Cardiff Cardiff ( Caerdydd -RCB- -RCB- -LSB- kairˈdiːð , kaˑɨrˈdɨːð -RSB- ) is the capital and largest city in Wales and the eleventh-largest city in the United Kingdom . The city is the country 's chief commercial centre , the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions , the Welsh national media , and the seat of the National Assembly for Wales . The unitary authority area 's mid-2011 population was estimated to be 346,100 , while the population of the Larger Urban Zone was estimated at 861,400 in 2009 . The Cardiff metropolitan area makes up over a third of the total population of Wales , with a mid-2011 population estimate of about 1,100,000 people . Cardiff is a significant tourist centre and the most popular visitor destination in Wales with 18.3 million visitors in 2010 . In 2011 , Cardiff was ranked sixth in the world in National Geographic 's alternative tourist destinations .   The city of Cardiff is the county town of the historic county of Glamorgan ( and later South Glamorgan ) . Cardiff is part of the Eurocities network of the largest European cities . The Cardiff Urban Area covers a slightly larger area outside the county boundary , and includes the towns of Dinas Powys and Penarth . A small town until the early 19th century , its prominence as a major port for the transport of coal following the arrival of industry in the region contributed to its rise as a major city .   Cardiff was made a city in 1905 , and proclaimed the capital of Wales in 1955 . Since the 1980s , Cardiff has seen significant development . A new waterfront area at Cardiff Bay contains the Senedd building , home to the Welsh Assembly and the Wales Millennium Centre arts complex . Current developments include the continuation of the redevelopment of the Cardiff Bay and city centre areas with projects such as the Cardiff International Sports Village , a BBC drama village , and a new business district in the city centre .   Sporting venues in the city include the Millennium Stadium ( the national stadium for the Wales national rugby union team ) , SWALEC Stadium ( the home of Glamorgan County Cricket Club ) , Cardiff City Stadium ( the home of Cardiff City football team ) , Cardiff International Sports Stadium ( the home of Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club ) and Cardiff Arms Park ( the home of Cardiff Blues and Cardiff RFC rugby union teams ) . The city was awarded the title of European City of Sport twice , due to its role in hosting major international sporting events : first in 2009 and again in 2014 . The Millennium Stadium hosted 11 football matches as part of the 2012 Summer Olympics , including the games ' opening event and the men 's bronze medal match .


BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation ( BBC ) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London . The BBC is the world 's oldest national broadcasting organisation and the largest broadcaster in the world by number of employees . It employs over 20,950 staff in total , 16,672 of whom are in public sector broadcasting . The total number of staff is 35,402 when part-time , flexible , and fixed contract staff are included .   The BBC is established under a Royal Charter and operates under its Agreement with the Secretary of State for Culture , Media and Sport . Its work is funded principally by an annual television licence fee which is charged to all British households , companies , and organisations using any type of equipment to receive or record live television broadcasts and ` iPlayer ' catch-up since 1 September 2016 . The fee is set by the British Government , agreed by Parliament , and used to fund the BBC 's radio , TV , and online services covering the nations and regions of the UK . Since 1 April 2014 , it has also funded the BBC World Service ( launched in 1932 as the BBC Empire Service ) , which broadcasts in 28 languages and provides comprehensive TV , radio , and online services in Arabic and Persian .   Around a quarter of BBC revenues come from its commercial arm BBC Worldwide Ltd , which sells BBC programmes and services internationally and also distributes the BBC 's international 24-hour English-language news services BBC World News , and from BBC.com , provided by BBC Global News Ltd. .


Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963 . The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called `` The Doctor '' , an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey . He explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS . Its exterior appears as a blue British police box , which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired . Accompanied by a number of companions , the Doctor combats a variety of foes , while working to save civilisations and help people in need .   The show is a significant part of British popular culture , and elsewhere it has gained a cult following . It has influenced generations of British television professionals , many of whom grew up watching the series . The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989 . There was an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot , in the form of a television film titled Doctor Who . The programme was relaunched in 2005 , and since then has been produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff . Doctor Who has also spawned numerous spin-offs , including comic books , films , novels , audio dramas , and the television series Torchwood ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , The Sarah Jane Adventures ( 2007 -- 2011 ) , K-9 ( 2009 -- 2010 ) , and Class '' ( 2016-present ) , and has been the subject of many parodies and references in popular culture .   Twelve actors have headlined the series as the Doctor . The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation -- an idea introduced in 1966 to allow the show to continue after the departure of original lead William Hartnell who was becoming very ill at the time . The concept is that this is a Time Lord trait through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and personality to recover from a severe injury or anything that would otherwise kill a normal person . Each actor 's portrayal differs , but all represent stages in the life of the same character and form a single narrative . The time-travelling feature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet . The current lead , Peter Capaldi , took on the role after Matt Smith 's exit in the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . In 2017 , Capaldi confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the tenth series , with his final appearance being the 2017 Christmas Special .


Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. '' ' ( born May 31 , 1930 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , musician , and political figure . After achieving success in the Western TV series Rawhide , he rose to international fame with his role as the Man with No Name in Sergio Leone 's Dollars trilogy of spaghetti Westerns during the 1960s , and as antihero cop Harry Callahan in the five Dirty Harry films throughout the 1970s and 1980s . These roles , among others , have made Eastwood an enduring cultural icon of masculinity .   For his work in the Western film Unforgiven ( 1992 ) and the sports drama Million Dollar Baby ( 2004 ) , Eastwood won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture , as well as receiving nominations for Best Actor . Eastwood 's greatest commercial successes have been the adventure comedy Every Which Way But Loose ( 1978 ) and its sequel , the action comedy Any Which Way You Can ( 1980 ) , after adjustment for inflation . Other popular films include the Western Hang 'Em High ( 1968 ) , the psychological thriller Play Misty for Me ( 1971 ) , the crime film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot ( 1974 ) , the Western The Outlaw Josey Wales ( 1976 ) , the prison film Escape from Alcatraz ( 1979 ) , the action film Firefox ( 1982 ) , the suspense thriller Tightrope ( 1984 ) , the Western Pale Rider ( 1985 ) , the war films Where Eagles Dare ( 1968 ) , Heartbreak Ridge ( 1986 ) , the action thriller In the Line of Fire ( 1993 ) , the romantic drama The Bridges of Madison County ( 1995 ) , and the drama Gran Torino ( 2008 ) .   In addition to directing many of his own star vehicles , Eastwood has also directed films in which he did not appear , such as the mystery drama Mystic River ( 2003 ) and the war film Letters from Iwo Jima ( 2006 ) , for which he received Academy Award nominations , and the drama Changeling ( 2008 ) . The war drama biopic American Sniper '' ( 2014 ) set box office records for the largest January release ever and was also the largest opening ever for an Eastwood film .   Eastwood received considerable critical praise in France for several films , including some that were not well received in the United States . Eastwood has been awarded two of France 's highest honors : in 1994 he became a recipient of the Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres , and in 2007 he was awarded the Legion of Honour medal . In 2000 , Eastwood was awarded the Italian Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for lifetime achievement .   Since 1967 , Eastwood has run his own production company , Malpaso , which has produced all but four of his American films . Starting in 1986 , Eastwood served for two years as Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea , California , a non-partisan office .


Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas ( born Issur Danielovitch , December 9 , 1916 ) is an American actor , producer , director , and author . He is one of the last living people of the film industry 's Golden Age . After an impoverished childhood with immigrant parents and six sisters , he had his film debut in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers ( 1946 ) with Barbara Stanwyck . Douglas soon developed into a leading box-office star throughout the 1950s and 1960s , known for serious dramas , including westerns and war movies . During his career he appeared in more than 90 movies .   Douglas became an international star through positive reception for his leading role as an unscrupulous boxing hero in Champion ( 1949 ) , which brought him his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor . Other early films include Young Man with a Horn ( 1950 ) , playing opposite Lauren Bacall and Doris Day ; Ace in the Hole opposite Jan Sterling ( 1951 ) ; and Detective Story ( 1951 ) . He received a second Oscar nomination for his dramatic role in The Bad and the Beautiful ( 1952 ) , opposite Lana Turner , and his third nomination for portraying Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life ( 1956 ) .   In 1955 , he established Bryna Productions , which began producing films as varied as Paths of Glory ( 1957 ) and Spartacus ( 1960 ) . In those two films , he starred and collaborated with the then relatively unknown director , Stanley Kubrick . Douglas helped break the Hollywood blacklist by having Dalton Trumbo write Spartacus with an official on-screen credit , although Trumbo 's family claims he overstated his role . He produced and starred in Lonely Are the Brave ( 1962 ) , considered a cult classic , and Seven Days in May ( 1964 ) , opposite Burt Lancaster , with whom he made seven films . In 1963 , he starred in the Broadway play One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest , a story he purchased , which he later gave to his son Michael Douglas , who turned it into an Oscar-winning film .   As an actor and philanthropist , Douglas has received three Academy Award nominations , an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement , and the Presidential Medal of Freedom . As an author , he has written ten novels and memoirs . Currently , he is No. 17 on the American Film Institute 's list of the greatest male screen legends of classic Hollywood cinema , and the highest-ranked living person on the list . After barely surviving a helicopter crash in 1991 and then suffering a stroke in 1996 , he has focused on renewing his spiritual and religious life . He lives with his second wife ( of 63 years ) , Anne , a producer . He turned 100 on December 9 , 2016 .


Adele Adele Laurie Blue Adkins ( -LSB- əˈdɛl -RSB- born 5 May 1988 ) is an English singer-songwriter . After graduating from the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in 2006 , Adele was given a recording contract by XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on Myspace the same year . In 2007 , she received the Brit Awards `` Critics ' Choice '' award and won the BBC Sound of 2008 poll . Her debut album , 19 , was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success . It is certified seven times platinum in the UK , and three times platinum in the US . The album contains her first song , `` Hometown Glory '' , written when she was 16 , which is based on her home suburb of West Norwood in London . An appearance she made on Saturday Night Live in late 2008 boosted her career in the US . At the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009 , Adele received the awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance .   She released her second studio album , 21 , in early 2011 . The album was critically well received and surpassed the success of her debut , earning the singer numerous awards in 2012 , among them a record-tying six Grammy Awards , including Album of the Year ; two Brit Awards , including British Album of the Year , and three American Music Awards . The album has been certified 16 times platinum in the UK , and is the fourth best-selling album in the UK of all time . In the US , it has held the top position longer than any album since 1985 , and is certified diamond . The album has sold over 31 million copies worldwide . The success of 21 earned Adele numerous mentions in the Guinness Book of World Records . She is the first woman in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have three simultaneous top 10 singles as a lead artist , and the first female artist to simultaneously have two albums in the top five of the Billboard 200 and two singles in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 . 21 is the longest-running number one album by a female solo artist in the history of the UK and US Album Charts .   In 2012 , Adele released `` Skyfall '' , which she co-wrote and recorded for the James Bond film of the same name . The song won an Academy Award , a Grammy Award , and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song , as well as the Brit Award for British Single of the Year . After taking a three-year break , Adele released her third studio album , 25 , in 2015 . It became the year 's best-selling album and broke first week sales records in the UK and US . 25 was her second album to be certified diamond in the US and earned her five Grammy Awards , including her second Grammy Award for Album of the Year , and four Brit Awards . The lead single , `` Hello '' , became the first song in the US to sell over one million digital copies within a week of its release . Her third concert tour , Adele Live 2016 , visited Europe , North America and Oceania , and will conclude with four finale concerts at Wembley Stadium in mid-2017 .   In 2011 , 2012 and 2016 , Billboard named Adele Artist of the Year . In 2012 , she was listed at number five on VH1 's 100 Greatest Women in Music . Time magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world in 2012 and 2016 . With sales of more than 100 million records , Adele is one of the best-selling recording artists in the world .


Galaxy Quest Galaxy Quest is a 1999 American comedy science fiction film directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon . Mark Johnson and Charles Newirth produced the film for DreamWorks Pictures .   Parodying television series such as Star Trek and its fandom , the film stars Tim Allen , Sigourney Weaver , Alan Rickman , Tony Shalhoub , Sam Rockwell , and Daryl Mitchell as the cast of a defunct television series called Galaxy Quest , in which the crew of a spaceship embarked on intergalactic adventures . Enrico Colantoni stars as the leader of an alien race who ask the actors for help , believing the show 's adventures were real . The film 's supporting cast features Robin Sachs as an alien warlord and Patrick Breen as another alien . Justin Long makes his feature film debut as an obsessed fan of the television show .   The film received critical praise and reached cult status through the years , becoming popular with Star Trek fans , staff , and cast members for its affectionate parody . It won the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation , the Nebula Award for Best Script , 26th Hochi Film Award for Best International Picture and was also nominated for ten Saturn Awards including Best Science Fiction Film , Best Director for Parisot , Best Actress for Weaver and Best Supporting Actor for Rickman , winning Best Actor for Allen . The film was included in Reader 's Digests list of The Top 100 + Funniest Movies of All Time .


Bill Clinton served his complete term of office before he turned 80.

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( born August 19 , 1946 ) is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 . Prior to the Presidency he was the 40th Governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and the state 's 42nd Governor from 1983 to 1992 . Before that , he served as Arkansas Attorney General from 1977 to 1979 . A member of the Democratic Party , Clinton was ideologically a New Democrat , and many of his policies reflected a centrist `` Third Way '' political philosophy .   Clinton was born and raised in Arkansas and is an alumnus of Georgetown University , where he was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Phi Beta Kappa Society ; he earned a Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford . Clinton is married to Hillary Rodham Clinton , who served as United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013 and U.S. Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009 , and was the Democratic nominee for President in 2016 . Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham both earned degrees from Yale Law School , where they met and began dating . As Governor of Arkansas , Clinton overhauled the state 's education system and served as chairman of the National Governors Association .   Clinton was elected President of the United States in 1992 , defeating incumbent Republican opponent George H. W. Bush . At age 46 , he became the third-youngest president ( behind Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy ) and the first from the Baby Boomer generation . Clinton presided over the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history and signed into law the North American Free Trade Agreement . After failing to pass national health care reform , the Democratic House was ousted when the Republican Party won control of the Congress in 1994 , for the first time in 40 years . Two years later , in 1996 , Clinton became the first Democrat since Franklin D. Roosevelt to be elected to a second term . Clinton passed welfare reform and the State Children 's Health Insurance Program , as well as financial deregulation measures , including the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 .   In 1998 , Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury before a grand jury and obstruction of justice during a lawsuit against him , both related to a scandal involving White House ( and later Department of Defense ) employee Monica Lewinsky . Clinton was acquitted by the U.S. Senate in 1999 and served his complete term of office .   The Congressional Budget Office reported a budget surplus between the years 1998 and 2000 , the last three years of Clinton 's presidency . In foreign policy , Clinton ordered U.S. military intervention in the Bosnian and Kosovo wars , signed the Iraq Liberation Act in opposition to Saddam Hussein , and participated in the 2000 Camp David Summit to advance the Israeli -- Palestinian peace process .   Clinton left office with the highest end-of-office approval rating of any U.S. President since World War II . Since then , Clinton has been involved in public speaking and humanitarian work . He created the William J. Clinton Foundation to address international causes , such as the prevention of AIDS and global warming . In 2004 , Clinton published his autobiography , My Life . He has remained active in politics by campaigning for Democratic candidates , including his wife 's campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016 , and Barack Obama 's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012 .   In 2009 , Clinton was named the United Nations Special Envoy to Haiti , and after the 2010 Haiti earthquake , Clinton teamed with George W. Bush to form the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund . Since leaving office , Clinton has been rated highly in public opinion polls of U.S. Presidents .


Rachel McAdams played a journalist in Spotlight.

Rachel McAdams Rachel Anne McAdams ( born November 17 , 1978 ) is a Canadian actress .  After graduating from a four-year theatre program at York University in 2001 , she initially worked in Canadian television and film productions such as the drama film Perfect Pie ( 2002 ) ( for which she received a Genie Award nomination ) , the comedy film My Name Is Tanino ( 2002 ) , and the comedy series Slings and Arrows ( for which she won a Gemini Award ) . In 2002 , she made her Hollywood film debut in the comedy The Hot Chick . McAdams rose to fame in 2004 with her roles in the comedy Mean Girls and the romantic drama The Notebook . In 2005 , she starred in the romantic comedy Wedding Crashers , the psychological thriller Red Eye , and the family comedy-drama The Family Stone . She was hailed by the media as Hollywood 's new `` it girl '' , and received a BAFTA nomination for Best Rising Star .   After a two-year career break , McAdams starred in two limited release films in 2008 ; the film noir Married Life and the road trip comedy-drama The Lucky Ones . She returned to prominence in 2009 by appearing in the political-thriller State of Play , the science-fiction romantic drama The Time Traveler 's Wife and the mystery action-adventure film Sherlock Holmes . In 2010 , McAdams appeared in her first star vehicle , the comedy Morning Glory . In 2015 , her highest profile roles were in the second season of the HBO crime drama True Detective , and as journalist Sacha Pfeiffer in the drama Spotlight . For her performance in Spotlight , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress .


Game of Thrones (season 5) The fifth season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered on HBO on April 12 , and concluded on June 14 , 2015 . It was broadcast on Sunday at 9:00 pm in the United States , consisting of 10 episodes , each running approximately 50 -- 60 minutes . The season primarily adapts material from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons , the fourth and fifth novels in George R. R. Martin 's A Song of Ice and Fire series , though it also uses elements from the third novel , A Storm of Swords , as well as the upcoming sixth novel The Winds of Winter . It also contains original content not found in Martin 's novels . The series is adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss .   HBO ordered the fifth season on April 8 , 2014 , together with the sixth season , which began filming in July 2014 . The season was filmed primarily in Ireland , Northern Ireland , Croatia and Spain .   Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast , including Peter Dinklage , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington . The season introduced a number of new cast members , including Jonathan Pryce and Alexander Siddig .   Critics praised the show 's production values and cast , with specific accolades for Dinklage 's portrayal of Tyrion Lannister . Viewership yet again rose compared to the previous season . This season set a Guinness World Records for winning the highest number of Emmy Awards for a series in a single season and year , winning 12 out of 24 nominations , including Outstanding Drama Series .


Urvashi Rautela Urvashi Rautela ( born 25 February 1994 ) is an Indian film actress and model who predominantly works in Hindi films . Rautela was crowned  Miss Diva - 2015 and represented India at Miss Universe 2015 pageant .   She made her Bollywood debut with the film Singh Saab the Great ( 2013 ) followed by Sanam Re ( 2016 ) , Great Grand Masti ( 2016 ) and Kaabil ( 2017 ) .


George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. ( born May 14 , 1944 ) is an American filmmaker and entrepreneur . He is best known as the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises , as well as the founder of Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic . He was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer ( CEO ) of Lucasfilm , before selling it to The Walt Disney Company in 2012 .   Upon graduating from the University of Southern California in 1967 , Lucas co-founded American Zoetrope with fellow filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola . Lucas wrote and directed THX 1138 ( 1971 ) , based on his earlier student short Electronic Labyrinth : THX 1138 4EB , which was a critical success but a financial failure . His next work as a writer-director was the film , American Graffiti ( 1973 ) , inspired by his teen years in early 1960s Modesto , California , and produced through the newly founded Lucasfilm . The film was critically and commercially successful , and received five Academy Award nominations including Best Picture .   Lucas 's next film , an epic space opera titled Star Wars ( 1977 ) , went through a troubled production process ; however , it was a surprise hit , becoming the highest-grossing film at the time , as well as a winner of six Academy Awards and a cultural phenomenon . Following the first Star Wars film , Lucas produced and co-wrote the following installments in the trilogy , The Empire Strikes Back ( 1980 ) and Return of the Jedi ( 1983 ) . Along with Steven Spielberg , Lucas co-created and wrote the Indiana Jones films Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , Temple of Doom ( 1984 ) , and The Last Crusade ( 1989 ) . Lucas also produced and wrote a variety of films through Lucasfilm in the 1980s and 1990s .   In 1997 , Lucas re-released the original Star Wars trilogy as part of a Special Edition , where he made several alterations to the films ; home media releases with further changes were released in 2004 and 2011 . Lucas also returned to directing with the Star Wars prequel trilogy , consisting of The Phantom Menace ( 1999 ) , Attack of the Clones ( 2002 ) , and Revenge of the Sith ( 2005 ) . He later collaborated on the story for the Indiana Jones sequel Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ( 2008 ) , and served as the story writer and executive producer for the war film , Red Tails ( 2012 ) .   Five of Lucas 's seven features are among the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office , adjusted for ticket-price inflation . Lucas is one of the American film industry 's most financially successful filmmakers , and has been personally nominated for four Academy Awards . Lucas is considered a significant figure in the New Hollywood era .


Jon Snow is a character on a television show.

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


The human condition is analyzed in literature.

Human condition The human condition is `` the characteristics , key events , and situations which compose the essentials of human existence , such as birth , growth , emotionality , aspiration , conflict , and mortality . '' This is a very broad topic which has been and continues to be pondered and analyzed from many perspectives , including those of religion , philosophy , history , art , literature , anthropology , psychology , and biology .   As a literary term , `` the human condition '' is typically used in the context of ambiguous subjects such as the meaning of life or moral concerns .


Foo Fighters Foo Fighters is an American rock band , formed in Seattle , Washington in 1994 . It was founded by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of Nirvana after the death of Kurt Cobain . The group got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War II , which were known collectively as `` foo fighters '' .   Prior to the release of Foo Fighters ' 1995 debut album Foo Fighters , which featured Grohl as the only official member , Grohl recruited bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith , both formerly of Sunny Day Real Estate , as well as Nirvana touring guitarist Pat Smear to complete the lineup . The band began with performances in Portland , Oregon . Goldsmith quit during the recording of the group 's second album , The Colour and the Shape ( 1997 ) , when most of the drum parts were re-recorded by Grohl himself . Smear 's departure followed soon afterward , though he would rejoin them in 2006 .   They were replaced by Taylor Hawkins and Franz Stahl , respectively , although Stahl was fired before the recording of the group 's third album , There Is Nothing Left to Lose ( 1999 ) . The band briefly continued as a trio until Chris Shiflett joined as the band 's lead guitarist after the completion of There Is Nothing Left to Lose . The band released its fourth album , One by One , in 2002 . The group followed that release with the two-disc In Your Honor ( 2005 ) , which was split between acoustic songs and heavier material . Foo Fighters released its sixth album , Echoes , Silence , Patience & Grace , in 2007 . The band 's seventh studio album , Wasting Light , produced by Butch Vig was released in 2011 , in which Smear returned as a full member . In November 2014 , the band 's eighth studio album , Sonic Highways , was released as an accompanying soundtrack to the Grohl-directed 2014 miniseries of the same name .   Over the course of the band 's career , four of its albums have won Grammy Awards for Best Rock Album . As of 2015 , the band 's eight albums have sold 12 million copies in the U.S. , and 30 million worldwide .


Android has been a country of broadband and dial-up usage.

Android (operating system) Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google , based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets . Android 's user interface is mainly based on direct manipulation , using touch gestures that loosely correspond to real-world actions , such as swiping , tapping and pinching , to manipulate on-screen objects , along with a virtual keyboard for text input . In addition to touchscreen devices , Google has further developed Android TV for televisions , Android Auto for cars , and Android Wear for wrist watches , each with a specialized user interface . Variants of Android are also used on notebooks , game consoles , digital cameras , and other electronics .   Initially developed by Android Inc. , which Google bought in 2005 , Android was unveiled in 2007 , along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliancea consortium of hardware , software , and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices . Beginning with the first commercial Android device in September 2008 , the operating system has gone through multiple major releases , with the current version being 7.0 `` Nougat '' , released in August 2016 . Android applications ( `` apps '' ) can be downloaded from the Google Play store , which features over 2.7 million apps as of February 2017 . Android has been the best-selling OS on tablets since 2013 , and runs on the vast majority of smartphones . , Android has two billion monthly active users , and it has the largest installed base of any operating system .   Android 's source code is released by Google under an open source license , although most Android devices ultimately ship with a combination of free and open source and proprietary software , including proprietary software required for accessing Google services . Android is popular with technology companies that require a ready-made , low-cost and customizable operating system for high-tech devices . Its open nature has encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open-source code as a foundation for community-driven projects , which deliver updates to older devices , add new features for advanced users or bring Android to devices originally shipped with other operating systems . The extensive variation of hardware in Android devices causes significant delays for software upgrades , with new versions of the operating system and security patches typically taking months before reaching consumers , or sometimes not at all . The success of Android has made it a target for patent and copyright litigation as part of the so-called `` smartphone wars '' between technology companies .


The Waterboy has a cameo from someone born in May.

The Waterboy The Waterboy is a 1998 American sports comedy film directed by Frank Coraci ( who played Robert ` Roberto ' Boucher , Sr. ) , starring Adam Sandler , Kathy Bates , Fairuza Balk , Henry Winkler , Jerry Reed ( his last film role before his death in 2008 ) , Larry Gilliard , Jr. , Blake Clark , Peter Dante and Jonathan Loughran , and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo .   Lynn Swann , Lawrence Taylor , Jimmy Johnson , Bill Cowher , Paul `` The Big Show '' Wight and Rob Schneider have cameo appearances . The movie was extremely profitable , earning $ 161.5 million in North America alone . This was Sandler 's second film to eclipse $ 120 million worldwide in 1998 along with The Wedding Singer .   Adam Sandler 's character , Bobby Boucher ( pronounced -LSB- buː ' ʃeɪ -RSB- ) , bears a strong resemblance to his `` The Excited Southerner '' comedic skits from his album What the Hell Happened to Me ? The portrayal is one of a stereotypical Cajun from the bayous of South Louisiana , not the typical stereotype of a Southerner . He also shares similarities in speech and mannerism to Canteen Boy , a recurring character , also portrayed by Sandler , on Saturday Night Live . Like Bobby , Canteen Boy was a soft-spoken manchild who preferred `` purified water , right out of the old canteen , '' which he always carried with him .


Bill Cowher William Laird Cowher ( born May 8 , 1957 ) is a former professional American football coach and player in the National Football League ( NFL ) . In Cowher 's 15 seasons as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers , the team won eight division titles and made 10 playoff appearances . Cowher led the Steelers to the Super Bowl twice , winning one . He is the second coach in NFL history to reach the playoffs in each of his first six seasons as head coach , a feat previously accomplished by Paul Brown . Cowher resigned as head coach of the Steelers on January 5 , 2007 , 11 months after winning Super Bowl XL in 2006 over the Seattle Seahawks . Cowher was replaced by current Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin . Before being hired by the Steelers in 1992 , Cowher served as an assistant coach for the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs under head coach Marty Schottenheimer . He is currently a studio analyst for The NFL Today .


Ramzan Kadyrov started a yearly freestyle wrestling international tournament.

Ramzan Kadyrov Ramzan Akhmadovich Kadyrov ( -LSB- Рамза́н Ахма́тович Кады́ров , p = rɐˈmzan ɐxˈmadəvʲɪtɕ kɐˈdɨrəf -RSB- , Къадар Ахьмат-кIант Рамзан , Q̇adar Aẋmat-khant Ramzan born 5 October 1976 ) is the Head of the Chechen Republic and a former member of the Chechen independence movement .   He is the son of former Chechen President Akhmad Kadyrov , who was assassinated in May 2004 . In February 2007 , Kadyrov replaced Alu Alkhanov as President , shortly after he had turned 30 , which is the minimum age for the post . He was engaged in violent power struggles with Chechen government warlords Sulim Yamadayev and Said-Magomed Kakiev for overall military authority , and with Alu Alkhanov for political authority .   Ramzan Kadyrov is an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences . He founded the Akhmat Fight Club and established annual freestyle wrestling international tournament Ramzan Kadyrov & Adlan Varayev Cup . Since November 2015 he is a member of the Advisory Commission of the State Council of the Russian Federation .   In April 2017 , reports emerged that gay men in Chechnya were being arrested , detained in concentration camps , and tortured as part of a region-wide pogrom . Russian President Putin said on May 5 , that he would personally ask the Russian Prosecutor General and Interior Ministry to help Kremlin rights ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova check the reported abuse . It is reported that Kadyrov has promised to `` eliminate '' the gay population of deeply conservative , Muslim Chechnya before the Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts , at the end of May 2017 .


Netflix was the platform that debuted The OA.

The OA The OA is an American mystery drama web television series with science fiction , supernatural , and fantasy elements , which debuted on Netflix on December 16 , 2016 . Created and executive produced by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij , the series is their third collaboration . The series consists of eight episodes , all directed by Batmanglij , and is produced by Plan B Entertainment and Anonymous Content . In the series , Marling stars as a young woman named Prairie Johnson who resurfaces after having been missing for seven years . Prairie now calls herself `` The OA '' and can see , despite having been blind before her disappearance .   The OA received generally favorable critical reception . The series ' directing , visuals and acting were often singled out . Reviews also ranged from highly positive to highly negative , with several reviewers drawing both favorable and unfavorable comparisons with Stranger Things , another science fiction series that debuted on Netflix earlier in the year . On February 8 , 2017 , Netflix renewed the series for a second season .


Death in Paradise (TV series) is a Canadian-Spanish crime comedy-drama series.

Death in Paradise (TV series) Death in Paradise is a British-French crime comedy-drama television series created by Robert Thorogood , starring Ben Miller ( series 1 -- 3 ) , Kris Marshall ( series 3 -- 6 ) & Ardal O'Hanlon ( series 6 -- present ) . The programme is a joint UK and French production filmed on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe and broadcast on BBC One in the United Kingdom and France 2 in France . Death in Paradise has enjoyed high ratings , leading to repeated renewals . A sixth series began broadcasting on 5 January 2017 and aired its finale on 23 February , with the subsequent DVD release occurring three days later on 27 February 2017 . The series will return in 2018 for a seventh series .


Boston is considered a center of higher education in medicine and business.

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


Calgary Stampeders had Dwayne Johnson playing football for them.

Dwayne Johnson Dwayne Douglas Johnson ( born May 2 , 1972 ) , also known by his ring name , The Rock , is an American actor , producer , and professional wrestler . He holds both American and Canadian citizenships .   Born in California and raised in New Zealand and the U.S. states of Hawaii and Pennsylvania , Johnson was a college football player for the University of Miami , where he won a national championship on the 1991 Miami Hurricanes football team . He later played for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League and was cut two months into the 1995 season . This led him to become a professional wrestler like his grandfather , Peter Maivia , and his father , Rocky Johnson , from whom he also inherited his Canadian citizenship .   Currently signed to WWE on a part-time contract , Johnson gained mainstream fame in the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) from 1996 to 2004 as a major figure in the company 's Attitude Era , and was the first third-generation wrestler in the company 's history . He returned to wrestling part-time for WWE from 2011 to 2013 and continues to make sporadic non-wrestling appearances for the company . Johnson has 17 championship reigns in WWE , including 10 as a world champion , winning the WWF/WWE Championship eight times ( seventh reign was as WWE Undisputed Champion ) and the WCW/World Championship twice . He won the WWF Intercontinental Championship twice and the WWF Tag Team Championship five times . Johnson is the sixth Triple Crown Champion in WWE history and won the 2000 Royal Rumble . He is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time .   Johnson 's autobiography The Rock Says ... , co-written with Joe Layden , was published in 2000 . It debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Best Seller list , spent 20 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list , and sold 720,000 copies in hardcover alone .   Johnson 's first leading film role was in The Scorpion King in 2002 . For this role , he was paid US$ 5.5 million , a world record for an actor in his first starring role . He has since appeared in various films , and become known for his ability to reinvigorate film franchises . One of his more prominent roles is Luke Hobbs in The Fast and the Furious franchise ; its most recent film , The Fate of the Furious , was released in 2017 and has grossed over $ 1.1 billion worldwide , making it the second highest-grossing film of 2017 and the twelfth highest-grossing film of all time . He hosted and produced The Hero , a reality competition series ; and has since continued to produce TV series and films through his production company Seven Bucks Productions , each of which he also stars in . Forbes listed Johnson No. 25 in the Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities in 2013 . He was the world 's highest-paid actor of 2016 . Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016 .  In 2015 , Muscle & Fitness named Johnson their `` Man of the Century '' .


Ethiopia Ethiopia ( -LSB- ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə -RSB- ኢትዮጵያ , , ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia ( የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ , yeʾĪtiyoṗṗya Fēdēralawī Dēmokirasīyawī Rīpebilīk ) , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It shares borders with Eritrea to the north and northeast , Djibouti and Somalia to the east , Sudan and South Sudan to the west , and Kenya to the south . With over 100 million inhabitants , Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world , as well as the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria . It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 km2 , and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa .   Some of the oldest evidence for anatomically modern humans has been found in Ethiopia . It is widely considered as the region from which modern humans first set out for the Middle East and places beyond . According to linguists , the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era . Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BC , Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history . During the first centuries AD , the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region , followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137 . Ethiopia derived prestige with its uniquely successful military resistance during the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa , becoming the only African country to defeat a European colonial power and retain its sovereignty . Subsequently , many African nations adopted the colors of Ethiopia 's flag following their independence . It was the first independent African member of the 20th-century League of Nations and the United Nations . In 1974 , at the end of Haile Selassie 's reign , power fell to a communist military dictatorship known as the Derg , backed by the Soviet Union , until it was defeated by the Ethiopian People 's Revolutionary Democratic Front , which has ruled since about the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 .   Ethiopia 's ancient Ge'ez script , also known as Ethiopic , is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world . The Ethiopian calendar , which is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar , co-exists alongside the Borana calendar . A majority of the population adheres to Christianity ( mainly the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and P'ent ` ay ) , while around a third follows Islam ( primarily Sunni Islam ) . The country is the site of the Migration to Abyssinia and the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa at Negash . A substantial population of Ethiopian Jews , known as Bete Israel , resided in Ethiopia until the 1980s , but most of them have since emigrated to Israel . Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups , the four largest of which are the Oromiffa , Amhara , Somali , and Tigrayans . Most people in the country speak Afroasiatic languages of the Cushitic or Semitic branches . Additionally , Omotic languages are spoken by ethnic minority groups inhabiting the southern regions . Nilo-Saharan languages are also spoken by the nation 's Nilotic ethnic minorities .   Ethiopia is the place of origin for the coffee bean which originated from the place called Kefa ( which was one of the 14 provinces in the old Ethiopian administration ) . It is a land of natural contrasts , with its vast fertile West , jungles , and numerous rivers , and the world 's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north . The Ethiopian Highlands are Africa 's largest continuous mountain ranges , and Sof Omar Caves contain Africa 's largest cave . Ethiopia has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa .   Ethiopia is one of the founding members of the UN , the Group of 24 ( G-24 ) , the Non-Aligned Movement , G-77 and the Organisation of African Unity . Ethiopia 's capital city Addis Ababa serves as the headquarters of the African Union , the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry , the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa , African Aviation Training HQ , the African Standby Force , and many of the global NGOs focused on Africa . In the 1970s and 1980s , Ethiopia suffered from civil wars and communist purges which devastated its economy . The country has begun to recover recently however , and now has the largest economy ( by GDP ) in East Africa and Central Africa . According to Global Fire Power , Ethiopia has the 42nd most powerful military in the world , and the third most powerful in Africa .


Tom Cruise was the main character in the film Vanilla Sky.

Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV ( born July 3 , 1962 ) , known professionally as Tom Cruise , is an American actor and producer . He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and has won three Golden Globe Awards . He started his career at age 19 in the film Endless Love ( 1981 ) . After portraying supporting roles in Taps ( 1981 ) and The Outsiders ( 1983 ) , his first leading role was in the romantic comedy Risky Business , released in August 1983 . Cruise became a full-fledged movie star after starring as Pete `` Maverick '' Mitchell in the action drama Top Gun ( 1986 ) . One of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood , Cruise starred in several more successful films in the 1980s , including the dramas The Color of Money ( 1986 ) , Cocktail ( 1988 ) , Rain Man ( 1988 ) , and Born on the Fourth of July ( 1989 ) .   In the 1990s , he starred in a number of hit films , including the romance Far and Away ( 1992 ) , the drama A Few Good Men ( 1992 ) , the legal thriller The Firm ( 1993 ) , the drama horror film Interview with the Vampire ( 1994 ) , the romantic comedy-drama sports film Jerry Maguire ( 1996 ) , the erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut , and the drama Magnolia ( both 1999 ) . Since 1996 , Cruise has been well known for his role as IMF agent Ethan Hunt in the Mission : Impossible film series , whose most recent film , Mission : Impossible -- Rogue Nation , was released in 2015 .   In the 2000s , Cruise starred in a number of successful films , including the science fiction thrillers Vanilla Sky ( 2001 ) and Minority Report ( 2002 ) , the epic war film The Last Samurai ( 2003 ) , the crime film Collateral ( 2004 ) , the science fiction disaster thriller War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) , and the historical thriller Valkyrie ( 2008 ) .   In the 2010s , he has starred in the action comedy Knight and Day ( 2010 ) , the thriller Jack Reacher ( 2012 ) , the post-apocalyptic science fiction film Oblivion ( 2013 ) , and the military science fiction film Edge of Tomorrow ( 2014 ) . In 2012 , Cruise was Hollywood 's highest-paid actor . 16 of his films grossed over $ 100 million domestically ; 22 have grossed in excess of $ 200 million worldwide .   He has won Golden Globe Awards for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Drama in 1990 for Born on the Fourth of July ; Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Comedy/Musical in 1997 for Jerry Maguire ; and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in 2000 for Magnolia . In 2002 , Cruise won the Saturn Award for Best Actor for Vanilla Sky . In 2003 , he won an AFI Movie of the Year Award for The Last Samurai and an Empire Award for Best Actor for Minority Report .   Cruise is an outspoken advocate for the Church of Scientology and its associated social programs , and credits it with helping him overcome dyslexia . In the 2000s , his criticisms of psychiatry and anti-depressant drugs , particularly therapy for 9/11 rescue workers , and efforts to promote Scientology as a religion in Europe , sparked controversies , as did a leaked video interview of him promoting Scientology .


Katrina Kaif Katrina Kaif ( -LSB- kəˈʈriːnaː ˈkɛːf -RSB- , born Katrina Turquotte , 16 July 1983 ) is a British film actress and model known for her work in Indian films . She has appeared primarily in Hindi films , as well as Telugu and Malayalam films . In addition to being one of Bollywood 's highest-paid actresses , she is considered one of India 's most attractive celebrities by media .   Born in Hong Kong , Kaif and her family lived in several countries before she moved to London . She received her first modelling assignment as a teenager and later pursued a career as a fashion model . At a fashion show in London , filmmaker Kaizad Gustad spotted Kaif and decided to cast her in Boom ( 2003 ) , a critical and commercial failure . While filming in India , Kaif received modelling assignments and established a successful modelling career . However , filmmakers were hesitant to cast her due to her poor command of Hindi . After appearing in the Telugu film , Malliswari ( 2004 ) , Kaif earned commercial success in Bollywood with the romantic comedies Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya ? ( 2005 ) and Namastey London ( 2007 ) . She followed with a series of box-office hits , but was criticised for her acting , repetitive roles and inclination to male-dominated films .   Kaif 's performance in the 2009 terrorism drama New York was better received , earning her a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination . After roles in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani ( 2009 ) , Raajneeti ( 2010 ) and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara ( 2011 ) , she received her second Filmfare nomination for her performance in Mere Brother Ki Dulhan ( 2011 ) . Kaif featured in the thrillers Ek Tha Tiger ( 2012 ) and Dhoom 3 ( 2013 ) , both of which rank among the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time . Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics for her acting prowess , she has established herself as a commercially successful actress of Hindi cinema .   In addition to acting , Kaif is involved with her mother 's charity and participates in stage shows . She is guarded about her personal life , which is a subject of media scrutiny , as is her background .


The Supernatural pilot was directed by an American television director.

Pilot (Supernatural) `` Pilot '' is the first episode of the television series Supernatural . It premiered on The WB on September 13 , 2005 , and was written by series creator Eric Kripke and directed by David Nutter . The Supernatural pilot introduced the characters of Sam ( Jared Padalecki ) and Dean Winchester ( Jensen Ackles ) , brothers who travel throughout the country hunting supernatural creatures , as they battled a ghostly Woman in White ( Sarah Shahi ) while searching for their missing father ( Jeffrey Dean Morgan ) .   Kripke was developing the concept for ten years before it was greenlit as a television series . Before it could be filmed , the script underwent numerous revisions . The episode was produced in Los Angeles , though future episodes were filmed in Vancouver , British Columbia , to save money . The episode established the series ' tradition of a rock-music soundtrack , and included background music scored by Kripke 's friend Christopher Lennertz . It received mixed reviews , with critics praising the horror elements but having varying opinions of the lead actors ' performances .


David Nutter David Nutter ( born 1960 ) is an American television and film director and television producer . He is best known for directing pilot episodes for television . In 2015 , he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series , for his work on the HBO series , Game of Thrones .


The Heiress (1947 play) was adapted from a novel by an American-born British person.

The Heiress (1947 play) The Heiress is a 1947 play by American playwrights Ruth and Augustus Goetz adapted from the 1880 Henry James novel Washington Square .


Henry James Henry James , OM was an American-born British writer . He is regarded as one of the key figures of 19th-century literary realism . He was the son of Henry James , Sr. and the brother of philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James .   He is best known for a number of novels showing Americans encountering Europe and Europeans . His method of writing from a character 's point of view allowed him to explore issues related to consciousness and perception , and his style in later works has been compared to impressionist painting . His imaginative use of point of view , interior monologue and unreliable narrators brought a new depth to narrative fiction .   James contributed significantly to literary criticism , particularly in his insistence that writers be allowed the greatest possible freedom in presenting their view of the world . James claimed that a text must first and foremost be realistic and contain a representation of life that is recognisable to its readers . Good novels , to James , show life in action and are , most importantly , interesting .   In addition to his voluminous works of fiction he published articles and books of travel , biography , autobiography , and criticism , and wrote plays . James alternated between America and Europe for the first twenty years of his life ; eventually he settled in England , becoming a British subject in 1915 , one year before his death . James was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1911 , 1912 , and 1916 .


Maynard James Keenan is A Perfect Circle's lead singer.

Maynard James Keenan Maynard James Keenan ( born James Herbert Keenan ; April 17 , 1964 ) , often referred to by his initials MJK , is an American musician , record producer , winemaker , and actor , best known as the vocalist for Grammy Award-winning progressive metal band Tool . He is originally from Ohio , but spent his high school and college years in Michigan . After serving in the United States Army in the early 1980s , he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids . He moved to Los Angeles , California in 1988 to pursue a career in interior design and set construction . Shortly thereafter , he formed the band Tool with Adam Jones .   Keenan is also the lead singer of A Perfect Circle . In 2003 , he created Puscifer as a side project and has subsequently released three studio albums . Since rising to fame , Keenan has been noted as being a recluse ; however , he does emerge to support charitable causes .   In addition to his music career , he has performed improvisational sketch comedy and ventured into acting . He currently owns Merkin Vineyards and the associated winery , Caduceus Cellars , which are located in Arizona , where he lives . Among other business ventures , he is a partner in the Los Angeles restaurant Cobras & Matadors , and also owns an organic produce market in Cornville , Arizona , which features a food court and a tasting room for his wines .


Spotlight was the first film to win best picture from a mini-major studio that wasn't Lionsgate, Summit, Miramax, or TWC.

Spotlight (film) Spotlight is a 2015 American biographical crime drama film directed by Tom McCarthy and written by McCarthy and Josh Singer . The film follows The Boston Globe `` Spotlight '' team , the oldest continuously operating newspaper investigative journalist unit in the United States , and its investigation into cases of widespread and systemic child sex abuse in the Boston area by numerous Roman Catholic priests . It is based on a series of stories by the `` Spotlight '' team that earned The Globe the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service . The film stars Mark Ruffalo , Michael Keaton , Rachel McAdams , John Slattery , Stanley Tucci , Brian d'Arcy James , Liev Schreiber , and Billy Crudup .   Spotlight was shown in the Out of Competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival . It was also shown at the Telluride Film Festival and the Special Presentations section of the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival . The film was released on November 6 , 2015 , by Open Road Films and grossed $ 90 million worldwide . It won numerous guilds and critics ' association awards , and was named one of the finest films of 2015 by various publications . Spotlight won the Academy Award for Best Picture along with Best Original Screenplay from six nominations in total , making Spotlight the first film from Open Road Films to win in either category . This also marks the first film to win Best Picture from a different mini-major studio than Lionsgate , Summit ( later bought by Lionsgate in 2012 ) , Miramax , or TWC .


The Sopranos was created by David Chase.

The Sopranos The Sopranos is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase . The story revolves around the fictional character , New Jersey-based Italian American mobster Tony Soprano ( James Gandolfini ) . The series portrays the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the conflicting requirements of his home life and his criminal organization . These are often highlighted during his therapy sessions with psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi ( Lorraine Bracco ) . The series features Tony 's family members , mafia colleagues and rivals , in prominent roles and story arcs , most notably his wife Carmela ( Edie Falco ) and protégé Christopher Moltisanti ( Michael Imperioli ) .   After the pilot was ordered in 1997 , the show premiered on the premium cable network HBO in the United States on January 10 , 1999 , and ran its six seasons with 86 episodes to June 10 , 2007 . The series then went through syndication and has been broadcast on A&E in the United States and internationally . The Sopranos was produced by HBO , Chase Films , and Brad Grey Television . It was primarily filmed at Silvercup Studios , New York City , and on location in New Jersey . The executive producers throughout the show 's run were David Chase , Brad Grey , Robin Green , Mitchell Burgess , Ilene S. Landress , Terence Winter , and Matthew Weiner .   The Sopranos is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time . The series also won a multitude of awards , including Peabody Awards for its first two seasons , 21 Primetime Emmy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards . A staple of 2000s American popular culture , the series has been the subject of critical analysis , controversy , and parody . It has spawned books , a video game , high-charting soundtrack albums , and a large amount of assorted merchandise . Several members of the show 's cast and crew who were previously largely unknown to the public have had successful careers after The Sopranos . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America named The Sopranos the best-written TV series of all time , while TV Guide ranked it the best television series of all time .


Erin Cressida Wilson wrote the screenplay for The Girl on the Train.

The Girl on the Train (2016 film) The Girl on the Train is a 2016 American mystery thriller drama film directed by Tate Taylor and written by Erin Cressida Wilson , based on Paula Hawkins ' 2015 debut novel of the same name . The film stars Emily Blunt , Rebecca Ferguson , Haley Bennett , Justin Theroux , Luke Evans , Allison Janney , Édgar Ramírez , and Lisa Kudrow , and follows an alcoholic divorcée who becomes involved in a missing persons investigation .   Principal photography began on November 4 , 2015 in New York City . Produced by Marc Platt and DreamWorks Pictures , The Girl on the Train was the first DreamWorks Pictures film to be distributed by Universal Pictures , as part of DreamWorks ' new distribution deal via Amblin Partners . It premiered in London on September 20 , 2016 and was theatrically released in the United States on October 7 , 2016 . The film grossed $ 173 million worldwide , and received mixed reviews , although Blunt 's performance received praise and gained a nomination at the 23rd Screen Actors Guild Awards , as well as a nomination for BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the 70th British Academy Film Awards .


Wikipedia had billions of page views every month.

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


The Voice (U.S. season 3) The third season of the American reality talent show The Voice premiered on September 10 , 2012 on NBC . NBC officially announced The Voice 's renewal on May 13 , 2012 , during its 2012 -- 13 upfront presentation , with the show returning as a fall series .   For this season , teams increased to 16 , up from 12 last season . In addition , during the battle round , opposing coaches have the ability to steal the singer that was sent home by the original coach . If more than one coach hits their button to recruit the singer in question , it is up to the contestant to decide which coach he or she wants to work with . Each coach can save two contestants , which means the battle round will end with ten singers on each team , rather than eight . A new two-night `` knockout round '' will begin after the battle round , where the coaches will reduce their teams to five . This was followed by a reduction of the teams to three each , with the two most voted for by viewers selected , along with one choice from the judge . After this , the show moved to a format more similar to American Idol or The X Factor , starting the top 12 and the top spots given to the 10 , who received the most viewer votes ( including iTunes downloads as votes ) . A series of after shows was also filmed and streamed on NBC 's website after each live show this season .


The Voice (U.S. TV series) The Voice is an American reality television singing competition broadcast on NBC . Based on the original The Voice of Holland , the concept of the series is to find currently unsigned singing talent ( solo or duets , professional and amateur ) contested by aspiring singers , age 13 or over , drawn from public auditions . The winner is determined by television viewers voting by telephone , Internet , SMS text , and iTunes Store purchases of the audio-recorded artists ' vocal performances . They receive US$ 100,000 and a record deal with Universal Music Group for winning the competition . The winners of the twelve seasons have been : Javier Colon , Jermaine Paul , Cassadee Pope , Danielle Bradbery , Tessanne Chin , Josh Kaufman , Craig Wayne Boyd , Sawyer Fredericks , Jordan Smith , Alisan Porter , Sundance Head , and Chris Blue .   The series employs a panel of four coaches who critique the artists ' performances and guide their teams of selected artists through the remainder of the season . They also compete to ensure that their act wins the competition , thus making them the winning coach . Members of the coaching panel include Adam Levine , Blake Shelton , Christina Aguilera ( seasons 1 -- 3 , 5 , 8 , 10 ) , CeeLo Green ( seasons 1 -- 3 , 5 ) , Shakira ( season 4 , 6 ) , Usher ( season 4 , 6 ) , Gwen Stefani ( season 7 , 9 , 12 ) , Pharrell Williams ( seasons 7 -- 10 ) , Miley Cyrus ( season 11 ) , and Alicia Keys ( seasons 11 -- 12 ) .   The Voice began airing on April 26 , 2011 , as a spring TV season program . The show proved to be a hit for NBC and was subsequently expanded into the fall cycle when season three premiered on September 10 , 2012 . The series premiered its twelfth season on February 27 , 2017 . On October 18 , 2016 , NBC renewed the series through its thirteenth season . On May 10 , 2017 , NBC renewed the series for a fourteenth series , along with announcing Jennifer Hudson as a new coach in the thirteenth season . The following day , it was announced that Kelly Clarkson would be a new coach in the fourteenth season , sitting alongside Adam Levine , Blake Shelton , and Jennifer Hudson .


Adam Levine Adam Noah Levine ( born March 18 , 1979 ) is an American singer , songwriter , multi-instrumentalist , actor , and record producer . He is the lead vocalist for the pop rock band Maroon 5 .   Born and raised in Los Angeles , California , Levine began his musical career in 1994 , when he co-founded the alternative rock band Kara 's Flowers , of which he was the lead vocalist and guitarist . The band split up after their only album , The Fourth World ( released in 1997 ) , which did not gain popularity . In 2001 , the group was reformed -- with guitarist James Valentine joining the line-up -- and began a new musical chapter , changing their name to Maroon 5 . In 2002 , the band released their first album , Songs About Jane , which went multi-platinum in the US . Since then , they have released four more albums , It Wo n't Be Soon Before Long ( 2007 ) , Hands All Over ( 2010 ) , Overexposed ( 2012 ) and V ( 2014 ) . He also has released two singles `` Do n't Wan na Know '' and `` Cold . '' As part of Maroon 5 , Levine has received three Grammy Awards , two Billboard Music Awards , two American Music Awards , an MTV Video Music Award and a World Music Award .   Since 2011 , Levine has served as a coach on NBC 's reality talent show The Voice . The winners of the first , fifth and ninth seasons , Javier Colon , Tessanne Chin and Jordan Smith , were on his team . In 2012 , he made his acting debut as a recurring character in the horror television show American Horror Story : Asylum for the series ' second season . He also starred in the film Begin Again .   As an entrepreneur , Levine launched his own eponymous fragrance line in 2013 . The same year , he collaborated with K-Mart and ShopYourWay.com to develop his menswear collection . He also owns a record label , 222 Records . In 2013 , The Hollywood Reporter reported that `` sources familiar with his many business dealings '' estimated Levine would earn more than $ 35 million that year .


Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban ( born 26 October 1967 ) is a New Zealand-born Australian country musician . In 1991 , he released a self-titled debut album and charted four singles in Australia before moving to the United States the following year . He found work as a session guitarist before starting a band known as The Ranch , which recorded one studio album on Capitol Nashville and charted two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart .   Still signed to Capitol , Urban made his solo American debut in 1999 with a second eponymous album . Certified platinum in the US , it produced his first number one on Hot Country Songs with `` But for the Grace of God '' . `` Somebody Like You '' , the first single from his second Capitol album , Golden Road ( 2002 ) , was named by Billboard as the biggest country hit of the 2000s decade . The album 's fourth single , `` You 'll Think of Me '' , earned him his first Grammy . 2004 's Be Here , his third American album , produced three more number 1 singles and became his highest-selling album , earning 4 × Platinum certification . Love , Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing was released in 2006 , containing `` Once in a Lifetime '' as well as his second Grammy song , `` Stupid Boy '' . A greatest hits package entitled Greatest Hits : 18 Kids followed in late 2007 . Defying Gravity and Get Closer were released on 31 March 2009 and 16 November 2010 , respectively . In September 2013 , he released a brand new album titled Fuse , which produced four more number ones on the Country Airplay chart , two of which are duets -- one with Miranda Lambert and the other with Eric Church . A new single , entitled `` John Cougar , John Deere , John 3:16 '' , was released in June 2015 as the lead-off single to his eighth American studio album Ripcord . The album later produced the Country Airplay number one hits '' Break on Me '' , `` Wasted Time '' and `` Blue Ai n't Your Color '' , with the latter also becoming Urban 's longest reigning number one on the Hot Country Songs chart spending twelve weeks at number one .   Urban has released a total of nine studio albums ( one of which was released only in the United Kingdom ) , as well as one album with The Ranch . He has charted 37 singles on the US Hot Country Songs , 18 of which went to number one , counting a duet with Brad Paisley and the 2008 single `` You Look Good in My Shirt '' , which he previously recorded on Golden Road . Those also include his third Grammy Award-winning single `` Sweet Thing '' from his album Defying Gravity .   Urban is also known for his roles as a coach on the Australian version of the singing competition The Voice and as a judge on American Idol . Since 2006 , he has been married to actress Nicole Kidman . In October 2013 , Urban introduced his own signature line of guitars and accessories .


Legion is a film created in the United States and is categorized as horror.

Legion (2010 film) Legion is a 2010 American apocalyptic supernatural action horror film directed by Scott Stewart and co-written by Stewart and Peter Schink . The cast includes Paul Bettany , Lucas Black , Tyrese Gibson , Adrianne Palicki , Kate Walsh , and Dennis Quaid . Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group acquired most of this film 's worldwide distribution rights , and the group opened this film in North America theatrically on January 22 , 2010 through Screen Gems .   A television series called Dominion , set 25 years after the end of the film , premiered on the American cable television network Syfy on June 19 , 2014 .


Vanilla Sky stars only actors and actresses with birthdays in November.

Jason Lee (actor) Jason Michael Lee ( born April 25 , 1970 ) is an American actor , producer , comedian and skateboarder . He is best known for his roles as Earl Hickey in the television comedy series My Name Is Earl , David Seville in the Alvin and the Chipmunks film franchise and the voice of Syndrome in The Incredibles . He is also known for his roles in Kevin Smith films such as Mallrats , Chasing Amy , Dogma , Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back , Jersey Girl , Clerks II and Cop Out .  A skateboard enthusiast , Lee is the co-founder and co-owner of Stereo Skateboards , a company that manufactures skateboard decks .


Cameron Diaz Cameron Michelle Diaz ( born August 30 , 1972 ) is an American actress , producer , and former fashion model . She rose to stardom with roles in The Mask ( 1994 ) , My Best Friend 's Wedding ( 1997 ) and There 's Something About Mary ( 1998 ) , and is also known for voicing the character of Princess Fiona in the Shrek series ( 2001 -- 10 ) . Other high-profile credits include Charlie 's Angels ( 2000 ) and its sequel Charlie 's Angels : Full Throttle ( 2003 ) , The Sweetest Thing ( 2002 ) , In Her Shoes ( 2005 ) , The Holiday ( 2006 ) , What Happens In Vegas ( 2008 ) , My Sister 's Keeper ( 2009 ) , Knight and Day ( 2010 ) , The Green Hornet ( 2011 ) , Bad Teacher ( 2011 ) , What to Expect When You 're Expecting ( 2012 ) , The Counselor ( 2013 ) , The Other Woman , Sex Tape , and Annie ( all 2014 ) .   Diaz received four Golden Globe Award nominations for her performances in Being John Malkovich ( 1999 ) , Vanilla Sky ( 2001 ) , Gangs of New York ( 2002 ) and There 's Something About Mary ( 1998 ) , for the latter of which she also won the New York Film Critics Best Lead Actress Award . In 2013 , Diaz was named the highest-paid actress over 40 in Hollywood . As of 2015 , the U.S. domestic box office grosses of Diaz 's films total over US$ 3 billion , with worldwide grosses surpassing $ 7 billion , making her the third highest-grossing U.S. domestic box office actress ( after Scarlett Johansson and Emma Watson ) .


Vanilla Sky Vanilla Sky is a 2001 American science fiction psychological thriller film directed , written , and co-produced by Cameron Crowe . It is an English-language remake of Alejandro Amenábar 's 1997 Spanish film Open Your Eyes , which was written by Amenábar and Mateo Gil , with Penélope Cruz reprising her role from the original film . The film has been described as `` an odd mixture of science fiction , romance and reality warp '' .   Vanilla Sky stars Tom Cruise , Penelope Cruz , and Cameron Diaz with Jason Lee and Kurt Russell appearing in supporting roles . It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song , as well as Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe Award nominations for Cameron Diaz 's performance . The soundtrack was also critically acclaimed . Vanilla Sky was released on Blu-ray on June 30 , 2015 in North America .


Michael Giacchino composed the score for Alias.

Michael Giacchino Michael Giacchino ( -LSB- dʒakˈkiːno -RSB- ; born October 10 , 1967 ) is an American composer of music for films , television and video games . He composed the scores to the television series Lost , Alias and Fringe , the video ' game series Medal of Honor and Call of Duty and many films such as The Incredibles , Ratatouille , Up , Mission : Impossible - Ghost Protocol , Dawn of the Planet of the Apes , Jurassic World , Inside Out , Star Trek Beyond , Doctor Strange , Rogue One and Spider-Man : Homecoming .   Giacchino has received an Emmy Award and multiple Grammy Awards , as well as a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for his work on Up .


Bill Gates is the co-founder of Moldovan nationalism.

Bill Gates William Henry Gates III ( born October 28 , 1955 ) is the co-founder of Microsoft and is an American business magnate , investor , author and philanthropist .   In 1975 , Gates and Paul Allen co-founded Microsoft , which became the world 's largest PC software company . During his career at Microsoft , Gates held the positions of chairman , CEO and chief software architect , while also being the largest individual shareholder until May 2014 . Gates stepped down as chief executive officer of Microsoft in January 2000 , but he remained as chairman and created the position of chief software architect for himself . In June 2006 , Gates announced that he would be transitioning from full-time work at Microsoft to part-time work and full-time work at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation . He gradually transferred his duties to Ray Ozzie and Craig Mundie . He stepped down as chairman of Microsoft in February 2014 , taking on a new post as technology adviser to support the then newly appointed CEO Satya Nadella .   Gates is one of the best-known entrepreneurs of the personal computer revolution . He has been criticized for his business tactics , which have been considered anti-competitive , an opinion that has in some cases been upheld by numerous court rulings . Later in his career , Gates pursued a number of philanthropic endeavors , donating large amounts of money to various charitable organizations and scientific research programs through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation , established in 2000 .   Since 1987 , Gates has been included in the Forbes list of the world 's wealthiest people . Gates is the richest person in the world , with an estimated net worth of US$ 88.5 billion . In 2009 , Gates and Warren Buffett founded The Giving Pledge , whereby they and other billionaires pledge to give at least half of their wealth to philanthropy .


Chris O'Dowd Christopher `` Chris '' O'Dowd ( born 9 October 1979 ) is an Irish actor , best known for comedic roles such as Roy Trenneman in the Channel 4 comedy The IT Crowd . O'Dowd created and starred in the Sky 1 television series Moone Boy , which aired between 2012 and 2015 . He had a recurring role on the drama series Girls and starred in the television series Family Tree .   O'Dowd is also known for his film roles , most notably Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) , This Is 40 ( 2012 ) , The Sapphires ( 2012 ) , Thor : The Dark World ( 2013 ) , Calvary ( 2014 ) , and St. Vincent ( 2014 ) . He made his Broadway debut in the play adaptation of Of Mice and Men in 2014 , for which he was nominated for a Tony Award .


Bridesmaids (2011 film) Bridesmaids is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Paul Feig , written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig , and produced by Judd Apatow , Barry Mendel and Clayton Townsend . The plot centers on Annie ( Wiig ) , who suffers a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as maid of honor for her best friend , Lillian , played by Maya Rudolph . Rose Byrne , Melissa McCarthy , Ellie Kemper , and Wendi McLendon-Covey co-star as Lillian 's bridesmaids , with Chris O'Dowd , Rebel Wilson , Matt Lucas , Michael Hitchcock , and Jill Clayburgh , in her final film appearance , in supporting roles .   Actresses Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig wrote the screenplay following Wiig 's casting in Apatow 's 2007 comedy film Knocked Up . Budgeted at $ 32.5 million , filming took place in Los Angeles , California . Upon its opening release in the United States and Canada on May 13 , 2011 , Bridesmaids was both critically and commercially successful . The film grossed $ 26 million in its opening weekend , eventually grossing over $ 288 million worldwide , and surpassed Knocked Up to become the top-grossing Apatow production to date , and served as a touchstone for discussion about women in comedy .   The film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy . It received multiple other accolades . On January 24 , 2012 , the film was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Melissa McCarthy and Best Original Screenplay for Wiig and Mumolo . This made it the first Apatow-produced film to be nominated for an Academy Award .


The IT Crowd The IT Crowd is a British sitcom by Channel 4 , written by Graham Linehan ( who also co-created and co-wrote Father Ted ) , produced by Ash Atalla and starring Chris O'Dowd , Richard Ayoade , Katherine Parkinson , and Matt Berry .   Set in the London offices of the fictional Reynholm Industries , the show revolves around the three staff members of its IT department : a geeky genius named Maurice Moss ( Ayoade ) , the work-shy Roy Trenneman ( O'Dowd ) , and Jen Barber ( Parkinson ) , the department head/relationship manager , who knows nothing about IT . The show also focuses on the bosses of Reynholm Industries : Denholm Reynholm ( Chris Morris ) and later , his son Douglas ( Matt Berry ) , as well as Gothic IT technician Richmond Avenal ( Noel Fielding ) .   The comedy premiered on Channel 4 on 3 February 2006 , and ran for four series of six episodes each . Although a fifth series was commissioned , it was never produced . The programme was concluded with a special , one-off episode , that aired on 27 September 2013 . The show was critically acclaimed and has an 8.6 rating on IMDb .


Greece Greece ( Ελλάδα , -LSB- eˈlaða -RSB- ) , officially the Hellenic Republic ( Greek : Ελληνική Δημοκρατία , -LSB- eliniˈci ðimokraˈti.a -RSB- ) , historically also known as Hellas ( Ἑλλάς , -LSB- heˈlas -RSB- , modern pronunciation Ellás ) , is a country in southeastern Europe , with a population of approximately 11 million as of 2015 . Athens is the nation 's capital and largest city , followed by Thessaloniki .   Greece is strategically located at the crossroads of Europe , Asia , and Africa . Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula , it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest , the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north , and Turkey to the northeast . Greece consists of nine geographic regions : Macedonia , Central Greece , the Peloponnese , Thessaly , Epirus , the Aegean Islands ( including the Dodecanese and Cyclades ) , Thrace , Crete , and the Ionian Islands . The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland , the Ionian Sea to the west , the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13676 km in length , featuring a vast number of islands , of which 227 are inhabited . Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous , with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2918 m.   Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilization , being the birthplace of democracy , Western philosophy , the Olympic Games , Western literature , historiography , political science , major scientific and mathematical principles , and Western drama . From the eighth century BC , the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states , known as polis , which spanned the entire Mediterranean region and the Black Sea . Philip of Macedon united most of the Greek mainland in the fourth century BC , with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the ancient world , spreading Greek culture and science from the eastern Mediterranean to the Indus River . Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century BC , becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor , the Byzantine Empire , wherein the Greek language and culture were dominant . The Greek Orthodox Church also shaped modern Greek identity and transmitted Greek traditions to the wider Orthodox World . Falling under Ottoman dominion in the mid-15th century , the modern nation state of Greece emerged in 1830 following a war of independence . Greece 's rich historical legacy is reflected by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , among the most in Europe and the world .   Greece is a democratic and developed country with an advanced high-income economy , a high quality of life , and a very high standard of living . A founding member of the United Nations , Greece was the tenth member to join the European Communities ( precursor to the European Union ) and has been part of the Eurozone since 2001 . It is also a member of numerous other international institutions , including the Council of Europe , the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , and the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie ( OIF ) . Greece 's unique cultural heritage , large tourism industry , prominent shipping sector and geostrategic importance classify it as a middle power . It is the largest economy in the Balkans , where it is an important regional investor .


Fujitsu iPAD The Fujitsu iPAD is a lightweight handheld device that was introduced by Fujitsu , in 2002 . It runs Microsoft 's CE.NET operating system . It supports 802.11 b wireless LAN to connect wirelessly with other company infrastructure . The device can support inventory management as well as credit card payments . In January 2010 , when Apple announced the Apple iPad , there was a naming controversy between the two devices . To settle the trademark infringement allegation , Apple purchased the trademark rights from Fujitsu . Some trademark analysts estimate that Apple paid Fujitsu over US$ 4 million in exchange for the March 17 , 2010 assignment of Fujitsu 's iPad trademark rights to Apple .


Mobile device A mobile device ( or handheld computer ) is a computing device small enough to hold and operate in the hand . Typically , the device has a either flatscreen display with a small numeric keypad or alphanumeric keyboard , or a touchscreen providing a virtual keyboard and buttons ( icons ) on-screen . Many such devices can connect to the Internet and interconnect with other devices such as car entertainment systems or headsets via Wi-Fi , Bluetooth or near field communication ( NFC ) . Integrated cameras , digital media players , mobile phone and Global Positioning System ( GPS ) capabilities are common . Power is typically provided by a lithium battery . Mobile devices may run mobile operating systems that allow third-party apps specialized for said capabilities to be installed and run .   Early pocket-sized devices were joined in the late 2000s by larger but otherwise similar tablet computers . Input and output is now usually via a touch-screen interface . Smartphones and personal digital assistants may provide much of the functionality of a laptop or desktop computer but more conveniently . Enterprise digital assistants can provide additional business functionality such as integrated data capture via barcode , RFID and smart card readers  By 2010 , mobile devices often contained sensors such as accelerometers , compasses , magnetometers and gyroscopes allowing detection of orientation and motion . Mobile devices may provide biometric user authentication such as face recognition or fingerprint recognition .   Manufacturers include Apple , Samsung , Sony , HTC , LG , and Motorola Mobility .


Alex Rodriguez is a player for the Texas Rangers.

Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez ( born July 27 , 1975 ) , nicknamed `` A-Rod '' , is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman . He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , and New York Yankees . Rodriguez was one of the sport 's most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time . During his 22-year career , Rodriguez has amassed a .297 batting average , 696 home runs , over 2,000 runs batted in ( RBI ) , over 2,000 runs scored , and over 3,000 hits . He is a 14-time All-Star and has won three American League ( AL ) Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten Silver Slugger Awards , and two Gold Glove Awards . Rodríguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25 . However , he has led a highly controversial career due to signing two of the most lucrative sports contracts in history while incurring criticism from the media for his behavior and use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs .   The Mariners selected Rodriguez first overall in the 1993 MLB draft , and he debuted in the major leagues the following year at the age of 18 . In 1996 , he became the Mariners ' starting shortstop and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award . Rodriguez 's combination of power , speed , and defense made him a cornerstone of the franchise , but he left the team via free agency after the 2000 season to join the Rangers . The 10-year , $ 252 million contract he signed was the richest in baseball history . He played at a high level in his three years with Texas , highlighted by his first AL MVP Award win in 2003 , but the team failed to make the playoffs during his tenure . Prior to the 2004 season , Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees , for whom he converted to a third baseman due to incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter . In his first four seasons with New York , he was twice more named AL MVP . After opting out of his contract following the 2007 season , Rodriguez signed a new 10-year , $ 275 million deal with the Yankees , extending his record for the sport 's most lucrative contract . He became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs , reaching the milestone in 2007 . He won his first World Series in 2009 , which was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium . The following year , he became the career leader in home runs by a player of Hispanic descent . In recent years , Rodriguez has been hampered by hip and knee injuries , which have caused him to exclusively become a designated hitter . He played his final game as a Yankee on August 12 , 2016 .   In February 2009 , after previously denying use of performance-enhancing drugs , including during a 2007 interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes , Rodriguez admitted to using steroids , saying he used them from 2001 to 2003 when playing for Rangers due to `` an enormous amount of pressure '' to perform . While recovering from a hip injury in 2013 , Rodriguez made headlines by feuding with team management over his rehabilitation and for having allegedly obtained performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Biogenesis baseball scandal . In August 2013 , MLB suspended him 211 games for his involvement in the scandal , but he was allowed to play while appealing the punishment . Had the original suspension been upheld , it would have been the longest non-lifetime suspension in Major League Baseball history . After an arbitration hearing , the suspension was reduced to 162 games , keeping him off the field for the entire 2014 season .


STS-96 launched from Kennedy Space Center.

STS-96 STS-96 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station ( ISS ) flown by Space Shuttle Discovery , and the first shuttle flight to dock with the International Space Station . The shuttle carried the Spacehab module in the payload , filled with cargo for station outfitting . STS-96 launched from Kennedy Space Center , Florida , on 27 May 1999 at 06:49:42 AM EDT .


About 98% of Antarctica is covered by fire.

Antarctica Antarctica ( UK English -LSB- ænˈtɑːktɪkə -RSB- or -LSB- ænˈtɑːtɪkə -RSB- , US English -LSB- æntˈɑːrktɪkə -RSB- ) is Earth 's southernmost continent . It contains the geographic South Pole and is situated in the Antarctic region of the Southern Hemisphere , almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle , and is surrounded by the Southern Ocean . At 14000000 km2 , it is the fifth-largest continent . For comparison , Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia . About 98 % of Antarctica is covered by ice that averages 1.9 km in thickness , which extends to all but the northernmost reaches of the Antarctic Peninsula .   Antarctica , on average , is the coldest , driest , and windiest continent , and has the highest average elevation of all the continents . Antarctica is a desert , with annual precipitation of only 200 mm ( 8 in ) along the coast and far less inland . The temperature in Antarctica has reached − 89.2 ° C ( − 128.6 ° F ) , though the average for the third quarter ( the coldest part of the year ) is − 63 ° C ( − 81 ° F ) . Anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent . Organisms native to Antarctica include many types of algae , bacteria , fungi , plants , protista , and certain animals , such as mites , nematodes , penguins , seals and tardigrades . Vegetation , where it occurs , is tundra .   Although myths and speculation about a Terra Australis ( `` Southern Land '' ) date back to antiquity , Antarctica is noted as the last region on Earth in recorded history to be discovered and colonised by humans , being only first sighted in 1820 by the Russian expedition of Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on Vostok and Mirny , who sighted the Fimbul ice shelf . The continent , however , remained largely neglected for the rest of the 19th century because of its hostile environment , lack of easily accessible resources , and isolation . In 1895 , the first confirmed landing was conducted by a team of Norwegians .   Antarctica is a de facto condominium , governed by parties to the Antarctic Treaty System that have consulting status . Twelve countries signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959 , and thirty-eight have signed it since then . The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining , prohibits nuclear explosions and nuclear waste disposal , supports scientific research , and protects the continent 's ecozone . Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists from many nations .