Tim Rice wrote Jesus Christ Superstar with anyone except Andrew Lloyd Webber.

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 .


Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall ( -LSB- ˌlɔːrən_bəˈkɔːl -RSB- , born Betty Joan Perske ; September 16 , 1924 -- August 12 , 2014 ) was an American actress and singer known for her distinctive voice and sultry looks . She was named the 20th greatest female star of Classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute , and received an Academy Honorary Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2009 , `` in recognition of her central place in the Golden Age of motion pictures . ''   Bacall began her career as a model , before making her debut as a leading lady with Humphrey Bogart in the film To Have and Have Not in 1944 . She continued in the film noir genre with appearances with Bogart in The Big Sleep ( 1946 ) , Dark Passage ( 1947 ) , and Key Largo ( 1948 ) , and starred in the romantic comedies How to Marry a Millionaire ( 1953 ) with Marilyn Monroe and Designing Woman ( 1957 ) with Gregory Peck . She co-starred with John Wayne in his final film , The Shootist ( 1976 ) . Bacall also worked on Broadway in musicals , earning Tony Awards for Applause ( 1970 ) and Woman of the Year ( 1981 ) . Her performance in The Mirror Has Two Faces ( 1996 ) earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination .   A month before her 90th birthday , Bacall died in New York City after a stroke .


Laadla (1994 film) Laadla ( translation : The Beloved Son ) is a Bollywood film released on 17 April 1994 , starring Sridevi , Anil Kapoor and Raveena Tandon . The film was notable because Divya Bharti was to star as the lead role Sheetal , filming most of the film . However , due to her untimely death in 1993 , Laadla was re-filmed with Sridevi in the lead role . Footage of late Divya Bharti as Sheetal is available on the internet . Laadla is the remake of Rajkumar 's blockbuster Kannada movie called Anuraga Aralithu ( 1986 ) . Laadla was a Box Office Hit dominated by Sridevi 's presence who was quite a big star at that time .


Robert F. Kennedy wrote The Enemy Within, a book about corruption in organized labor.

Robert F. Kennedy Robert Francis `` Bobby '' Kennedy ( November 20 , 1925 -- June 6 , 1968 ) , commonly known by his initials RFK , was an American politician from Massachusetts . He served as the United States junior senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in June 1968 . He was previously the 64th U.S. Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964 , serving under his older brother President John F. Kennedy and his successor , President Lyndon B. Johnson . Kennedy was a member of the Democratic Party , and is seen as an icon of modern American liberalism .   After serving in the United States Naval Reserve as a Seaman Apprentice from 1944 to 1946 , Kennedy graduated from Harvard University and the University of Virginia . He began his political career in Massachusetts as the manager for his brother John 's successful campaign for the U.S. Senate in 1952 . Prior to entering public office himself , he worked as a correspondent for The Boston Post and as an assistant counsel to the Senate committee chaired by Joe McCarthy . He gained national attention as the chief counsel of the Senate Labor Rackets Committee from 1957 to 1959 , where he publicly challenged Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa over the corrupt practices of its union and authored The Enemy Within , a book about corruption in organized labor .   Kennedy resigned from the committee to conduct his brother John 's campaign in the 1960 presidential election . He was appointed Attorney General after the successful election and served as the closest adviser to the president from 1961 to 1963 . His tenure is best known for its advocacy for the Civil Rights Movement , the fight against organized crime and the Mafia , and involvement in U.S. foreign policy related to Cuba . After his brother 's assassination , he remained in office in the Johnson administration for several months . He left to run for the United States Senate from New York in 1964 and defeated Republican incumbent Kenneth Keating .   In 1968 , Kennedy was a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency ; he appealed especially to poor , African-American , Hispanic , Catholic and young voters . Shortly after midnight on June 5 , 1968 , after defeating Senator Eugene McCarthy in the California and South Dakota presidential primaries , he was mortally wounded by Sirhan Sirhan , a 24-year-old enraged Palestinian , and died the following day .


Venus has an atmosphere consisting of more than 96% carbon dioxide.

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun , orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days . It has the longest rotation period ( 243 days ) of any planet in the Solar System and rotates in the opposite direction to most other planets . It has no natural satellites . It is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty . It is the second-brightest natural object in the night sky after the Moon , reaching an apparent magnitude of − 4.6 , bright enough to cast shadows at night and , though rare , occasionally be visible in broad daylight . Because Venus orbits within Earth 's orbit it is an inferior planet and never appears to venture far from the Sun ; its maximum angular distance from the Sun ( elongation ) is 47.8 ° .   Venus is a terrestrial planet and is sometimes called Earth 's `` sister planet '' because of their similar size , mass , proximity to the Sun , and bulk composition . It is radically different from Earth in other respects . It has the densest atmosphere of the four terrestrial planets , consisting of more than 96 % carbon dioxide . The atmospheric pressure at the planet 's surface is 92 times that of Earth , or roughly the pressure found 900 m underwater on Earth . Venus is by far the hottest planet in the Solar System , with a mean surface temperature of 735 K , even though Mercury is closer to the Sun . Venus is shrouded by an opaque layer of highly reflective clouds of sulfuric acid , preventing its surface from being seen from space in visible light . It may have had water oceans in the past , but these would have vaporized as the temperature rose due to a runaway greenhouse effect . The water has probably photodissociated , and the free hydrogen has been swept into interplanetary space by the solar wind because of the lack of a planetary magnetic field . Venus 's surface is a dry desertscape interspersed with slab-like rocks and is periodically resurfaced by volcanism .   As one of the brightest objects in the sky , Venus has been a major fixture in human culture for as long as records have existed . It has been made sacred to gods of many cultures , and has been a prime inspiration for writers and poets as the `` morning star '' and `` evening star '' . Venus was the first planet to have its motions plotted across the sky , as early as the second millennium BC .   As the closest planet to Earth , Venus has been a prime target for early interplanetary exploration . It was the first planet beyond Earth visited by a spacecraft ( Mariner 2 in 1962 ) , and the first to be successfully landed on ( by Venera 7 in 1970 ) . Venus 's thick clouds render observation of its surface impossible in visible light , and the first detailed maps did not emerge until the arrival of the Magellan orbiter in 1991 . Plans have been proposed for rovers or more complex missions , but they are hindered by Venus 's hostile surface conditions .


There is a Christian state called Iceland.

Christian state A Christian state is a country that recognizes a form of Christianity as its official religion and often has a state church , which is a Christian denomination that supports the government and is supported by the government . Historically , the nations of Armenia , Aksum , Georgia , as well as the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire declared themselves as Christian states . Today , several nations officially identify themselves as Christian states and/or have state churches , including Costa Rica , Denmark , England , Greece , Iceland , Liechtenstein , Monaco , Tonga , Tuvalu , Vatican City , and Zambia . A Christian state stands in contrast to a secular state , an atheist state , or another religious state , such as a Jewish state , or an Islamic state .


Sleep can be disrupted by medical conditions.

Narcolepsy Narcolepsy is a long-term neurological disorder that involves a decreased ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles . Symptoms include periods of excessive daytime sleepiness that usually last from seconds to minutes and may occur at any time . About 70 % of people also experience episodes of sudden loss of muscle strength , known as cataplexy . These spells can be brought on by strong emotions . Less commonly there may be inability to move or vivid hallucinations while falling asleep or waking up . People with narcolepsy tend to sleep about the same number of hours per day as people without , but the quality of sleep tends to be worse .   The exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown with potentially several causes . In up to 10 % of cases there is a family history of the disorder . Often those affected have low levels of the neuropeptide orexin which may be due to an autoimmune disorder . Trauma , infections , toxins , or psychological stress may also play a role . Diagnosis is typically based on the symptoms and sleep studies , after ruling out other potential causes . Excessive daytime sleepiness can also be caused by other sleep disorders such as sleep apnea , major depressive disorder , anemia , heart failure , drinking alcohol , and not getting enough sleep . Cataplexy may be mistaken for seizures .   While there is no cure , a number of lifestyle changes and medications may help . Lifestyle changes include taking regular short naps and sleep hygiene . Medications used include modafinil , sodium oxybate , and methylphenidate . While initially effective , tolerance to the benefits may develop over time . Tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ) may improve cataplexy .   About 0.2 to 600 per 100,000 people are affected . The condition often begins in childhood . Men and women are affected equally . Untreated narcolepsy increases the risk of motor vehicle collisions and falls . The term narcolepsy is from the French narcolepsie . The French term was first used in 1880 by Jean-Baptiste-Édouard Gélineau who used the Greek νάρκη ( narkē ) meaning `` numbness '' and λῆψις ( lepsis ) meaning `` attack '' .


Sleep Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body characterized by altered consciousness , relatively inhibited sensory activity , inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles , and reduced interactions with surroundings . It is distinguished from wakefulness by a decreased ability to react to stimuli , but is more easily reversed than the state of being comatose . Sleep occurs in repeating periods , in which the body alternates between two highly distinct modes known as non-REM and REM sleep . Although REM stands for `` rapid eye movement '' , this mode of sleep has many other aspects , including virtual paralysis of the body . A well-known feature of sleep is the dream , an experience typically recounted in narrative form , which resembles waking life while in progress , but which usually can later be distinguished as fantasy .   During sleep , most of the body 's systems are in an anabolic state , helping to restore the immune , nervous , skeletal , and muscular systems ; these are vital processes that maintain mood , memory , and cognitive performance and plays a large role in the function of the endocrine and immune systems . The internal circadian clock promotes sleep daily at night . The diverse purposes and mechanisms of sleep are the subject of substantial ongoing research . The advent of artificial light has substantially altered sleep timing in industrialized countries .   Humans may suffer from various sleep disorders , including dyssomnias , such as insomnia , hypersomnia , narcolepsy , and sleep apnea ; parasomnias , such as sleepwalking and REM behavior disorder ; bruxism ; and circadian rhythm sleep disorders .


Indiana Jones has been portrayed by American actor Sean Patrick Flanery.

Indiana Jones Henry Walton `` Indiana '' Jones Jr. ( also shortened to Indy ) is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise . George Lucas created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials . The character first appeared in the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark , to be followed by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom in 1984 , Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade in 1989 , The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles from 1992 to 1996 , and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008 . The character is also featured in novels , comics , video games , and other media . Jones is also featured in the Disney theme park attraction , Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea , as well as the Disneyland Paris attraction Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril .   Jones is most famously played by Harrison Ford and has also been portrayed by River Phoenix ( as the young Jones in The Last Crusade ) and in the television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles by Corey Carrier , Sean Patrick Flanery , and George Hall . Doug Lee has supplied the voice of Jones for two LucasArts video games , Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis and Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine , David Esch supplied his voice for Indiana Jones and the Emperor 's Tomb , and John Armstrong for Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings .   The character is distinguished by his appearance ( bullwhip , fedora , satchel and leather jacket ) , sense of humor , deep knowledge of many ancient civilizations and languages , and fear of snakes .   Since his first appearance in Raiders of the Lost Ark , Indiana Jones has become one of cinema 's most famous characters . In 2003 , the American Film Institute ranked him the second greatest film hero of all time . He was also named the 6th Greatest Movie Character by Empire magazine . Entertainment Weekly ranked Indy 2nd on their list of The All-Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture . Premiere magazine also placed Indy at number 7 on their list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time .


Lucas starred an actor from the United States.

Lucas (film) Lucas  is a 1986 American teen tragicomedy film directed by David Seltzer and starring Corey Haim , Kerri Green , Charlie Sheen and Courtney Thorne-Smith . The film was Winona Ryder 's screen debut .


Charlie Sheen Carlos Irwin Estévez ( born September 3 , 1965 ) , known professionally as Charlie Sheen , is an American actor . Sheen rose to fame after a series of successful films such as Platoon ( 1986 ) , Wall Street ( 1987 ) , Young Guns ( 1988 ) , Eight Men Out ( 1988 ) , Major League ( 1989 ) , Hot Shots ! ( 1991 ) , and The Three Musketeers ( 1993 ) .   In the 2000s , Sheen became best known for his television roles . He replaced Michael J. Fox in Spin City and his performance earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Musical or Comedy and then starred in Two and a Half Men which earned him several Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations . He most recently starred in the FX comedy series Anger Management , which concluded its 100-episode run in 2014 . In 2010 , Sheen was the highest paid actor on television and earned US$ 1.8 million per episode of Two and a Half Men .   Sheen 's personal life has made headlines , including reports of alcohol and drug abuse and marital problems , as well as allegations of domestic violence . His contract for Two and a Half Men was terminated by CBS and Warner Bros. in March 2011 . Sheen subsequently went on tour . On November 17 , 2015 , Sheen publicly revealed that he was HIV positive , having been diagnosed about four years earlier .


Sa Talaiassa is the highest mountain on a dead body.

Sa Talaiassa Sa Talaiassa ( -LSB- sə təɫəˈjasə -RSB- ) , also known as Sa Talaia or Sa Talaia de Sant Josep , is the highest mountain in the island of Ibiza in the Balearic Islands of Spain . It is located in the southwest of the island . Talaia , the name of the mountain , means `` watchtower '' in Catalan , Talaiassa referring to an especially large one .   Sant Josep de sa Talaia , the island 's largest municipality , is named after this mountain .


Silicon Valley is in a populous region and is cultured.

San Francisco San Francisco ( initials SF ) ( -LSB- sæn_frənˈsɪskoʊ -RSB- , Spanish for Saint Francis ; Spanish : -LSB- san franˈsisko -RSB- ) , officially the City and County of San Francisco , is the cultural , commercial , and financial center of Northern California . Located at the north end of the San Francisco Peninsula , San Francisco is about 47.9 sqmi in area , making it the smallest county -- and the only consolidated city-county -- within the state of California . With a density of about 18,581 people per square mile ( 7,174 people per km2 ) , San Francisco is the most densely settled large city ( population greater than 200,000 ) in California and the second-most densely populated major city in the United States after New York City . San Francisco is the fourth-most populous city in California , after Los Angeles , San Diego , and San Jose , and the 13th-most populous city in the United States -- with a census-estimated 2016 population of 870,887 . The city and its surrounding areas are known as the San Francisco Bay Area , and are a part of the larger OMB-designated San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland combined statistical area , the fifth most populous in the nation with an estimated population of 8.7 million .   San Francisco was founded on June 29 , 1776 , when colonists from Spain established Presidio of San Francisco at the Golden Gate and Mission San Francisco de Asís a few miles away , all named for St. Francis of Assisi . The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth , making it the largest city on the West Coast at the time . San Francisco became a consolidated city-county in 1856 .  After three-quarters of the city was destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire , San Francisco was quickly rebuilt , hosting the Panama-Pacific International Exposition nine years later . In World War II , San Francisco was a major port of embarkation for service members shipping out to the Pacific Theater . It then became the birthplace of the United Nations in 1945 . After the war , the confluence of returning servicemen , massive immigration , liberalizing attitudes , along with the rise of the `` hippie '' counterculture , the Sexual Revolution , the Peace Movement growing from opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War , and other factors led to the Summer of Love and the gay rights movement , cementing San Francisco as a center of liberal activism in the United States . Politically , the city votes strongly along liberal Democratic Party lines .   A popular tourist destination , San Francisco is known for its cool summers , fog , steep rolling hills , eclectic mix of architecture , and landmarks , including the Golden Gate Bridge , cable cars , the former Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary , Fisherman 's Wharf , and its Chinatown district . San Francisco is also the headquarters of five major banking institutions and various other companies such as Levi Strauss & Co. , Gap Inc. , Salesforce.com , Dropbox , Reddit , Square , Inc. , Dolby , Airbnb , Weebly , Pacific Gas and Electric Company , Yelp , Pinterest , Twitter , Uber , Lyft , Mozilla , Wikimedia Foundation , Craigslist and Weather Underground . It has several nicknames , including `` The City by the Bay '' , `` Fog City '' , `` San Fran '' , and `` Frisco '' , as well as older ones like `` The City that Knows How '' , `` Baghdad by the Bay '' , `` The Paris of the West '' , or simply `` The City '' . , San Francisco is ranked high on world liveability rankings .


San Jose, California San Jose ( -LSB- ˌsæn_hoʊˈzeɪ -RSB- , Spanish for `` Saint Joseph '' ; -LSB- saŋ xoˈse -RSB- ) , officially the City of San José , is the economic , cultural , and political center of Silicon Valley and the largest city in Northern California . With an estimated 2015 population of 1,026,908 , it is the third most populous city in California ( after Los Angeles and San Diego ) and the tenth most populous in United States . Located in the center of the Santa Clara Valley , on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay , San Jose covers an area of 179.97 square miles ( 466.109 km2 ) . San Jose is the county seat of Santa Clara County , the most affluent county in California and one of the most affluent counties in the United States . San Jose is the largest city in both the San Francisco Bay Area and the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland Combined Statistical Area , which contain 7.7 million and 8.7 million people respectively .   Before the arrival of the Spanish , the area around San Jose was inhabited by the Ohlone people . San Jose was founded on November 29 , 1777 , as the Pueblo of San José de Guadalupe , the first civilian town founded in Spanish Alta California . When California gained statehood in 1850 , San Jose became the state 's first capital . Following World War II , San Jose experienced an economic boom , with a rapid population growth and aggressive annexation of nearby cities and communities carried out in the 1950s and 60s . The rapid growth of the high-technology and electronics industries further accelerated the transition from an agricultural center to an urbanized metropolitan area . Results of the 1990 U.S. Census indicated that San Jose had officially surpassed San Francisco as the most populous city in Northern California . By the 1990s , San Jose and the rest of Silicon Valley had become the global center for the high tech and internet industries .   San Jose is considered to be a global city , notable for its affluence and high cost of living . San Jose 's location within the booming high tech industry , as a cultural , political , and economic center has earned the city the nickname `` Capital of Silicon Valley '' . San Jose is one of the wealthiest major cities in the United States and the world , and has the third highest GDP per capita in the world ( after Zurich , Switzerland and Oslo , Norway ) , according to the Brookings Institution . With a median home price of $ 1,085,000 , San Jose has the most expensive housing market in the country and the fifth most expensive housing market in the world , according to the 2017 Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey . Major global tech companies including Cisco Systems , eBay , Adobe Systems , PayPal , Brocade , Samsung , Acer , and Western Digital maintain their headquarters in San Jose , in the center of Silicon Valley .


California California ( -LSB- kælᵻˈfɔːrnjə , _ - ni.ə -RSB- , ) is the most populous state in the United States and the third most extensive by area . Located on the western ( Pacific Ocean ) coast of the U.S. , California is bordered by the other U.S. states of Oregon , Nevada , and Arizona and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California . The state capital is Sacramento . Los Angeles is California 's most populous city , and the country 's second largest after New York City . The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Francisco Bay Area are the nation 's second - and fifth-most populous urban regions , respectively . California also has the nation 's most populous county , Los Angeles County , and its largest county by area , San Bernardino County .   California 's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in the east ; and from the redwood -- Douglas fir forests in the northwest to the Mojave Desert in the southeast . The Central Valley , a major agricultural area , dominates the state 's center . Though California is well-known for its warm Mediterranean climate , the large size of the state means it can vary from moist temperate rainforest in the north , to arid desert in the interior , as well as snowy alpine in the mountains .   What is now California was first settled by various Native American tribes before being explored by a number of European expeditions during the 16th and 17th centuries . The Spanish Empire then claimed it as part of Alta California in their New Spain colony . The area became a part of Mexico in 1821 following its successful war for independence , but was ceded to the United States in 1848 after the Mexican -- American War . The western portion of Alta California then was organized as the State of California , and admitted as the 31st state on September 9 , 1850 . The California Gold Rush starting in 1848 led to dramatic social and demographic changes , with large-scale emigration from the east and abroad with an accompanying economic boom .   If it were a country , California would be the 6th largest economy in the world and the 35th most populous . It is also regarded as a global trendsetter in both popular culture and politics , and is the origin of the film industry , the hippie counterculture , the Internet , and the personal computer , among others . Fifty-eight percent of the state 's economy is centered on finance , government , real estate services , technology , and professional , scientific and technical business services . The San Francisco Bay Area has the nation 's highest median household income by metropolitan area , and is the headquarters of three of the world 's largest 40 firms by revenue , Chevron , Apple , and McKesson . Although it accounts for only 1.5 percent of the state 's economy , California 's agriculture industry has the highest output of any U.S. state .


Silicon Valley Silicon Valley is a nickname for the southern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area , in the northern part of the U.S. state of California . The `` valley '' in its name refers to the Santa Clara Valley in Santa Clara County , which includes the city of San Jose and surrounding cities and towns , where the region has been traditionally centered . The region has expanded to include the southern half of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Mateo County , and southern portions of the East Bay in Alameda County .   The word `` silicon '' originally referred to the large number of silicon chip innovators and manufacturers in the region , but the area is now the home to many of the world 's largest high-tech corporations , including the headquarters of 39 businesses in the Fortune 1000 , and thousands of startup companies . Silicon Valley also accounts for one-third of all of the venture capital investment in the United States , which has helped it to become a leading hub and startup ecosystem for high-tech innovation and scientific development . It was in the Valley that the silicon-based integrated circuit , the microprocessor , and the microcomputer , among other key technologies , were developed . As of 2013 , the region employed about a quarter of a million information technology workers .   As more high-tech companies were established across the Santa Clara Valley , and then north towards the Bay Area 's two other major cities , San Francisco and Oakland , the `` Silicon Valley '' name eventually came to refer to all high-tech businesses in the region . The term is now generally used as a synecdoche for the American high-technology economic sector . The name also became a global synonym for leading high-tech research and enterprises , and thus inspired similar named locations , as well as research parks and technology centers with a comparable structure all around the world .


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


Brittany Murphy moved to Los Angeles, California as a teenager.

Brittany Murphy Brittany Murphy-Monjack ( born Brittany Anne Bertolotti ; November 10 , 1977 -- December 20 , 2009 ) , known professionally as Brittany Murphy , was an American film and stage actress , singer , and voice artist . A native of Atlanta , Murphy moved to Los Angeles as a teenager and pursued a career in acting . Her breakthrough role was as Tai Frasier in Clueless ( 1995 ) , followed by supporting roles in independent films such as Freeway ( 1996 ) and Bongwater ( 1998 ) . She made her stage debut in a Broadway production of Arthur Miller 's A View from the Bridge in 1997 , before appearing as Daisy Randone in Girl , Interrupted ( 1999 ) and as Lisa Swenson in Drop Dead Gorgeous ( 1999 ) .   The 2000s saw Murphy with roles in Do n't Say a Word ( 2001 ) alongside Michael Douglas , and alongside Eminem in 8 Mile ( 2002 ) , for which she gained critical recognition . Her later roles included Riding in Cars with Boys ( 2001 ) , Spun ( 2002 ) , Uptown Girls ( 2003 ) , Sin City ( 2005 ) , and Happy Feet ( 2006 ) . Murphy also voiced Luanne Platter on the animated television series King of the Hill ( 1997 -- 2009 ) . Her final film , Something Wicked , was released in April 2014 .   In December 2009 , Murphy died of pneumonia at the age of 32 . When her widower Simon Monjack died from the same illness six months later , the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services considered toxic mold in their home as a possible cause for their deaths , but this was dismissed by the Coroner 's Office . In 2011 , Murphy 's mother Sharon filed a lawsuit against the attorneys who represented her in an earlier suit against the builders of the home where her daughter and son-in-law died .


Robert Redford refused to ever be an actor.

War Hunt War Hunt is a 1962 war film starring John Saxon , Robert Redford and Charles Aidman . The film was directed by Denis Sanders , produced by his brother , Terry Sanders for T-D Enterprises , and released by United Artists .   The movie features the film debuts of Sydney Pollack and Tom Skerritt and the first major role for Redford . Redford and Pollack met on the set of this film as actors . The two would later form a prolific working relationship , with Pollack eventually directing Redford in seven films .   The National Board of Review named the film as one of the ten best films of 1962 . It won the Silver Sail best feature film award at the 1962 Locarno International Film Festival and was nominated for a UN BAFTA award in 1964 .


Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. ( born August 18 , 1936 ) is an American actor , director , producer , businessman , environmentalist , and philanthropist . Redford is the founder of the Sundance Film Festival .   Redford 's career began in 1960 as a guest star on numerous TV shows , including : The Untouchables , Perry Mason , Alfred Hitchcock Presents , and The Twilight Zone , among others . He earned an Emmy nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Voice of Charlie Pont ( 1962 ) . His greatest Broadway success was as the stuffy newlywed husband of Elizabeth Ashley in Neil Simon 's Barefoot in the Park ( 1963 ) .   Redford made his film debut in War Hunt ( 1962 ) . His role in Inside Daisy Clover ( 1965 ) won him a Golden Globe for best new star . He starred in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid ( 1969 ) , which was a huge success and made him a major star . In 1972 , he had a critical and box office hit with Jeremiah Johnson ( 1972 ) , and in 1973 had the greatest hit of his career , the blockbuster crime caper The Sting , for which he was nominated for an Academy Award . The popular and acclaimed All the President 's Men ( 1976 ) was a landmark film for Redford .   The first film that Redford directed , Ordinary People ( 1980 ) , was one of the most critically and publicly acclaimed films of the decade , winning four Oscars , and in the same year , he starred in Brubaker ( 1980 ) . He starred in Out of Africa ( 1985 ) , which was an enormous critical and box office success , and won seven Oscars including Best Picture , proving to be his greatest success of the decade . He released his third film as a director , A River Runs Through It , in 1992 .   Redford won the Academy Award for Best Director in 1981 for directing Ordinary People . He was previously nominated for Best Actor in 1974 for his performance in The Sting , and went on to receive Best Director and Best Picture nominations in 1995 for Quiz Show . He won a second Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2002 . In 2010 , he was made a chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur . He has won BAFTA , Directors Guild of America , Golden Globe , and Screen Actors Guild Awards .   In April 2014 , Time magazine included Redford in their annual Time 100 as one of the `` Most Influential People in the World '' , declaring him the `` Godfather of Indie Film '' . In 2016 , President Barack Obama honored Redford with a Presidential Medal of Freedom .


Broad Green Pictures is a television only company.

Broad Green Pictures Broad Green Pictures is an American film production , financing , and distribution company . It was founded in 2014 by CEO Gabriel Hammond and Chief Creative Officer , Daniel Hammond .


Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston ( born February 11 , 1969 ) is an American actress , producer , and businesswoman . She is the daughter of Greek-born actor John Aniston and American actress Nancy Dow . Aniston gained worldwide recognition for portraying Rachel Green on the popular television sitcom Friends ( 1994 -- 2004 ) , a role which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award , a Golden Globe Award , and a Screen Actors Guild Award . The character was widely popular during the airing of the series and was later recognized as one of the 100 greatest female characters in United States television .   Aniston has played the female protagonist in a number of comedies and romantic comedies . Her box office hits include Bruce Almighty ( 2003 ) , The Break-Up ( 2006 ) , Marley & Me ( 2008 ) , Just Go with It ( 2011 ) , Horrible Bosses ( 2011 ) , and We 're the Millers ( 2013 ) , each of which have grossed over 200 million in worldwide receipts . Her most critically acclaimed roles included the role of Olivia in Friends with Money ( 2006 ) , The Good Girl ( 2002 ) , for which she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead , and the drama Cake ( 2014 ) , for which she received nominations for the Golden Globe Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actress . Her other films include Along Came Polly ( 2004 ) and He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) . In 2008 , she co-founded the production company Echo Films .   In 2012 , Aniston received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . She is one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood , and as of 2014 , her net worth is estimated to be 150 million . She has also been included in magazines ' lists of the world 's most beautiful women . People magazine named Aniston `` The Most Beautiful Woman '' in 2004 and 2016 , and Men 's Health magazine voted her the `` Sexiest Woman of All Time '' in 2011 . Divorced from actor Brad Pitt , to whom she was married for five years , she has been married to actor Justin Theroux since 2015 .


Neighbors (2014 film) Neighbors ( released in some countries as Bad Neighbours ) is a 2014 American comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Andrew Cohen and Brendan O'Brien . The film stars Seth Rogen , Zac Efron , Rose Byrne , Dave Franco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse . The plot follows a couple who come into conflict with a fraternity that has recently moved in next door .   The film premiered at South by Southwest on March 8 , 2014 and was released on May 9 in the United States . It was a commercial success , grossing over $ 270 million worldwide , and is currently Rogen 's highest grossing live-action movie . A sequel , titled Neighbors 2 : Sorority Rising , was released on May 20 , 2016 . Stoller returned to direct , with Rogen , Efron , Byrne , Mintz-Plasse , Barinholtz , Gallo , Kudrow , Buress and Franco all reprising their roles .


Rose Byrne Mary Rose Byrne ( born 24 July 1979 ) is an Australian actress . Byrne made her screen debut in 1992 with a small role in the film Dallas Doll . In 2000 , she played a leading role in the Australian film The Goddess of 1967 , which brought her a Venice Film Festival award for Best Actress . From 2007 to 2012 , she played Ellen Parsons in the cable television series Damages , which earned her two Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations . Along with co-star Glenn Close , she appeared in all of the show 's fifty-nine episodes . Byrne has also starred in the films Troy , 28 Weeks Later , Knowing , Insidious , X-Men : First Class , X-Men : Apocalypse , as well as the comedies Get Him to the Greek , Bridesmaids , Neighbors , its sequel Neighbors 2 : Sorority Rising and Spy .


Turkey Turkey ( Türkiye Cumhuriyeti -LSB- ˈtyɾcije d͡ʒumˈhuɾijeti -RSB- ) , is a transcontinental country in Eurasia , mainly in Anatolia in Western Asia , with a smaller portion on the Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe . Turkey is a democratic , secular , unitary , parliamentary republic with a diverse cultural heritage . Turkey is bordered by eight countries : Greece and Bulgaria to the northwest ; Georgia to the northeast ; Armenia , the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan and Iran to the east ; Iraq and Syria to the south . The country is encircled by seas on three sides : the Aegean Sea is to the west , the Black Sea to the north , and the Mediterranean Sea to the south . The Bosphorus , the Sea of Marmara , and the Dardanelles , which together form the Turkish Straits , divide Thrace and Anatolia ; they also separate Europe and Asia . Ankara is the capital while Istanbul is the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Approximately 70-80 % of the country 's citizens identify themselves as ethnic Turks . Other ethnic groups include legally recognised ( Armenians , Greeks , Jews ) and unrecognised ( Kurds , Arabs , Circassians , Albanians , Bosniaks , Georgians , etc. ) minorities . Kurds are the largest ethnic minority group , making up approximately 20 % of the population .   The area of Turkey has been inhabited since the Paleolithic by various ancient Anatolian civilisations , as well as Assyrians , Greeks , Thracians , Phrygians , Urartians and Armenians . After Alexander the Great 's conquest , the area was Hellenized , a process which continued under the Roman Empire and its transition into the Byzantine Empire . The Seljuk Turks began migrating into the area in the 11th century , starting the process of Turkification , which was accelerated by the Seljuk victory over the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 . The Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm ruled Anatolia until the Mongol invasion in 1243 , when it disintegrated into small Turkish beyliks .   In the mid-14th century the Ottomans started uniting Anatolia and created an empire encompassing much of Southeast Europe , West Asia and North Africa , becoming a major power in Eurasia and Africa during the early modern period . The empire reached the peak of its power in the 16th century , especially during the reign ( 1520 -- 1566 ) of Suleiman the Magnificent . It remained powerful and influential for two more centuries , until important setbacks in the 17th and 18th century forced it to cede strategic territories in Europe , signalling the loss of its former military strength and wealth . After the 1913 Ottoman coup d'état which effectively put the country under the control of the Three Pashas the Ottoman Empire decided to join the Central Powers during World War I which were ultimately defeated by the Allied Powers . During the war , the Ottoman government committed genocides against its Armenian , Assyrian and Pontic Greek citizens .   Following the war , the conglomeration of territories and peoples that formerly comprised the Ottoman Empire was partitioned into several new states . The Turkish War of Independence ( 1919 -- 1922 ) , initiated by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his colleagues against the occupying Allies , resulted in the abolition of monarchy in 1922 and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey in 1923 , with Atatürk as its first president . Atatürk enacted numerous reforms , many of which incorporated various aspects of Western thought , philosophy , and customs into the new form of Turkish government .   Turkey is a charter member of the UN , an early member of NATO , and a founding member of the OECD , OSCE , OIC and G-20 . After becoming one of the first members of the Council of Europe in 1949 , Turkey became an associate member of the EEC in 1963 , joined the EU Customs Union in 1995 and started accession negotiations with the European Union in 2005 . Turkey 's growing economy and diplomatic initiatives have led to its recognition as a regional power while its location has given it geopolitical and strategic importance throughout history .   Turkey 's current administration headed by president Tayyip Erdoğan has reversed many of the country 's earlier reforms which had been in place since the founding of the modern republic of Turkey , such as Freedom of the Press , a Legislative System of Checks and Balances , and a set of standards for secularism in government , as first enacted by Atatürk .


Black Swan (film) Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological thriller-horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky , written by Mark Heyman , Andres Heinz , and John McLaughlin , and starring Natalie Portman , Vincent Cassel , Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder . The plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky 's Swan Lake ballet by a prestigious New York City company . The production requires a ballerina to play the innocent and fragile White Swan , for which the committed dancer Nina ( Portman ) is a perfect fit , as well as the dark and sensual Black Swan , which are qualities better embodied by the new arrival Lily ( Kunis ) . Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the part , causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into a living nightmare .   Usually described as a psychological thriller , Black Swan can be also interpreted as a metaphor for achieving artistic perfection , with all the psychological and physical challenges one might encounter , i.e. `` the film can be perceived as a poetic metaphor for the birth of an artist , that is , as a visual representation of Nina 's psychic odyssey toward achieving artistic perfection and of the price to be paid for it . ''   Aronofsky conceived the premise by connecting his viewings of a production of Swan Lake with an unrealized screenplay about understudies and the notion of being haunted by a double , similar to the folklore surrounding doppelgängers . Aronofsky cites Fyodor Dostoyevsky 's The Double as another inspiration for the film . The director also considered Black Swan a companion piece to his 2008 film The Wrestler , with both films involving demanding performances for different kinds of art . He and Portman first discussed the project in 2000 , and after a brief attachment to Universal Studios , Black Swan was produced in New York City in 2009 by Fox Searchlight Pictures . Portman and Kunis trained in ballet for several months prior to filming , and notable figures from the ballet world helped with film production to shape the ballet presentation .   The film premiered as the opening film for the 67th Venice International Film Festival on September 1 , 2010 . It had a limited release in the United States starting December 3 , 2010 and opened in wide release on December 17 . Black Swan received critical praise upon its release , particularly for Portman 's performance and Aronofsky 's direction , and was a surprise box office success , grossing $ 329 million worldwide . The film received five Academy Award nominations and Portman won Best Actress for the film , as well as many other Best Actress awards in several guilds and festivals . In addition , Aronofsky was nominated for Best Director and the film was nominated for Best Picture . It is the fifth horror film to be nominated in the Best Picture category , following The Exorcist in 1973 , Jaws in 1975 , The Silence of the Lambs in 1991 , and The Sixth Sense in 1999 .


Vincent Cassel Vincent Cassel ( -LSB- vɛ̃sɑ̃ kasɛl -RSB- ; born Vincent Crochon , 23 November 1966 ) is a French actor best known to English-speaking audiences through his film performances in Ocean 's Twelve and Ocean 's Thirteen , as well as Black Swan . Cassel is also renowned for playing the infamous French bank-robber Jacques Mesrine in Mesrine : Killer Instinct and Mesrine : Public Enemy Number One .


Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen `` Jerry '' Seinfeld ( born April 29 , 1954 ) is an American comedian , actor , writer , producer , and director . He is known for playing a semifictional version of himself in the sitcom Seinfeld , which he created and wrote with Larry David . Seinfeld was heavily involved in the Bee Movie , in which he voiced its protagonist . In 2010 , he premiered a reality series called The Marriage Ref . He directed Colin Quinn in the Broadway show Long Story Short at the Helen Hayes Theater , which ran until January 2011 . He is the creator and host of the web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee . In his stand-up comedy career , Seinfeld is known for specializing in observational comedy , often ranting about relationships and embarrassing social situations .   In 2005 , Comedy Central named Seinfeld their `` 12th Greatest Stand-up Comedian of All Time '' .


Daft Punk Daft Punk are a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . The duo achieved significant popularity in the late 1990s as part of the French house movement and had continuous success in the years following , combining elements of house music with funk , techno , disco , rock music and synthpop influences . They are also known for their visual stylization and disguises associated with their music ; the duo have worn ornate helmets and gloves to assume robot personas in most of their public appearances since 2001 and rarely grant interviews or appear on television . The duo were managed from 1996 to 2008 by Pedro Winter ( also known as Busy P ) , the head of Ed Banger Records .   Bangalter and de Homem-Christo were originally briefly in an indie rock band named Darlin ' . When the group disbanded , it left the two to experiment musically with drum machines and synthesisers . The duo released their debut studio album Homework through Virgin Records in 1997 to highly positive reviews . The duo 's next album Discovery ( 2001 ) was even more successful , driven by the release of the hit singles `` One More Time '' , `` Digital Love '' and `` Harder , Better , Faster , Stronger '' . In March 2005 , the duo released their third album Human After All to mixed reviews . However , the singles `` Robot Rock '' and `` Technologic '' achieved considerable success in the United Kingdom .   Daft Punk toured throughout 2006 and 2007 and released the live album Alive 2007 , which won a Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album . The duo later composed the score for the Disney film Tron : Legacy in 2010 , and released its soundtrack album that same year . In January 2013 , Daft Punk left Virgin for Columbia Records , and released their next album Random Access Memories in 2013 to worldwide critical acclaim . The album 's lead single `` Get Lucky '' became an international success , peaking on top 10 charts in 32 countries . Random Access Memories won five Grammy Awards in 2014 , including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for `` Get Lucky '' . Daft Punk later gained their first number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with the song `` Starboy '' , a collaboration with The Weeknd .


Laurie Hernandez graduated high school on June 9th, 2000.

Laurie Hernandez Lauren Zoe `` Laurie '' Hernandez ( born June 9 , 2000 ) is an American artistic gymnast . She competed as a member of the U.S. women 's gymnastics team at the 2016 Summer Olympics , winning gold in the team event and silver on the balance beam .   In 2016 , Hernandez won season 23 of Dancing with the Stars with partner Val Chmerkovskiy .


Easy Virtue (2008 film) Easy Virtue is a 2008 British romantic comedy film based on Noël Coward 's play of the same name . The play was previously made into the silent movie Easy Virtue ( 1928 ) by Alfred Hitchcock . This adaptation is directed by Stephan Elliott , written by Elliott and Sheridan Jobbins , and stars Jessica Biel , Ben Barnes , Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas . The score contains many Coward and jazz-age songs , some of which are sung or partially sung by the cast .   Easy Virtue is a social comedy in which a glamorous American widow , Larita , impetuously marries a young Englishman , John Whittaker , in the South of France . When they return to England to meet his parents , his mother takes an immediate and strong dislike to the new daughter-in-law , while his father , Jim , finds a kindred spirit . Family tensions escalate .   The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and London Film Festival prior to its 7 November release by Pathé in the UK . Subsequently , the film was also screened at the Rio International Film Festival , Middle East International Film Festival in Abu Dhabi , and the Rome Film Festival . It closed the Adelaide Film Festival prior to the Australian theatrical release on 12 March 2009 . In May 2009 it was released in the US .   In the United States , the film enjoyed some commercial success . Sony Pictures Classics paid an estimated $ US1 million to acquire the film 's distribution rights in the United States , Latin America and South Africa . The film went on to gross $ US2 .5 million in limited theatrical release in the United States .


Joseph Stalin was part of the 1907 Tiflis bank robbery.

1907 Tiflis bank robbery The 1907 Tiflis bank robbery , also known as the Yerevan Square expropriation , was an armed robbery on 26 June 1907 in the city of Tiflis ( now Georgia 's capital , Tbilisi ) . A bank cash shipment was stolen by Bolsheviks to fund their revolutionary activities . The robbers attacked a bank stagecoach and surrounding police and military using bombs and guns while the stagecoach was transporting money through Yerevan Square ( now Freedom Square ) between the post office and the Tiflis branch of the State Bank of the Russian Empire . The attack killed forty people and injured fifty others , according to official archive documents . The robbers escaped with 341,000 rubles ( equivalent to around US 3.4 million in 2008 ) .   The robbery was organized by a number of top-level Bolsheviks , including Vladimir Lenin , Joseph Stalin , Maxim Litvinov , Leonid Krasin , and Alexander Bogdanov , and executed by a party of revolutionaries led by Stalin 's early associate Ter-Petrosian ( Kamo ) . Because such activities were explicitly prohibited by the 5th Congress of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party ( RSDLP ) , the robbery and the killings caused outrage within the party against the Bolsheviks ( a faction within the RSDLP ) . As a result , Lenin and Stalin tried to distance themselves from the robbery . The events surrounding the incident and similar robberies split the Bolshevik leadership , with Lenin against Bogdanov and Krasin . Despite the success of the robbery and the large sum involved , the Bolsheviks could not use most of the large bank notes obtained from the robbery because their serial numbers were known to the police . Lenin conceived of a plan to have various individuals cash the large bank notes at once at various locations throughout Europe in January 1908 , but this strategy failed , resulting in a number of arrests , worldwide publicity , and negative reaction from European social democrats .   Kamo was caught in Germany shortly after the robbery but successfully avoided a criminal trial by feigning insanity for more than three years . He managed to escape from his psychiatric ward but was captured two years later while planning another robbery . Kamo was then sentenced to death for his crimes including the 1907 robbery , but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment ; he was released after the 1917 Revolution . None of the other major participants or organizers of the robbery were ever brought to trial . After his death , a grave and monument to Kamo was erected near Yerevan Square in Pushkin Gardens . This monument was later removed , and Kamo 's remains moved elsewhere .


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 .


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 .


Prince had a home in Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Prince (musician) Prince Rogers Nelson ( June 7 , 1958 -- April 21 , 2016 ) was an American singer-songwriter , actor , multi-instrumentalist , philanthropist , dancer and record producer . He was a musical innovator who was known for his eclectic work , flamboyant stage presence , extravagant dress and makeup , and wide vocal range . His music integrates a wide variety of styles , including funk , rock , R&B , new wave , soul , psychedelia , and pop . He has sold over 100 million records worldwide , making him one of the best-selling artists of all time . He won seven Grammy Awards , an American Music Award , a Golden Globe Award , and an Academy Award for the film Purple Rain . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 , his first year of eligibility . Rolling Stone ranked Prince at number 27 on its list of 100 Greatest Artists , `` the most influential artists of the rock & roll era '' .   Prince was born in Minneapolis , Minnesota , and developed an interest in music as a young child . He signed a recording contract with Warner Bros. at the age of 18 , and released his debut album For You in 1978 . His 1979 album Prince went platinum , and his next three records -- Dirty Mind ( 1980 ) , Controversy ( 1981 ) , and 1999 ( 1982 ) -- continued his success , showcasing Prince 's prominently sexual lyrics and blending of funk , dance , and rock music . In 1984 , he began referring to his backup band as the Revolution and released Purple Rain , the soundtrack album to his eponymous 1984 film debut . It quickly became his most critically and commercially successful release , spending 24 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200 and selling over 20 million units worldwide . After releasing the albums Around the World in a Day ( 1985 ) and Parade ( 1986 ) , The Revolution disbanded , and Prince released the double album Sign o ' the Times ( 1987 ) as a solo artist . He released three more solo albums before debuting the New Power Generation band in 1991 .   In 1993 , while in a contractual dispute with Warner Bros. , he changed his stage name to , an unpronounceable symbol also known as the `` Love Symbol '' , and began releasing new albums at a faster pace to remove himself from contractual obligations . He released five records between 1994 and 1996 before signing with Arista Records in 1998 . In 2000 , he began referring to himself as `` Prince '' again . He released 16 albums after that , including the platinum-selling Musicology ( 2004 ) . His final album , Hit n Run Phase Two , was first released on the Tidal streaming service on December 12 , 2015 . Prince died from a fentanyl overdose at his Paisley Park recording studio and home in Chanhassen , Minnesota , on April 21 , 2016 , at the age of 57 .


The Red Army invasion of Georgia was a social issue by the Soviet Russian Red Army.

Red Army invasion of Georgia The Red Army invasion of Georgia ( 15 February -- 17 March 1921 ) , also known as the Soviet -- Georgian War or the Soviet invasion of Georgia , was a military campaign by the Soviet Russian ( RSFSR ) Red Army aimed at overthrowing the Social-Democratic ( Menshevik ) government of the Democratic Republic of Georgia ( DRG ) and installing a Bolshevik regime in the country . The conflict was a result of expansionist policy by the Soviets , who aimed to control as much as possible of the lands which had been part of the former Russian Empire until the turbulent events of the First World War , as well as the revolutionary efforts of mostly Russian-based Georgian Bolsheviks , who did not have sufficient support in their native country to seize power without external intervention .   The independence of Georgia had been recognized by Soviet Russia in the Treaty of Moscow , signed on 7 May 1920 , and the subsequent invasion of the country was not universally agreed upon in Moscow . It was largely engineered by two influential Georgian-born Soviet Russian officials , Stalin ( Dzhugashvili ) and Sergo ( Ordzhonikidze ) , who on 14 February 1921 got the consent of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin to advance into Georgia , on the pretext of supporting `` peasants and workers rebellion '' in the country . Soviet forces took the Georgian capital Tbilisi ( then known as Tiflis to most non-Georgian speakers ) after heavy fighting and declared the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic on 25 February 1921 . The rest of the country was overrun within three weeks , but it was not until September 1924 that Soviet rule was firmly established . Almost simultaneous occupation of a large portion of southwest Georgia by Turkey ( February -- March 1921 ) threatened to develop into a crisis between Moscow and Ankara , and led to significant territorial concessions by the Soviets to the Turkish National Government in the Treaty of Kars .


Roger Moore Sir Roger George Moore , ( -LSB- mɔər -RSB- 14 October 1927 -- 23 May 2017 ) was an English actor . He is best known for playing secret agent James Bond in seven feature films between 1973 and 1985 . He also played Simon Templar in the television series The Saint between 1962 and 1969 .   Moore took over the role of Bond from Sean Connery in 1972 , and made his first appearance as 007 in Live and Let Die ( 1973 ) . The longest serving Bond to date , he went on to portray the spy in six more films . Appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1991 , Moore was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003 for `` services to charity '' . In 2007 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his work on television and in film , aptly located at 7007 Hollywood Boulevard . In 2008 , the French government appointed Moore a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres .


Avatar is a 2009 film directed by James Cameron.

Fictional universe of Avatar In the 2009 science fiction film Avatar , director James Cameron conceived a fictional universe in which humans seek to mine unobtanium on the fictional exoplanetary moon , Pandora . The Earth-like moon is inhabited by a sapient indigenous humanoid species called the Na ` vi , and varied fauna and flora . Resources Development Administration ( RDA ) scientists , administrators , recruits , support , and security personnel travel to Pandora in the 22nd century to discover this lush world , which is inhabited by many lifeforms including the human-like Na ` vi . The clan with which the humans have contact in the film '' -LSB- lives -RSB- in a giant tree that sits on a vast store of a mineral called unobtanium , which humans want as an energy supply . ''   The Pandoran biosphere teems with a biodiversity of bioluminescent species ranging from hexapodal animals to other types of exotic fauna and flora . The Pandoran ecology forms a vast neural network spanning the entire lunar surface into which the Na ` vi and other creatures can connect . The strength of this collective consciousness is powerfully illustrated when the human invaders are defeated in battle by the Pandoran ecology , after the resolute Na ` vi were nearly defeated . Cameron used a team of expert advisors in order to make the various examples of fauna and flora as scientifically feasible as possible .


Avatar (2009 film) Avatar ( marketed as James Cameron 's Avatar ) is a 2009 American epic science fiction film directed , written , produced , and co-edited by James Cameron , and starring Sam Worthington , Zoe Saldana , Stephen Lang , Michelle Rodriguez , and Sigourney Weaver . The film is set in the mid-22nd century , when humans are colonizing Pandora , a lush habitable moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system , in order to mine the mineral unobtanium , a room-temperature superconductor . The expansion of the mining colony threatens the continued existence of a local tribe of Na ` vi -- a humanoid species indigenous to Pandora . The film 's title refers to a genetically engineered Na ` vi body with the mind of a remotely located human that is used to interact with the natives of Pandora .   Development of Avatar began in 1994 , when Cameron wrote an 80-page treatment for the film . Filming was supposed to take place after the completion of Cameron 's 1997 film Titanic , for a planned release in 1999 , but according to Cameron , the necessary technology was not yet available to achieve his vision of the film . Work on the language of the film 's extraterrestrial beings began in 2005 , and Cameron began developing the screenplay and fictional universe in early 2006 . Avatar was officially budgeted at $ 237 million . Other estimates put the cost between $ 280 million and $ 310 million for production and at $ 150 million for promotion . The film made extensive use of new motion capture filming techniques , and was released for traditional viewing , 3D viewing ( using the RealD 3D , Dolby 3D , XpanD 3D , and IMAX 3D formats ) , and for `` 4D '' experiences in select South Korean theaters . The stereoscopic filmmaking was touted as a breakthrough in cinematic technology .   Avatar premiered in London on , 2009 , and was internationally released on and in the United States and Canada on , to positive critical reviews , with critics highly praising its groundbreaking visual effects . During its theatrical run , the film broke several box office records and became the highest-grossing film of all time , as well as in the United States and Canada , surpassing Titanic , which had held those records for twelve years ( and was also directed by Cameron ) . It also became the first film to gross more than and the best-selling film of 2010 in the United States . Avatar was nominated for nine Academy Awards , including Best Picture and Best Director , and won three , for Best Art Direction , Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects . Following the film 's success , Cameron signed with 20th Century Fox to produce three sequels , making Avatar the first of a planned tetralogy . On April 14 , 2016 , Cameron confirmed that there were now plans for four sequels . Avatar 2 was scheduled for release in December 2018 before being delayed , with the sequels following in December 2020 , 2022 , and 2023 , respectively . The sequels are scheduled for release in 2020 , 2021 , 2024 and 2025 .


Approximately 200 million AK-47 belong to the Kalashnikov family.

AK-47 The AK-47 ( -LSB- Автомат Калашникова , translit = Avtomat Kalashnikova , lit = Kalashnikov 's Automatic Rifle -RSB- ) is a selective-fire ( semi-automatic and automatic ) , gas-operated 7.62 × 39 mm assault rifle , developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov . It is the originating firearm of the Kalashnikov rifle ( or `` AK '' ) family .   Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year of World War II ( 1945 ) . In 1946 , the AK-47 was presented for official military trials , and in 1948 , the fixed-stock version was introduced into active service with selected units of the Soviet Army . An early development of the design was the AKS ( S -- Skladnoy or `` folding '' ) , which was equipped with an underfolding metal shoulder stock . In the spring of 1949 , the AK-47 was officially accepted by the Soviet Armed Forces and used by the majority of the member states of the Warsaw Pact .   Even after almost seven decades , the model and its variants remain the most popular and widely used assault rifles in the world because of their substantial reliability under harsh conditions , low production costs compared to contemporary Western weapons , availability in virtually every geographic region and ease of use . The AK-47 has been manufactured in many countries and has seen service with armed forces as well as irregular forces worldwide , and was the basis for developing many other types of individual and crew-served firearms . As of 2004 , `` Of the estimated 500 million firearms worldwide , approximately 100 million belong to the Kalashnikov family , three-quarters of which are AK-47s '' .


Sharon Tate married on January 20, 1968.

Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski ( January 24 , 1943 -- August 9 , 1969 ) was an American actress and model . During the 1960s , she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover girl . After receiving positive reviews for her comedic and dramatic acting performances , Tate was hailed as one of Hollywood 's most promising newcomers .   She made her film debut in 1966 with the occult-themed Eye of the Devil . Her most remembered performance was as Jennifer North in the 1967 cult classic film , Valley of the Dolls , earning her a Golden Globe Award nomination . Tate 's last completed film , 12 +1 was released posthumously in 1969 , with the actress receiving top billing .   In January 20 , 1968 , Tate married Roman Polanski , her director and co-star in 1967 's The Fearless Vampire Killers . On August 9 , 1969 , Tate , along with four others , was murdered by members of the Manson Family in the home she shared with Polanski . At the time of her death , she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant with the couple 's son .   A decade after Tate 's murder , the actress ' mother , Doris Tate , in response to the growing cult status of the killers and the possibility of them being granted parole , organized a public campaign that resulted in amendments to the California criminal law . Tate 's mother went on to say that the law would `` help transform Sharon 's legacy from murder victim to a symbol of victims ' rights '' . A book by Tate 's sister , Debra Tate , titled Sharon Tate : Recollection , was released in 2014 .


Hayley Atwell Hayley Elizabeth Atwell ( born 5 April 1982 ) is a British-American actress , She is known for her work in stage productions such as A View from the Bridge , and onscreen , she is often cast in period pieces , such as the 2007 thriller Cassandra 's Dream , the 2008 drama The Duchess , the 2010 historical drama miniseries The Pillars of the Earth . She is best known for her portrayal of Peggy Carter in various films and television series set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe , including the ABC action-adventure series Agent Carter .


Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna `` Idris '' Elba , ( -LSB- ˈɪdrᵻs_ˈɛlbə -RSB- born 6 September 1972 ) is an English actor , musician , and DJ . He is known for playing druglord Russell `` Stringer '' Bell on the HBO series The Wire , Detective John Luther on the BBC One series Luther , and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom ( 2013 ) . He has been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film , winning one , and was nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award .   Elba has appeared in films such as Ridley Scott 's American Gangster ( 2007 ) , Takers ( 2010 ) , Thor ( 2011 ) , Prometheus ( 2012 ) , Pacific Rim ( 2013 ) , Thor : The Dark World ( 2013 ) and Beasts of No Nation ( 2015 , for which he received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor ) , and Star Trek Beyond ( 2016 ) . In 2016 , he also voiced Chief Bogo in Zootopia , Shere Khan in The Jungle Book , and Fluke in Finding Dory . He will make his directorial debut with an adaptation of 1992 novel Yardie by Victor Headley .   In addition to his acting work , Elba is a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis ( or Big Driis the Londoner ) and hip hop soul musician . In 2016 , he was named in the Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World .


19 (Adele album) 19 is the debut studio album by British singer Adele . It was first released on 28 January 2008 , through XL Recordings . Following Adele 's graduation from the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology in May 2006 , she began publishing songs and recorded a three-song demo for a class project and gave it to a friend . The friend posted the demo on Myspace , where it became very successful and led to interest from XL Recordings . This led to Adele signing a recording contract with the label and providing vocals for Jack Peñate , during this session for Peñate 's song she met producer Jim Abbiss , who would go on to produce the majority of her debut album .   Adele wrote most of the album 's material solely , but did work with a select few writers and producers including Jim Abbiss , Eg White and Sacha Skarbek . Their collaborations created a blue-eyed soul album with lyrics describing heartbreak and relationship . Upon release , 19 received generally positive reviews from critics , who praised the singer 's vocals and noted her as having the `` potential to become among the most respected and inspiring international artists of her generation . '' 19 also won and was nominated for numerous accolades including a Mercury Prize , and the Grammy Award for Best New Artist . The second single , `` Chasing Pavements '' , also won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards .   Four singles were released from the album , with `` Chasing Pavements '' and `` Make You Feel My Love '' reaching the top ten on the UK Singles Chart and the former becoming Adele 's first Billboard Hot 100 entry . 19 debuted at number one on the UK charts during its release , and was certified seven times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) with sales of over 2 million copies . Peaking at number four on the US Billboard 200 in 2012 , the album has also sold over 3 million copies in the United States and an estimated 7 million copies worldwide .


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


21 (Adele album) 21 is the second studio album by British singer Adele . It was released on 24 January 2011 in most of Europe , and on 22 February 2011 in North America . The album was named after the age of the singer during its production . 21 shares the folk and Motown soul influences of her 2008 debut album 19 , but was further inspired by the American country and Southern blues music to which she had been exposed during her 2008 -- 09 North American tour An Evening with Adele . Composed in the aftermath of the singer 's separation from her partner , the album typifies the near dormant tradition of the confessional singer-songwriter in its exploration of heartbreak , self-examination , and forgiveness .   Adele began writing 21 in April 2009 , when still involved in the relationship that subsequently inspired the record . Dissatisfied with once again portraying herself as the musical tragedian of her debut , she had intended to compose a more upbeat and contemporary follow-up . However , studio sessions ended prematurely due to a lack of inspiration . She resumed production immediately after the breakdown of her relationship , channelling her heartbreak and depression into her songs . Adele collaborated with various songwriters and producers , including Columbia Records co-president Rick Rubin , Paul Epworth , Ryan Tedder , Jim Abbiss , and Dan Wilson .   Praised by critics for its understated production , vintage aesthetic , and Adele 's vocal performance , 21 defied the modest commercial expectations of her indie record label XL Recordings . The album topped the charts in more than 30 countries and became the world 's best-selling album of the year for 2011 and 2012 . In the United Kingdom , it is the best-selling album of the 21st century and fourth best-selling album of all time , while its 23-week tenure atop the UK Albums Chart is the longest by a female solo artist . In the United States , the album held the top position for 24 weeks , longer than any other album since 1985 and the longest by a female solo artist in Billboard 200 history . As well , it had the most weeks on the Billboard 200 chart of any album by a woman .   It was certified Diamond by the RIAA and was ranked as the `` Greatest Billboard 200 Album of All Time . ''   Five singles were released to promote the album , with `` Rolling in the Deep , '' `` Someone like You '' and `` Set Fire to the Rain '' becoming international number-one songs , while `` Rumour Has It '' charted in the top 20 across Europe and North America . Globally , 21 was the biggest selling musical release for both 2011 and 2012 , and helped revitalise lagging sales of the UK and US music industry . With over 31 million copies sold worldwide , 21 is one of the best-selling albums of all time . Critics hailed the album as a shift from the overtly sexual and musically bombastic status quo , and attributed its success to its deeply autobiographical yet universal songs . Shortlisted for the 2011 Mercury Prize , 21 won the 2012 Grammy Award for Album of the Year and the Brit Award for British Album of the Year .


Gregor Clegane is nicknamed The Mountain.

Gregor Clegane Ser Gregor Clegane , nicknamed The Mountain , is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin , and its television adaptation Game of Thrones . He is a retainer to House Lannister . An enormous man , he is well known for his size , prowess in battle and cruelty .   Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Gregor is the older brother of Sandor Clegane , from the fictional kingdom of Westeros . He subsequently appeared in Martin 's A Clash of Kings ( 1998 ) , A Storm of Swords ( 2000 ) and in A Dance with Dragons ( 2011 ) as Ser Robert Strong .   Ser Gregor Clegane is a huge knight and the elder brother of Sandor Clegane . Called `` The Mountain That Rides '' , he is known for his incredibly cruel nature and uncontrollable temper . His size and strength make him a fearsome warrior , and he has earned a reputation for cruelty and brutality . He is able to wield a two-handed sword one handed . When they were children , Gregor shoved Sandor 's face into a brazier , gruesomely scarring him .   Gregor Clegane is portrayed by Conan Stevens in season one , by Ian Whyte in season two , and by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson in seasons four , five , and six in the HBO television adaptation .


Vera Farmiga acted in  the 2009 horror film Orphan.

Vera Farmiga Vera Ann Farmiga ( -LSB- fɑrˈmiːɡə -RSB- born August 6 , 1973 ) is an American actress , director and producer . She began her career on Broadway in the play Taking Sides ( 1996 ) . She made her television debut in the Fox fantasy series Roar ( 1997 ) , and her film debut in the drama-thriller Return to Paradise ( 1998 ) .   Farmiga 's breakout role came in 2004 , when she portrayed a mother harboring a secret drug habit in the drama film Down to the Bone . She then co-starred in The Manchurian Candidate ( 2004 ) , The Departed ( 2006 ) , The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas ( 2008 ) , and Nothing But the Truth ( 2008 ) . She gained more critical acclaim for her role as Alex Goran in the 2009 comedy-drama Up in the Air , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award , BAFTA Award , Golden Globe Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress .   She then had starring roles in Orphan ( 2009 ) , Source Code ( 2011 ) , and Safe House ( 2012 ) . Farmiga made her directorial debut with the drama film Higher Ground ( 2011 ) , in which she also starred in the lead role . In 2013 , she portrayed paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren in the horror film The Conjuring , and reprised the role in the 2016 sequel The Conjuring 2 .   From 2013 to 2017 , Farmiga starred as Norma Louise Bates in the A&E drama-thriller series Bates Motel , for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination . This role , along with her roles in Joshua , Orphan , and the two Conjuring films , has dubbed her as a contemporary scream queen .


Orphan (film) Orphan is a 2009 psychological horror film directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by David Leslie Johnson from a story by Alex Mace . The film stars Vera Farmiga , Peter Sarsgaard , Isabelle Fuhrman , C. C. H. Pounder and Jimmy Bennett . The plot centers on a couple who , after the death of their unborn child , adopt a mysterious 9-year-old girl .   Orphan was produced by Joel Silver and Susan Downey of Dark Castle Entertainment , and Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Davisson Killoran of Appian Way Productions . It is an American , Canadian , German and French co-production . The film was released theatrically in the United States on July 24 , 2009 by Warner Bros. . Pictures . Some critics compared Fuhrman 's performance as Esther to that of Linda Blair in The Exorcist and Patty McCormack in The Bad Seed .


LeBron James turned down a hosting opportunity for the ESPY Awards.

LeBron James LeBron Raymone James ( -LSB- ləˈbrɒn -RSB- born December 30 , 1984 ) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) . James has won three NBA championships , four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards , three NBA Finals MVP Awards , two Olympic gold medals , an NBA scoring title , and the NBA Rookie of the Year Award . He has also been selected to 13 NBA All-Star teams , 13 All-NBA teams , and six All-Defensive teams , and is the Cavaliers ' all-time leading scorer .   James played high school basketball at St. Vincent -- St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron , Ohio , where he was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar . After graduating , he was selected by his home team , the Cleveland Cavaliers , as the first overall pick of the 2003 NBA draft . James led Cleveland to the franchise 's first Finals appearance in 2007 , ultimately losing to the San Antonio Spurs . In 2010 , he left the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat in a highly publicized ESPN special titled The Decision . James spent four seasons with the Heat , reaching the Finals all four years and winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 . In 2013 , he led Miami on a 27-game winning streak , the third longest in league history . Following his final season with the Heat , James opted out of his contract and returned to the Cavaliers . Behind his leadership , Cleveland immediately advanced to two consecutive Finals against the Golden State Warriors , winning the championship in 2016 to end Cleveland 's fifty-two year professional sports title drought .   Off the court , James has accumulated considerable wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts . His public life has been the subject of much scrutiny , and he has been ranked as one of America 's most influential and popular athletes . He has been featured in books , documentaries , and television commercials . He also hosted the ESPY Awards , Saturday Night Live , and appeared in the 2015 film Trainwreck .


Jim Parsons stars in The Big Bang Theory.

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


Xbox One Xbox One is a line of home video game consoles developed by Microsoft . Announced in May 2013 , it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox family . It was first released in North America , parts of Europe , Australia , and Brazil in November 2013 , and in Japan , China , and other European countries in September 2014 . It is the first Xbox game console to be released in China , specifically in the Shanghai Free-Trade Zone . Microsoft marketed the device as an `` all-in-one entertainment system '' . The Xbox One line mainly competes against consoles such as Sony 's PlayStation 4 and Nintendo 's Wii U as part of the eighth generation of video game consoles .   Moving away from its predecessor 's PowerPC-based architecture , Xbox One marks a shift back to the x86 architecture used in the original Xbox ; it features an AMD Accelerated Processing Unit ( APU ) built around the x86-64 instruction set . Xbox One 's controller was redesigned over the Xbox 360 's , with a redesigned body , D-pad and triggers capable of delivering directional haptic feedback . The console places an increased emphasis on cloud computing , as well as social networking features , and the ability to record and share video clips or screenshots from gameplay , or live-stream directly to streaming services such as Mixer and Twitch . Games can also be played off-console via a local area network on supported Windows 10 devices . The console can play Blu-ray Disc , and overlay live television programming from an existing set-top box or a digital tuner for digital terrestrial television with an enhanced program guide . The console optionally included a redesigned Kinect sensor , marketed as the `` Kinect 2.0 '' , providing improved motion tracking and voice recognition for use in its graphical user interface ( GUI ) and games .   Xbox One received mostly positive reception for its refined controller design , multimedia features , and voice navigation . Its quieter and cooler design was praised for making the console more reliable than its predecessor on-launch , but the console was generally criticized for running games at a technically lower graphical level than the PlayStation 4 . Its original user interface was panned for being nonintuitive , although changes made to it and other aspects of the console 's software post-launch received positive reception . Its Kinect received praise for its improved motion-tracking accuracy , its face recognition logins , and its voice commands .   In August 2016 , Microsoft released a refreshed Xbox One model known as Xbox One S ; it has a streamlined design , native support for 4K video playback and upscaling , and HDR10 high-dynamic-range color . It was praised for its smaller size , its on-screen visual improvements , and its lack of an external power supply , but its regressions such as the lack of a native Kinect port were noted . A future hardware revision codenamed `` Project Scorpio '' is scheduled for late-2017 ; it will feature major hardware upgrades focused on enabling 4K gameplay and support for virtual reality hardware , and will be backward compatible with all existing Xbox One software and hardware .


Chris Stapleton Christopher Alvin Stapleton ( born April 15 , 1978 ) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist . He is an established songwriter with six country number-one songs including the five-week number-one `` Never Wanted Nothing More '' recorded by Kenny Chesney , `` Love 's Gon na Make It Alright '' recorded by George Strait , and `` Come Back Song '' recorded by Darius Rucker . Over 150 of Stapleton 's songs have appeared on albums by such artists as Adele , Luke Bryan , Tim McGraw , Brad Paisley and Dierks Bentley . Among other artists , he has co-written with Vince Gill , Peter Frampton and Sheryl Crow .   After serving as the frontman of bluegrass group The SteelDrivers from 2008 to 2010 , Stapleton released his debut studio album Traveller in 2015 , which reached number one on the US Billboard 200 and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . Among several accolades , he won the Country Music Association Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards for Album of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year , and the Grammy Award for Best Country Album and Best Country Solo Performance at the 58th annual ceremony . His second studio album , From A Room : Volume 1 , was released on May 5 , 2017 . Stapleton 's music styles include Southern rock and bluegrass .


WALL-E WALL-E ( stylized with an interpunct as WALL · E ) is a 2008 American computer-animated dystopian science fiction comedy film directed and co-written by Andrew Stanton , produced by Jim Morris , and co-written by Jim Reardon . It stars the voices of Ben Burtt , Elissa Knight , Jeff Garlin , Fred Willard , John Ratzenberger , Kathy Najimy , Sigourney Weaver and the MacInTalk system . It was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures , and was the overall ninth feature film produced by the company .   After directing Finding Nemo , Stanton felt Pixar had created believable simulations of underwater physics and was willing to direct a film set largely in space . WALL-E has minimal dialogue in its early sequences ; many of the characters do not have voices , but instead communicate with body language and robotic sounds designed by Ben Burtt . The film criticizes consumerism , corporatism , nostalgia , waste management , human environmental impact and concerns , obesity , and global catastrophic risk . It is also Pixar 's first animated film with segments featuring live-action characters . Following Pixar tradition , WALL-E was paired with a short film titled Presto for its theatrical release .   WALL-E was released in the United States and Canada on June 27 , 2008 , by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It was an instant blockbuster , grossing $ 533.3 million worldwide over a $ 180 million budget , receiving overwhelming acclaim from critics and winning the 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film , the 2009 Hugo Award for Best Long Form Dramatic Presentation , the final Nebula Award for Best Script , the Saturn Award for Best Animated Film and the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature with five nominations . The film also topped Times `` Best Movies of the Decade '' .


Ryan Phillippe was married to Reese Witherspoon.

Ryan Phillippe Matthew Ryan Phillippe ( -LSB- ˈfɪlᵻpi -RSB- born September 10 , 1974 ) is an American actor , director , and writer . After appearing as Billy Douglas on the soap opera One Life to Live , he came to fame in the late 1990s with starring roles in a string of films , including I Know What You Did Last Summer , Cruel Intentions , and 54 . In the 2000s , he appeared in several films , including Gosford Park ( 2001 ) , Crash ( 2004 ) , and war drama Flags of Our Fathers ( 2006 ) , Breach ( 2007 ) , and Stop-Loss ( 2008 ) . In 2010 , Phillippe starred as Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Greg Marinovich in The Bang-Bang Club . Currently , he stars in the lead role of Bob Lee Swagger in the USA Network thriller drama Shooter .   He was married to actress Reese Witherspoon from 1999 to 2007 ; together , they have a daughter and a son . He also has a daughter from a relationship with actress Alexis Knapp .


Talking animals in fiction Talking animals are a common theme in mythology and folk tales , as well as children 's literature . Fictional talking animals often are anthropomorphic , possessing human-like qualities but appearing as a creature . The usage of talking animals enable storytellers to combine the basic characteristics of the animal with human behavior , to apply metaphor , and to entertain children .   There are a number of alleged real-life talking creatures .


Donkey (Shrek) Donkey is a fast-talking donkey created by William Steig and adapted by DreamWorks Animation for the Shrek franchise . The character is voiced by Eddie Murphy .