Usher (musician) Usher Raymond IV ( born October 14 , 1978 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer , and actor . Born in Dallas , Texas but raised and lived in Chattanooga , Tennessee until moving to Atlanta , Georgia . At the age of 12 , his mother put him in local singing competitions , before catching the attention of a music A&R from LaFace Records . In 1994 , he released his self-titled debut album , Usher . He rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his sophomore album My Way ( 1997 ) , which spawned his first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single , `` Nice & Slow '' , amongst top-two singles `` You Make Me Wan na ... '' and `` My Way '' . 8701 ( 2001 ) produced the number-one singles `` U Remind Me '' and `` U Got It Bad '' , and top-three single `` U Do n't Have to Call '' . It sold 8 million copies worldwide and won his first two Grammy Awards as Best Male R&B Vocal Performance in 2002 and 2003 .   Confessions ( 2004 ) established him as one of the best-selling musical artists of the 2000s decade , selling 20 million copies worldwide . Bolstered by its four consecutive Billboard Hot 100 number one singles ; `` Yeah ! '' , `` Burn '' , `` Confessions Part II '' , and `` My Boo '' , it has been certified Diamond by the RIAA . Here I Stand ( 2008 ) and Raymond v. Raymond ( 2010 ) , debuted atop of the Billboard 200 , and produced the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles `` Love in This Club '' and `` OMG '' . The EP , Versus , also produced the Hot 100 top-five single `` DJ Got Us Fallin ' in Love '' . Looking 4 Myself ( 2012 ) , also debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart and produced the Hot 100 top-ten single `` Scream '' . Raymond v. Raymond and Looking 4 Myself received Grammy Awards for R&B singles `` There Goes My Baby '' and `` Climax '' . Hard II Love ( 2016 ) peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 albums chart .   Usher has sold 23.8 million albums and 38.2 million digital songs in the United States . To date , his worldwide sales stand at 43 million albums and 75 million records overall , making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time . Usher has won numerous awards and accolades including 18 Billboard Music Awards and 8 Grammy Awards . At the end of 2009 , Billboard named him the second most successful artist of the 2000s decade , the number-one Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade , and ranked Confessions as the top solo album of the 2000s decade . Billboard also placed him at number 6 on their list of `` Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years '' . Usher has attained 9 US Hot 100 number-one singles . Considered an icon and sex symbol , he was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2008 , he started his own record label Raymond-Braun Media Group ( RBMG ) ; a joint venture with talent manager Scooter Braun that includes Canadian singer Justin Bieber .


Jack Paar Jack Harold Paar ( May 1 , 1918 -- January 27 , 2004 ) was an American author , radio and television comedian and talk show host , best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962 . Time magazine 's obituary of him noted that : `` His fans would remember him as the fellow who split talk show history into two eras : Before Paar and Below Paar . ''


Game of Thrones (season 3) The third season of the fantasy drama television series Game of Thrones premiered in the United States on HBO on March 31 , 2013 , and concluded on June 9 , 2013 . It was broadcast on Sunday at 9:00 pm in the United States , consisting of 10 episodes , each running approximately 50 -- 60 minutes . The season is based roughly on the first half of A Storm of Swords ( the third of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels by George R. R. Martin , of which the series is an adaptation ) . The series is adapted for television by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss . HBO renewed the series for a third season on April 10 , 2012 , nine days after the second season 's premiere . Production began in July 2012 . The show was filmed primarily in Ireland , Northern Ireland , Croatia , Iceland and Morocco .   The story takes place in a fictional world , primarily upon a continent called Westeros , with one storyline occurring on another continent to the east known as Essos . Like the novel , the season follows the climatic battle at Kings Landing . Season three like the previous season mainly centres around the war of the five kings ; after the death of Renly Baratheon ( Gethin Anthony ) , all four kings in Westeros believes to have a claim to the Iron Throne , besides Robb Stark ( Richard Madden ) , who seeks vengeance for the death of his father , Lord Eddard `` Ned '' Stark ( Sean Bean ) .   Game of Thrones features a large ensemble cast , including Peter Dinklage , Nikolaj Coster-Waldau , Lena Headey , Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington . The season introduced a number of new cast members , including Ciarán Hinds , Nathalie Emmanuel and Iwan Rheon .   Critics praised the show 's production values and cast . Viewership yet again rose compared to the previous season . It won 2 of the 16 Emmy Awards for which it was nominated , it received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series ( Dinklage ) , Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series ( Clarke ) and Outstanding Drama Series . It also won the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Drama Series .


HBO Home Box Office ( HBO ) is an American premium cable and satellite television network that is owned by Time Warner through its respective flagship company Home Box Office , Inc. . Programming featured on the network consists primarily of theatrically released motion pictures and original television series , along with made-for-cable movies and documentaries , boxing matches , and occasional stand-up comedy and concert specials .   HBO is the oldest and longest continuously operating pay television service ( basic or premium ) in the United States , having been in operation since November 8 , 1972 . In 2014 , HBO had an adjusted operating income of US$ 1.79 billion , compared to the US$ 1.68 billion it accrued in 2013 . HBO has 49 million subscribers in the United States and 130 million worldwide as of 2016 . The network provides seven 24-hour multiplex channels , including HBO Comedy , HBO Latino , HBO Signature , and HBO Family . It launched the streaming service HBO Now in April 2015 and has over 2 million subscribers in the United States as of February 2017 .


Donnie Wahlberg did not work in the Saw films.

Donnie Wahlberg Donald Edmond `` Donnie '' Wahlberg Jr. . ( born August 17 , 1969 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actor , record producer , and film producer . He is a founding member of the boy band New Kids on the Block . Outside of music , he has had roles in the Saw films , The Sixth Sense , Dreamcatcher , and Righteous Kill , also appearing in the World War II miniseries Band of Brothers as First Lieutenant Carwood Lipton . From 2002 to 2003 , he starred in the crime drama Boomtown . He has been starring in the drama series Blue Bloods as Danny Reagan with Tom Selleck ( his TV father ) and Bridget Moynahan ( his TV sister ) since 2010 , and since 2014 is an executive producer of the TNT reality television show Boston 's Finest . He was nominated for Choice Scream at the 2008 Teen Choice Awards for his work in the Saw films . He has also produced and starred in `` Rock this Boat '' , `` Donnie Loves Jenny '' and `` Return of the Mac '' on Pop TV .


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


Milla Jovovich played the lead role in Return to the Blue Lagoon in 1991.

Return to the Blue Lagoon Return to the Blue Lagoon is a 1991 American romance and adventure film starring Milla Jovovich and Brian Krause , produced and directed by William A. Graham . The film is a sequel to The Blue Lagoon ( 1980 ) . The screenplay by Leslie Stevens was based on the novel The Garden of God by Henry De Vere Stacpoole . The original music score was composed by Basil Poledouris . The film 's closing theme song `` A World of Our Own '' is performed by Surface featuring Bernard Jackson . The music was written by Barry Mann , and the lyrics were written by Cynthia Weil .   The film tells the story of two young children marooned on a tropical island paradise in the South Pacific . Their life together is blissful , but not without physical and emotional changes , as they grow to maturity and fall in love .


Milla Jovovich Milica Bogdanovna `` Milla '' JovovichSerbian Cyrillic : Милица Јововић ; Милица Йовович Милиця Йовович ( -LSB- ˈjoʊvəvɪtʃ -RSB- ; born December 17 , 1975 ) is an American actress , model , musician , and fashion designer . She has appeared in numerous science fiction and action films , leading the music channel VH1 to deem her the `` reigning queen of kick-butt '' in 2006 . In 2004 , she was the highest-paid model in the world according to Forbes .   Born in Kiev , Jovovich emigrated with her parents to the United States when she was five . In 1987 , she began modeling at the age of 12 when Herb Ritts photographed her for the cover of the Italian magazine Lei . Richard Avedon featured her in Revlon 's `` Most Unforgettable Women in the World '' advertisements . In 1988 , Jovovich had her first acting role in the television film The Night Train to Kathmandu , and that year also appeared in her first feature film , Two Moon Junction .   Jovovich gained attention for her role in the explicit 1991 romance film Return to the Blue Lagoon , as she was then only 15 . She was considered to have a breakthrough with her role in the 1997 French science-fiction film The Fifth Element written and directed by Luc Besson . She and Besson married that year , but soon divorced . She starred as the heroine and martyr in Besson 's The Messenger : The Story of Joan of Arc ( 1999 ) .   In 2002 , Jovovich starred in the science fiction horror film Resident Evil , adapted from the video game series of the same name . It received negative reviews from critics , but was commercially successful . She reprised her role in five sequels , all in the apocalyptic fiction action horror genre , made between 2004 and 2016 .   Jovovich released an album , The Divine Comedy , in 1994 . She continues to release demos for other songs on her official website and contributes to film soundtracks . In 2003 , she and model Carmen Hawk created the clothing line Jovovich-Hawk . Jovovich has her own production company , Creature Entertainment .


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


Morrissey was born in Davyhulme, Lancashire in 1988.

Morrissey Steven Patrick Morrissey ( born 22 May 1959 ) , professionally known as Morrissey , is an English singer , songwriter and author . He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the indie rock band the Smiths , which was active from 1982 to 1987 . Since then , Morrissey has had a solo career , making the top ten of the UK Singles Chart on ten occasions .   Born in Davyhulme , Lancashire , to a working-class Irish migrant family , Morrissey grew up in Manchester . As a child he developed a love of literature , kitchen sink realism and popular music . Involved in Manchester 's punk rock scene during the late 1970s , he fronted the Nosebleeds , with little success . Beginning a career in music journalism , he authored a number of books on music and film in the early 1980s . With Johnny Marr he established the Smiths in 1982 , soon attracting national recognition for their self-titled debut album . As the band 's frontman , Morrissey attracted attention both for his witty and sardonic lyrics and his idiosyncratic appearance ; deliberately avoiding rock machismo , he cultivated the aesthetic of a social outsider who eschewed drugs and embraced celibacy . He was also noted for his unusual baritone vocal style ( though he sometimes uses falsetto ) , The Smiths released five further albums -- including the critically acclaimed Meat is Murder and The Queen is Dead -- and had a string of hit singles . Personal differences between Morrissey and Marr resulted in The Smiths ' separation in 1987 .   In 1988 , Morrissey launched his solo career with the album Viva Hate . This and its follow-up albums -- Bona Drag , Kill Uncle , Your Arsenal , and Vauxhall and I -- all did well in the UK Albums Chart and spawned a number of hit singles . Having left Britain and moved to Los Angeles , during the mid-1990s Morrissey 's image began to shift into that of a burlier figure , who toyed with patriotic imagery and working-class masculinity . In the mid-to-late 1990s , his subsequent albums , Southpaw Grammar and Maladjusted , also charted but were less well received . After a hiatus between 1998 and 2003 , Morrissey released a successful comeback album , You Are the Quarry , in 2004 . Relocating to Italy , ensuing years saw the release of albums Ringleader of the Tormentors , Years of Refusal , and World Peace Is None of Your Business . In 2013 Morrissey released his autobiography , followed by his first novel in 2015 .   Highly influential , Morrissey is widely credited as being a seminal figure in the emergence of indie rock and Britpop . He has been acclaimed as one of the greatest lyricists in British history , with his lyrics having become the subject of academic study . He has courted controversy with his forthright opinions -- endorsing vegetarianism and animal rights , condemning royalty and prominent politicians , and questioning issues of British national and cultural identity . In a 2006 poll held by the BBC 's Culture Show , Morrissey was voted the second greatest living British cultural icon .


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


Mary-Louise Parker appeared in Angels in America and other shows.

The West Wing The West Wing is an American serial political drama television series created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast on NBC from September 22 , 1999 , to May 14 , 2006 . The series is set primarily in the West Wing of the White House , where the Oval Office and offices of presidential senior staff are located , during the fictitious Democratic administration of Josiah Bartlet ( played by Martin Sheen ) .   The West Wing was produced by Warner Bros. . Television . For the first four seasons , there were three executive producers : Aaron Sorkin ( lead writer of almost all of the first four seasons ) ; Thomas Schlamme ( primary director ) ; and John Wells . After Sorkin left the series , Wells assumed the role of head writer , with later executive producers being directors Alex Graves and Christopher Misiano ( seasons 6 -- 7 ) , and writers Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. and Peter Noah ( season 7 ) .   The West Wing received acclaim from critics , as well as praise from political science professors and former White House staffers . In total , The West Wing won three Golden Globe Awards and 26 Emmy Awards , including the award for Outstanding Drama Series , which it won four consecutive times from 2000 through 2003 . The show 's ratings waned in later years following the departure of series creator Sorkin after the fourth season ( Sorkin wrote or co-wrote 85 of the first 88 episodes ) , yet it remained popular among high-income viewers , a key demographic for the show and its advertisers , with around 16 million viewers . In the years since its run , it has appeared on several lists of the greatest television dramas ever made . The Writers Guild of America also ranked it # 10 in its `` 101 Best-Written TV Series '' list .


Mary-Louise Parker Mary-Louise Parker ( born August 2 , 1964 ) is an American actress and author . In addition to her many films , Parker enjoyed great popularity for her lead role on Showtime 's television series Weeds portraying Nancy Botwin , for which she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 2006 . Parker has appeared in films and series including RED , RED 2 , Fried Green Tomatoes , Boys on the Side , The West Wing , and Angels in America , for which she received a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress . Parker is also the recipient of the 2001 Tony Award for Best Actress for her performance in the Broadway play Proof . She also starred in When We Rise .


Tiger The tiger ( Panthera tigris ) is the largest cat species , most recognisable for their pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside . The species is classified in the genus Panthera with the lion , leopard , jaguar and snow leopard . Tigers are apex predators , primarily preying on ungulates such as deer and bovids . They are territorial and generally solitary but social animals , often requiring large contiguous areas of habitat that support their prey requirements . This , coupled with the fact that they are indigenous to some of the more densely populated places on Earth , has caused significant conflicts with humans .   Tigers once ranged widely across eastern Eurasia , from the Black Sea in the west , to the Indian Ocean in the south , and from Kolyma to Sumatra in the east . Over the past 100 years , they have lost 93 % of their historic range , and have been extirpated from Western and Central Asia , from the islands of Java and Bali , and from large areas of Southeast , Southern and Eastern Asia . Today , they range from the Siberian taiga to open grasslands and tropical mangrove swamps . The remaining six tiger subspecies have been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) . The global population in the wild is estimated to number between 3,062 and 3,948 individuals , down from around 100,000 at the start of the 20th century , with most remaining populations occurring in small pockets isolated from each other , of which about 2,000 exist on the Indian subcontinent . A 2016 global census estimated the population of wild tigers at approximately 3,890 individuals . Major reasons for population decline include habitat destruction , habitat fragmentation and poaching . The extent of area occupied by tigers is estimated at less than 1184911 km2 , a 41 % decline from the area estimated in the mid-1990s . In 2016 , wildlife conservation group at WWF declared that world 's count of wild tigers has risen for the first time in a century .   Tigers are among the most recognisable and popular of the world 's charismatic megafauna . They have featured prominently in ancient mythology and folklore , and continue to be depicted in modern films and literature . They appear on many flags , coats of arms , and as mascots for sporting teams . The tiger is the national animal of Bangladesh , India , Malaysia and South Korea .


Tina Turner Tina Turner ( born Anna Mae Bullock ; November 26 , 1939 ) , is an American-born recording artist , dancer , actress , and author , whose career has spanned more than half a century , earning her widespread recognition and numerous awards . Born and raised in the Southeastern United States , Turner relinquished her American citizenship after obtaining Swiss citizenship in 2013 .   She began her musical career in the mid-1950s as a featured singer with Ike Turner 's Kings of Rhythm , first recording in 1958 under the name `` Little Ann . '' Her introduction to the public as Tina Turner began in 1960 as a member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue . Success followed with a string of notable hits credited to the duo , including `` A Fool in Love '' , `` River Deep -- Mountain High '' ( 1966 ) , `` Proud Mary '' ( 1971 ) , and `` Nutbush City Limits '' ( 1973 ) , a song which she herself wrote . In her autobiography , I , Tina , she revealed several instances of severe domestic abuse against her by Ike Turner prior to their 1976 split and subsequent 1978 divorce . Raised a Baptist , she encountered faith with Nichiren Shoshu Buddhism in 1971 , crediting the spiritual chant of Nam Myoho Renge Kyo , which Turner claims helped her to endure during difficult times .   After her divorce from Ike Turner , she rebuilt her career through live performances . In the 1980s , Turner launched a major comeback with another string of hits , starting in late 1983 with the single `` Let 's Stay Together '' followed by the 1984 release of her fifth solo album Private Dancer which became a worldwide success . The album contained the song `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' , which became Turner 's biggest hit and won three Grammy Awards including Record of the Year . Her solo success continued thoughout the 1980s and 90s with multi-platinum albums including Break Every Rule and Foreign Affair , and with singles such as `` We Do n't Need Another Hero ( Thunderdome ) '' , `` The Best '' , and `` GoldenEye '' for the 1995 James Bond film of the same name . In 1993 , `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' was used as the title of a biographical film adapted from her autobiography , along with the film 's accompanying soundtrack album . In addition to her musical career , Turner has also garnered success acting in films , including the role of the Acid Queen in the 1975 rock musical Tommy , a starring role alongside Mel Gibson in the 1985 action film Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome , and a cameo role in the 1993 film Last Action Hero .   One of the world 's best-selling artists of all time , she has also been referred to as The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll . Turner has been termed the most successful female Rock 'n' Roll artist , receiving eleven Grammy Awards , including eight competitive awards and three Grammy Hall of Fame awards . Turner has also sold more concert tickets than any other solo performer in history . Her combined album and single sales total approximately 180 million copies worldwide , She is noted for her energetic stage presence , powerful vocals , and career longevity . In 2008 , Turner returned from semi-retirement to embark on her Tina ! : 50th Anniversary Tour . Turner 's tour became one of the highest selling ticketed shows of 2008 -- 09 . Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Turner no. 63 on their list of 100 greatest artists of all time , and no. 17 on their list of 100 greatest singers of all time . In 1991 , Turner was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame .   Turner announced in December 2016 that she has been working on `` Tina '' , a new musical based on her story , in collaboration with Phyllida Lloyd and Stage Entertainment .


Boston was a port and manufacturing hub for several decades following U.S. independence from Great Britain.

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


The 2015 film Jurassic World generated five sequels.

Jurassic World Jurassic World is a 2015 American science-fiction adventure film and the fourth installment of the Jurassic Park series . The film was directed and co-written by Colin Trevorrow , produced by Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley , and stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard . The production companies were Steven Spielberg 's Amblin Entertainment , also responsible for the rest of the Jurassic Park franchise , and Thomas Tull 's Legendary Pictures . Set 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park , Jurassic World takes place on the same fictional island of Isla Nublar , off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica , where a theme park populated with cloned dinosaurs has operated for ten years . The park plunges into chaos when a genetically created dinosaur breaks loose and goes on a rampage across the island .   Universal Pictures intended to begin production on a fourth Jurassic Park film in 2004 for a summer 2005 release , but the film entered over a decade of development hell while the script went through revisions . Following a suggestion from Spielberg , writers Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver explored the idea of a functional dinosaur park . Once Trevorrow was hired as director in 2013 , he followed the same idea while developing a whole new script with Derek Connolly . Principal photography rolled from April to August 2014 , primarily in Louisiana while also using the original Jurassic Park filming locations in Hawaii . Again the dinosaurs were created through computer-generated imagery by Industrial Light & Magic and life-sized animatronics by Legacy Effects , a company created by the alumni of Jurassic Park veteran Stan Winston .   Jurassic World was completed on May 10 , 2015 , and was released in over 60 countries beginning on June 10 , 2015 . After a record-breaking opening weekend during which it grossed $ 500 million worldwide , Jurassic World generated a total of $ 1.6 billion in box office revenue , standing as the fourth highest-grossing film of all time without inflation adjustment , as well as the second highest-grossing film of 2015 and the highest-grossing film in the franchise . A sequel is scheduled for release on June 22 , 2018 .


Pineapple Express (film) Pineapple Express is a 2008 American stoner action comedy film directed by David Gordon Green , written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and starring Rogen and James Franco . The plot concerns a process server and his marijuana dealer friend forced to flee from hitmen and a corrupt police officer after witnessing them commit a murder . Producer Judd Apatow , who previously worked with Rogen and Goldberg on Knocked Up and Superbad , assisted in developing the story , which was partially inspired by the bromantic comedy subgenre .   Columbia Pictures released the film on August 6 , 2008 , and it grossed $ 101.6 million worldwide . Franco was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance in the film .


Shawn Mendes signed a deal with Island Records.

Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes ( -LSB- ˈmɛndɛz -RSB- , -LSB- ˈmẽdɨʃ -RSB- ; born August 8 , 1998 ) is a Canadian singer and songwriter . He attracted a following in 2013 , when he began posting song covers on the video sharing application Vine . The following year , he caught the attention of artist managers Andrew Gertler and Island Records A&R Ziggy Chareton , which led to him signing a deal with the record label . Mendes went on to release an EP and his debut studio album Handwritten , whose single `` Stitches '' reached the top 10 in the US and Canada , and number one in the UK . His sophomore album , Illuminate ( 2016 ) , was preceded by the single `` Treat You Better '' . Both albums debuted atop the US Billboard 200 .


Lymelife Lymelife is a 2008 independent comedy-drama film written by brothers Derick Martini and Steven Martini , and directed by Derick Martini , depicting aspects of their life in 1970s Long Island from the perspective of a teenager . The film stars Alec Baldwin , Rory Culkin , and Emma Roberts . Martin Scorsese served as an executive producer .   The film debuted at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival , in September 2008 and won the International Federation of Film Critics Award ( FIPRESCI ) . After its theatrical release in 2009 , writer director Derick Martini was nominated for a Gotham Award for Breakthrough Director .


Anne Frank Annelies Marie `` Anne '' Frank ( -LSB- ʔanəliːs maˈʁiː ˈʔanə ˈfʁaŋk -RSB- ; -LSB- ʔɑnəˈlis maˈri ˈʔɑnə ˈfrɑŋk -RSB- ; 12 June 1929 -- February or March 1945 ) was a German-born diarist . One of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust , she gained fame posthumously following the publication of The Diary of a Young Girl ( originally Het Achterhuis ; The Secret Annex ) , in which she documents her life in hiding from 1942 to 1944 , during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II . It is one of the world 's most widely known books and has been the basis for several plays and films .   Born in Frankfurt , Germany , she lived most of her life in or near Amsterdam , Netherlands , having moved there with her family at the age of four-and-a-half when the Nazis gained control over Germany . Born a German national , Frank lost her citizenship in 1941 and thus became stateless . By May 1940 , the Franks were trapped in Amsterdam by the German occupation of the Netherlands . As persecutions of the Jewish population increased in July 1942 , the family went into hiding in some concealed rooms behind a bookcase in the building where Anne 's father worked . From then until the family 's arrest by the Gestapo in August 1944 , Anne kept a diary she had received as a birthday present , and wrote in it regularly . Following their arrest , the Franks were transported to concentration camps . In October or November 1944 , Anne and her sister , Margot , were transferred to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp from Auschwitz , where they died ( probably of typhus ) a few months later . They were originally estimated by the Red Cross to have died in March , with Dutch authorities setting 31 March as their official date of death , but research by the Anne Frank House in 2015 suggests they more likely died in February .   Frank 's father , Otto , the only survivor of the family , returned to Amsterdam after the war to find that her diary had been saved by one of the helpers , Miep Gies , and his efforts led to its publication in 1947 . It was translated from its original Dutch version and first published in English in 1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl , and has since been translated into over 60 languages .


Triple H Paul Michael Levesque ( born July 27 , 1969 ) , better known by the ring name Triple H ( an abbreviation of his original WWE ring name Hunter Hearst Helmsley ) , is an American business executive and professional wrestler . Levesque is the Executive Vice President of Talent , Live Events and Creative for WWE , as well as being the founder and senior producer of NXT and the creator of the NXT television series .   Levesque commenced his professional wrestling career in the International Wrestling Federation ( IWF ) in 1992 under the ring name Terra Ryzing . In 1994 , he joined World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) , where he was soon repackaged as Jean-Paul Lévesque , a French Canadian aristocrat . In 1995 , Levesque moved to the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF , now WWE ) , where he became Hunter Hearst Helmsley and , later , Triple H . In 1997 , Triple H co-founded the influential D-Generation X stable , which became a major element of the WWF 's `` Attitude Era '' . After winning his first WWF Championship and beginning a storyline marriage with Stephanie McMahon in 1999 , Triple H became widely regarded as the best wrestler in North America and a fixture of the company 's main event scene . Over the next two decades , he won a total of 14 world championships and led stables The McMahon-Helmsley Faction , Evolution and The Authority . From 2010 onwards , Triple H curtailed his in-ring appearances as he took on a greater behind-the-scenes role within WWE . After legitimately marrying McMahon in 2003 , he became a member of the McMahon family , which maintains majority ownership of WWE .   In the course of his career , Levesque has held a total of 25 championships , including nine reigns as WWF/WWE Champion and five as WWE 's World Heavyweight Champion . Triple H was also the winner of the 1997 King of the Ring tournament and the 2002 and 2016 Royal Rumbles . He has headlined WrestleMania , WWE 's flagship pay-per-view , a record seven times ( tied with Hulk Hogan ) .   Outside of professional wrestling , Levesque has made numerous guest appearances in film and on television , including the lead role in the 2011 WWE Studios production The Chaperone .


Thespian Thespian may refer to :   A citizen of the Ancient Greek city of Thespiae  An actor or actress , derived from Thespis , the first credited actor  A member of the International Thespian Society , an honor society that promotes excellence in high school theater  `` The Thespian '' , the sixth song of The Emptiness , the third studio album by American band Alesana


Star Trek Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry . The first television series , simply called Star Trek and now referred to as The Original Series , debuted in 1966 and aired for three seasons on the television network NBC . It followed the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise , a space exploration vessel , built by the interstellar federal republic United Federation of Planets in the twenty-third century . The Star Trek canon of the franchise includes The Original Series , an animated series , four spin-off television series , its film franchise and an upcoming television series scheduled to debut in 2017 .   In creating Star Trek , Roddenberry was inspired by the Horatio Hornblower novels , the satirical book Gulliver 's Travels , and by works of western genre such as the television series Wagon Train . These adventures continued in the short-lived Star Trek : The Animated Series and six feature films . Four spin-off television series were eventually produced : Star Trek : The Next Generation followed the crew of a new starship Enterprise set a century after the original series ; Star Trek : Deep Space Nine and Star Trek : Voyager set contemporaneously with The Next Generation ; and Star Trek : Enterprise set before the original series in the early days of human interstellar travel . The adventures of The Next Generation crew continued in four additional feature films . In 2009 , the film franchise underwent a `` reboot '' set in an alternate timeline , or `` Kelvin Timeline '' , entitled simply Star Trek . This film featured a new cast portraying younger versions of the crew from the original show ; their adventures were continued in the sequel film , Star Trek Into Darkness ( 2013 ) . The thirteenth film feature and sequel , Star Trek Beyond ( 2016 ) , was released to coincide with the franchise 's 50th anniversary . A new Star Trek TV series , entitled Star Trek : Discovery , is set to premiere on the digital platform CBS All Access .   Star Trek has been a cult phenomenon for decades . Fans of the franchise are called Trekkies or Trekkers . The franchise spans a wide range of spin-offs including games , figurines , novels , toys , and comics . Star Trek had a themed attraction in Las Vegas that opened in 1998 and closed in September 2008 . At least two museum exhibits of props travel the world . The series has its own full-fledged constructed language , Klingon . Several parodies have been made of Star Trek . In addition , viewers have produced several fan productions . As of July 2016 , the franchise had generated $ 10 billion in revenue , making Star Trek one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .   Star Trek is noted for its cultural influence beyond works of science fiction . The franchise is also noted for its progressive civil rights stances . The Original Series included one of television 's first multiracial casts . Star Trek references may be found throughout popular culture from movies such as the submarine thriller Crimson Tide to the animated series South Park .


Elton John's second album, released in 1970, was called Elton John.

Elton John (album) Elton John is the second album by English singer-songwriter Elton John , released in April 1970 . However , because it was his first album released in America , many people there assumed it was his first album , as Empty Sky was not released in the US until 1975 . Elton John includes his breakthrough hit , `` Your Song '' , and helped to establish his career during what was considered the `` singer-songwriter '' era of popular music . In the US , it was certified gold in February 1971 by the RIAA . In the same year , it was nominated for the Grammy Award for Album of the Year .   This was the first of a string of Elton John albums produced by Gus Dudgeon . As Dudgeon recalled in a Mix Magazine interview , the album was n't actually intended to launch John as an artist , but rather as a collection of polished demos for other artists to consider recording his and co-writer Bernie Taupin 's songs .   In 2003 , the album was ranked No. 468 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time . On 27 November 2012 , it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as an album cited as exhibiting `` qualitative or historical significance '' .   The song `` No Shoe Strings on Louise '' was intended ( as homage or parody ) to sound like a Mick Jagger song .


Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John , ( born Reginald Kenneth Dwight ; 25 March 1947 ) is an English singer , pianist , and composer . He has worked with lyricist Bernie Taupin as his songwriting partner since 1967 ; they have collaborated on more than 30 albums to date . In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300million records , making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world . He has more than fifty Top 40 hits , including seven consecutive No. 1 US albums , 58 Billboard Top 40 singles , 27 Top 10 , four No. 2 and nine No. 1 . For 31 consecutive years ( 1970 -- 2000 ) he had at least one song in the Billboard Hot 100 . His tribute single , re-penned in dedication to the late Princess Diana , `` Candle in the Wind 1997 '' sold over 33million copies worldwide and is the best-selling single in the history of the UK and US singles charts . He has also composed music , produced records , and has occasionally acted in films . John owned Watford Football Club from 1976 to 1987 , and 1997 to 2002 . He is an honorary Life President of the club , and in 2014 had a stand named after him at the club 's home stadium .   Raised in the Pinner area of London , John learned to play piano at an early age , and by 1962 had formed Bluesology . John met his songwriting partner , Bernie Taupin , in 1967 , after they had both answered an advert for songwriters . For two years they wrote songs for other artists , including Lulu , and John also worked as a session musician for artists such as the Hollies and the Scaffold . In 1969 his debut album , Empty Sky , was released . In 1970 a single , `` Your Song '' , from his second album , Elton John , reached the top ten in the UK and the US , his first hit single . After decades of commercial chart success , John has also achieved success in musical theatre , both in the West End and on Broadway , composing the music for The Lion King ( film and musical ) , Aida and Billy Elliot the Musical .   He has received five Grammy Awards , five Brit Awards -- winning two awards for Outstanding Contribution to Music and the first Brits Icon in 2013 for his `` lasting impact on British culture '' , an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a Tony Award , a Disney Legends award , and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2004 . In 2004 , Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of 100 influential musicians of the rock and roll era . In 2013 , Billboard ranked him the most successful male solo artist on the Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists ( third overall behind the Beatles and Madonna ) . He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 , is an inductee into the Songwriters Hall of Fame , and is a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters , Composers and Authors . Having been named a Order of the British Empire in 1996 , John was made a Knight Bachelor by Elizabeth II for `` services to music and charitable services '' in 1998 . John has performed at a number of royal events , such as the funeral of Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in 1997 , the Party at the Palace in 2002 and the Queen 's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in 2012 .   He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s . In 1992 , he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation and a year later began hosting the annual Academy Award Party , which has since become one of the highest-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry . Since its inception , the foundation has raised over . John , who announced he was bisexual in 1976 and has been openly gay since 1988 , entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 , and after same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2014 , wed Furnish on 21 December 2014 . He continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements worldwide .


The script for Red was written by Jon and Erich Hoeber.

Red (2010 film) Red is a 2010 American action comedy film inspired by the limited comic book series of the same name created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner and published by the DC Comics imprint Homage . The film stars Bruce Willis , Morgan Freeman , John Malkovich , Mary-Louise Parker , Helen Mirren and Karl Urban , with German film director Robert Schwentke directing a screenplay by Jon Hoeber and Erich Hoeber . In the film version , the title is derived from the designation of former CIA Agent Frank Moses ( Bruce Willis ) , meaning `` Retired , Extremely Dangerous '' .   The film was released on October 15 , 2010 . The film grossed $ 199 million worldwide . In 2011 , the film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Musical or Comedy Film . A sequel , Red 2 , was released on July 19 , 2013 . Another sequel , Red 3 , is in development .


Breaking Bad was the recipient of 16 Primetime Emmy Awards.

Breaking Bad Breaking Bad is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan . The show originally aired on the AMC network for five seasons , from January 20 , 2008 , to September 29 , 2013 . It tells the story of Walter White ( Bryan Cranston ) , a struggling high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer . Together with his former student Jesse Pinkman ( Aaron Paul ) , White turns to a life of crime , producing and selling crystallized methamphetamine to secure his family 's financial future before he dies , while navigating the dangers of the criminal world . The title is from a Southern colloquialism meaning to `` raise hell '' . Breaking Bad is set and was filmed in Albuquerque , New Mexico .   Walter 's family consists of his wife Skyler ( Anna Gunn ) and children , Walter , Jr. ( RJ Mitte ) and Holly ( Elanor Anne Wenrich ) . The show also features Skyler 's sister Marie Schrader ( Betsy Brandt ) , and her husband Hank ( Dean Norris ) , a Drug Enforcement Administration ( DEA ) agent . Walter hires lawyer Saul Goodman ( Bob Odenkirk ) , who connects him with private investigator and fixer Mike Ehrmantraut ( Jonathan Banks ) and in turn Mike 's employer , drug kingpin Gus Fring ( Giancarlo Esposito ) . The final season introduces the characters Todd Alquist ( Jesse Plemons ) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle ( Laura Fraser ) .   Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time .   By the time the series finale aired , the series was among the most-watched cable shows on American television . The show received numerous awards , including sixteen Primetime Emmy Awards , eight Satellite Awards , two Golden Globe Awards , two Peabody Awards , two Critics ' Choice Awards , and four Television Critics Association Awards . For his leading performance , Cranston won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times , while Aaron Paul won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series three times ; Anna Gunn won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series twice . In 2013 , Breaking Bad entered the Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed show of all time .


Saratoga (film) Saratoga is a 1937 American romantic comedy film written by Anita Loos and directed by Jack Conway . The film stars Clark Gable and Jean Harlow in their sixth and final film collaboration , and features Lionel Barrymore , Frank Morgan , Walter Pidgeon , Hattie McDaniel , and Margaret Hamilton .   Jean Harlow died before filming was finished , and it was completed using stand-ins . Saratoga was MGM 's biggest moneymaker of 1937 .


Emmanuel Adebayor survived the Togo national football team attack.

Emmanuel Adebayor Sheyi Emmanuel Adebayor ( -LSB- ɛmanɥɛl adəbɛjɔʁ -RSB- ; born 26 February 1984 ) is a Togolese professional footballer who plays as a striker for Turkish club İstanbul Başakşehir . He previously played for English clubs Arsenal , Manchester City , Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace , as well as French sides Metz and Monaco and Spanish team Real Madrid . He was voted African Footballer of the Year for 2008 .   Adebayor represented the Togo national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany , the country 's debut , and to date only , appearance at the World Cup . In January 2010 , Adebayor was one of the players involved when the Togo team 's bus came under gunfire on the way to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola , after which he retired from national team duty . In 2013 , he returned to the Togo team for the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa , where he helped them to qualify for the quarter-finals . He is currently Togo 's all-time top goalscorer with 31 goals .


The Xbox One is a console for video games.

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 .


A Nightmare on Elm Street has a cast including Jackie Earle Haley.

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010 film) A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 2010 American slasher film directed by Samuel Bayer and written by Wesley Strick and Eric Heisserer as a remake of Wes Craven 's 1984 film of the same name , which revolves around a group of teenagers who are being stalked in their dreams by an enigmatic man named Freddy Krueger .   Michael Bay and Platinum Dunes produced the film for New Line Cinema , as an intention to reboot the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise , with the cast of Jackie Earle Haley , Kyle Gallner , Rooney Mara , Katie Cassidy , Thomas Dekker and Kellan Lutz . This production makes it the ninth installment of the franchise . The film was released by Warner Bros. on April 30 , 2010 . It received mainly negative reviews from critics and grossed $ 115 million against a production budget of $ 35 million , making it the highest-grossing film in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise .


Justinian I ruled the Byzantine Empire from 527 until his death 565.

Justinian I Justinian I ( -LSB- dʒʌˈstɪniən -RSB- Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus Augustus Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ἰουστινιανός Flávios Pétros Sabbátios Ioustinianós ) ( 482 14 November 565 ) , traditionally known as Justinian the Great and also Saint Justinian the Great in the Eastern Orthodox Church , was a Byzantine ( East Roman ) emperor from 527 to 565 . During his reign , Justinian sought to revive the empire 's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the historical Roman Empire . Justinian 's rule constitutes a distinct epoch in the history of the Later Roman empire , and his reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized renovatio imperii , or `` restoration of the Empire '' .   Because of his restoration activities , Justinian has sometimes been called the `` last Roman '' in modern historiography . This ambition was expressed by the partial recovery of the territories of the defunct western Roman Empire . His general , Belisarius , swiftly conquered the Vandal kingdom in North Africa . Subsequently , Belisarius , Narses , and other generals conquered the Ostrogothic kingdom , restoring Dalmatia , Sicily , Italy , and Rome to the empire after more than half a century of rule by the Ostrogoths . The prefect Liberius reclaimed the south of the Iberian peninsula , establishing the province of Spania . These campaigns re-established Roman control over the western Mediterranean , increasing the Empire 's annual revenue by over a million solidi . During his reign Justinian also subdued the Tzani , a people on the east coast of the Black Sea that had never been under Roman rule before .   A still more resonant aspect of his legacy was the uniform rewriting of Roman law , the Corpus Juris Civilis , which is still the basis of civil law in many modern states . His reign also marked a blossoming of Byzantine culture , and his building program yielded such masterpieces as the church of Hagia Sophia . A devastating outbreak of bubonic plague in the early 540s marked the end of an age of splendour .


Somalia's economy is partially based on livestock, telecommunications, and money from workers abroad.

Somalia Somalia ( -LSB- səˈmɑːliə , _ soʊ - , _ - ljə -RSB- ; Soomaaliya الصومال ) , officially the Federal Republic of Somalia ( Jamhuuriyadda Federaalka Soomaaliya , جمهورية الصومال الفيدرالية ) , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west , Djibouti to the northwest , the Gulf of Aden to the north , the Indian Ocean to the east , and Kenya to the southwest . Somalia has the longest coastline on Africa 's mainland , and its terrain consists mainly of plateaus , plains and highlands . Climatically , hot conditions prevail year-round , with periodic monsoon winds and irregular rainfall .   Somalia has an estimated population of around 16.3 million . Around 85 % of its residents are ethnic Somalis , who have historically inhabited the northern part of the country . Ethnic minorities are largely concentrated in the southern regions . The official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic , both of which belong to the Afroasiatic family . Most people in the country are Muslim , with the majority being Sunni .   In antiquity , Somalia was an important commercial centre . It is among the most probable locations of the fabled ancient Land of Punt . During the Middle Ages , several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade , including the Ajuran Empire , the Adal Sultanate , the Warsangali Sultanate , and the Geledi Sultanate . In the late 19th century , through a succession of treaties with these kingdoms , the British and Italian empires gained control of parts of the coast and established the colonies of British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland . In the interior , Mohammed Abdullah Hassan 's Dervish State repelled the British Empire four times and forced it to retreat to the coastal region , before succumbing to defeat in 1920 by British airpower . The toponym Somalia was coined by the Italian explorer Luigi Robecchi Bricchetti ( 1855 -- 1926 ) . Italy acquired full control of the northeastern , central and southern parts of the area after successfully waging the so-called Campaign of the Sultanates against the ruling Majeerteen Sultanate and Sultanate of Hobyo . Italian occupation lasted until 1941 , yielding to British military administration . British Somaliland would remain a protectorate , while Italian Somaliland in 1949 became a United Nations Trusteeship under Italian administration , the Trust Territory of Somaliland . In 1960 , the two regions united to form the independent Somali Republic under a civilian government .   The Supreme Revolutionary Council seized power in 1969 and established the Somali Democratic Republic . Led by Mohamed Siad Barre , this government later collapsed in 1991 as the Somali Civil War broke out . Various armed factions began competing for influence in the power vacuum , particularly in the south . During this period , due to the absence of a central government , Somalia was a `` failed state '' , and residents returned to customary and religious law in most regions . A few autonomous regions , including the Somaliland and Puntland administrations emerged in the north . The early 2000s saw the creation of fledgling interim federal administrations . The Transitional National Government ( TNG ) was established in 2000 , followed by the formation of the Transitional Federal Government ( TFG ) in 2004 , which reestablished national institutions such as the military . In 2006 , the TFG , assisted by Ethiopian troops , assumed control of most of the nation 's southern conflict zones from the newly formed Islamic Courts Union ( ICU ) . The ICU subsequently splintered into more radical groups such as Al-Shabaab , which battled the TFG and its AMISOM allies for control of the region .   By mid-2012 , the insurgents had lost most of the territory that they had seized . In 2011 -- 2012 , a political process providing benchmarks for the establishment of permanent democratic institutions was launched . Within this administrative framework a new provisional constitution was passed in August 2012 , which reformed Somalia as a federation . Following the end of the TFG 's interim mandate the same month , the Federal Government of Somalia , the first permanent central government in the country since the start of the civil war , was formed and a period of reconstruction began in Mogadishu . Somalia has maintained an informal economy , mainly based on livestock , remittances from Somalis working abroad , and telecommunications .


Mad Men Mad Men is an American period drama television series created by Matthew Weiner and produced by Lionsgate Television . The series premiered on July 19 , 2007 , on the cable network AMC . After seven seasons and 92 episodes , Mad Men 's final episode aired on May 17 , 2015 .   Mad Men is set primarily in the 1960s , initially at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising agency on Madison Avenue in New York City , and later at the newly created firm , Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce ( later Sterling Cooper & Partners ) , located nearby in the Time-Life Building , at 1271 Sixth Avenue . According to the show 's pilot , the phrase `` Mad men '' was a slang term coined in the 1950s by advertisers working on Madison Avenue to refer to themselves , a claim that has since been disputed . Don Draper ( Jon Hamm ) is featured in the series , initially as the talented creative director at Sterling Cooper and later a founding partner at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce , and the people in his personal and professional lives . The plot focuses on the business of the agencies as well as the personal lives of the characters , regularly depicting the changing moods and social mores of the United States through the 1960s . Season one begins in March 1960 and moves through November 1970 by the conclusion of season seven .   Throughout its run , Mad Men received widespread critical acclaim for its writing , acting , and historical authenticity ; it has won many awards , including 16 Emmys and five Golden Globes . The show was also the first basic cable series to receive the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series , winning in each of its first four seasons . It is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time .


The main precursor to the internet was not the ARPANET.

Internet The Internet is the global system of interconnected computer networks that use the Internet protocol suite ( TCP/IP ) to link devices worldwide . It is a network of networks that consists of private , public , academic , business , and government networks of local to global scope , linked by a broad array of electronic , wireless , and optical networking technologies . The Internet carries an extensive range of information resources and services , such as the inter-linked hypertext documents and applications of the World Wide Web ( WWW ) , electronic mail , telephony , and file sharing .   The origins of the Internet date back to research commissioned by the United States federal government in the 1960s to build robust , fault-tolerant communication via computer networks . The primary precursor network , the ARPANET , initially served as a backbone for interconnection of regional academic and military networks in the 1980s . The funding of the National Science Foundation Network as a new backbone in the 1980s , as well as private funding for other commercial extensions , led to worldwide participation in the development of new networking technologies , and the merger of many networks . The linking of commercial networks and enterprises by the early 1990s marks the beginning of the transition to the modern Internet , and generated a sustained exponential growth as generations of institutional , personal , and mobile computers were connected to the network . Although the Internet was widely used by academia since the 1980s , the commercialization incorporated its services and technologies into virtually every aspect of modern life .   Internet use grew rapidly in the West from the mid-1990s and from the late 1990s in the developing world . In the two decades since then , Internet use has grown 100-times , measured for the period of one year , to over one third of the world population . Most traditional communications media , including telephony , radio , television , paper mail and newspapers are being reshaped or redefined by the Internet , giving birth to new services such as email , Internet telephony , Internet television , online music , digital newspapers , and video streaming websites . Newspaper , book , and other print publishing are adapting to website technology , or are reshaped into blogging , web feeds and online news aggregators . The Internet has enabled and accelerated new forms of personal interactions through instant messaging , Internet forums , and social networking . Online shopping has grown exponentially both for major retailers and small businesses and entrepreneurs , as it enables firms to extend their `` brick and mortar '' presence to serve a larger market or even sell goods and services entirely online . Business-to-business and financial services on the Internet affect supply chains across entire industries .   The Internet has no centralized governance in either technological implementation or policies for access and usage ; each constituent network sets its own policies . Only the overreaching definitions of the two principal name spaces in the Internet , the Internet Protocol address space and the Domain Name System ( DNS ) , are directed by a maintainer organization , the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ( ICANN ) . The technical underpinning and standardization of the core protocols is an activity of the Internet Engineering Task Force ( IETF ) , a non-profit organization of loosely affiliated international participants that anyone may associate with by contributing technical expertise .


Sense8 is a Netflix TV show that aired for two seasons.

Sense8 Sense8 ( a play on the word sensate -LSB- ˈsɛnseɪt -RSB- ) is an American science fiction drama web television series created by Lana and Lilly Wachowski and J. Michael Straczynski for Netflix . The production companies behind Sense8 include the Wachowskis ' Anarchos Productions ( replaced by Lana and her wife 's Venus Castina Productions in the second season ) , Straczynski 's Studio JMS , and Georgeville Television , with Unpronounceable Productions having been set up specifically for this show .   The show 's first season introduced a multinational ensemble cast , with Aml Ameen , Doona Bae , Jamie Clayton , Tina Desai , Tuppence Middleton , Max Riemelt , Miguel Ángel Silvestre and Brian J. Smith portraying eight strangers from different parts of the world who suddenly become `` sensates '' ; human beings who are mentally and emotionally linked . Freema Agyeman , Terrence Mann , Anupam Kher , Naveen Andrews and Daryl Hannah also star . In the second season Toby Onwumere replaces Ameen . The show aims to explore subjects that its creators feel have not been emphasized in many science fiction shows to date , such as politics , identity , sexuality , gender and religion .   Each episode of Sense8 was written by the Wachowskis and Straczynski in the first season ; in the second season , Lilly Wachowski took a break from the show , and the scripts were written by just Lana Wachowski and Straczynski . Most of the episodes of the two seasons were directed by the Wachowskis ( or just Lana , in the second season ) , with the remainder being divided between their frequent collaborators James McTeigue , Tom Tykwer and Dan Glass . Lilly 's break during the second season marked the first time in the sisters ' career that they did not work together as a writing and directing unit . Sense8 is filmed almost entirely on location in a multitude of cities around the world .   The first season , consisting of 12 episodes , became available for streaming on Netflix on June 5 , 2015 , and was met with generally favorable critical reception . It became notable for its presentation of LGBT characters and themes , winning the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Drama Series . It has also been recognized with a Location Managers Guild award for its use of locations as an integral part of the story , and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music .   Netflix released the first episode of the second season , a two-hour Christmas special , on December 23 , 2016 ; the remaining 10 episodes of the season were released on May 5 , 2017 . The season was met with positive critical reception .


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


Daft Punk released an album through Virgin Records.

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 .


Grace VanderWaal was birthed on January 15, 2004.

Grace VanderWaal Grace Avery VanderWaal ( born January 15 , 2004 ) is an American singer-songwriter from Suffern , New York . In September 2016 , at age 12 , she won the eleventh season of the NBC TV competition show America 's Got Talent ( AGT ) . She soon signed a record deal with Columbia Records and released her first EP , Perfectly Imperfect , in December 2016 . VanderWaal also creates videos of her original songs and covers for YouTube and continues to perform . She won the 2017 Radio Disney Music Award for Best New Artist and is working on a full-length album to be released later in 2017 .


The Silence of the Lambs is about apprehending someone.

Clarice Starling Clarice M. Starling is a fictional character who appears in the novels The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal by Thomas Harris .   In the film adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs , she was played by Jodie Foster , while in the film adaptation of Hannibal , she was played by Julianne Moore .   Clarice Starling , as portrayed by Foster , was ranked the sixth greatest protagonist in film history on AFI 's 100 Years ... 100 Heroes and Villains , making her the highest-ranking heroine .


The Silence of the Lambs (film) The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American horror-thriller film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster , Anthony Hopkins , and Scott Glenn . Adapted by Ted Tally from the 1988 novel of the same name by Thomas Harris , his second to feature the character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter ; a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer , the film was the second adaptation of a Harris novel featuring Lecter , preceded by the Michael Mann-directed Manhunter in 1986 . In the film , Clarice Starling , a young U.S. FBI trainee , seeks the advice of the imprisoned Dr. Lecter to apprehend another serial killer , known only as `` Buffalo Bill '' .   The Silence of the Lambs was released on February 14 , 1991 , and grossed $ 272.7 million worldwide against its $ 19 million budget . It was only the third film , the other two being It Happened One Night and One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest , to win Academy Awards in all the top five categories : Best Picture , Best Actor , Best Actress , Best Director , and Adapted Screenplay . It is also the first ( and so far only ) Best Picture winner widely considered to be a horror film , and only the third such film to be nominated in the category , after The Exorcist in 1973 and Jaws in 1975 . The film is considered `` culturally , historically or aesthetically '' significant by the U.S. Library of Congress and was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry in 2011 . A sequel titled Hannibal was released in 2001 with Hopkins reprising his role , followed by two prequels : Red Dragon ( 2002 ) and Hannibal Rising ( 2007 ) .


A.J. Cook was employed with James Woods.

The Virgin Suicides (film) The Virgin Suicides is a 1999 American drama written and directed by Sofia Coppola , produced by Francis Ford Coppola , and starring James Woods , Kathleen Turner , Kirsten Dunst , Josh Hartnett , and A. J. Cook .   Based on the 1993 best selling debut novel of the same name by American author Jeffrey Eugenides , the film tells of the brief lives of five teenage sisters in a middle class suburb near the outskirts of Detroit during the 1970s . After the youngest sister makes an initial attempt at suicide , her sisters are put under close scrutiny by their parents , eventually being confined to the home , which leads to their increasingly depressive and isolated behavior .


A. J. Cook Andrea Joy `` A. J. '' Cook ( born July 22 , 1978 ) is a Canadian actress known for her role as Supervisory Special Agent Jennifer `` JJ '' Jareau in the CBS crime drama Criminal Minds . She has also appeared in films such as The Virgin Suicides ( 1999 ) , Out Cold ( 2001 ) , and Final Destination 2 ( 2003 ) .


Captain America is a DC Comics character.

Captain America Captain America is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . Created by cartoonists Joe Simon and Jack Kirby , the character first appeared in Captain America Comics # 1 ( cover dated March 1941 ) from Timely Comics , a predecessor of Marvel Comics . Captain America was designed as a patriotic supersoldier who often fought the Axis powers of World War II and was Timely Comics ' most popular character during the wartime period . The popularity of superheroes waned following the war and the Captain America comic book was discontinued in 1950 , with a short-lived revival in 1953 . Since Marvel Comics revived the character in 1964 , Captain America has remained in publication .   Captain America wears a costume that bears an American flag motif , and is armed with a nearly indestructible shield that he throws at foes . The character is usually depicted as the alter ego of Steve Rogers , a frail young man enhanced to the peak of human perfection by an experimental serum to aid the United States government 's efforts in World War II . Near the end of the war , he was trapped in ice and survived in suspended animation until he was revived in the present day . Although Captain America often struggles to maintain his ideals as a man out of his time with its modern realities , he remains a highly respected figure in his community which includes becoming the long-time leader of the Avengers .   Captain America was the first Marvel Comics character to have appeared in media outside comics with the release of the 1944 movie serial , Captain America . Since then , the character has been featured in other films and television series , more recently in the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) portrayed by Chris Evans in Captain America : The First Avenger , The Avengers , Captain America : The Winter Soldier , Avengers : Age of Ultron , Captain America : Civil War , and the upcoming Avengers : Infinity War ( 2018 ) and its untitled sequel ( 2019 ) .   Captain America is ranked sixth on IGN 's `` Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time '' in 2011 , second in their list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' in 2012 , and second in their `` Top 25 best Marvel superheroes '' list in 2014 .


Blurryface Blurryface is the fourth studio album by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots . It is the band 's second album released through Fueled by Ramen . Originally set to be released on May 19 , 2015 , it was released two days earlier on May 17 , via iTunes . The album was preceded by its lead single , `` Fairly Local '' , released on March 17 , 2015 . It also contains the Billboard Hot 100 top-five singles , `` Stressed Out '' and `` Ride '' , which reached numbers two and five on the chart , respectively . The album has sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States as of April 2017 .


Heathens (song) `` Heathens '' is a song by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots , released as the lead single for the motion picture soundtrack for the film Suicide Squad ( 2016 ) on June 16 , 2016 , through Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. . Records . The song was written by Tyler Joseph and produced by him along with Mike Elizondo . `` Heathens '' peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 , tying with `` Stressed Out '' for the duo 's highest charting single to date . `` Heathens '' was nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 59th annual awards ceremony .


Twenty One Pilots Twenty One Pilots ( stylized as TWENTY ØNE PILØTS ) is an American musical duo originating from Columbus , Ohio . The band was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with former members Nick Thomas and Chris Salih , who eventually left in 2011 , and currently consists of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun . The duo rose to fame in the mid -- 2010s after several years of touring and independent releases .   They put out two self-released albums , Twenty One Pilots in 2009 and Regional at Best in 2011 , before being signed by Fueled by Ramen in 2012 . Their label debut , Vessel , was released in 2013 . The duo achieved breakthrough success with their fourth album , Blurryface ( 2015 ) , which produced the successful singles `` Stressed Out '' and `` Ride '' . In addition , the single `` Heathens '' , recorded for the soundtrack of the film Suicide Squad , made the group the first alternative artist to have two concurrent top ten singles in the U.S. . The duo has won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance .


Twenty One Pilots (album) Twenty One Pilots is the self-titled debut studio album by American band Twenty One Pilots , released independently on December 29 , 2009 . The album sold 115,000 copies and peaked at number 139 on the U.S. Billboard 200 . This is the only album to feature Nick Thomas and Chris Salih before they both left the band in 2011 .


Vessel (Twenty One Pilots album) Vessel is the third studio album by American musical duo Twenty One Pilots , which was released on January 8 , 2013 . It is the band 's first album released via Fueled by Ramen , and is their major-label debut album . As of July 2016 , the album has sold over 569,000 copies .


Take a Bow is a Madonna song from her sixth album.

Take a Bow (Madonna song) `` Take a Bow '' is a song by American singer Madonna from her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories ( 1994 ) . It was released as the album 's second single on November 29 , 1994 , by Maverick Records . It is a midtempo pop ballad written and produced by Madonna and Babyface . The song also appears on her compilation albums Something to Remember ( 1995 ) , GHV2 ( 2001 ) and Celebration ( 2009 ) . Following the sexually explicit persona portrayed by Madonna on her previous album , Erotica , the singer wanted to tone down her image for Bedtime Stories . She started collaborating with Babyface , whose work with other musicians had impressed her . `` Take a Bow '' was developed from this collaboration , after Madonna listened to the beat and the chords of the demo structure of the song .   Recorded at The Hit Factory Studios in New York , `` Take a Bow '' was backed by a full orchestra . It was also the first time that Babyface had worked with live strings , per Madonna 's suggestion . Containing oriental pentatonic strings , giving the impression of Chinese or Japanese opera , `` Take a Bow '' lyrically talks about unrequited love , and Madonna saying goodbye . It received favorable reviews from music critics , who praised the song 's soulful , poetic lyrics . It was a commercial success in the United States , becoming Madonna 's eleventh number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 , topping the chart for seven weeks . It also reached number one in Canada , and the top ten in Italy , Switzerland and New Zealand . The single had moderate success in the United Kingdom , reaching number 16 on the UK Singles Chart , ending Madonna 's record-holding string of 35 consecutive top-ten hits there .   The music video for `` Take a Bow '' was directed by Michael Haussman , and was filmed in Ronda , Spain . The video depicts Madonna as a bullfighter 's ( played by real-life Spanish bullfighter Emilio Muñoz ) neglected lover , yearning for his love . It won the Best Female Video award at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards . Journalistic and academic analysis of the video included its plotline , usage of religious iconography , themes and motifs of feminism and submission , as well as its impact on contemporary music videos . In order to promote Bedtime Stories , Madonna performed `` Take a Bow '' on a few occasions , including live with Babyface at the 1995 American Music Awards . In 2016 , she added the song to the setlist of the Asian and Oceanian legs of her Rebel Heart Tour and her one-off Sydney concert Madonna : Tears of a Clown .


Billy Bob Thornton cancelled the film Jayne Mansfield's Car.

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


Taiwan is the same as China, Japan, and the Philippines.

China China , officially the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) , is a unitary sovereign state in East Asia and the world 's most populous country , with a population of over 1.381 billion . Covering approximately 9.6 e6km2 , China is the world 's second-largest state by land area and third - or fourth-largest by total area . Governed by the Communist Party of China , it exercises jurisdiction over 22 provinces , five autonomous regions , four direct-controlled municipalities ( Beijing , Tianjin , Shanghai and Chongqing ) and the Special Administrative Regions Hong Kong and Macau , also claiming sovereignty over Taiwan . China is a great power and a major regional power within Asia , and has been characterized as a potential superpower .   China emerged as one of the world 's earliest civilizations in the fertile basin of the Yellow River in the North China Plain . For millennia , China 's political system was based on hereditary monarchies , or dynasties , beginning with the legendary Xia dynasty . Since 221 , when the Qin dynasty conquered the other largest six states to form the first unified Chinese empire , China has then expanded , fractured and re-unified numerous times in the following millennia . In 1912 , the Republic of China ( ROC ) replaced the last dynasty and ruled the Chinese mainland until 1949 , when it was defeated by the communist People 's Liberation Army in the Chinese Civil War . The Communist Party established the People 's Republic of China in Beijing on 1 October 1949 , while the ROC government relocated to Taiwan with its present de facto temporary capital in Taipei . Both the ROC and PRC continue to claim to be the legitimate government of all China , though the latter has more recognition in the world and controls more territory .   China has had the largest economy in the world for much of the last two thousand years , during which it has seen cycles of prosperity and decline . Since the introduction of economic reforms in 1978 , China has become one of the world 's fastest-growing major economies . , it is the world 's second-largest economy by nominal GDP and largest by purchasing power parity ( PPP ) . China is also the world 's largest exporter and second-largest importer of goods . China is a recognized nuclear weapons state and has the world 's largest standing army and second-largest defense budget . The PRC is a member of the United Nations , as it replaced the ROC as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council in 1971 . China is also a member of numerous formal and informal multilateral organizations , including the WTO , APEC , BRICS , the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ) , the BCIM and the G-20 .


Taiwan Taiwan ( -LSB- taɪˈwɑːn -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of China ( ROC ) , is a state in East Asia . Its neighbours include China ( officially the People 's Republic of China , PRC ) to the west , Japan to the northeast , and the Philippines to the south .  Taiwan is the most populous state that is not a member of the United Nations , and also possesses the largest economy of any state outside of the UN .   The island of Taiwan , also known as Formosa , was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before the 17th century , when Dutch and Spanish colonies opened the island to Han Chinese immigration . After a brief rule by the Kingdom of Tungning , the island was annexed by the Qing dynasty , the last dynasty of China . The Qing ceded Taiwan to Japan in 1895 after the Sino-Japanese War . While Taiwan was under Japanese rule , the Republic of China ( ROC ) was established on the mainland in 1912 after the fall of the Qing dynasty . Following the Japanese surrender to the Allies in 1945 , the ROC took control of Taiwan . However , the resumption of the Chinese Civil War led to the ROC 's loss of the mainland to the Communists , and the flight of the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949 . Although the ROC continued to claim to be the legitimate government of China , its effective jurisdiction since 1949 has been limited to Taiwan and its surrounding islands , with the main island making up 99 % of its de facto territory . As a founding member of the United Nations , the ROC continued to represent China at the United Nations until 1971 , when the PRC assumed China 's seat , causing the ROC to lose its UN membership .   In the early 1960s , Taiwan entered a period of rapid economic growth and industrialization , creating a stable industrial economy . In the 1980s and early 1990s , it changed from a one-party military dictatorship dominated by the Kuomintang to a multi-party democracy with a semi-presidential system . Taiwan is the 22nd-largest economy in the world , and its high-tech industry plays a key role in the global economy . It is ranked highly in terms of freedom of the press , healthcare , public education , economic freedom , and human development . The country benefits from a highly skilled workforce and is among the most highly educated countries in the world with one of the highest percentages of its citizens holding a tertiary education degree .   The PRC has consistently claimed sovereignty over Taiwan and asserted the ROC is no longer in legitimate existence . Under its One-China Policy the PRC refused diplomatic relations with any country that recognizes the ROC . Today only a few smaller nations recognize the ROC as the sole legal representative of China , but many other states maintain unofficial ties through representative offices and institutions that function as de facto embassies and consulates . Although Taiwan is fully self-governing , most international organizations in which the PRC participates either refuse to grant membership to Taiwan or allow it to participate only as a non-state actor . Internally , the major division in politics is between the aspirations of eventual Chinese unification or Taiwanese independence , though both sides have moderated their positions to broaden their appeal . The PRC has threatened the use of military force in response to any formal declaration of independence by Taiwan or if PRC leaders decide that peaceful unification is no longer possible .


Taylor Schilling Taylor Schilling ( born July 27 , 1984 ) is an American actress . She is known for her role as Piper Chapman on the Netflix original comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black ( 2013 -- present ) , for which she received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy and Best Actress -- Television Series Drama . She made her film debut in the 2007 drama Dark Matter . Schilling also starred in the short-lived NBC medical drama Mercy ( 2009 -- 10 ) . Her other films include Atlas Shrugged : Part I ( 2011 ) , the romantic drama The Lucky One ( 2012 ) and the comedy The Overnight ( 2015 ) .


Harvey Kurtzman Harvey Kurtzman ( -LSB- ˈkɜrtsmən -RSB- October 3 , 1924 -- February 21 , 1993 ) was an American cartoonist and editor . His best-known work includes writing and editing the parodic comic book Mad from 1952 until 1956 , and writing the Little Annie Fanny strips in Playboy from 1962 until 1988 . His work is noted for its satire and parody of popular culture , social critique , and attention to detail . Kurtzman 's working method has been likened to that of an auteur , and he expected those who illustrated his stories to follow his layouts strictly .   Kurtzman began to work on the New Trend line of comic books at EC Comics ' in 1950 . He wrote and edited the Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat war comic books , where he also drew many of the carefully researched stories , before he created his most-remembered comic book , Mad , in 1952 . Kurtzman scripted the stories and had them drawn by top EC cartoonists , most frequently Will Elder , Wally Wood , and Jack Davis ; the early Mad was noted for its social critique and parodies of pop culture . The comic book switched to a magazine format in 1955 , and Kurtzman left it in 1956 over a dispute with EC 's owner William Gaines over financial control . Following his departure , he did a variety of cartooning work , including editing the short-lived Trump and the self-published Humbug . In 1959 , he produced the first book-length work of original comics , the adult-oriented , satirical Jungle Book . He edited the low-budget Help ! from 1960 to 1965 , a humor magazine which featured work by future Monty Python member Terry Gilliam and the earliest work of underground cartoonists such as Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton . He brought Help ! to an end after the success of the risqué Playboy feature Little Annie Fanny began to take up his time . While Annie Fanny provided much of his income for the rest of his career , he continued to produce an eclectic body of work , including screenwriting the animated Mad Monster Party ? in 1967 and directing , writing and designing several shorts for Sesame Street in 1969 .   From 1973 , Kurtzman taught cartooning at the School of Visual Arts in New York . His work gained greater recognition toward the end of his life , and he oversaw deluxe reprintings of much of his work . The Harvey Award was named in Kurtzman 's honor in 1988 . He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1989 , and his work earned five positions on The Comics Journals Top 100 Comics of the 20th Century .