Nineteen Eighty-Four's writer George Orwell's real name was Eric Arthur Blair.

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair ( 25 June 1903 -- 21 January 1950 ) , better known by his pen name George Orwell , was an English novelist , essayist , journalist , and critic . His work is marked by lucid prose , awareness of social injustice , opposition to totalitarianism , and outspoken support of democratic socialism .   Orwell wrote literary criticism , poetry , fiction , and polemical journalism . He is best known for the allegorical novella Animal Farm ( 1945 ) and the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four ( 1949 ) . His non-fiction works , including The Road to Wigan Pier ( 1937 ) , documenting his experience of working class life in the north of England , and Homage to Catalonia ( 1938 ) , an account of his experiences in the Spanish Civil War , are widely acclaimed , as are his essays on politics , literature , language , and culture . In 2008 , The Times ranked him second on a list of `` The 50 greatest British writers since 1945 '' .   Orwell 's work continues to influence popular and political culture , and the term Orwellian -- descriptive of totalitarian or authoritarian social practices -- has entered the language together with many of his neologisms , including cold war , Big Brother , Thought Police , Room 101 , memory hole , newspeak , doublethink , and thoughtcrime .


Nineteen Eighty-Four Nineteen Eighty-Four , often published as 1984 , is a dystopian novel published in 1949 by English author George Orwell .  The novel is set in Airstrip One ( formerly known as Great Britain ) , a province of the superstate Oceania in a world of perpetual war , omnipresent government surveillance , and public manipulation . The superstate and its residents are dictated to by a political regime euphemistically named English Socialism , shortened to `` Ingsoc '' in Newspeak , the government 's invented language . The superstate is under the control of the privileged elite of the Inner Party , a party and government that persecutes individualism and independent thinking as `` thoughtcrime '' , which is enforced by the `` Thought Police '' .   The tyranny is ostensibly overseen by Big Brother , the Party leader who enjoys an intense cult of personality , but who may not even exist . The Party `` seeks power entirely for its own sake . It is not interested in the good of others ; it is interested solely in power . '' The protagonist of the novel , Winston Smith , is a member of the Outer Party , who works for the Ministry of Truth ( or Minitrue in Newspeak ) , which is responsible for propaganda and historical revisionism . His job is to rewrite past newspaper articles , so that the historical record always supports the party line . The instructions that the workers receive portray the corrections as fixing misquotations and never as what they really are : forgeries and falsifications . A large part of the Ministry also actively destroys all documents that have not been edited and do not contain the revisions ; in this way , no proof exists that the government is lying . Smith is a diligent and skillful worker but secretly hates the Party and dreams of rebellion against Big Brother . The heroine of the novel , Julia , is based on Orwell 's second wife , Sonia Orwell .   As literary political fiction and dystopian science-fiction , Nineteen Eighty-Four is a classic novel in content , plot and style . Many of its terms and concepts , such as Big Brother , doublethink , thoughtcrime , Newspeak , Room 101 , telescreen , 2 + 2 = 5 , and memory hole , have entered into common use since its publication in 1949 . Nineteen Eighty-Four popularised the adjective Orwellian , which describes official deception , secret surveillance , and manipulation of recorded history by a totalitarian or authoritarian state . In 2005 , the novel was chosen by Time magazine as one of the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to 2005 . It was awarded a place on both lists of Modern Library 100 Best Novels , reaching number 13 on the editor 's list , and 6 on the readers ' list . In 2003 , the novel was listed at number 8 on the BBC 's survey The Big Read .


Counterculture groups are people who differentiate themselves from the parent culture to which they belong.

Counterculture A counterculture ( also written counter-culture ) is a subculture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of mainstream society , often in opposition to mainstream cultural mores .   A countercultural movement expresses the ethos and aspirations of a specific population during a well-defined era . When oppositional forces reach critical mass , countercultures can trigger dramatic cultural changes .   Prominent examples of countercultures in Europe and North America include Romanticism ( 1790 -- 1840 ) , Bohemianism ( 1850 -- 1910 ) , the more fragmentary counterculture of the Beat Generation ( 1944 -- 1964 ) , and perhaps most prominently , the counterculture of the 1960s ( 1964 -- 1974 ) , usually associated with the hippie subculture .


Subculture Subculture , a concept from the academic fields of sociology and cultural studies , is a group of people within a culture that differentiates itself from the parent culture to which it belongs , often maintaining some of its founding principles .


Hitman (2007 film) Hitman is a 2007 French-American-British action-thriller film directed by Xavier Gens and based on the video game series of the same name . The story revolves around Agent 47 , a professional hitman , who was engineered to be an assassin by the group known as `` The Organization '' . He becomes ensnared in a political conspiracy and finds himself pursued by both Interpol and Russian intelligence . The film stars Timothy Olyphant , Olga Kurylenko and Dougray Scott and was released on November 21 , 2007 in the United States , November 30 , 2007 in the United Kingdom and December 26 , 2007 in France . Though critically not well-received , it was a financial success , grossing $ 99 million against a $ 24 million budget .   A sequel was canceled during the production , but it was followed by a reboot titled Hitman : Agent 47 starring Rupert Friend as Agent 47 , released on August 21 , 2015 .


Dracula introduced the Count Dracula character.

Dracula Dracula is an 1897 Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker . It introduced the famous character Count Dracula and established many conventions of subsequent vampire fantasy . The novel tells the story of Dracula 's attempt to move from Transylvania to England so that he may find new blood and spread the undead curse , and of the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor Abraham Van Helsing .   Dracula has been assigned to many literary genres including vampire literature , horror fiction , the gothic novel , and invasion literature . The novel has spawned numerous theatrical , film , and television interpretations .


Alex Gansa retired from television production before Homeland was created.

Homeland (TV series) Homeland is an American spy thriller television series developed by Howard Gordon and Alex Gansa based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War ( Original title חטופים Hatufim , literally `` Abductees '' ) , which was created by Gideon Raff .   The series stars Claire Danes as Carrie Mathison , a Central Intelligence Agency officer with bipolar disorder , and Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody , a U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper . Mathison had come to believe that Brody , who was held captive by al-Qaeda as a prisoner of war , was `` turned '' by the enemy and poses a threat to the United States .   The series is broadcast in the U.S. on the cable channel Showtime , and is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios ( formerly Fox 21 ) . It premiered on October 2 , 2011 . The first episode was made available online , more than two weeks before the television broadcast , with viewers having to complete game tasks to gain access . On October 22 , 2013 , Showtime renewed Homeland for a fourth season , which premiered on October 5 , 2014 . On November 10 , 2014 , Showtime renewed the series for a 12-episode fifth season that premiered on October 4 , 2015 . On December 9 , 2015 , the series was renewed for a sixth season . The sixth season debuted on January 15 , 2017 . The series has also been renewed for a seventh and eighth season ; the eighth is planned to be the series ' final season by the creators .   The series has received generally positive reviews , and has won several awards , including the 2012 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series , and the 2011 and 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series -- Drama , as well as the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Damian Lewis and Claire Danes , respectively .


Chicago White Sox often play their baseball games on a field in Chicago's South Side.

Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago , Illinois . The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the American League ( AL ) Central division . The White Sox play their home games at Guaranteed Rate Field , located on the city 's South Side . They are one of two major league clubs in Chicago ; the other is the Chicago Cubs , who are a member of the National League ( NL ) Central division . The team is currently owned by Jerry Reinsdorf .   One of the American League 's eight charter franchises , the Chicago team was established as a major league baseball club in . The club was originally called the Chicago White Stockings , but this was soon shortened to Chicago White Sox . The team played home games at South Side Park before , in , moving to Comiskey Park for the next eight decades .   The White Sox won the 1906 World Series with a defense-oriented team dubbed `` the Hitless Wonders '' , and the 1917 World Series led by Eddie Cicotte , Eddie Collins , and Shoeless Joe Jackson . The 1919 World Series was marred by the Black Sox Scandal , in which several members of the White Sox were accused of conspiring with gamblers to fix games . In response , Major League Baseball 's new Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned the players from Major League Baseball for life . In 1959 , led by Early Wynn , Nellie Fox , Luis Aparicio and manager Al Lopez , the White Sox won the American League pennant . They won the AL pennant in 2005 , and went on to win the World Series .


Google was incorporated as a privately held company.

Google Google is an American multinational technology company specializing in Internet-related services and products . These include online advertising technologies , search , cloud computing , software , and hardware . Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University , in California . Together , they own about 14 percent of its shares , and control 56 percent of the stockholder voting power through supervoting stock . They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4 , 1998 . An initial public offering ( IPO ) took place on August 19 , 2004 , and Google moved to its new headquarters in Mountain View , California , nicknamed the Googleplex . In August 2015 , Google announced plans to reorganize its various interests as a conglomerate called Alphabet Inc. . Google , Alphabet 's leading subsidiary , will continue to be the umbrella company for Alphabet 's Internet interests . Upon completion of the restructure , Sundar Pichai became CEO of Google , replacing Larry Page , who became CEO of Alphabet .   Rapid growth since incorporation has triggered a chain of products , acquisitions , and partnerships beyond Google 's core search engine ( Google Search ) . It offers services designed for work and productivity ( Google Docs , Sheets and Slides ) , email ( Gmail/Inbox ) , scheduling and time management ( Google Calendar ) , cloud storage ( Google Drive ) , social networking ( Google + ) , instant messaging and video chat ( Google Allo/Duo/Hangouts ) , language translation ( Google Translate ) , mapping and turn-by-turn navigation ( Google Maps ) , video sharing ( YouTube ) , notetaking ( Google Keep ) , and photo organizing and editing ( Google Photos ) . The company leads the development of the Android mobile operating system , the Google Chrome web browser , and Chrome OS , a lightweight operating system based on the Chrome browser . Google has moved increasingly into hardware ; from 2010 to 2015 , it partnered with major electronics manufacturers in the production of its Nexus devices , and in October 2016 , it released multiple hardware products ( including the Google Pixel smartphone , Home smart speaker , Wifi mesh wireless router , and Daydream View virtual reality headset ) . The new hardware chief , Rick Osterloh , stated : `` a lot of the innovation that we want to do now ends up requiring controlling the end-to-end user experience '' . Google has also experimented with becoming an Internet carrier . In February 2010 , it announced Google Fiber , a fiber-optic infrastructure that was installed in Kansas City ; in April 2015 , it launched Project Fi in the United States , combining Wi-Fi and cellular networks from different providers ; and in 2016 , it announced the Google Station initiative to make public Wi-Fi around the world , which had already been deployed in India .   Alexa , a company that monitors commercial web traffic , lists Google.com as the most visited website in the world . Several other Google services also figure in the top 100 most visited websites , including YouTube and Blogger . Google has been the second most valuable brand in the world for 4 consecutive years , but has received significant criticism involving issues such as privacy concerns , tax avoidance , antitrust , censorship , and search neutrality . Google 's mission statement , from the outset , was `` to organize the world 's information and make it universally accessible and useful '' , and its unofficial slogan was `` Do n't be evil '' . In October 2015 , the motto was replaced in the Alphabet corporate code of conduct by the phrase `` Do the right thing '' .


Maggie Gyllenhaal has worked with Laurie Collyer.

Sherrybaby Sherrybaby is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Laurie Collyer . Screened at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25 , 2006 , the film received a limited release in the United States on September 8 , 2006 .


Maggie Gyllenhaal Margalit Ruth `` Maggie '' Gyllenhaal ( -LSB- ˈdʒɪlənhɑːl -RSB- born November 16 , 1977 in New York City ) is an American actress . Part of the Gyllenhaal family , she is the daughter of filmmakers Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal .   She began her film career as a teenager with roles in her father 's films and appeared alongside her brother in the psychological horror film Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) . She garnered critical praise for starring as Lee Holloway in Secretary ( 2002 ) , for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award . For her performance in Sherrybaby ( 2006 ) , she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture -- Drama . She also received recognition for starring as Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) . For her performance in the musical-drama Crazy Heart ( 2009 ) , she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress . She subsequently starred in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang ( 2010 ) , Wo n't Back Down ( 2012 ) and Frank ( 2014 ) , for which she was nominated for a BIFA Award .   In 2014 , she made her Broadway debut in a revival of The Real Thing , and also starred in the television BBC miniseries The Honourable Woman . For her performance in the latter she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Emmy Award .


Davis Entertainment's divisions do at least two actions to projects for studios.

Davis Entertainment Davis Entertainment is an American independent film production company , founded by John Davis in 1984 .   Davis 's three divisions -- - feature film , independent film , and television - -- develop and produce film and television projects for the major studios , independent distributors , networks and cable broadcasters . The Company has enjoyed a long-standing first-look production deal at 20th Century Fox , though also produces projects for all studios and mini-majors .


Tom Hanks received a Kennedy Center Honor.

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks ( born July 9 , 1956 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He is known for his various comedic and dramatic film roles , including Splash ( 1984 ) , Big ( 1988 ) , Turner & Hooch ( 1989 ) , A League of Their Own ( 1992 ) , Sleepless in Seattle ( 1993 ) , Philadelphia ( 1993 ) , Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) , Apollo 13 ( 1995 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , You 've Got Mail ( 1998 ) , The Green Mile ( 1999 ) , Cast Away ( 2000 ) , Road to Perdition ( 2002 ) , and The Da Vinci Code ( 2006 ) , as well as for his voice work in the animated films The Polar Express ( 2004 ) and the Toy Story series .   Hanks ' films have grossed more than $ 4.5 billion at U.S. and Canadian box offices and more than $ 9.0 billion worldwide , making him the third-highest-grossing actor in North America . Hanks has been nominated for numerous awards during his career . He won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia , as well as a Golden Globe , an Academy Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award , and a People 's Choice Award for Best Actor for his role in Forrest Gump . In 2004 , he received the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for Excellence in Film from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA ) . In 2014 , he received a Kennedy Center Honor and , in 2016 , he received a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama , as well as the French Legion of Honor .   Hanks is also known for his collaborations with film director Steven Spielberg on Saving Private Ryan , Catch Me If You Can ( 2002 ) , The Terminal ( 2004 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) , as well as the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers , which launched Hanks as a successful director , producer , and screenwriter . In 2010 , Spielberg and Hanks were executive producers on the HBO miniseries The Pacific ( a companion piece to Band of Brothers ) .


Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was directed by Ken Hughes.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a 1968 British musical adventure fantasy film directed by Ken Hughes and written by Roald Dahl and Hughes , loosely based on Ian Fleming 's 1964 novel Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang : The Magical Car . The film stars Dick Van Dyke , Sally Ann Howes , Lionel Jeffries , James Robertson Justice , and Robert Helpmann as the main antagonist , the evil Childcatcher .   The film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli ( co-producer of the James Bond series of films , also based on Fleming 's novels ) . John Stears supervised the special effects . Irwin Kostal supervised and conducted the music , while the musical numbers , written by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman of Mary Poppins , were staged by Marc Breaux and Dee Dee Wood . The song `` Chitty Chitty Bang Bang '' was nominated for an Academy Award .


Gilmore Girls' revival streamed on Netflix.

Gilmore Girls Gilmore Girls is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel . Sherman-Palladino , her husband Daniel Palladino , David S. Rosenthal , and Gavin Polone served as the executive producers . The series debuted on October 5 , 2000 , on The WB and remained a tent-pole to the network until its move to The CW on September 26 , 2006 . The series originally ran for seven seasons and ended its run on May 15 , 2007 .   The show follows single mother Lorelai Gilmore ( Graham ) and her daughter Rory ( Bledel ) , living in the fictional town of Stars Hollow , Connecticut . The town is filled with colorful characters and is located approximately 30 minutes from Hartford , Connecticut . The series explores issues of family , friendship and romance , as well as generational divides and social class . Ambition , education , work , love , family , and questions of class constitute some of the series ' central concerns . The show 's social commentary manifests most clearly in Lorelai 's difficult relationship with her wealthy , appearance-obsessed parents , Emily and Richard Gilmore , and in Rory 's interactions with the students at the Chilton Academy , and later , Yale University .   Gilmore Girls was released to critical acclaim . It featured fast-paced dialogue filled with pop-culture references . It won one Emmy Award for makeup in 2004 . The show placed 32 on Entertainment Weekly `` New TV Classics '' list , and was listed as one of Time magazine 's `` All-TIME 100 TV Shows '' in 2007 .   In 2016 , the main cast and Sherman-Palladino returned for a four-part miniseries revival titled Gilmore Girls : A Year in the Life , which streamed on Netflix .


Facebook was limited to Harvard Students originally.

Facebook Facebook is an American for-profit corporation and an online social media and social networking service based in Menlo Park , California . The Facebook website was launched on February 4 , 2004 , by Mark Zuckerberg , along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates , Eduardo Saverin , Andrew McCollum , Dustin Moskovitz , and Chris Hughes .   The founders had initially limited the website 's membership to Harvard students ; however , later they expanded it to higher education institutions in the Boston area , the Ivy League schools , and Stanford University . Facebook gradually added support for students at various other universities , and eventually to high school students as well . Since 2006 , anyone age 13 and older has been allowed to become a registered user of Facebook , though variations exist in the minimum age requirement , depending on applicable local laws . The Facebook name comes from the face book directories often given to United States university students .   Facebook may be accessed by a large range of desktops , laptops , tablet computers , and smartphones over the Internet and mobile networks . After registering to use the site , users can create a user profile indicating their name , occupation , schools attended and so on . Users can add other users as `` friends '' , exchange messages , post status updates and digital photos , share digital videos and links , use various software applications ( `` apps '' ) , and receive notifications when others update their profiles or make posts . Additionally , users may join common-interest user groups organized by workplace , school , hobbies or other topics , and categorize their friends into lists such as `` People From Work '' or `` Close Friends '' . In groups , editors can pin posts to top . Additionally , users can complain about or block unpleasant people . Because of the large volume of data that users submit to the service , Facebook has come under scrutiny for its privacy policies . Facebook makes most of its revenue from advertisements which appear onscreen .   Facebook , Inc. held its initial public offering ( IPO ) in February 2012 , and began selling stock to the public three months later , reaching an original peak market capitalization of $ 104 billion . On July 13 , 2015 , Facebook became the fastest company in the Standard & Poor 's 500 Index to reach a market cap of $ 250 billion . Facebook has more than 1.94 billion monthly active users as of March 31 , 2017 . As of April 2016 , Facebook was the most popular social networking site in the world , based on the number of active user accounts . Facebook classifies users from the ages of 13 to 18 as minors and therefore sets their profiles to share content with friends only .


Suriname left the Kingdom of Netherlands in November 25, 1975.

Suriname Suriname ( -LSB- ˈsʊrᵻnæm -RSB- , -LSB- - nɑːm -RSB- or -LSB- - nəm -RSB- , also spelled Surinam ) , officially known as the Republic of Suriname ( Republiek Suriname -LSB- ˌreːpyˈblik ˌsyːriˈnaːmə -RSB- ) , is a sovereign state on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America . It is bordered by French Guiana to the east , Guyana to the west and Brazil to the south . At just under 165000 km2 , it is the smallest country in South America . Suriname has a population of approximately 566,000 , most of whom live on the country 's north coast , in and around the capital and largest city , Paramaribo .   Long inhabited by numerous cultures of indigenous tribes , Suriname was explored and contested by European powers before coming under Dutch rule in the late 17th century . In 1954 , the country became one of the constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . On 25 November 1975 , the country of Suriname left the Kingdom of the Netherlands to become an independent state , nonetheless maintaining close economic , diplomatic , and cultural ties to its former colonizer . Its indigenous peoples have been increasingly active in claiming land rights and working to preserve their traditional lands and habitats .   Suriname is considered to be a culturally Caribbean country , and is a member of the Caribbean Community ( CARICOM ) . While Dutch is the official language of government , business , media , and education , Sranan , an English-based creole language , is a widely used lingua franca . Suriname is the only territory outside Europe where Dutch is spoken by a majority of the population . The people of Suriname are among the most diverse in the world , spanning a multitude of ethnic , religious , and linguistic groups .


Islam is the world's second-smallest religion.

Islam Islam ( -LSB- ˈɪslɑːm -RSB- There are ten pronunciations of Islam in English , differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress , whether the s is -LSB- slinkz -RSB- or -LSB- slinks -RSB- , and whether the a is pronounced -LSB- slinkɑː -RSB- , -LSB- slinkæ -RSB- or ( when the stress is on the first syllable ) -LSB- slinkə -RSB- ( Merriam Webster ) . The most common are -LSB- ˈɪzləm , _ ˈɪsləm , _ ɪzˈlɑːm , _ ɪsˈlɑːm -RSB- ( Oxford English Dictionary , Random House ) and -LSB- ˈɪzlɑːm , _ ˈɪslɑːm -RSB- ( American Heritage Dictionary ) . الإسلام , -LSB- alʔisˈlaːm -RSB- ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion which professes that there is only one and incomparable God ( Allah ) and that Muhammad is the last messenger of God . It is the world 's second-largest religion and the fastest-growing major religion in the world , with over 1.8 billion followers or 24.1 % of the global population , known as Muslims . Islam teaches that God who is merciful , all-powerful , and unique has guided mankind through prophets , revealed scriptures and natural signs . The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran , viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God , and the teachings and normative example ( called the sunnah , composed of accounts called hadith ) of Muhammad ( 570 -- 8 June 632 CE ) .   Muslims believe that Islam is the complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets including Adam , Abraham , Moses , and Jesus . As for the Quran , Muslims consider it to be the unaltered and final revelation of God . Like other Abrahamic religions , Islam also teaches a final judgment with the righteous rewarded paradise and unrighteous are punished in hell . Religious concepts and practices include the five pillars of Islam , which are obligatory acts of worship , and following Islamic law , which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society , from banking and welfare to women and the environment . The cities of Mecca , Medina and Jerusalem are home to the three holiest sites in Islam .   Islam originated in the early 7th century in Mecca , and by the 8th century the Islamic empire extended from Iberia in the west to the Indus River in the east . The Islamic Golden Age refers to the period traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 13th century when much of the historically Islamic world was experiencing a scientific , economic and cultural flourishing . The expansion of the Muslim world involved various caliphates and empires , traders and conversion to Islam by missionary activities .   Most Muslims are of one of two denominations : Sunni ( 75 -- 90 % ) or Shia ( 10 -- 20 % ) . About 13 % of Muslims live in Indonesia , the largest Muslim-majority country , 31 % in South Asia , the largest population of Muslims in the world , 23 % in the Middle East-North Africa , where it is the dominant religion , and 15 % in Sub-Saharan Africa . Sizable Muslim communities are also found in the Americas , Caucasus , China , Europe , Mainland Southeast Asia , Philippines and Russia . Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world .


Joseph Stalin's birth took place in eastern Georgia.

Gori, Georgia Gori ( გორი -LSB- ɡɔri -RSB- ) is a city in eastern Georgia , which serves as the regional capital of Shida Kartli and the centre of the homonymous administrative district . The name is from Georgian gora , that is , `` heap '' , or `` hill '' .   Gori was an important military stronghold in the Middle Ages and maintains a strategic importance due to its location on the principal highway connecting eastern and western parts of Georgia . In the course of its history , Gori has been invaded by the armies of regional powers several times . The city was occupied by Russian troops during the 2008 Russia -- Georgia war .   Gori is also known as the birthplace of the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin , ballistic missile designer Alexander Nadiradze and philosopher Merab Mamardashvili .


Joseph Stalin Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin ( -LSB- ˈstɑːlɪn -RSB- 18 December 1878 -- 5 March 1953 ) was a Soviet revolutionary , politician and political theorist . He governed the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953 . In this capacity , he served as the Premier of the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1953 and as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1952 . Ideologically a Marxist and a Leninist , he helped to formalise these ideas as Marxism-Leninism while his own policies and theories became known as Stalinism .   Stalin was born to a poor Georgian family in Gori , Russian Empire . After an education at Tiflis Spiritual Seminary , he joined the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party . Affiliated with Vladimir Lenin 's Bolshevik faction , he raised funds via underground activities such as the 1907 Tiflis bank robbery . After the Bolsheviks seized power in 1917 and established a one-party state , Stalin sat on the Politburo during the Russian Civil War . In 1922 Stalin became General Secretary and established the Soviet Union . Despite Lenin 's objection , power consolidated around Stalin and opposition removed following Lenin 's death in 1924 . During Stalin 's tenure the concept of `` Socialism in One Country '' became a central tenet of Soviet society , and a cult of personality developed around Stalin . Lenin 's New Economic Policy was replaced with a centralised command economy , industrialisation and collectivisation . These rapidly transformed the country from an agrarian society into an industrial power , but disrupted food production and contributed to the famine of 1933 -- 34 . Between 1934 and 1939 , Stalin organised the `` Great Purge '' , in which millions of so-called `` enemies of the working class '' , including senior political and military figures , were interned in Gulag-run prisons , exiled or executed , often without due process .   In August 1939 Stalin entered a non-aggression pact with Nazi Germany , resulting in their invasion of Poland in September of that year . Germany ended the pact by invading the Soviet Union in 1941 . Despite initial setbacks , the Soviet Red Army halted the German incursion and captured Berlin in May 1945 , ending World War II in Europe . The Soviet Union annexed the Baltic states and backed the establishment of pro-Soviet Marxist governments both throughout Eastern Europe and in China , North Korea , and North Vietnam . The Soviet Union and United States emerged as the two world superpowers , and a period of tensions began between the Soviet-backed Eastern Bloc and U.S.-backed Western Bloc known as the Cold War . Stalin led the Soviet Union through its post-war reconstruction phase , during which it became the second country to develop a nuclear weapon , as well as launching the Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature in response to another major famine and the Great Construction Projects of Communism . Stalin died in 1953 and was succeeded by Nikita Khrushchev , who denounced Stalin and initiated a de-Stalinisation process .   Stalin is widely considered one of the most significant and influential figures of the 20th century . Stalinism influenced various Marxist-Leninist groups and governments across the world , for whom Stalin was a champion of socialism and the working class . After the fall of the Soviet Union , Stalin has been praised by supporters for his role in defeating Nazi Germany and establishing the Soviet Union as a major world power . Critics emphasise his role in causing millions of deaths and numerous political , religious and ethnic repressions .


Slovaks The Slovaks or Slovak people ( Slováci , singular Slovák , feminine Slovenka , plural Slovenky ) are a nation and West Slavic ethnic group native to Slovakia who share a common ancestry , culture , history and speak the Slovak language .   Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia , 4.4 million ethnic Slovaks of 5.4 million total population . There are Slovak minorities in Czech Republic , Croatia , Poland , Hungary , Serbia and sizeable populations of immigrants and their descendants in the United States , Canada and the United Kingdom , collectively referred to as the Slovak diaspora .


Slovakia Slovakia ( listen ) , is a landlocked country in Central Europe . It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west , Poland to the north , Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south . Slovakia 's territory spans about 49000 km2 and is mostly mountainous . The population is over 5 million and comprises mostly ethnic Slovaks . The capital and largest city is Bratislava . The official language is Slovak .   The Slavs arrived in the territory of present-day Slovakia in the 5th and 6th centuries . In the 7th century , they played a significant role in the creation of Samo 's Empire and in the 9th century established the Principality of Nitra . In the 10th century , the territory was integrated into the Kingdom of Hungary , which itself became part of the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire . After World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire , the Slovaks and Czechs established Czechoslovakia . A separate ( First ) Slovak Republic ( 1939 -- 1945 ) existed in World War II as a client state of Nazi Germany . In 1945 , Czechoslovakia was re-established under Communist rule as a Soviet satellite . In 1989 the Velvet Revolution ended authoritarian Communist rule in Czechoslovakia . Slovakia became an independent state on 1 January 1993 after the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia , sometimes known as the Velvet Divorce .   Slovakia is a high-income advanced economy with a very high Human Development Index , a very high standard of living and performs favourably in measurements of civil liberties , press freedom , internet freedom , democratic governance and peacefulness . The country maintains a combination of market economy with a comprehensive social security system . Citizens of Slovakia are provided with universal health care , free education and one of the longest paid maternity leave in the OECD . The country joined the European Union in 2004 and the Eurozone on 1 January 2009 . Slovakia is also a member of the Schengen Area , NATO , the United Nations , the OECD , the WTO , CERN , the OSCE , the Council of Europe and the Visegrád Group . The Slovak economy is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and 3rd fastest in eurozone . Its legal tender , the Euro , is the world 's 2nd most traded currency . Although regional income inequality is high , 90 % of citizens own their homes . In 2016 , Slovak citizens had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 165 countries and territories , ranking the Slovak passport 11th in the world . Slovakia is the world 's largest per-capita car producer with a total of 1,040,000 cars manufactured in the country in 2016 alone and the 7th largest car producer in the European Union . The car industry represents 43 % of Slovakia 's industrial output , and a quarter of its exports .


Bratislava Bratislava ( -LSB- ˌbrætᵻˈslɑːvə -RSB- or -LSB- ˌbrɑː - -RSB- -LSB- ˈbracislaʋa -RSB- ; also known by other names ) is the capital of Slovakia , and with a population of about 450,000 , the country 's largest city . The greater metropolitan area is home to more than 650,000 people . Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia , occupying both banks of the River Danube and the left bank of the River Morava . Bordering Austria and Hungary , it is the only national capital that borders two sovereign states .   The history of the city has been strongly influenced by people of different nations and religions , namely by Austrians , Croats , Czechs , Germans , Hungarians , Jews , Serbs and Slovaks ( in alphabetical order ) . The city served as the coronation site and legislative center of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1536 to 1783 , and has been home to many Slovak , Hungarian and German historical figures .   Bratislava is the political , cultural and economic centre of Slovakia . It is the seat of the Slovak president , the parliament and the Slovak Executive . It is home to several universities , museums , theatres , galleries and other important cultural and educational institutions . Many of Slovakia 's large businesses and financial institutions also have headquarters there .   The capital of Slovakia is the eighth best city for freelancers to live in , mostly because of fast internet and the low taxes . In 2017 , Bratislava was ranked as the third richest region of the European Union by GDP ( PPP ) per capita ( after Hamburg and Luxembourg City ) . GDP at purchasing power parity is about three times higher than in other Slovak regions .


Slovak language Slovak -LSB- ˈsloʊvæk , _ - vɑːk -RSB- ( slovenský jazyk , -LSB- ˈsloʋenskiː ˈjazik -RSB- , or slovenčina -LSB- ˈsloʋent͡ʃina -RSB- not to be confused with slovenski jezik or slovenščina , the native names of the Slovene language ) is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages ( together with Czech , Polish , Silesian , Kashubian , and Sorbian ) .   Slovak is the official language of Slovakia where it is spoken by approximately 5.51 million people ( 2014 ) . Slovak speakers are also found in the United States , the Czech Republic , Argentina , Serbia , Ireland , Romania , Poland , Canada , Hungary , Croatia , the United Kingdom , Australia , Austria , Ukraine and many others worldwide .


Samuel L. Jackson is not a highly prolific actor.

Samuel L. Jackson Samuel Leroy Jackson ( born December 21 , 1948 ) is an American actor and film producer . He achieved prominence and critical acclaim in the early 1990s with films such as Jungle Fever ( 1991 ) , Patriot Games ( 1992 ) , Amos & Andrew ( 1993 ) , True Romance ( 1993 ) , Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) and his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino including Pulp Fiction ( 1994 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Django Unchained ( 2012 ) , and The Hateful Eight ( 2015 ) . He is a highly prolific actor , having appeared in over 100 films , including Die Hard with a Vengeance ( 1995 ) , Unbreakable ( 2000 ) , Shaft ( 2000 ) , The 51st State ( 2001 ) , Black Snake Moan ( 2006 ) , Snakes on a Plane ( 2006 ) , and the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( 1999 -- 2005 ) , as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe .   With Jackson 's permission , his likeness was used for the Ultimate version of the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury . He later cameoed as the character in a post-credits scene from Iron Man ( 2008 ) , and went on to sign a nine-film commitment to reprise this role in future films , including major roles in Iron Man 2 ( 2010 ) , Marvel 's The Avengers ( 2012 ) , Captain America : The Winter Soldier ( 2014 ) and Avengers : Age of Ultron ( 2015 ) and minor roles in Thor ( 2011 ) and Captain America : The First Avenger ( 2011 ) . He has also portrayed the character in the second and final episodes of the first season of the TV show Marvel 's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. .   He has provided his voice to several animated films , television series and video games , including the roles of Lucius Best / Frozone in Pixar Animation Studios ' film The Incredibles ( 2004 ) , Mace Windu in Star Wars : The Clone Wars ( 2008 ) , Afro Samurai in the anime television series Afro Samurai ( 2007 ) , and Frank Tenpenny in the video game Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas ( 2004 ) .   Jackson has achieved critical and commercial acclaim , surpassing Frank Welker as the actor with the highest-grossing film total of all time in October 2011 , and he has received numerous accolades and awards . He is married to LaTanya Richardson , with whom he has a daughter , Zoe . Samuel L. Jackson is ranked as the highest all-time box office star with over $ 4.9053 billion total box office gross , an average of $ 69.1 million per film .


Al Gore Albert Arnold Gore Jr. ( born March 31 , 1948 ) is an American politician and environmentalist who served as the 45th Vice President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton . He was Clinton 's running mate in their successful campaign in 1992 , and was re-elected in 1996 . At the end of Clinton 's second term , Gore was picked as the Democratic nominee for the 2000 presidential election . After leaving office , Gore remained prominent as an author and environmental activist , whose work in climate change activism earned him ( jointly with the IPCC ) the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 .   Gore was an elected official for 24 years . He was a Congressman from Tennessee ( 1977 -- 85 ) and from 1985 to 1993 served as one of the state 's Senators . He served as Vice President during the Clinton administration from 1993 to 2001 . In the 2000 presidential election , in what was one of the closest presidential races in history , Gore won the popular vote but lost in the Electoral College to Republican George W. Bush . A controversial election dispute over a vote recount in Florida was settled by the U.S. Supreme Court , which ruled 5 -- 4 in favor of Bush .   Gore is the founder and current chair of the Alliance for Climate Protection , the co-founder and chair of Generation Investment Management and the now-defunct Current TV network , a member of the Board of Directors of Apple Inc. , and a senior adviser to Google . Gore is also a partner in the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers , heading its climate change solutions group . He has served as a visiting professor at Middle Tennessee State University , Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism , Fisk University , and the University of California , Los Angeles . He served on the Board of Directors of World Resources Institute .   Gore has received a number of awards including the Nobel Peace Prize ( joint award with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change , 2007 ) , a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album ( 2009 ) for his book An Inconvenient Truth , a Primetime Emmy Award for Current TV ( 2007 ) , and a Webby Award ( 2005 ) . Gore was also the subject of the Academy Award-winning ( 2007 ) documentary An Inconvenient Truth in 2006 . In 2007 , he was named a runner-up for Time 2007 Person of the Year .


Henry VIII didn't make any changes to the English constitution.

Henry VIII of England Henry VIII ( 28 June 1491 -- 28 January 1547 ) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death . Henry was the second Tudor monarch , succeeding his father , Henry VII .   Henry is best known for his six marriages and , in particular , his efforts to have his first marriage , to Catherine of Aragon , annulled . His disagreement with the Pope on the question of such an annulment led Henry to initiate the English Reformation , separating the Church of England from papal authority and appointing himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England . Despite his resulting excommunication , Henry remained a believer in core Catholic theological teachings .   Domestically , Henry is known for his radical changes to the English Constitution , ushering in the theory of the divine right of kings to England . Besides asserting the sovereign 's supremacy over the Church of England , he greatly expanded royal power during his reign . Charges of treason and heresy were commonly used to quash dissent , and those accused were often executed without a formal trial , by means of bills of attainder . He achieved many of his political aims through the work of his chief ministers , some of whom were banished or executed when they fell out of his favour . Thomas Wolsey , Thomas More , Thomas Cromwell , Richard Rich , and Thomas Cranmer all figured prominently in Henry 's administration . He was an extravagant spender and used the proceeds from the Dissolution of the Monasteries and acts of the Reformation Parliament to convert into royal revenue the money that was formerly paid to Rome . Despite the influx of money from these sources , Henry was continually on the verge of financial ruin due to his personal extravagance as well as his numerous costly continental wars , particularly with Francis I of France and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V , as he sought to enforce his claim to the Kingdom of France . At home , he oversaw the legal union of England and Wales with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 and following the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 he was the first English monarch to rule as King of Ireland .   His contemporaries considered Henry in his prime to be an attractive , educated , and accomplished king , and he has been described as `` one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne '' . He was an author and composer . As he aged , Henry became severely obese and his health suffered , contributing to his death in 1547 . He is frequently characterised in his later life as a lustful , egotistical , harsh , and insecure king . He was succeeded by his son Edward VI .


Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean ( born January 19 , 1946 ) , professionally known as Dolly Parton , is an American singer , songwriter , multi-instrumentalist , record producer , actress , author , businesswoman , and philanthropist , known primarily for her work in country music . After achieving success as a songwriter for others , Dolly Parton made her album debut in 1967 , with her album Hello , I 'm Dolly . With steady success during the remainder of the 1960s ( both as a solo artist and with a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner ) , her sales and chart peak came during the 1970s and continuing into the 1980s ; Parton 's subsequent albums in the later part of the 1990s were lower in sales . However , in the new millennium , Parton achieved commercial success again and has released albums on independent labels since 2000 , including albums on her own label , Dolly Records .   Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time . Achieving 25 Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) certified Gold , Platinum , and Multi-Platinum awards , she has had 25 songs reach No. 1 on the Billboard country music charts , a record for a female artist ( tied with Reba McEntire ) . She has 41 career top 10 country albums , a record for any artist , and she has 110 career charted singles over the past 40 years . All-inclusive sales of singles , albums , hits collections , and digital downloads during her career have topped 100 million worldwide . She has garnered nine Grammy Awards , two Academy Award nominations , ten Country Music Association Awards , seven Academy of Country Music Awards , three American Music Awards , and is one of only seven female artists to win the Country Music Association 's Entertainer of the Year Award . Parton has received 47 Grammy nominations .   In 1999 , Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . She has composed over 3,000 songs , notably `` I Will Always Love You '' ( a two-time U.S. country chart-topper for Parton , as well as an international pop hit for Whitney Houston ) , `` Jolene '' , `` Coat of Many Colors '' , and `` 9 to 5 '' . She is also one of the few to have received at least one nomination from the Academy Awards , Grammy Awards , Tony Awards , and Emmy Awards . As an actress , she starred in films such as 9 to 5 , The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas , Rhinestone , and Steel Magnolias .


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


Tall Story Tall Story is a 1960 American romantic comedy film made by Warner Bros. , directed by Joshua Logan and starring Anthony Perkins with Jane Fonda , in her first screen role , at the age of 22 . It is based on the 1957 novel `` The Homecoming Game '' by Howard Nemerov , which was the basis of a successful 1959 Broadway play , called Tall Story , by the writing team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse . The film was a considerable departure from Logan 's previous two projects , the drama Sayonara , which won multiple Academy Awards , and the blockbuster South Pacific and was Robert Redford 's first film ever , where he played an uncredited basketball player .   Tall Story is a farcical social satire of American campus life , making fun of the way college life can become a marriage market for some students . Fonda portrays a character who is the complete opposite of the independent liberated woman she later personified .


Kendrick Lamar uses the stage name K-Dot.

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth ( born June 17 , 1987 ) is an American rapper and songwriter . Born and raised in Compton , California , he embarked on his musical career as a teenager under the stage name K-Dot , releasing a mixtape that garnered local attention and led to his signing with indie record label Top Dawg Entertainment ( TDE ) . He began to gain recognition in 2010 , after his first retail release , Overly Dedicated . The following year , Lamar independently released his first studio album , Section .80 , which included his debut single , `` HiiiPoWeR '' . By that time , he had amassed a large Internet following and collaborated with several artists in the hip hop industry , including The Game , Snoop Dogg and Busta Rhymes .   His major label debut , good kid , m.A.A.d city , was released in 2012 by TDE , Aftermath and Interscope Records to critical success . It debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . The record contained the top 40 singles `` Swimming Pools ( Drank ) '' , `` Bitch , Do n't Kill My Vibe '' , and `` Poetic Justice '' . Lamar won his first Grammy Award for `` i '' , lead single from his critically acclaimed third album To Pimp a Butterfly ( 2015 ) . The album drew on free jazz , funk , soul , and spoken word , debuted atop the charts in the US and the UK , and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the 58th ceremony . In 2016 , Lamar released untitled unmastered. , a collection of unreleased demos that originated during the recording sessions for Butterfly . He released his fourth album Damn in 2017 ; its lead single `` Humble '' topped the Billboard Hot 100 .   Lamar has received a number of accolades over the course of his career , including seven Grammy Awards . In early 2013 , MTV named Lamar the number one `` Hottest MC in the Game '' , on their annual list . Time named Lamar one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2016 . Aside from his solo career , Lamar is also known as a member of the West Coast hip hop supergroup Black Hippy , alongside his TDE label-mates and fellow South Los Angeles-based rappers Ab-Soul , Jay Rock and Schoolboy Q.


Bill Cosby has been accused of drug facilitated sexual assault in 2008.

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( born July 12 , 1937 ) is an American stand-up comedian , actor , and author . His start in stand-up comedy began at the hungry i in San Francisco and was followed by his landing a starring role in the 1960s television show I Spy . He was also a regular on the children 's television series The Electric Company during the show 's first two seasons .   Using the Fat Albert character developed during his stand-up routines , Cosby created , produced , and hosted the animated comedy television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids , a show that ran from 1972 to 1985 , centering on a group of young friends growing up in an urban area . Throughout the 1970s , Cosby starred in a number of films , and he occasionally returned to film later in his career . After attending Temple University in the 1960s , he received his bachelor 's degree there in 1971 . In 1973 , he received a master 's degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst , and in 1976 , he earned his Doctor of Education degree , also from UMass . His dissertation discussed the use of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids as a teaching tool in elementary schools .   Beginning in the 1980s , Cosby produced and starred in a television sitcom , The Cosby Show , which aired from 1984 to 1992 and was rated as the number one show in America for five years , 1984 through 1989 . The sitcom highlighted the experiences and growth of an affluent African-American family . Cosby produced the Cosby Show spin-off sitcom A Different World , which aired from 1987 to 1993 , starred in The Cosby Mysteries from 1994 to 1995 , starred in the sitcom Cosby from 1996 to 2000 ; and hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things for two seasons , from 1998 to 2000 .   Cosby has been the subject of sexual assault allegations , the earliest of which date back decades but becoming highly publicized since about 2014 . He has been accused by 51 women of rape , drug facilitated sexual assault , sexual battery , child sexual abuse , and sexual misconduct , with the earliest alleged incidents taking place in the mid-1960s and the most recent in 2008 . He has denied the allegations . Numerous related lawsuits against Cosby are pending ; and although most of the acts alleged by his accusers fall outside the statutes of limitations for criminal legal proceedings , one notable case has been ruled actionable , and he has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault in Montgomery County , Pennsylvania . He surrendered to authorities on December 30 , 2015 , and was released on $ 1 million bail . Cosby is scheduled to go on trial on or before June 5 , 2017 .


Father of the Bride was Kimberly William's film debut.

Father of the Bride (1991 film) Father of the Bride is a 1991 American comedy film starring Steve Martin , Diane Keaton , Kimberly Williams ( in her film debut ) , George Newbern , Martin Short , B. D. Wong , and Kieran Culkin . It is a remake of the 1950 film of the same name .   The film inspired a series of Hallmark commercials that featured the smiling faces of the happy couple and sneak-peeks at the backs of numerous greeting cards . It is number 92 on Bravo 's `` 100 Funniest Movies '' .   Martin portrays George Banks , a businessman and owner of an athletic shoe company ( called Side Kicks ) , who , when he finds out his daughter is getting married , does not want to give her away . He eventually learns to live with his new son-in-law and realizes that as long as his daughter is happy , he is happy .   The film opened to positive reviews , and became a major box office success , earning more than four times its budget . With its success , a sequel , Father of the Bride Part II was released in 1995 .   This was Nancy Meyers and Diane Keaton 's second film together , the first being Baby Boom ( 1987 ) ; the others were Father of the Bride Part II ( 1995 ) and Something 's Got ta Give ( 2003 ) .


Walt Disney Walter Elias Disney ( -LSB- ˈdɪzni -RSB- December 5 , 1901December 15 , 1966 ) was an American entrepreneur , animator , voice actor and film producer . A pioneer of the American animation industry , he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons . As a film producer , Disney holds the record for most Academy Awards earned by an individual , having won 22 Oscars from 59 nominations . He was presented with two Golden Globe Special Achievement Awards and an Emmy Award , among other honors . Several of his films are included in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress .   Born in Chicago in 1901 , Disney developed an early interest in drawing . He took art classes as a boy and got a job as a commercial illustrator at the age of 18 . He moved to California in the early 1920s and set up the Disney Brothers Studio with his brother Roy . With Ub Iwerks , Walt developed the character Mickey Mouse in 1928 , his first highly popular success ; he also provided the voice for his creation in the early years . As the studio grew , Disney became more adventurous , introducing synchronized sound , full-color three-strip Technicolor , feature-length cartoons and technical developments in cameras . The results , seen in features such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( 1937 ) , Fantasia , Pinocchio ( both 1940 ) , Dumbo ( 1941 ) and Bambi ( 1942 ) , furthered the development of animated film . New animated and live-action films followed after World War II , including the critically successful Cinderella ( 1950 ) and Mary Poppins ( 1964 ) , the latter of which received five Academy Awards .   In the 1950s , Disney expanded into the amusement park industry , and in 1955 he opened Disneyland . To fund the project he diversified into television programs , such as Walt Disney 's Disneyland and The Mickey Mouse Club ; he was also involved in planning the 1959 Moscow Fair , the 1960 Winter Olympics , and the 1964 New York World 's Fair . In 1965 , he began development of another theme park , Disney World , the heart of which was to be a new type of city , the `` Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow '' ( EPCOT ) . Disney was a heavy smoker throughout his life , and died of lung cancer in December 1966 before either the park or the EPCOT project were completed .   Disney was a shy , self-deprecating and insecure man in private , but adopted a warm and outgoing public persona . He had high standards and high expectations of those with whom he worked . Although there have been accusations that he was racist or anti-semitic , they have been contradicted by family members , employees and animation historians . His reputation changed in the years after his death , from a purveyor of homely patriotic values ( in the right ) to a representative of American imperialism ( in the left ) . Nevertheless , Disney is considered a cultural icon , particularly in the United States , where the company he co-founded is one of the world 's largest and best-known entertainment companies .


O. J. Simpson Orenthal James `` O. J. '' Simpson ( born July 9 , 1947 ) , nicknamed The Juice , is a former American football running back , broadcaster , actor , and convicted armed robber and kidnapper .   Simpson attended the University of Southern California ( USC ) , where he played college football for the USC Trojans and won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 . He played professionally in the National Football League ( NFL ) as a running back for 11 seasons , with the Buffalo Bills from 1969 to 1977 and with the San Francisco 49ers from 1978 to 1979 . In 1973 , he became the first NFL player to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season ; holding the record for the single season yards-per-game average , which stands at 143.1 . He is the only player to ever rush for over 2,000 yards in the 14-game regular season NFL format .   Simpson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985 . After retiring from football , he began new careers in acting and football broadcasting .   In 1995 , Simpson was acquitted of the 1994 murders of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman after a lengthy and internationally publicised trial . The families of the victims filed a civil suit against him , and in 1997 a civil court awarded a $ 33.5 million judgment against Simpson for the victims ' wrongful deaths .   In 2007 , Simpson was arrested in Las Vegas , Nevada , and charged with felonies including armed robbery and kidnapping . In 2008 , he was convicted and sentenced to 33 years imprisonment , with a minimum of nine years without parole . He is serving his sentence at the Lovelock Correctional Center in Lovelock , Nevada .


Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( -LSB- ˈaɪnstaɪn -RSB- -LSB- ˈalbɛɐ̯t ˈaɪnʃtaɪn -RSB- ; 14 March 1879 -- 18 April 1955 ) was a German-born theoretical physicist . He developed the theory of relativity , one of the two pillars of modern physics ( alongside quantum mechanics ) . Einstein 's work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science . Einstein is best known by the general public for his mass -- energy equivalence formula ( which has been dubbed `` the world 's most famous equation '' ) . He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics `` for his services to theoretical physics , and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect '' , a pivotal step in the evolution of quantum theory .   Near the beginning of his career , Einstein thought that Newtonian mechanics was no longer enough to reconcile the laws of classical mechanics with the laws of the electromagnetic field . This led him to develop his special theory of relativity during his time at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern ( 1902 -- 1909 ) , Switzerland . He realized , however , that the principle of relativity could also be extended to gravitational fields , and with his subsequent theory of gravitation in 1916 , he published a paper on general relativity . He continued to deal with problems of statistical mechanics and quantum theory , which led to his explanations of particle theory and the motion of molecules . He also investigated the thermal properties of light which laid the foundation of the photon theory of light . In 1917 , Einstein applied the general theory of relativity to model the large-scale structure of the universe .   Between 1895 and 1914 he lived in Switzerland ( except for one year in Prague , 1911 -- 12 ) , where he received his academic diploma from the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zürich ( later the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule , ETH ) in 1900 . He later taught there at the same institute as a professor of theoretical physics between 1912 and 1914 before he left for Berlin . In 1901 , after being stateless for more than five years , Einstein acquired Swiss citizenship , which he kept for the rest of his life . In 1905 , Einstein was awarded a PhD by the University of Zürich . The same year , his annus mirabilis ( miracle year ) , he published four groundbreaking papers , which were to bring him to the notice of the academic world , at the age of 26 .   He was visiting the United States when Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and , being Jewish , did not go back to Germany , where he had been a professor at the Berlin Academy of Sciences . He settled in the United States , becoming an American citizen in 1940 . On the eve of World War II , he endorsed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt alerting him to the potential development of `` extremely powerful bombs of a new type '' and recommending that the U.S. begin similar research . This eventually led to what would become the Manhattan Project . Einstein supported defending the Allied forces , but generally denounced the idea of using the newly discovered nuclear fission as a weapon . Later , with the British philosopher Bertrand Russell , Einstein signed the Russell -- Einstein Manifesto , which highlighted the danger of nuclear weapons . Einstein was affiliated with the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton , New Jersey , until his death in 1955 .   Einstein published more than 300 scientific papers along with over 150 non-scientific works . Einstein 's intellectual achievements and originality have made the word `` Einstein '' synonymous with `` genius '' .


Israel is a location in which The Secret Life of Us has aired.

The Secret Life of Us The Secret Life of Us is a three-time silver Logie Award-winning Australian television drama series set in the beachside suburb of St Kilda , Melbourne , Australia . The series was produced by Southern Star Group and screened in Australia from 2001 to 2005 on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK . Initially co-funded by the two networks , Channel 4 pulled out after the third series and the fourth series was not aired in the UK . It is primarily a drama with some comedic moments .   It has been shown in other countries such as New Zealand ( TV3 ) , Ireland ( RTÉ Two ) , Canada ( SuperChannel3 ) , the Netherlands ( Yorin ) , France ( Canal Plus , France 4 ) , Estonia ( ETV , Kanal 11 ) , Norway ( NRK ) , Serbia ( B92 , TV Avala ) , Russia ( TNT , Muz TV ) , Israel ( Channel 2 ) , and United States ( Hulu ) .


Tim Rice worked on King David with Alan Menken.

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


Christoph Waltz received an award in the Best Actor category.

Christoph Waltz Christoph Waltz ( -LSB- ˈkrɪstɔf ˈvalts -RSB- ; born 4 October 1956 ) is an Austrian-German actor . Widely known for his works with American filmmaker Quentin Tarantino , he received acclaim for portraying SS-Standartenführer Hans Landa in Inglourious Basterds ( 2009 ) and bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz in Django Unchained ( 2012 ) . For each of those performances , he won an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor . He also received the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his portrayal of Landa .   Waltz portrayed computer genius Qohen Leth in the sci-fi film The Zero Theorem ( 2013 ) , American plagiarist Walter Keane in the biographical film Big Eyes ( 2014 ) , and 007 's nemesis and head of SPECTRE Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Spectre ( 2015 ) , the twenty-fourth James Bond film .


Marilyn Monroe was born on August 5th, 1962.

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe ( born Norma Jeane Mortenson ; June 1 , 1926 -- August 5 , 1962 ) was an American actress and model . Famous for playing comic `` dumb blonde '' characters , she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s , emblematic of the era 's attitudes towards sexuality . Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade , her films grossed $ 200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962 . She continues to be considered a major popular culture icon .   Born and raised in Los Angeles , Monroe spent most of her childhood in foster homes and an orphanage and married at the age of sixteen . While working in a factory in 1944 as part of the war effort , she was introduced to a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit and began a successful pin-up modeling career . The work led to short-lived film contracts with Twentieth Century-Fox ( 1946 -- 1947 ) and Columbia Pictures ( 1948 ) . After a series of minor film roles , she signed a new contract with Fox in 1951 . Over the next two years , she became a popular actress with roles in several comedies , including As Young as You Feel and Monkey Business , and in the dramas Clash by Night and Do n't Bother to Knock . Monroe faced a scandal when it was revealed that she had posed for nude photos before becoming a star , but rather than damaging her career , the story resulted in increased interest in her films .   By 1953 , Monroe was one of the most marketable Hollywood stars , with leading roles in three films : the noir Niagara , which focused on her sex appeal , and the comedies Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire , which established her star image as a `` dumb blonde '' . Although she played a significant role in the creation and management of her public image throughout her career , she was disappointed at being typecast and underpaid by the studio . She was briefly suspended in early 1954 for refusing a film project , but returned to star in one of the biggest box office successes of her career , The Seven Year Itch ( 1955 ) .   When the studio was still reluctant to change her contract , Monroe founded a film production company in late 1954 ; she named it Marilyn Monroe Productions ( MMP ) . She dedicated 1955 to building her company and began studying method acting at the Actors Studio . In late 1955 , Fox awarded her a new contract , which gave her more control and a larger salary . After a critically acclaimed performance in Bus Stop ( 1956 ) and acting in the first independent production of MMP , The Prince and the Showgirl ( 1957 ) , she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for Some Like It Hot ( 1959 ) . Her last completed film was the drama The Misfits ( 1961 ) .   Monroe 's troubled private life received much attention . She struggled with substance abuse , depression , and anxiety . She had two highly publicized marriages , to retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller , both of which ended in divorce . On August 5 , 1962 , she died at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates at her home in Los Angeles . Although Monroe 's death was ruled a probable suicide , several conspiracy theories have been proposed in the decades following her death .


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


Michael Douglas has worked with director James Bridges.

Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas ( born September 25 , 1944 ) is an American actor and producer .   Douglas 's career includes a diverse range of films in independent and blockbuster genres , for which he has received a number of accolades , both competitive and honorary . These awards include the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award for `` outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment '' and the AFI Life Achievement Award , which `` honor -LSB- s -RSB- an individual whose career in motion pictures or television has greatly contributed to the enrichment of American culture '' .   Douglas is the elder son of Kirk Douglas and Diana Dill . He received his Bachelor of Arts in Drama from the University of California , Santa Barbara . His early acting roles included film , stage , and television productions . Douglas first achieved prominence for his performance in the ABC police procedural television series The Streets of San Francisco , for which he received three consecutive Emmy Award nominations .   In 1975 Douglas produced One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest , having acquired the rights to the Ken Kesey novel from his father . The film received critical and popular acclaim , and won the Academy Award for Best Picture , earning Douglas his first Oscar as one of the film 's producers . After leaving The Streets of San Francisco in 1976 , Douglas went on to produce films including The China Syndrome ( 1979 ) and Romancing the Stone ( 1984 ) . He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Romancing the Stone , in which he also starred , thus reintroducing himself to audiences as a capable leading man .   After reprising his Romancing the Stone role as Jack Colton in the 1985 sequel The Jewel of the Nile , which he also produced , and along with appearing in the musical A Chorus Line ( 1985 ) and the psychological thriller Fatal Attraction ( 1987 ) , Douglas received widespread acclaim for his portrayal of amoral corporate raider Gordon Gekko in the Oliver Stone-directed drama Wall Street , for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor . He reprised the role in the sequel Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps ( 2010 ) .   Douglas 's subsequent film roles included : Black Rain ( 1989 ) ; The War of the Roses ( 1989 ) ; Basic Instinct ( 1992 ) ; The American President ( 1995 ) ; The Game ( 1997 ) ; Traffic and Wonder Boys ( 2000 ) ; Solitary Man ( 2009 ) ; and Ant-Man ( 2015 ) . In 2013 , Douglas 's performance as Liberace in the HBO biopic , Behind the Candelabra , received universal critical acclaim , and the actor won numerous accolades for his role , including Golden Globe , Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Awards .   Apart from his career in the film industry , Douglas has received notice for his humanitarian and political activism , as well as media attention for his marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones , and his tongue cancer diagnosis .


The China Syndrome The China Syndrome is a 1979 American thriller film directed by James Bridges and written by Bridges , Mike Gray , and T. S. Cook . It tells the story of a television reporter and her cameraman who discover safety coverups at a nuclear power plant . It stars Jane Fonda , Jack Lemmon , and Michael Douglas , with Douglas also serving as the film 's producer . The cast also features Scott Brady , James Hampton , Peter Donat , Richard Herd , and Wilford Brimley .   It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role ( Lemmon ) , Best Actress in a Leading Role ( Fonda ) , Best Art Direction-Set Decoration ( George Jenkins , Arthur Jeph Parker ) and Best Writing , Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen . It was also nominated for the Palme d'Or ( Golden Palm ) at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival , and Lemmon won Best Actor for his performance . The film 's script won the 1980 Writers Guild of America award .   The film was released on March 16 , 1979 , twelve days before the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Dauphin County , Pennsylvania , which gave the film 's subject matter an unexpected prescience . Coincidentally , in one scene , physicist Dr. Elliott Lowell ( Donald Hotton ) says that the China Syndrome would render `` an area the size of Pennsylvania '' permanently uninhabitable .   `` China syndrome '' is a fanciful term -- not intended to be taken literally -- that describes a fictional result of a nuclear meltdown , where reactor components melt through their containment structures and into the underlying earth , `` all the way to China . ''


Tracy Morgan refused ever to appear in 30 Rock.

30 Rock 30 Rock is an American satirical television sitcom created by Tina Fey that ran on NBC from October 11 , 2006 , to January 31 , 2013 . The series , loosely based on Fey 's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live , takes place behind the scenes of a fictional live sketch comedy show depicted as airing on NBC . The series ' name refers to 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City , the address of the Comcast Building , where the NBC Studios are located and where Saturday Night Live is written , produced , and performed . This series is produced by Broadway Video and Little Stranger , Inc. , in association with NBCUniversal .   30 Rock episodes were produced in a single-camera setup ( with the exception of the two live episodes that were taped in the multiple-camera setup ) , and were filmed in New York . The pilot episode premiered on October 11 , 2006 , and seven seasons followed . The series stars Fey with a supporting cast that includes Alec Baldwin , Tracy Morgan , Jane Krakowski , Jack McBrayer , Scott Adsit , Judah Friedlander , Katrina Bowden , Keith Powell , Lonny Ross , John Lutz , Sue Galloway , Kevin Brown , Grizz Chapman , Maulik Pancholy , and Rachel Dratch .   Tonally , 30 Rock uses surreal humor to parody the complex corporate structure of NBC and its then parent company General Electric . Television critic Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club once remarked that it `` usually adopts the manic pacing of a live-action cartoon . '' The show was influential in its extensive use of smash cuts : sudden , short cuts to unrelated scenes showing something the characters are briefly discussing . 30 Rock also became known for its dedication to making these extremely elaborate , once showing a set that took three days to build for only six seconds of video .   30 Rock received critical acclaim throughout its run , winning several major awards ( including Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2007 , 2008 , and 2009 and nominations for every other year it ran ) , and appearing on many critics ' year-end `` best of '' 2006-2013 lists . On July 14 , 2009 , the series was nominated for 22 Primetime Emmy Awards , the most in a single year for a comedy series . Over the course of the series , it was nominated for 103 Primetime Emmy Awards and won 16 , in addition to numerous other nominations and wins from other awards shows . Despite the high praise , the series struggled in the ratings throughout its run , something of which Fey herself has made light .   In 2009 , Comedy Central and WGN America bought the syndication rights to the show , which began airing on both networks on September 19 , 2011 ; the series also entered into local broadcast syndication on the same day . Today , 30 Rock is regarded as a landmark series . Its series finale in particular has been named as one of the greatest in television history by several publications . In 2013 , the Writers Guild of America named 30 Rock the 21st best-written television series of all time .


The National Library of India is Australia's largest library.

National Library of India The National Library on the Belvedere Estate in Alipore , Kolkata , is the largest library in India by volume and India 's library of public record . It is under the Department of Culture , Ministry of Tourism & Culture , Government of India . The library is designated to collect , disseminate and preserve printed material produced in India . The library is situated on the scenic 30 acre Belvedere Estate . It is the largest in India with a collection in excess of 2.2 million books . Before independence , it was the official residence of Lt. Governor of Bengal .   The National Library of India is the county 's largest library and the library of public record . The library `` operates under the national government 's Department of Culture and is designated to collect , disseminate , and preserve all printed material produced in India , and all foreign works published about the country -- where ` every work about India ... can be seen and read ''' ( Murray , 2009 ) . The National Library is a result of the merging of the public library with the Imperial Library -- several government libraries . The National Library ( 1953 ) , then the Imperial Library housed several foreign ( British ) and Indian titles and was open to the public . Of further note , the National Library of India collects book , periodicals , and titles in `` virtually all the Indian languages , with Hindi , Kashmiri , Punjab , Sindhi , Telugu , and Urdu '' maintaining the largest stacks ( Murray , 2009 ) . The Special Collections in the National Library of India house at least fifteen languages including `` Assamese , Bengali , Gujarati ... and Tamil with many rare works ( Murray , 2009 ) . The Hindi department has books that date back all the way to the nineteenth century and the first ever books printed in that language . The collections break down and consist of 86,000 maps and 3,200 manuscripts .


Harry Potter Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J. K. Rowling . The novels chronicle the life of a young wizard , Harry Potter , and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley , all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . The main story arc concerns Harry 's struggle against Lord Voldemort , a dark wizard who intends to become immortal , overthrow the wizard governing body known as the Ministry of Magic , and subjugate all wizards and Muggles , a reference term that means non-magical people .   Since the release of the first novel , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , on 26 June 1997 , the books have found immense popularity , critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide . The series has now been translated into multiple languages including French , Irish , Spanish , German and Swedish to name a few . They have attracted a wide adult audience as well as younger readers , and are often considered cornerstones of modern young adult literature . The series has also had its share of criticism , including concern about the increasingly dark tone as the series progressed , as well as the often gruesome and graphic violence it depicts . , the books have sold more than 500 million copies worldwide , making them the best-selling book series in history , and have been translated into seventy-three languages . The last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history , with the final instalment selling roughly eleven million copies in the United States within twenty-four hours of its release .   The series was originally published in English by two major publishers , Bloomsbury in the United Kingdom and Scholastic Press in the United States . A play , Harry Potter and the Cursed Child , based on a story co-written by Rowling , premiered in London on 30 July 2016 at the Palace Theatre , and its script was published by Little , Brown as the eighth book in the series . The original seven books were adapted into an eight-part film series by Warner Bros. . Pictures , which has become the second highest-grossing film series of all time . In 2016 , the total value of the Harry Potter franchise was estimated at $ 25 billion , making Harry Potter one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .   A series of many genres , including fantasy , drama , coming of age , friendship , and the British school story ( which includes elements of mystery , thriller , adventure , horror and romance ) , the world of Harry Potter explores numerous themes and includes many cultural meanings and references . According to Rowling , the main theme is death . Other major themes in the series include prejudice , corruption , and madness .   The success of the books and films has ensured that the Harry Potter franchise continues to expand , with numerous derivative works , a travelling exhibition that premiered in Chicago in 2009 , a studio tour in London that opened in 2012 , a digital platform on which J.K. Rowling updates the series with new information and insight , and a pentalogy of spin-off films premiering in November 2016 , among many other developments . Most recently , themed attractions , collectively known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , have been built at several Universal Parks & Resorts amusement parks around the world .


Hermione Granger Hermione Jean Granger ( -LSB- hərˈmaɪ.əni _ ˈdʒiːn_ˈɡreɪndʒər -RSB- ) is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling 's Harry Potter series . She first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone '' , as a new student on her way to Hogwarts . After Harry and Ron save her from a mountain troll in the girls ' toilets , she becomes best friends with them and often uses her quick wit , deft recall , and encyclopaedic knowledge to help them . Rowling has stated that Hermione resembles herself at a younger age , with her insecurity and fear of failure .


Harry Potter (film series) Harry Potter is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by author J. K. Rowling . The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of eight fantasy films , beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone ( 2001 ) and culminating with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 ( 2011 ) . A spin-off prequel series will consist of five films , starting with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them ( 2016 ) . The Fantastic Beasts films mark the beginning of a shared media franchise known as J. K. Rowling 's Wizarding World .   The series was mainly produced by David Heyman , and stars Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , and Emma Watson as the three leading characters : Harry Potter , Ron Weasley , and Hermione Granger . Four directors worked on the series : Chris Columbus , Alfonso Cuarón , Mike Newell , and David Yates . The screenplays were written by Steve Kloves , with the exception of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ( 2007 ) , which was written by Michael Goldenberg . Production took over ten years to complete , with the main story arc following Harry Potter 's quest to overcome his arch-enemy Lord Voldemort .   Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , the seventh and final novel in the series , was adapted into two feature-length parts . Part 1 was released in November 2010 , and Part 2 was released in July 2011 .   Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ( 2004 ) is the only film in the series not among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time , with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 , the highest-grossing film in the series and one of 30 films to gross over $ 1 billion , ranking at number 8 . Without inflation adjustment , it is the second highest-grossing film series with $ 8.5 billion in worldwide receipts .


Lord Voldemort Lord Voldemort ( -LSB- ˈvoʊldəmɔr -RSB- , or -LSB- ˈvoʊldəmɔrt -RSB- in the films ) ( born Tom Marvolo Riddle ) is a fictional character and the central main antagonist in J. K. Rowling 's series of Harry Potter novels . Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , which was released in 1997 . Voldemort appears either in person or in flashbacks in each book and its film adaptation in the series , except the third , Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , where he is only mentioned .   Voldemort is the archenemy of Harry Potter , who according to a prophecy has `` the power to vanquish the Dark Lord '' . Nearly every witch or wizard dares not utter his unmentionable name , and refers to him instead with such expressions as `` You-Know-Who '' , `` He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named '' or `` the Dark Lord '' . Voldemort 's obsession with blood purity signifies his aim to rid the wizarding world of Muggle ( non-magical ) heritage and to conquer both worlds , Muggle and wizarding , to achieve pure-blood dominance . Through his mother 's family , he is the last descendant of wizard Salazar Slytherin , one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . He is the leader of the Death Eaters , a group of evil wizards and witches dedicated to ridding the Wizarding World of Muggles and establishing Voldemort as its supreme ruler .   According to Rowling , the ` t ' in `` Voldemort '' is silent , as it is in the French word for death , `` mort '' . Jim Dale pronounced it so in the first four US audiobooks , yet the characters in the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone pronounced the `` t '' -- after which Dale changed his audiobook pronunciation accordingly .


Fantasy Fantasy is a fiction genre set in an imaginary universe , often but not always without any locations , events , or people from the real world . Its roots are in oral traditions , which then developed into literature and drama . From the twentieth century it has expanded further into various media , including , film , television , graphic novels , and video games .   Most fantasy uses magic or other supernatural elements as a main plot element , theme , or setting . Magic and magical creatures are common in many of these imaginary worlds . Fantasy is a subgenre of speculative fiction and is distinguished from the genres of science fiction and horror by the absence of scientific or macabre themes respectively , though these genres overlap .   In popular culture , the fantasy genre is predominantly of the medievalist form . In its broadest sense , however , fantasy comprises works by many writers , artists , filmmakers , and musicians from ancient myths and legends to many recent and popular works .   Fantasy is studied in a number of disciplines including English and other language studies , cultural studies , comparative literature , history and medieval studies . Work in this area ranges widely from the structuralist theory of Tzvetan Todorov , which emphasizes the fantastic as a liminal space , to work on the connections ( political , historical and literary ) between medievalism and popular culture .


Magician (fantasy) A magician , mage , sorcerer , sorceress , warlock , witch , wizard , or wizardess is someone who uses or practices magic derived from supernatural or occult sources . Magicians are common figures in works of fantasy , such as fantasy literature and role-playing games , and enjoy a rich history in mythology , legends , fiction , and folklore .


Poona Pact The Poona Pact refers to an agreement between Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi signed on 24 September 1932 at Yerwada Central Jail in Pune , India . It was signed by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and some other leaders to break the fast unto death undertaken by Gandhi in Yerwada prison to annul the Macdonald Award giving separate electorates to Dalits for electing members of state legislative assemblies in British India .   History of the Poona Pact  The British invited leaders of different parties in the Round Table Conferences in 1930-32 to draft a new law involving self-rule for the Indians . Mahatma Gandhi did not attend the first and the last but attended the second of the Conferences . The concept of separate electorates for the untouch was raised by Ambedkar . Similar provisions were already available for other minorities , including Muslims , Christians , Anglo-Indians and Sikhs . The British government agreed with Ambedkar 's contention and British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald 's Communal Award to the depressed classes was to be incorporated into the constitution in the governance of British India . Gandhi strongly opposed the Communal Award on the grounds that it would disintegrate Hindu society . Ambedkar vehemently criticised the way of handling the problems of the Harijans by Gandhiji . Gandhi took up a fast unto death in his prison cell in Poona , protesting that separate electorates were a device which would separate the untouchables from the Hindu society forever . He began an indefinite hunger strike at Yerwada Central Jail from 20 September 1932 to protest against this Award . A compromise was reached on 24 September 1932 .   The text uses the term `` Depressed Classes '' to denote Untouchables who were later called Scheduled Castes under India Act 1935 , and the later Indian Constitution of 1950 .


Gone Girl (film) Gone Girl is a 2014 American psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher and written by Gillian Flynn , based on her 2012 novel of the same name . The film stars Ben Affleck , Rosamund Pike , Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry . Set in Southwest Missouri , the story begins as a mystery that follows the events surrounding Nick Dunne ( Affleck ) , who becomes the primary suspect in the sudden disappearance of his wife , Amy ( Pike ) .   The film had its world premiere on opening night of the 52nd New York Film Festival on September 26 , 2014 , before a nationwide theatrical release on October 3 . It was received well critically and was a commercial success , grossing $ 369 million , making it the highest-grossing film by Fincher . Rosamund Pike 's performance was particularly praised , and she received nominations for an Academy Award , BAFTA Award , Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress . Further nominations included a Golden Globe Award for Best Director for Fincher and Golden Globe Award , BAFTA Award and Critics ' Choice Award nominations for Flynn 's adapted screenplay , receiving the award for the latter .


Frank Ocean was born with a different name.

Frank Ocean Christopher Francis `` Frank '' Ocean ( born Christopher Edwin Breaux ; October 28 , 1987 ) , is an American singer , songwriter , and rapper . Known for his idiosyncratic musical style , Ocean first embarked on a career as a ghostwriter , and in 2010 he became a member of hip hop collective Odd Future . He released his breakout mixtape , Nostalgia , Ultra , to critical acclaim in 2011 . It generated his first charting single `` Novacane '' . In 2012 , Ocean finished in second place in BBC 's Sound of 2012 poll .   His debut studio album , Channel Orange , was released in July 2012 to critical acclaim and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 . It was promoted with three singles : `` Thinkin Bout You '' , `` Pyramids '' and `` Sweet Life '' . In 2016 , Ocean released the visual album Endless alongside his second studio album Blonde , following several years of delays . Blonde was acclaimed by critics , and debuted at number one in the United States and the United Kingdom .


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