 , with ten million viewers tuning in each day . At its height , core actors such as Helen Wagner , Don MacLaughlin , Don Hastings , and Eileen Fulton became nationally known . Three of these actors -- Wagner , Hastings , and Fulton -- are also the three longest serving actors in the history of American soap operas .   The show passed its 10,000 th episode on May 12 , 1995 , and celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 2 , 2006 . On September 18 , 2009 , As the World Turns became the last remaining Procter and Gamble-produced soap opera for CBS after Guiding Light aired its final episode on the network .   On December 8 , 2009 , CBS announced that it cancelled As the World Turns after almost 54 years due to low ratings . The show taped its final Procter and Gamble scenes for CBS on June 23 , 2010 , and with a dramatic storyline finale , its final episode on the network aired on September 17 , 2010 . On October 18 , 2010 , CBS replaced As the World Turns with a newly debuted talk show The Talk .


Batman Batman is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics . The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger , and first appeared in Detective Comics # 27 ( 1939 ) . Originally named the `` Bat-Man '' , the character is also referred to by such epithets as the Caped Crusader , the Dark Knight , and the World 's Greatest Detective .   Batman 's secret identity is Bruce Wayne , a wealthy American playboy , philanthropist , and owner of Wayne Enterprises . After witnessing the murder of his parents Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne as a child , he swore vengeance against criminals , an oath tempered by a sense of justice . Bruce Wayne trains himself physically and intellectually and crafts a bat-inspired persona to fight crime .   Batman operates in the fictional Gotham City with assistance from various supporting characters , including his butler Alfred , police commissioner Gordon , and vigilante allies such as Robin . Unlike most superheroes , Batman does not possess any superpowers ; rather , he relies on his genius intellect , physical prowess , martial arts abilities , detective skills , science and technology , vast wealth , intimidation , and indomitable will . A large assortment of villains make up Batman 's rogues gallery , including his archenemy , the Joker .   The character became popular soon after his introduction in 1939 and gained his own comic book title , Batman , the following year . As the decades went on , differing interpretations of the character emerged . The late 1960s Batman television series used a camp aesthetic , which continued to be associated with the character for years after the show ended . Various creators worked to return the character to his dark roots , culminating in 1986 with The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller . The success of Warner Bros. ' live-action Batman feature films have helped maintain the public 's interest in the character .   An American cultural icon , Batman has been licensed and adapted into a variety of media , from radio to television and film , and appears on various merchandise sold all over the world , such as toys and video games . The character has also intrigued psychiatrists , with many trying to understand the character 's psyche . In 2015 , FanSided ranked Batman as number one on their list of `` 50 Greatest Super Heroes In Comic Book History '' . Kevin Conroy , Bruce Greenwood , Peter Weller , Anthony Ruivivar , Jason O'Mara , and Will Arnett , among others , have provided the character 's voice for animated adaptations . Batman has been portrayed in both film and television by Lewis Wilson , Robert Lowery , Adam West , Michael Keaton , Val Kilmer , George Clooney , Christian Bale , and Ben Affleck .


Believe (Cher song) `` Believe '' is a song recorded by American singer-actress Cher . It is the title track from her twenty-second album of the same name ( 1998 ) , and was released as the lead single from the album on October 19 , 1998 by Warner Bros. . Records . It was written by Brian Higgins , Stuart McLennen , Paul Barry , Steven Torch , Matthew Gray and Timothy Powell , although Cher claimed later in a 2000 interview that she also wrote part , and was produced by Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling . A considerable departure from Cher 's work at the time , `` Believe '' abandoned the singer 's then pop rock-based repertoire in favor of being more club-friendly , in order to engage a younger audience .   `` Believe '' is an upbeat dance-pop song . The song is one of the first commercial recordings to feature the audio processor software Auto-Tune as a vocal effect , used to produce the prominent altered effect on Cher 's vocals . This technique would eventually become known as the `` Cher effect '' . Lyrically , the song is about the personal empowerment and self-sufficiency after a painful break-up . Critically , `` Believe '' has been met with appreciation ever since its release ; reviewers have praised its production , catchiness and club-friendly nature , and listed it as one of the singer 's career highlights . The song was also nominated for two Grammy Awards ; for Record of the Year and Best Dance Recording , winning the latter .   Commercially , the song attained immense global success , reaching number one in almost every country it charted , including Australia , Canada , Ireland , New Zealand , the United Kingdom , Spain , France , Germany , Italy and the United States . It earned Cher a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest female solo artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart . It also became the highest-selling single by a solo female artist in the United Kingdom . `` Believe '' remains one of the best-selling singles of all time with sales of over 11 million copies worldwide .   The music video for `` Believe '' , directed by Nigel Dick , showed Cher in a nightclub performing the song in two different sequences : one in which she is seen performing the song on stage and the other as a supernatural being locked in a cage . Cher has performed the song in a number of live appearances , including in three of her concert tours , most recently the Dressed to Kill Tour in 2014 . It has been covered by a number of artists , and has been featured in several elements of popular culture . Scholars and academics noted the way in which Cher was able to re-invent herself and remain fresh and contemporary amidst the more teen pop-based music of the period . They also credited `` Believe '' as the song which restored the singer 's popularity and cemented her position as a pop culture icon .


Copa de la Liga The Copa de la Liga ( League Cup in Spanish ) was a Spanish football tournament created in 1982 .   Due to time constraints , saturation and club pressure , the competition only lasted four years , being cancelled in 1986 . Winning the trophy helped two clubs to complete unique cup doubles : FC Barcelona with the Copa del Rey ( 1983 ) and Real Madrid with the UEFA Cup ( 1985 ) . In all four finals , the team that played the second leg at home won the trophy .


List of unrelegated association football clubs Several association football clubs succeed in playing at the highest level without being relegated from their domestic league . This page lists the clubs that managed to stay in top flight for an extended period of time , and those that have never been relegated from their current top-tier league .


2008–09 UEFA Champions League The 2008 -- 09 UEFA Champions League was the 54th edition of Europe 's premier club football tournament and the 17th edition under the current UEFA Champions League format . The final was played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 27 May 2009 . It was the eighth time the European Cup final has been held in Italy and the fourth time it has been held at the Stadio Olimpico . The final was contested by the defending champions , Manchester United , and Barcelona , who had last won the tournament in 2006 . Barcelona won the match 2 -- 0 , with goals from Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi , securing The Treble in the process . In addition , both UEFA Cup finalists , Werder Bremen and Shakhtar Donetsk featured in the Champions League group stage .   Anorthosis of Cyprus and BATE Borisov of Belarus were the first teams from their respective countries to qualify for the group stage . Romanian side CFR Cluj and Russian champions Zenit Saint Petersburg also made their Champions League debuts .


Ronaldinho Ronaldo de Assis Moreira ( born 21 March 1980 ) , commonly known as Ronaldinho ( -LSB- ʁonawˈdʒĩɲu -RSB- ) or Ronaldinho Gaúcho , is a Brazilian professional footballer and current club ambassador for Spanish club FC Barcelona after signing for them in September 2016 . His main playing position is as an attacking midfielder or forward . He won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2004 and 2005 . Renowned for his technique , tricks , dribbling , overhead kicks , no-look passes and free kicks , Ronaldinho is regarded to be one of the best players of his generation .   `` Ronaldinho '' , the lengthened term of endearment for `` Ronaldo '' , is accompanied in Brazilian usage by the nickname `` Gaúcho '' ( since he hails from southern Brazil ) , in order to distinguish him from fellow footballer and countryman Ronaldo , who was known as `` Ronaldinho '' in Brazil beforehand . Ronaldo went by his first name upon his move to Europe , thereby allowing Ronaldinho to drop the `` Gaúcho '' and go by the name Ronaldinho abroad .   Ronaldinho has played 97 matches and scored 33 goals for the Brazil national team . He was an integral part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup-winning team in Korea and Japan , starring alongside Ronaldo and Rivaldo in an attacking trio , and was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team .   At club level , Ronaldinho played first for the Brazilian club Grêmio before spending the bulk of his career with European clubs Paris Saint-Germain , Barcelona and Milan . He then returned to Brazil to play for Flamengo and Atlético Mineiro before moving to Mexico to play for Querétaro . With Barcelona , he won La Liga twice , the UEFA Champions League in 2006 and accumulated numerous individual awards , including the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and the Ballon d'Or in 2005 . Ronaldinho was named in the FIFA 100 , a list of the world 's greatest living players compiled by Pelé , and to the FIFPro World XI from 2005 -- 2007 .


2015 UEFA Champions League Final The 2015 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2014 -- 15 UEFA Champions League , the 60th season of Europe 's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA , and the 23rd season since it was renamed from the European Champion Clubs ' Cup to the UEFA Champions League . It was played at the Olympiastadion in Berlin , Germany , on 6 June 2015 , between Italian side Juventus and Spanish side Barcelona .   For the second time -- after 2010 -- both teams came into the final with the possibility of winning a treble , having each won their national league and cup for the season . Barcelona scored the only goal of the first half after four minutes , through Ivan Rakitić . Ten minutes after the interval , Juventus equalised with a goal by Álvaro Morata . In the 68th minute , Luis Suárez put Barcelona back in the lead , and the final score of 3 -- 1 was confirmed when Neymar scored with the last kick of the game . It was Barcelona 's fifth trophy in the competition , and sealed their second treble , the other coming in 2009 .   As winners , Barcelona earned the right to play against the winners of the 2014 -- 15 UEFA Europa League , Sevilla , in the 2015 UEFA Super Cup , and won that match 5 -- 4 . They also qualified to enter the 2015 FIFA Club World Cup in Japan as the UEFA representative , going on to beat Argentina 's River Plate in the final .