Budapest Budapest ( -LSB- ˈbudɒpɛʃt -RSB- ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary and one of the largest cities in the European Union . It has an area of 525 km2 and a population of about 1.8 million within the administrative limits in 2016 . Budapest is both a city and county , and forms the centre of the Budapest Metropolitan Area , which has an area of 7,626 km2 and a population of 3.3 million , comprising 33 percent of the population of Hungary . Budapest became a single city occupying both banks of the Danube river with the unification of Buda and Óbuda on the west bank , with Pest on the east bank on November 17 , 1873 .   The history of Budapest began with Aquincum , originally a Celtic settlement that became the Roman capital of Lower Pannonia . Hungarians arrived in the territory in the 9th century . Their first settlement was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241 -- 1242 . The re-established town became one of the centres of Renaissance humanist culture by the 15th century . Following the Battle of Mohács and nearly 150 years of Ottoman rule , the region entered a new age of prosperity , and Budapest became a global city after its unification in 1873 . It also became the co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire , a great power that dissolved in 1918 , following World War I. Budapest was the focal point of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 , the Hungarian Republic of Councils in 1919 , the Battle of Budapest in 1945 , and the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 .   Budapest is a Beta + global city , with strengths in arts , commerce , design , education , entertainment , fashion , finance , healthcare , media , services , research , and tourism . Its business district hosts the Budapest Stock Exchange and the headquarters of the largest national and international banks and companies . Budapest is a leading R&D and financial centre in Central and Eastern Europe , the city has a gross metropolitan product more than $ 100 billion in 2015 , thereby the city is among the Top 100 GDP performing cities in the world  and making it one of the largest regional economies in the European Union . It is the highest ranked Central and Eastern European city on Innovation Cities Top 100 index . Budapest attracts 4.4 million international tourists per year , making it the 25th most popular city in the world and the 6th in Europe .   Among Budapest 's important museums and cultural institutions , the most visited art museum is the Museum of Fine Arts , as well as the Hungarian National Gallery , which is noted for one of the largest collections of all periods of European art and comprises more than 100,000 pieces . The central area of the city along the Danube River is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has many notable monuments , including the Hungarian Parliament , Buda Castle , Fisherman 's Bastion , Gresham Palace , Széchenyi Chain Bridge , Matthias Church and the Liberty Statue . Further famous landmarks include Andrássy Avenue , St. Stephen 's Basilica , Heroes ' Square , the Great Market Hall , the Nyugati Railway Station built by the Eiffel Company of Paris in 1877 and the second-oldest metro line in the world , the Millennium Underground Railway . Budapest is home to numerous museums , galleries , libraries , sporting events and other cultural institutions , including the Hungarian National Museum , House of Terror , Franz Liszt Academy of Music , Hungarian State Opera House , National Széchényi Library and Hungarian Academy of Sciences .   Budapest is cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe , ranked as the most liveable Central and Eastern European city on EIU 's quality of life index , ranked as `` the world 's second best city '' by Condé Nast Traveler , and `` Europe 's 7th most idyllic place to live '' by Forbes . It has around 80 geothermal springs , the world 's largest thermal water cave system , second largest synagogue , and third largest Parliament building . Budapest is home to the headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology , the European Police College and the first foreign office of the China Investment Promotion Agency . Over 40 colleges and universities are located in Budapest , including the Eötvös Loránd University , Central European University and Budapest University of Technology and Economics .


Emma has been broadcast only on Vietnamese television.

Emma (1996 TV film) Jane Austen 's Emma is an adaptation of the 1815 novel of the same name . It was adapted for the British television network ITV in 1996 , directed by Diarmuid Lawrence and dramatised by Andrew Davies , the same year as Miramax 's film adaptation of Emma starring Gwyneth Paltrow . This production of Emma stars Kate Beckinsale as the title character , and also features Samantha Morton as Harriet Smith and Mark Strong as Mr. Knightley .   Davies had recently adapted another Austen novel as the successful 1995 television serial Pride and Prejudice for BBC when he proposed to adapt the novel Emma for the network . BBC had already made such an agreement with another screenwriter however , leading Davies to approach ITV .   Emma received generally positive reviews from critics , who believed it to be superior to the 1996 Miramax film . Most focused on Beckinsale 's performance as a positive highlight . It aired on ITV on the 24 November 1996 and garnered an estimated 12 million viewers . It also was broadcast on the American channel A&E in 16 February 1997 .


ITV (TV network) ITV is a commercial TV network in the United Kingdom . Launched in 1955 as Independent Television under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority ( ITA , then after the Sound Broadcasting Act 1972 , Independent Broadcasting Authority , now Ofcom ) to provide competition to the long established BBC , it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK . Since the passing of the Broadcasting Act 1990 its legal name has been Channel 3 , to distinguish it from the other analogue channels at the time , namely BBC 1 , BBC 2 and Channel 4 . In part , the number 3 was assigned as television sets would usually be tuned so that the regional ITV station would be on the third button , with the other stations being allocated to the number within their name .   ITV is a network of television channels that operate regional television services as well as sharing programmes between each other to be displayed on the entire network . In recent years , several of these companies have merged so currently the fifteen franchises are in the hands of two companies .   The ITV network is to be distinguished from ITV plc , the company that resulted from the merger of Granada plc and Carlton Communications in 2004 and which holds the Channel 3 broadcasting licences in England , Wales , southern Scotland , the Isle of Man , the Channel Islands and Northern Ireland . With the exception of Northern Ireland , the ITV brand is the brand used by ITV plc for the Channel 3 service in these areas . In Northern Ireland , ITV plc uses the brand name UTV . STV Group plc , uses the STV brand for its two franchises of central and northern Scotland .


A&E (TV channel) A&E ( previously Arts & Entertainment Network ) is an American cable and satellite television channel that serves as the flagship television property of A&E Networks , a joint venture between the Hearst Corporation and Disney -- ABC Television Group subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company ( both of which maintain a 50 % ownership interest ) .   The channel originally focused programming on biographies , documentaries , and drama series ( especially crime dramas and mysteries ) but has later expanded to include reality television programming . As of July 2015 , the A&E network is available to approximately 95,968,000 pay television households ( 82.4 % of households with television ) in the United States .   The channel is headquartered in New York City and operates offices in Atlanta , Georgia ; Chicago , Illinois ; Detroit , Michigan ; London , United Kingdom ; Los Angeles , California and Stamford , Connecticut . The U.S. version of the channel is shown in Canada while international versions exist for Australia , Latin America , and Europe .


Titanic was the first film to reach the billion-dollar mark.

Titanic (1997 film) Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance-disaster film directed , written , co-produced , and co-edited by James Cameron . A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic , it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage .   Cameron 's inspiration for the film came from his fascination with shipwrecks ; he felt a love story interspersed with the human loss would be essential to convey the emotional impact of the disaster . Production began in 1995 , when Cameron shot footage of the actual Titanic wreck . The modern scenes on the research vessel were shot on board the Akademik Mstislav Keldysh , which Cameron had used as a base when filming the wreck . Scale models , computer-generated imagery , and a reconstruction of the Titanic built at Playas de Rosarito in Baja California were used to re-create the sinking . The film was partially funded by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox . It was the most expensive film made at that time , with an estimated budget of $ 200 million .   Upon its release on December 19 , 1997 , Titanic achieved critical and commercial success . Nominated for fourteen Academy Awards , it tied All About Eve ( 1950 ) for the most Oscar nominations , and won eleven , including the awards for Best Picture and Best Director , tying Ben Hur ( 1959 ) for the most Oscars won by a single film . With an initial worldwide gross of over $ 1.84 billion , Titanic was the first film to reach the billion-dollar mark . It remained the highest-grossing film of all time until Cameron 's 2009 film Avatar surpassed it in 2010 . A 3D version of Titanic , released on April 4 , 2012 to commemorate the centennial of the sinking , earned it an additional $ 343.6 million worldwide , pushing the film 's worldwide total to $ 2.18 billion . It became the second film to gross more than $ 2 billion worldwide ( after Avatar ) .


Sylvester Stallone was born in November.

Sylvester Stallone Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone ( -LSB- stəˈloʊn -RSB- -LSB- stalˈloːne -RSB- ; born July 6 , 1946 ) is an American actor , filmmaker , and screenwriter . He is well known for his Hollywood action roles , including boxer Rocky Balboa , the title character of the Rocky series ' seven films from 1976 to 2015 ; soldier John Rambo from the four Rambo films , released between 1982 and 2008 ; and Barney Ross in the three The Expendables films from 2010 to 2014 . He wrote or co-wrote most of the 14 films in all three franchises , and directed many of the films .   Stallone 's film Rocky was inducted into the National Film Registry as well as having its film props placed in the Smithsonian Museum . Stallone 's use of the front entrance to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the Rocky series led the area to be nicknamed the Rocky Steps . Philadelphia has a statue of his Rocky character placed permanently near the museum . It was announced on December 7 , 2010 that Stallone was voted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the non-participant category .   In 1977 , Stallone was nominated for two Academy Awards for Rocky , Best Original Screenplay and Best Actor . He became the third man in history to receive these two nominations for the same film , after Charles Chaplin and Orson Welles . He received critical raves , as well as his first Golden Globe Award win and third Academy Award nomination , for reprising the role of Rocky Balboa in Ryan Coogler 's 2015 film Creed .


Egypt's national identity has lasted and integrated influences from other countries.

Egypt Egypt ( -LSB- ˈiːdʒɪpt -RSB- ; مِصر , مَصر , Kimi ) , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt , is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula . Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast , the Gulf of Aqaba to the east , the Red Sea to the east and south , Sudan to the south , and Libya to the west . Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan , and across from the Sinai Peninsula lies Saudi Arabia , although Jordan and Saudi Arabia do not share a land border with Egypt .   Egypt has one of the longest histories of any modern country , emerging as one of the world 's first nation states in the tenth millennium BC . Considered a cradle of civilisation , Ancient Egypt experienced some of the earliest developments of writing , agriculture , urbanisation , organised religion and central government . Iconic monuments such as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx , as well the ruins of Memphis , Thebes , Karnak , and the Valley of the Kings , reflect this legacy and remain a significant focus of archaeological study and popular interest worldwide . Egypt 's rich cultural heritage is an integral part of its national identity , which has endured , and at times assimilated , various foreign influences , including Greek , Persian , Roman , Arab , Ottoman , and European . One of the earliest centres of Christianity , Egypt was Islamised in the seventh century and remains a predominantly Muslim country , albeit with a significant Christian minority .   With over 92 million inhabitants , Egypt is the most populous country in North Africa and the Arab world , the third-most populous in Africa ( after Nigeria and Ethiopia ) , and the fifteenth-most populous in the world . The great majority of its people live near the banks of the Nile River , an area of about 40000 km2 , where the only arable land is found . The large regions of the Sahara desert , which constitute most of Egypt 's territory , are sparsely inhabited . About half of Egypt 's residents live in urban areas , with most spread across the densely populated centres of greater Cairo , Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta .   Modern Egypt is considered to be a regional and middle power , with significant cultural , political , and military influence in North Africa , the Middle East and the Muslim world . Egypt 's economy is one of the largest and most diversified in the Middle East , and is projected to become one of the largest in the 21st century . Egypt is a member of the United Nations , Non-Aligned Movement , Arab League , African Union , and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation .


The Twilight Saga (film series) The Twilight Saga is a series of five romance fantasy films from Summit Entertainment based on the four novels by American author Stephenie Meyer . The films star Kristen Stewart , Robert Pattinson , and Taylor Lautner . The series has grossed over $ 3.3 billion in worldwide receipts and consists , to date , of five motion pictures . The first installment , Twilight , was released on November 21 , 2008 . The second installment , New Moon , followed on November 20 , 2009 , breaking box office records as the biggest midnight screening and opening day in history , grossing an estimated $ 72.7 million . The third installment , Eclipse , was released on June 30 , 2010 , and was the first Twilight film to be released in IMAX .   The series was in development since 2004 at Paramount Pictures , during which time a screen adaptation of Twilight that differed significantly from the novel was written . Three years later , Summit Entertainment acquired the rights to the film . After Twilight grossed $ 35.7 million on its opening day , Summit Entertainment announced they would begin production on New Moon ; they had acquired the rights to the remaining novels earlier that same month . A two-part adaptation of Breaking Dawn began shooting in November 2010 with release dates of November 18 , 2011 , and November 16 , 2012 , respectively .


Twilight (2008 film) Twilight is a 2008 American romantic fantasy film based on Stephenie Meyer 's popular novel of the same name . Directed by Catherine Hardwicke , the film stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson . It is the first film in The Twilight Saga film series . This film focuses on the development of the relationship between Bella Swan ( a teenage girl ) and Edward Cullen ( a vampire ) , and the subsequent efforts of Edward and his family to keep Bella safe from a coven of evil vampires .   The project was in development for approximately three years at Paramount Pictures , during which time a screen adaptation that differed significantly from the novel was written . Summit Entertainment acquired the rights to the novel after three years of the project 's stagnant development . Melissa Rosenberg wrote a new adaptation of the novel shortly before the 2007 -- 2008 Writers Guild of America strike and sought to be faithful to the novel 's storyline . Principal photography took 44 days and completed on May 2 , 2008 ; the film was primarily shot in Oregon .   Twilight was theatrically released on November 21 , 2008 ; it grossed over US$ 393 million worldwide . It was released on DVD March 21 , 2009 and became the most purchased DVD of the year . The soundtrack was released on November 4 , 2008 . Following the film 's success , New Moon and Eclipse , the next two novels in the series , were produced as films the following year .


The Twilight Saga: New Moon The Twilight Saga : New Moon , commonly referred to as New Moon , is a 2009 American romantic fantasy film based on Stephenie Meyer 's 2006 novel New Moon . It is the second film in The Twilight Saga film series and is the sequel to 2008 's Twilight . Summit Entertainment greenlit the sequel in late November 2008 , following the early success of Twilight . Directed by Chris Weitz , the film stars Kristen Stewart , Robert Pattinson , and Taylor Lautner , reprising their roles as Bella Swan , Edward Cullen , and Jacob Black , respectively . Melissa Rosenberg , who handed in a draft of the film script during the opening weekend of Twilight , returned as screenwriter for New Moon as well .   Filming began in Vancouver in late March 2009 , and in Montepulciano , Italy in late May 2009 . The film was released on November 20 , 2009 in most countries , and set domestic box office records as the biggest midnight screening , grossing $ 26.3 million , which was superseded by its sequel , Eclipse . This led to the highest single day , domestic gross on an opening day , with $ 72.7 million , until it was beaten in 2011 by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2 , which made $ 91.1 million , by nearly $ 20 million . Furthermore , New Moon opened with the third highest domestic opening weekend since 2002 grossing a total of $ 142,839,137 . The film also became the highest-grossing film released by Summit Entertainment , and was the widest independent release , playing in over 4,100 theaters in its theatrical run , until it was surpassed by The Twilight Saga : Eclipse .   New Moon was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on March 20 , 2010 through midnight release parties . As of July 2012 , $ 184,916,451 in North American DVD sales , selling more than 8,835,501 units , 4 million of which were sold within its first weekend , beating Twilight 's 3.8 million units sold in its first two days . The film was well received by fans , but received generally negative reviews from critics .


Beijing Beijing ( formerly romanised as Peking ) is the capital of the People 's Republic of China and the world 's third most populous city proper . It is also one of the world 's most populous capital cities . The city , located in northern China , is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government with 16 urban , suburban , and rural districts . Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighbouring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast ; together the three divisions form the Jingjinji metropolitan region and the national capital region of China .   As a city combining both modern and traditional architecture , Beijing is an ever-changing megacity rich in history but also truly modern , exemplified in its global influence in politics , business & economy , education , history , culture , language , music , sporting , architecture , civilization , fashion , art , entertainment , innovation and technology . Beijing is the second largest Chinese city by urban population after Shanghai and is the nation 's political , cultural , and educational centre . It is home to the headquarters of most of China 's largest state-owned companies , and is a major hub for the national highway , expressway , railway , and high-speed rail networks . The Beijing Capital International Airport has been the second busiest in the world by passenger traffic since 2010 , and , , the city 's subway network is the busiest and second longest in the world , after Shanghai 's subway system .   The city 's history dates back three millennia . As the last of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China , Beijing has been the political centre of the country for much of the past eight centuries . With mountains surrounding the inland city on three sides , in addition to the old inner and outer city walls , Beijing was strategically poised and developed to be the residence of the emperor and thus was the perfect location for the imperial capital . Beijing was the largest city in the world by population for much of the second millennium A.D. . The city is renowned for its opulent palaces , temples , parks , gardens , tombs , walls and gates . Its art treasures and universities have made it centre of culture and art in China . Encyclopædia Britannica notes that `` few cities in the world have served for so long as the political headquarters and cultural centre of an area as immense as China . '' Beijing has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites -- the Forbidden City , Temple of Heaven , Summer Palace , Ming Tombs , Zhoukoudian , as well as parts of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal , all popular locations for tourism . siheyuans , the city 's traditional housing style , and hutongs , the narrow alleys between siheyuans , are major tourist attractions and are common in urban Beijing . The city hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and was chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics , making it the first city to ever host both Winter and Summer Olympics .   Many of Beijing 's 91 universities consistently rank among the best in China , of which Peking University and Tsinghua University are ranked in the top 60 universities of the world . In 2015 , 52 companies of the Fortune Global 500 company headquarters were located in Beijing , more than any other city in the world , including state-owned enterprises State Grid , China National Petroleum , and Sinopec Group , ranked 2nd , 3rd , and 4th , respectively . Beijing CBD is quickly becoming the center for Beijing 's economic expansion , rapid modernization , and radically changing skyline , with the ongoing or recently completed construction of multiple skyscrapers . Beijing 's Zhongguancun area is also known as China 's Silicon Valley and China 's center of innovation and technology entrepreneurship . According to the 2016 InterNations Expat Insider Survey , Beijing ranked first in Asia in the subcategory `` Personal Finance Index , '' a measure of expats ' salaries versus cost of living in the city . Expats live primarily in urban districts such as Dongcheng and Chaoyang in the east , or in suburban districts such as Shunyi .


IPhone 3G The iPhone 3G is a smartphone that was designed and marketed by Apple Inc. . It is the second generation of iPhone , and was introduced on June 9 , 2008 , at the WWDC 2008 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco , United States .   The iPhone 3G is internally similar to its predecessor , but included several new hardware features , such as GPS , 3G data and tri-band UMTS/HSDPA . The device was originally loaded with the concurrently launched iPhone OS 2.0 . In addition to other features ( including push email and turn-by-turn navigation ) , this new operating system introduced the App StoreApple 's new distribution platform for third-party applications .


George Tuska died on October 16th, 2009.

George Tuska George Tuska ( April 26 , 1916 -- October 16 , 2009 ) , who early in his career used a variety of pen names including Carl Larson , was an American comic book and newspaper comic strip artist best known for his 1940s work on various Captain Marvel titles and the crime fiction series Crime Does Not Pay , for and his 1960s work illustrating Iron Man and other Marvel Comics characters . As well , he drew the DC Comics newspaper comic strip The World 's Greatest Superheroes from 1978 -- 1982 .


Thomas Pynchon wrote the film Mason & Dixon.

Mason & Dixon Mason & Dixon is a postmodernist novel by U.S. author Thomas Pynchon published in 1997 . It concentrates on the collaboration of the historical Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon in their astronomical and surveying exploits in Cape Colony , Saint Helena , Great Britain and along the Mason-Dixon line in British North America on the eve of the Revolutionary War in the United States .   The novel is a frame narrative told from the focal point of one Rev. Wicks Cherrycoke -- a clergyman of dubious orthodoxy -- who attempts to entertain and divert his extended family on a cold December evening ( partly for amusement , and partly to keep his coveted status as a guest in the house ) . Claiming to have accompanied Mason and Dixon throughout their journeys , Cherrycoke tells a tale intermingling Mason and Dixon 's biographies with history , fantasy , legend , speculation , and outright fabrication .


Thomas Pynchon Thomas Ruggles Pynchon , Jr. ( -LSB- ˈpɪnˌtʃɒn -RSB- , commonly -LSB- ˈpɪntʃən -RSB- born May 8 , 1937 ) is an American novelist . A MacArthur Fellow , he is noted for his dense and complex novels . His fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter , genres and themes , including history , music , science , and mathematics . For Gravity 's Rainbow , Pynchon won the 1974 U.S. National Book Award for Fiction .   Hailing from Long Island , Pynchon served two years in the United States Navy and earned an English degree from Cornell University . After publishing several short stories in the late 1950s and early 1960s , he began composing the novels for which he is best known : V. ( 1963 ) , The Crying of Lot 49 ( 1966 ) , Gravity 's Rainbow ( 1973 ) , and Mason & Dixon ( 1997 ) . Pynchon is also notoriously reclusive ; very few photographs of him have ever been published , and rumors about his location and identity have circulated since the 1960s .   Pynchon 's most recent novel , Bleeding Edge , was published on September 17 , 2013 .


Katie Stevens Katherine Mari `` Katie '' Stevens ( born December 8 , 1992 ) is an American actress and singer best known for finishing in eighth place on the ninth season of American Idol and starring as Karma Ashcroft in the MTV series Faking It .


Social justice is ignored today in efforts for racial equality.

Social justice Social justice is the fair and just relation between the individual and society . This is measured by the explicit and tacit terms for the distribution of wealth , opportunities for personal activity and social privileges . In Western as well as in older Asian cultures , the concept of social justice has often referred to the process of ensuring that individuals fulfill their societal roles and receive what was their due from society . In the current global grassroots movements for social justice , the emphasis has been on the breaking of barriers for social mobility , the creation of safety nets and economic justice .   Social justice assigns rights and duties in the institutions of society , which enables people to receive the basic benefits and burdens of cooperation . The relevant institutions often include taxation , social insurance , public health , public school , public services , labour law and regulation of markets , to ensure fair distribution of wealth , and equal opportunity .   Interpretations that relate justice to a reciprocal relationship to society are mediated by differences in cultural traditions , some of which emphasize the individual responsibility toward society and others the equilibrium between access to power and its responsible use . Hence , social justice is invoked today while reinterpreting historical figures such as Bartolomé de las Casas , in philosophical debates about differences among human beings , in efforts for gender , racial and social equality , for advocating justice for migrants , prisoners , the environment , and the physically and mentally disabled .   While the concept of social justice can be traced through the theology of Augustine of Hippo and the philosophy of Thomas Paine , the term `` social justice '' became used explicitly from the 1840s . A Jesuit priest named Luigi Taparelli is typically credited with coining the term , and it spread during the revolutions of 1848 with the work of Antonio Rosmini-Serbati . In the late industrial revolution , progressive American legal scholars began to use the term more , particularly Louis Brandeis and Roscoe Pound . From the early 20th century it was also embedded in international law and institutions ; the preamble to establish the International Labour Organization recalled that `` universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice . '' In the later 20th century , social justice was made central to the philosophy of the social contract , primarily by John Rawls in A Theory of Justice ( 1971 ) . In 1993 , the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action treats social justice as a purpose of human rights education .


Doctor Doom is a character from Marvel Comics.

Doctor Doom Doctor Victor Von Doom ( or simply Doctor Doom ) is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics . The son of Romani witch Cynthia Von Doom , Doctor Doom traditionally has been the archenemy of the Fantastic Four , and the leader of the fictional nation of Latveria . He is both a genius inventor and a sorcerer . While his chief opponents have been the Fantastic Four , he has also come into conflict with Iron Man , the Avengers and other superheroes in the Marvel Universe . Though normally portrayed as a supervillain , since Civil War II in 2016 , Doom has been depicted as a superhero , taking up the mantle of Iron Man from Tony Stark , and going on to join the Avengers .   Doctor Doom has made many appearances in video games , television series , and merchandise such as action figures and trading cards . He was ranked as the 4th Greatest Villain by Wizard on its 100 Greatest Villains of All Time list . IGN 's list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doctor Doom as # 3 .   Doctor Doom has also been featured in other Marvel-endorsed feature films such as Roger Corman 's unreleased 1994 The Fantastic Four played by Joseph Culp , and the 2005 film Fantastic Four and its 2007 sequel Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer played by Julian McMahon . Toby Kebbell portrays the character in the 2015 reboot .


Popular culture Popular culture or pop culture is the entirety of attitudes , ideas , images , perspectives , and other phenomena within the mainstream of a given culture , especially Western culture of the early to mid-20th century and the emerging global mainstream of the late 20th and early 21st century . Heavily influenced by mass media , this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of the society . The most common pop culture categories are : entertainment ( movies , music , television , games ) , sports , news ( as in people/places in news ) , politics , fashion/clothes , technology , and slang . Popular culture has a way of influencing an individual 's attitudes towards certain topics .   Popular culture is often viewed as being trivial and `` dumbed down '' in order to find consensual acceptance throughout the mainstream . As a result , it comes under heavy criticism from various non-mainstream sources ( most notably religious groups and countercultural groups ) which deem it superficial , consumerist , sensationalist , or corrupt .


Lions are the second-largest living cat.

Lion The lion ( Panthera leo ) is one of the big cats in the genus Panthera and a member of the family Felidae . The commonly used term African lion collectively denotes the several subspecies in Africa . With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight , it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger , barring hybrids like the liger . Wild lions currently exist in sub-Saharan Africa and in India ( where an endangered remnant population resides in and around Gir Forest National Park ) . In ancient historic times , their range was in most of Africa , including North Africa , and across Eurasia from Greece and southeastern Europe to India . In the late Pleistocene , about 10,000 years ago , the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans : Panthera leo spelaea lived in northern and western Europe and Panthera leo atrox lived in the Americas from the Yukon to Peru . The lion is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) , having seen a major population decline in its African range of 30 -- 50 % over two decades during the second half of the twentieth century . Lion populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks . Although the cause of the decline is not fully understood , habitat loss and conflicts with humans are the greatest causes of concern . Within Africa , the West African lion population is particularly endangered .   In the wilderness , males seldom live longer than 10 to 14 years , as injuries sustained from continual fighting with rival males greatly reduce their longevity . In captivity they can live more than 20 years . They typically inhabit savanna and grassland , although they may take to bush and forest . Lions are unusually social compared to other cats . A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males . Groups of female lions typically hunt together , preying mostly on large ungulates . Lions are apex and keystone predators , although they are also expert scavengers obtaining over 50 percent of their food by scavenging as opportunity allows . While lions do not typically hunt humans , some have . Sleeping mainly during the day , lions are active primarily at night ( nocturnal ) , although sometimes at twilight ( crepuscular ) .   Highly distinctive , the male lion is easily recognised by its mane , and its face is one of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture . Depictions have existed from the Upper Paleolithic period , with carvings and paintings from the Lascaux and Chauvet Caves in France dated to 17,000 years ago , through virtually all ancient and medieval cultures where they once occurred . It has been extensively depicted in sculptures , in paintings , on national flags , and in contemporary films and literature . Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire , and have been a key species sought for exhibition in zoos over the world since the late eighteenth century . Zoos are cooperating worldwide in breeding programs for the endangered Asiatic subspecies .


Joan Allen Joan Allen ( born August 20 , 1956 ) is an American actress who has worked in theatre , film and television . She won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her Broadway debut in Burn This . She is also a three-time Academy Award nominee ; receiving Best Supporting Actress nominations for Nixon ( 1995 ) and The Crucible ( 1996 ) , and a Best Actress nomination for The Contender ( 2000 ) .   Allen began her acting career in 1977 with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company . Her New York stage credits include And a Nightingale Sang ( 1984 ) and The Heidi Chronicles ( 1988 ) . Her other film roles include Manhunter ( 1986 ) , Peggy Sue Got Married ( 1986 ) , Tucker : The Man and His Dream ( 1988 ) , The Ice Storm ( 1997 ) , Face/Off ( 1997 ) , Pleasantville ( 1998 ) , The Bourne Supremacy ( 2004 ) , The Upside of Anger ( 2005 ) , The Bourne Ultimatum ( 2007 ) , Death Race ( 2008 ) , The Bourne Legacy ( 2012 ) and Room ( 2015 ) . She starred in the ABC drama The Family ( 2016 ) .


The Contender (2000 film) The Contender is a 2000 political drama film written and directed by Rod Lurie . It stars Gary Oldman , Joan Allen , Jeff Bridges and Christian Slater . The film focuses on a fictional United States President ( played by Bridges ) and the events surrounding his appointment of a new Vice President ( Allen ) .   The film serves as a response to the Lewinsky scandal that arose during the presidency of Bill Clinton . It also became the subject of controversy regarding alterations that allegedly displeased Oldman , who co-produced . Joan Allen was nominated for Best Actress and Jeff Bridges for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards .


South East England has a total population of millions.

South East England South East England is the most populous of the nine official regions of England at the first level of NUTS for statistical purposes . It consists of Berkshire , Buckinghamshire , East Sussex , Hampshire , the Isle of Wight , Kent , Oxfordshire , Surrey and West Sussex . As with the other regions of England , apart from Greater London , the south east has no elected government .   It is the third largest region of England , with an area of 19,096 km ² ( 7,373 sq mi ) , and is also the most populous with a total population of over eight and a half million ( 2011 ) . The headquarters for the region 's governmental bodies are in Guildford , and the region contains seven cities : Brighton and Hove , Canterbury , Chichester , Oxford , Portsmouth , Southampton and Winchester , though other major settlements include Reading and Milton Keynes . Its proximity to London and connections to several national motorways have led to south east England becoming an economic hub , with the largest economy in the country outside the capital . It is the location of Gatwick Airport , the UK 's second-busiest airport , and its coastline along the English Channel provides numerous ferry crossings to mainland Europe .   The region is known for its countryside , which includes the North Downs and the Chiltern Hills as well as two national parks : the New Forest and the South Downs . The River Thames flows through the region and its basin is known as the Thames Valley . It is also the location for a number of internationally known places of interest , such as HMS Victory in Portsmouth , Cliveden in Buckinghamshire , Thorpe Park and RHS Wisley in Surrey , Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire , Windsor Castle in Berkshire , Leeds Castle , the White Cliffs of Dover and Canterbury Cathedral in Kent , Brighton Pier and Hammerwood Park in East Sussex , and Wakehurst Place in West Sussex . The region has many universities ; the University of Oxford is ranked among the best in the world .   South east England is host to various sporting events , including the annual Henley Royal Regatta , Royal Ascot and the Epsom Derby , and sporting venues include Wentworth Golf Club and Brands Hatch . Some of the events of the 2012 Summer Olympics were held in the south east , including the rowing at Eton Dorney and part of the cycling road race in the Surrey Hills .


France retained close economic and military connections with it's former colonies in Africa.

France France ( -LSB- fʁɑ̃s -RSB- ) , officially the French Republic ( -LSB- ʁepyblik fʁɑ̃sɛz -RSB- ) , is a country with territory in western Europe and several overseas regions and territories . The European , or metropolitan , area of France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea , and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean . Overseas France include French Guiana on the South American continent and several island territories in the Atlantic , Pacific and Indian oceans . France spans 643801 km2 and had a total population of almost 67 million people as of January 2017 . It is a unitary semi-presidential republic with the capital in Paris , the country 's largest city and main cultural and commercial centre . Other major urban centres include Marseille , Lyon , Lille , Nice , Toulouse and Bordeaux .   During the Iron Age , what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls , a Celtic people . The area was annexed in 51 BC by Rome , which held Gaul until 486 , when the Germanic Franks conquered the region and formed the Kingdom of France . France emerged as a major European power in the Late Middle Ages , with its victory in the Hundred Years ' War ( 1337 to 1453 ) strengthening state-building and political centralisation . During the Renaissance , French culture flourished and a global colonial empire was established , which by the 20th century would be the second largest in the world . The 16th century was dominated by religious civil wars between Catholics and Protestants ( Huguenots ) . France became Europe 's dominant cultural , political , and military power under Louis XIV . In the late 18th century , the French Revolution overthrew the absolute monarchy , established one of modern history 's earliest republics , and saw the drafting of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen , which expresses the nation 's ideals to this day .   In the 19th century Napoleon took power and established the First French Empire , whose subsequent Napoleonic Wars shaped the course of continental Europe . Following the collapse of the Empire , France endured a tumultuous succession of governments culminating with the establishment of the French Third Republic in 1870 . France was a major participant in the First World War , from which it emerged victorious , and was one of the Allied Powers in the Second World War , but came under occupation by the Axis Powers in 1940 . Following liberation in 1944 , a Fourth Republic was established and later dissolved in the course of the Algerian War . The Fifth Republic , led by Charles de Gaulle , was formed in 1958 and remains to this day . Algeria and nearly all the other colonies became independent in the 1960s and typically retained close economic and military connections with France .   France has long been a global centre of art , science , and philosophy . It hosts Europe 's fourth-largest number of cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites and receives around 83 million foreign tourists annually , the most of any country in the world . France is a developed country with the world 's sixth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest by purchasing power parity . In terms of aggregate household wealth , it ranks fourth in the world . France performs well in international rankings of education , health care , life expectancy , and human development . France remains a great power in the world , being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with the power to veto and an official nuclear-weapon state . It is a leading member state of the European Union and the Eurozone . It is also a member of the Group of 7 , North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) , Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) , and La Francophonie .


Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer produced The Rock.

Don Simpson Donald Clarence `` Don '' Simpson ( October 29 , 1943 -- January 19 , 1996 ) was an American film producer , screenwriter , and actor . Simpson , along with his producing partner Jerry Bruckheimer , produced such hit films as Flashdance ( 1983 ) , Beverly Hills Cop ( 1984 ) , Top Gun ( 1986 ) , and The Rock ( 1996 ) . Their films would go on to earn $ 3 billion worldwide .


Lumen Pierce is a character from Dexter.

The Big One (Dexter) `` The Big One '' is the fifth season finale of the American television drama series Dexter , and the 60th overall episode of the show . It originally aired on Showtime on December 12 , 2010 . In the episode , Dexter attempts to save Lumen from Jordan Chase , as his sister , Debra , comes closer to uncovering the truth in her investigation . Meanwhile , Quinn falls under suspicion for Dexter 's murder of Stan Liddy .   The episode was directed by Steve Shill , and the teleplay was written by former showrunner Chip Johannessen and executive producer Manny Coto . It marked the conclusion of the season-long subplot pertaining to Lumen seeking revenge against Jordan Chase , and marked the last in a string of regular guest appearances by Julia Stiles and Jonny Lee Miller , who played Lumen and Chase , respectively .


Lumen Pierce Lumen Ann Pierce is a fictional character portrayed by Julia Stiles in the Showtime television series Dexter , season 5 . Lumen is introduced in the third episode ( `` Practically Perfect '' ) as a survivor of rapist-serial killer Boyd Fowler . She remains for the rest of the season , and leaves following the season 5 finale , `` The Big One '' .   In season 5 , episode 5 , `` First Blood '' , Lumen is revealed to have been beaten and gang raped by a group of men , including Boyd Fowler . She witnesses Dexter Morgan kill Fowler , and thus becomes a key player in Dexter 's life . Dexter rescues her , but initially thinks he has no choice but to kill her in order to eliminate a witness . He eventually decides to spare her life , however . To earn Lumen 's trust , Dexter shows her the fate of Boyd 's dead victims , tells her he saved her from the same fate , and confides his wife was murdered by someone like Boyd .   Lumen asks Dexter to help her seek revenge against her abusers , but he initially refuses . However , after Lumen continues on her own and targets the wrong suspect , Dexter teaches her the importance of knowing a person is guilty before killing him . He entreats her to leave Miami ; she agrees at first , but decides to stay after a pat-down at the airport brings back memories of her abuse . She goes out on her own and shoots one of her attackers , but panics not knowing what to do with his body ; she calls Dexter , who reluctantly helps her cover up the murder . That night , she tells him that killing the man brought her a sense of peace that she knows will not last ; she believes she will have to kill all of her attackers to get over her abuse for good . Dexter realizes that she harbors a `` Dark Passenger '' much like his and agrees to help , in part to find his own closure following Rita 's murder . The two then systematically hunt down and kill Lumen 's abusers , and in the process become lovers . Lumen leaves Dexter in the season finale , however , after realizing she no longer feels the need to kill .   Lumen exited the show following the events of `` The Big One '' .


Dexter (season 5) The fifth season of Dexter premiered on September 26 , 2010 , and consisted of 12 episodes . The season focuses on how Dexter comes to terms with the aftermath of the Season 4 finale , stopping a group of serial rapists and avoiding a corrupt cop who learns his deadly secret .


Harry Potter was written by an Englishwoman.

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


J. K. Rowling Joanne Rowling , ( -LSB- ˈrəʊlɪŋ -RSB- born 31 July 1965 ) , pen names J. K. Rowling and Robert Galbraith , is a British novelist , screenwriter and film producer best known as the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series . The books have gained worldwide attention , won multiple awards , and sold more than 400 million copies . They have become the best-selling book series in history and been the basis for a series of films over which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts and maintained creative control by serving as a producer on the final instalment .   Born in Yate , Gloucestershire , England , Rowling was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International when she conceived the idea for the Harry Potter series while on a delayed train from Manchester to London in 1990 . The seven-year period that followed saw the death of her mother , birth of her first child , divorce from her first husband and relative poverty until she finished the first novel in the series , Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone , in 1997 . There were six sequels , the last , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , in 2007 . Since then , Rowling has written four books for adult readers : The Casual Vacancy ( 2012 ) and -- under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith -- the crime fiction novels The Cuckoo 's Calling ( 2013 ) , The Silkworm ( 2014 ) and Career of Evil ( 2015 ) .   Rowling has lived a `` rags to riches '' life story , in which she progressed from living on state benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years . She is the United Kingdom 's best-selling living author , with sales in excess of # 238M . The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling 's fortune at # 600 million , ranking her as the joint 197th richest person in the UK . Time magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year , noting the social , moral , and political inspiration she has given her fans . In October 2010 , Rowling was named the `` Most Influential Woman in Britain '' by leading magazine editors . She has supported charities including Comic Relief , One Parent Families , Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Lumos ( formerly the Children 's High Level Group ) .


Lonesome Dove is an adaptation of the 1842 short story of the same name.

Lonesome Dove (miniseries) Lonesome Dove is an American epic Western adventure television miniseries directed by Simon Wincer . It is a four-part adaptation of the 1985 novel of the same name by Larry McMurtry and is the first installment in the Lonesome Dove series . The series stars Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones . The series was originally broadcast by CBS from February 5 to 8 , 1989 , drawing a huge viewing audience , earning numerous awards , and reviving both the television western and the miniseries .   An estimated 26 million homes tuned in to watch Lonesome Dove , unusually high numbers for a Western at that time . The western genre was considered dead by most people , as was the miniseries . By the show 's end , it had earned huge ratings and virtually revamped the entire 1989 -- 1990 television season . A favorite with audiences , as well as critics , Lonesome Dove garnered many honors and awards . At the 1989 Emmy Awards , the miniseries had 18 nominations and seven wins , including one for director Simon Wincer . Lonesome Dove also won two Golden Globes , for Best Miniseries and Best Actor in a Miniseries ( Robert Duvall ) .


John D. Rockefeller never drank alcohol.

John D. Rockefeller John Davison Rockefeller Sr. ( July 8 , 1839 -- May 23 , 1937 ) was an American oil industry business magnate and philanthropist . He is widely considered the wealthiest American of all time , and the richest person in modern history .   Born into a large family in upstate New York , he was shaped by his con man father and religious mother . His family moved several times before eventually settling in Cleveland , Ohio . Rockefeller became an assistant bookkeeper at the age of 16 , and went into a business partnership with Maurice B. Clark and his brothers at 20 . After buying them out , he and his brother William founded Rockefeller & Andrews with Samuel Andrews . Instead of drilling for oil , he concentrated on refining . In 1867 , Henry Flagler entered the partnership . The Rockefeller , Andrews & Flagler company grew by incorporating local refineries . Rockefeller formally founded the Standard Oil Company , Inc. in 1870 as an Ohio partnership with his brother , Henry Flagler , Jabez A. Bostwick , Samuel Andrews , and a silent partner , Stephen V. Harkness . He ran it until 1897 . As kerosene and gasoline grew in importance , Rockefeller 's wealth soared and he became the richest person in the country , controlling 90 % of all oil in the United States at his peak . Oil was used throughout the country as a light source until the introduction of electricity and as a fuel after the invention of the automobile . Furthermore , Rockefeller gained enormous influence over the railroad industry , which transported his oil around the country . Standard Oil was the first great business trust in the United States . Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry , and along with other key contemporary industrialists such as steel magnate Andrew Carnegie , defined the structure of modern philanthropy .   The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1911 that Standard Oil must be dismantled for violation of federal anti-trust laws ; it was broken up into 34 separate entities that included companies that would become ExxonMobil , Chevron , and others ; some of them still having the largest revenue . Individual pieces of the company were worth more than the whole , and as shares of these doubled and tripled in value in their early years , Rockefeller became the country 's first billionaire with a fortune worth nearly 2 percent of the national economy . His peak net worth was estimated at $ 336 billion ( in 2007 USD ; inflation-adjusted ) in 1913 . Rockefeller spent the last 40 years of his life in retirement at his estate in Westchester County , New York . His fortune was mainly used to create the modern systematic approach of targeted philanthropy through the creation of foundations that had a major effect on medicine , education and scientific research . His foundations pioneered the development of medical research and were instrumental in the eradication of hookworm and yellow fever .   Rockefeller was also the founder of both the University of Chicago and Rockefeller University and funded the establishment of Central Philippine University in the Philippines . He was a devout Northern Baptist , and supported many church-based institutions . Rockefeller adhered to total abstinence from alcohol and tobacco throughout his life . He was a faithful congregant of the Erie Street Baptist Mission Church , where he taught Sunday school , and served as a trustee , clerk , and occasional janitor . Religion was a guiding force throughout his life , and Rockefeller believed it to be the source of his success . Rockefeller was also considered a supporter of capitalism based on a perspective of social Darwinism , and was quoted often as saying `` The growth of a large business is merely a survival of the fittest '' .


Sally Field was in Place in the Heart and received praise.

Sally Field Sally Margaret Field ( born November 6 , 1946 ) is an American actress and director . Field began her career on television , starring on the sitcoms Gidget ( 1965 -- 66 ) , The Flying Nun ( 1967 -- 70 ) , and The Girl with Something Extra ( 1973 -- 74 ) . She ventured into movies with Smokey and the Bandit ( 1977 ) and later Norma Rae ( 1979 ) , for which she received the Academy Award for Best Actress . She later received Golden Globe Award nominations for her performances in Absence of Malice ( 1981 ) and Kiss Me Goodbye ( 1982 ) , before receiving her second Academy Award for Best Actress for Places in the Heart ( 1984 ) . Field received further nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for Murphy 's Romance ( 1985 ) and Steel Magnolias ( 1989 ) .   In the 1990s , Field appeared in a wide range of films , including Not Without My Daughter ( 1991 ) and Mrs. Doubtfire ( 1993 ) , before being nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Forrest Gump ( 1994 ) . In the 2000s , she returned to television with a recurring role on the NBC medical drama ER , for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2001 . From 2006 to 2011 , she portrayed the lead role of Nora Walker on the ABC television drama Brothers & Sisters , for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2007 . Field later starred as Mary Todd Lincoln in Lincoln ( 2012 ) , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress , among other accolades . She also appeared as Aunt May in The Amazing Spider-Man ( 2012 ) and reprised the role in the 2014 sequel .   As a director , Field is known for the television film The Christmas Tree ( 1996 ) , an episode of the 1998 HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon as well as the feature film Beautiful ( 2000 ) . In 2014 , she was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .


Buddy Holly Buddy Holly ( born Charles Hardin Holley ; September 7 , 1936 -- February 3 , 1959 ) was an American musician and singer-songwriter who was a central figure of mid-1950s rock and roll . Holley was born in Lubbock , Texas , to a musical family during the Great Depression ; he learned to play guitar and to sing alongside his siblings . His style was influenced by gospel music , country music , and rhythm and blues acts , and he performed in Lubbock with his friends from high school . He made his first appearance on local television in 1952 , and the following year he formed the group `` Buddy and Bob '' with his friend Bob Montgomery . In 1955 , after opening for Elvis Presley , Holly decided to pursue a career in music . He opened for Presley three times that year ; his band 's style shifted from country and western to entirely rock and roll . In October that year , when he opened for Bill Haley & His Comets , Holly was spotted by Nashville scout Eddie Crandall , who helped him get a contract with Decca Records .   Holly 's recording sessions at Decca were produced by Owen Bradley . Unhappy with Bradley 's control in the studio and with the sound he achieved there , Holly went to producer Norman Petty in Clovis , New Mexico , and recorded a demo of `` That 'll Be the Day '' , among other songs . Petty became the band 's manager and sent the demo to Brunswick Records , which released it as a single credited to `` The Crickets '' , which became the name of Holly 's band . In September 1957 , as the band toured , `` That 'll Be the Day '' topped the US `` Best Sellers in Stores '' chart and the UK Singles Chart . Its success was followed in October by another major hit , `` Peggy Sue '' .   The album Chirping Crickets , released in November 1957 , reached number five on the UK Albums Chart . Holly made his second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in January 1958 and soon after , toured Australia and then the UK . In early 1959 , Holly assembled a new band , consisting of future country music star Waylon Jennings ( bass ) , famed session musician Tommy Allsup ( guitar ) , and Carl Bunch ( drums ) , and embarked on a tour of the midwestern U.S. . After a show in Clear Lake , Iowa , Holly chartered an airplane to travel to his next show , in Moorhead , Minnesota . Soon after takeoff , the plane crashed , killing Holly , Ritchie Valens , The Big Bopper , and pilot Roger Peterson in a tragedy later referred to by Don McLean as `` The Day the Music Died '' .   During his short career , Holly wrote , recorded , and produced his own material . He is often regarded as the artist who defined the traditional rock-and-roll lineup of two guitars , bass , and drums . Holly was a major influence on later popular music artists , including The Beatles , The Rolling Stones , Eric Clapton , and Elton John . He was among the first artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , in 1986 . Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 13 in its list of `` 100 Greatest Artists '' .


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


CeeLo Green Thomas DeCarlo Callaway ( born May 30 , 1974 , better known by his stage name CeeLo Green ( sometimes rendered as Cee Lo Green ) , is an American singer , rapper , songwriter , record producer , actor , and businessman .   Green came to initial prominence as a member of the Southern hip hop group Goodie Mob and later as part of the soul duo Gnarls Barkley , with record producer Danger Mouse . Subsequently he embarked on a solo career , partially spurred by YouTube popularity .   Internationally , Green is best known for his soul work : his most popular was Gnarls Barkley 's 2006 worldwide hit `` Crazy '' , which reached number 1 in various singles charts worldwide , including the UK . In the United States , `` Crazy '' reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 . Its parent album St. Elsewhere ( 2006 ) , was also a hit , peaked at number 1 on the UK Albums Chart and number 4 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart . Gnarls Barkley 's second album , The Odd Couple ( 2008 ) , charted at number 12 on the Billboard 200 .   In 2010 , Green took a hiatus from working with Danger Mouse , and released a solo single titled `` Fuck You ! '' , on August 19 . The song became a successful single , with the radio-edit version `` Forget You '' , reaching the top spot in the UK and the Netherlands and peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Hot 100 . Its parent album , The Lady Killer ( 2010 ) , saw similar success , peaking within the top five of the UK Albums Chart and debuting within the top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart , receiving a Gold certification from the BPI in the UK . His next two singles , `` It 's OK '' and `` Bright Lights Bigger City '' were also hits in Europe . From 2011 to 2014 , Green was a judge and coach on American reality television singing competition The Voice , appearing on four of its seasons . In 2013 , Green reunited with the rest of Goodie Mob , to release their fifth studio album Age Against the Machine . In 2011 he did a concert with Prince in Madison Square Garden .   He worked as a voice actor in the animated feature Hotel Transylvania ( 2012 ) , and also appeared in a few television programs and films -- including his own show , CeeLo Green 's The Good Life , on TBS . Green has endorsed 7 Up , Duracell , M&M 's , and sake brand TY KU . His work has earned numerous awards and accolades , including five Grammy Awards , a BET Award , a Billboard Award , and a Brit Award .


Birth of the Dragon will be released by Bad Robot and Lucasfilm.

Birth of the Dragon Birth of the Dragon is a 2016 American biopic martial arts action film directed by George Nolfi and written by Christopher Wilkinson and Stephen J. Rivele . The film stars Philip Ng , Xia Yu , and Billy Magnussen . The true story revolves around the young martial artist Bruce Lee , who challenges kung fu master Wong Jack Man in 1965 in San Francisco . Principal photography began on November 17 , 2015 in Vancouver . It was selected to be screened in the Special Presentations section at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival . The film is scheduled to be released on August 25 , 2017 by BH Tilt and WWE Studios .


Sherlock (TV series) is on discs that are read with a blue laser.

Blu-ray Blu-ray or Blu-ray Disc ( BD ) is a digital optical disc data storage format . It was designed to supersede the DVD format , in that it is capable of storing high-definition ( 720p and 1080p ) and ultra high-definition video resolution ( 2160p ) . The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick , the same size as DVDs and CDs . Conventional ( pre-BD-XL ) Blu-ray Disc discs contain 25 GB per layer , with dual layer discs ( 50 GB ) being the industry standard for feature-length video discs . Triple-layer discs ( 100 GB ) and quadruple layers ( 128 GB ) are available for BD-XL re-writer drives . The name `` Blu-ray '' refers to the blue laser ( specifically , a violet laser ) used to read the disc , which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs . The main application of Blu-ray is as a medium for video material such as feature films and physical distribution of video games for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , and Xbox One . Besides the hardware specifications , Blu-ray is associated with a set of multimedia formats .   High-definition video may be stored on Blu-ray discs with up to 2160p resolution ( 3840 × 2160 pixels ) , at up to 60 frames per second . DVD discs had been limited to a maximum resolution of 480p ( NTSC , 720 × 480 pixels ) or 576p ( PAL , 720 × 576 pixels ) . The BD format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association , a group representing makers of consumer electronics , computer hardware , and motion pictures . Sony unveiled the first Blu-ray disc prototypes in October 2000 , and the first prototype player was released in April 2003 in Japan . Afterwards , it continued to be developed until its official release in June 2006 . During the high definition optical disc format war , Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format . Toshiba , the main company that supported HD DVD , conceded in February 2008 , releasing its own Blu-ray Disc player in late 2009 . According to Media Research , high-definition software sales in the US were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales . Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand and the continued sale of DVDs . As of January 2016 , 44 % of U.S. broadband households had a Blu-ray player .


Sherlock (TV series) Sherlock is a crime drama television series based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 's Sherlock Holmes detective stories . Created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss , it stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as Doctor John Watson . Thirteen episodes have been produced , with three-part series airing from 2010 -- 2017 , and a special episode airing on 1 January 2016 . The series is set in the present day , while the one-off special features a Victorian period fantasy resembling the original Holmes stories . Sherlock is a co-production of the British network BBC and the American station WGBH Boston for its Masterpiece anthology series on PBS , along with Hartswood Films , with Moffat , Gatiss , Sue Vertue and Rebecca Eaton serving as executive producers . The series is primarily filmed in Cardiff , Wales , with North Gower Street in London used for exterior shots of Holmes and Watson 's 221B Baker Street residence .   Critical reception has been highly positive , with many reviews praising the quality of the writing , performances , and direction . Sherlock has been nominated for numerous awards including BAFTAs , Emmys , and a Golden Globe , winning several awards across a variety of categories . The show won in three categories at the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards including Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries , Movie or a Dramatic Special for Moffat , Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Cumberbatch , and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for Freeman . Two years later , it won Outstanding Television Movie . In addition , the show was also honoured with a Peabody Award in 2011 . The third series has become the UK 's most watched drama series since 2001 while interest in the fourth series appeared to slip by approximately twenty percent . Sherlock has been sold to 180 territories .   All of the series have been released on DVD and Blu-ray , alongside tie-in editions of selected original Conan Doyle stories and original soundtrack composed by David Arnold and Michael Price . In January 2014 , the show launched its official mobile app called Sherlock : The Network .


The Champ (1979 film) The Champ is a 1979 American drama sports film directed by Franco Zeffirelli and a remake of the 1931 Academy Award-winning film of the same name which was directed by King Vidor . It stars Jon Voight , Faye Dunaway , and Ricky Schroder . It is also the final film for actress Joan Blondell to be released during her lifetime . Blondell , who died from leukemia on Christmas Day eight months later , also starred in two other films that were released after her death .


Robert Pattinson Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson ( born 13 May 1986 ) is an English actor , producer , model , and musician .   Pattinson started his film career by playing Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , a 2005 fantasy film . He later got the leading role of vampire Edward Cullen in the film adaptations of the Twilight novels by Stephenie Meyer , which consisted of five films between 2008 and 2012 that combined grossed over $ 3.3 billion in worldwide receipts . Twilight brought Pattinson worldwide fame , and established him among the highest paid and most bankable actors in Hollywood . In 2010 , Pattinson was named one of TIME magazine 's 100 Most Influential People in The World , and also in the same year Forbes ranked him as one of the most powerful celebrities in the world in the Forbes Celebrity 100 .   In 2009 , he portrayed Salvador Dalí in Little Ashes . That same year , a documentary film , Robsessed , about the actor 's fame and popularity , was released . He appeared as a troubled young man in Remember Me ( 2010 ) and also starred in a romantic drama , Water for Elephants ( 2011 ) . His performance as a tough , cold-hearted and calculating billionaire in David Cronenberg 's Cosmopolis ( 2012 ) , earned him critical praise . He gained further critical appreciation for his performances in David Michod 's futuristic western The Rover ( 2014 ) , in Cronenberg 's satire drama Maps to the Stars ( 2014 ) , in James Gray 's The Lost City of Z ( 2017 ) , as an aide-de-camp to an explorer who disappeared in the Amazon while looking for an ancient city , and in Safdie Brothers Good Time ( 2017 ) .   Pattinson started his career as a model at the age of 12 . In 2013 Dior Homme signed him as the face of their Fragrances . In 2016 , he also became the first brand ambassador of their Menswear collection .   Pattinson composes and plays his own music . He sang songs for the Twilight film series and the 2008 independent comedy-drama film How to Be . He is a supporter of End Child Prostitution , Child Pornography , and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes ( ECPAT ) , Parents and Abducted Children Together ( PACT ) , and the GO Campaign , a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and funds to help orphans and vulnerable children throughout the world . He became ambassador of the latter in 2015 to help raise international awareness of it . He is also a member of International Medical Corps and has promoted and shared details about cancer through PSAs to raise awareness about the disease .


Block (basketball) In basketball , a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player . The defender is not allowed to make contact with the offensive player 's hand ( unless the defender is also in contact with the ball ) or a foul is called . In order to be legal , the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward or at its apex . A deflected field goal that is made does not count as a blocked shot and simply counts as a successful field goal attempt for shooter plus the points awarded to the shooting team . Every successful blocked shot is counted as a missed field goal attempt for the shooter . Also , on a shooting foul , a blocked shot can not be awarded or counted , even if the player who deflected the field goal attempt is different from the player who committed the foul . If the ball is heading downward when the defender hits it , it is ruled as goaltending and counts as a made basket . Goaltending is also called if the block is made after the ball bounces on the backboard ( NFHS excepted ; the NCAA also used this rule until the 2009 -- 10 season ) .   Nicknames for blocked shots include `` rejections , '' `` stuffs , '' `` bushed '' , `` fudged '' , or notably `` double-fudged '' ( two-handed blocks ) , `` facials , '' `` swats , '' `` denials , '' and `` packs . '' Blocked shots were first officially recorded in the NBA during the 1973 -- 74 season .   Largely due to their height and position near the basket , centers and power forwards tend to record the most blocks , but shorter players with good jumping ability can also be blockers , an example being Dwyane Wade , the shortest player , at 6 ' 4 '' , to record 100 blocked shots in a single season . A player with the ability to block shots can be a positive asset to a team 's defense , as they can make it difficult for opposing players to shoot near the basket and by keeping the basketball in play , as opposed to swatting it out of bounds , a blocked shot can lead to a fast break , a skill Bill Russell was notable for . To be a good shot-blocker , a player needs great court sense and timing , and good height or jumping ability . One tactic is that a shot-blocker can intimidate opponents to alter their shots , resulting in a miss .


School of Rock School of Rock is a 2003 American-German musical comedy film directed by Richard Linklater , produced by Scott Rudin and written by Mike White . It stars Jack Black , Joan Cusack , Mike White , Sarah Silverman , Joey Gaydos Jr. and Miranda Cosgrove . Struggling rock singer and guitarist Dewey Finn ( Black ) is kicked out of his band and subsequently disguises as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school . After witnessing the musical talent in his students in their music class , Dewey forms a band of fourth-graders to attempt to win the upcoming Battle of the Bands and pay off his rent .   School of Rock was released on 3 October 2003 by Paramount Pictures , grossing $ 131 million worldwide on a $ 35 million budget . It was the highest grossing musical comedy of all time until it was overtaken in 2015 by Pitch Perfect 2 . A stage musical adaptation opened on Broadway in December 2015 , and a television adaptation for Nickelodeon premiered on March 12 , 2016 .


Miranda Cosgrove Miranda Taylor Cosgrove ( born May 14 , 1993 ) is an American actress , singer and songwriter .   Her career began at the age of 3 with several television commercial appearances . Cosgrove 's film debut came in 2003 , when she appeared as Summer Hathaway in School of Rock . She appeared in a number of minor television roles over several years before coming to prominence as Megan Parker on the Nickelodeon television series Drake & Josh .   In 2007 , she landed the role of Carly Shay , the lead character on the Nickelodeon teen sitcom iCarly , on which she starred until 2012 . As of May 2010 , Cosgrove earned $ 180,000 per episode of iCarly , making her the second-highest-paid child star on television , and in 2012 was listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest paid child actress . Cosgrove also voiced Margo in the animated film Despicable Me ( 2010 ) and its 2013 sequel . That year , Cosgrove was cast in an NBC television pilot titled Girlfriend in a Coma , which did n't materialize after Christina Ricci left the production . In 2016 , she starred on the short-lived NBC sitcom Crowded .   In music , Cosgrove debuted with iCarly ( 2008 ) , a soundtrack album for the series in which she performs four songs . In 2009 , she released her debut extended play , About You Now . Cosgrove 's debut studio album , Sparks Fly , was released in April 2010 , followed by her second extended play , High Maintenance , the following year . The EP 's lead single , `` Dancing Crazy '' , written by Avril Lavigne , debuted at number 40 on the US Billboard Adult Pop Songs and peaked at number 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 .


Eddie Vedder Eddie Vedder ( born Edward Louis Severson ; December 23 , 1964 ) is an American musician , singer and songwriter best known as a member of the rock band Pearl Jam , with whom he performs lead vocals and is one of three guitarists . He is known for his powerful baritone vocals .   He is also involved in making music and contributes to albums by other artists . In 2007 , Vedder released his first solo album as a soundtrack for the film Into the Wild ( 2007 ) . His second album Ukulele Songs and a live DVD titled Water on the Road were released in 2011 .   Vedder was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pearl Jam on April 7 , 2017 .


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 .


A cosmopolitan entrepreneurial scene has emerged in Berlin.

Berlin Berlin ( -LSB- bəɹˈlɪn -RSB- , -LSB- bɛɐ̯ˈliːn -RSB- ) is the capital and the largest city of Germany as well as one of its 16 constituent states . With a population of approximately 3.7 million , Berlin is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union . Located in northeastern Germany on the banks of the rivers Spree and Havel , it is the centre of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Region , which has roughly 6 million residents from more than 180 nations . Due to its location in the European Plain , Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate . Around one-third of the city 's area is composed of forests , parks , gardens , rivers , canals and lakes .   First documented in the 13th century and situated at the crossing of two important historic trade routes , Berlin became the capital of the Margraviate of Brandenburg ( 14171701 ) , the Kingdom of Prussia ( 1701 -- 1918 ) , the German Empire ( 1871 -- 1918 ) , the Weimar Republic ( 1919 -- 1933 ) and the Third Reich ( 1933 -- 1945 ) . Berlin in the 1920s was the third largest municipality in the world . After World War II and its subsequent occupation by the victorious countries , the city was divided ; East Berlin was declared capital of East Germany , while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave , surrounded by the Berlin Wall ( 1961 -- 1989 ) and East German territory . Following German reunification in 1990 , Berlin once again became the capital of all-Germany .   Berlin is a world city of culture , politics , media and science . Its economy is based on high-tech firms and the service sector , encompassing a diverse range of creative industries , research facilities , media corporations and convention venues . Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail traffic and has a highly complex public transportation network . The metropolis is a popular tourist destination . Significant industries also include IT , pharmaceuticals , biomedical engineering , clean tech , biotechnology , construction and electronics .   Modern Berlin is home to world renowned universities , orchestras , museums , entertainment venues and is host to many sporting events . Its urban setting has made it a sought-after location for international film productions . The city is well known for its festivals , diverse architecture , nightlife , contemporary arts and a high quality of living . Since the 2000s Berlin has seen the emergence of a cosmopolitan entrepreneurial scene .


Venom is commonly associated with snakes.

Venom (comics) Venom , or the Venom Symbiote , is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics , commonly in association with Spider-Man . Venom made his first appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man # 300 ( May 1988 ) . Venom was originally conceived as a supervillain , but has since become more of an antihero . Venom is a Symbiote , a sentient alien , with a gooey , almost liquid-like form . As with real-world symbiotes , it requires a host , usually human , to bond with for its survival . After bonding , the Symbiote endows its enhanced powers upon the host . When the Venom Symbiote bonds with a human , that new dual-life form refers to itself as `` Venom '' .   The Venom Symbiote 's first known host was Spider-Man , who eventually separated himself from the creature when he discovered its true nature . The Symbiote went on to merge with other hosts , most notably Eddie Brock , its second and most infamous host , with whom it first became Venom and one of Spider-Man 's archenemies . According to S.H.I.E.L.D. , it is considered one of the greatest threats to humanity , alongside Magneto , Doctor Doom , and Red Skull .   Comics journalist and historian Mike Conroy writes of the character : `` What started out as a replacement costume for Spider-Man turned into one of the Marvel web-slinger 's greatest nightmares . '' Venom was ranked as the 22nd Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time in IGN 's list of the top 100 comic villains . IGN also ranked Mac Gargan 's incarnation of Venom as # 17 in their list of `` The Top 50 Avengers '' , while the Flash Thompson incarnation was ranked as # 27 . The character was listed as # 33 on Empire Magazines 50 Greatest Comic Book Characters .


The Dark Knight Rises avoided filming in Newark.

The Dark Knight Rises The Dark Knight Rises is a 2012 British-American superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan , who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan Nolan , and the story with David S. Goyer . Featuring the DC Comics character Batman , the film is the final installment in Nolan 's Batman film trilogy , and the sequel to Batman Begins ( 2005 ) and The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) . Christian Bale reprises the lead role of Bruce Wayne/Batman , with a returning cast of allies : Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth , Gary Oldman as James Gordon , and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox . The film introduces Selina Kyle ( Anne Hathaway ) , and Bane ( Tom Hardy ) . Eight years after the events of The Dark Knight , merciless revolutionary Bane forces an older Bruce Wayne to resume his role as Batman and save Gotham City from nuclear destruction .   Christopher Nolan was hesitant about returning to the series for a second time , but agreed after developing a story with his brother and Goyer that he felt would conclude the series on a satisfactory note . Nolan drew inspiration from Bane 's comic book debut in the 1993 `` Knightfall '' storyline , the 1986 series The Dark Knight Returns , and the 1999 storyline `` No Man 's Land '' . Filming took place in locations including Jodhpur , London , Nottingham , Glasgow , Los Angeles , New York City , Newark , and Pittsburgh . Nolan used IMAX 70 mm film cameras for much of the filming , including the first six minutes of the film , to optimize the quality of the picture . A vehicle variation of the Batplane and Batcopter termed the `` Bat '' , an underground prison set , and a new Batcave set were created specifically for the film . As with The Dark Knight , viral marketing campaigns began early during production . When filming concluded , Warner Bros. refocused its campaign : developing promotional websites , releasing the first six minutes of the film , screening theatrical trailers , and sending out information regarding the film 's plot .   The Dark Knight Rises premiered in New York City on July 16 , 2012 . The film was released in the United States and the United Kingdom on July 20 , 2012 . It received positive reviews from critics , many of whom named it one of the best films of 2012 . Like its predecessor , the film grossed over $ 1 billion worldwide at the box office , making it the second film in the Batman film series to earn $ 1 billion . It is currently the 17th-highest-grossing film of all time , the third-highest-grossing film of 2012 , and the fourth-highest-grossing superhero film of all time .


Richard Curtis created a company for Ethiopia.

Richard Curtis Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis , CBE ( born 8 November 1956 ) is a British screenwriter , producer and film director , who was born in New Zealand to Australian parents . One of Britain 's most successful comedy screenwriters , he is known primarily for romantic comedy films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral , Bridget Jones 's Diary , Notting Hill , and Love Actually , as well as the hit sitcoms Blackadder , Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley . He is also the co-founder of the British charity Comic Relief along with Sir Lenny Henry .   In 2007 , Curtis received the BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award , the highest award the British Film Academy can give a filmmaker . He received the BAFTA Humanitarian Award at the 2008 Britannia Awards , for co-creating Comic Relief and contributions to other charitable causes . In 2008 he was ranked number 12 in The Telegraph 's list of the `` 100 most powerful people in British culture '' . In 2012 , Curtis was among the British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork -- the Beatles ' Sgt. Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover -- to celebrate the British cultural figures of his life .


Comic Relief Comic Relief is an operating British charity , founded in 1985 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Lenny Henry in response to famine in Ethiopia . The highlight of Comic Relief 's appeal is Red Nose Day , a biennial telethon held in March , alternating with sister project Sport Relief .   A prominent biennial event in British popular culture , Comic Relief is one of the two high-profile telethon events held in the United Kingdom , the other being Children in Need , held annually in November .


Charles II of England Charles II ( 29 May 1630 -- 6 February 1685 ) was king of England , Scotland and Ireland . He was king of Scotland from 1649 until his deposition in 1651 , and king of England , Scotland and Ireland from the restoration of the monarchy in 1660 until his death .   Charles II 's father , Charles I , was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649 , at the climax of the English Civil War . Although the Parliament of Scotland proclaimed Charles II king on 5 February 1649 , England entered the period known as the English Interregnum or the English Commonwealth , and the country was a de facto republic , led by Oliver Cromwell . Cromwell defeated Charles II at the Battle of Worcester on 3 September 1651 , and Charles fled to mainland Europe . Cromwell became virtual dictator of England , Scotland and Ireland , and Charles spent the next nine years in exile in France , the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Netherlands . A political crisis that followed the death of Cromwell in 1658 resulted in the restoration of the monarchy , and Charles was invited to return to Britain . On 29 May 1660 , his 30th birthday , he was received in London to public acclaim . After 1660 , all legal documents were dated as if he had succeeded his father as king in 1649 .   Charles 's English parliament enacted laws known as the Clarendon Code , designed to shore up the position of the re-established Church of England . Charles acquiesced to the Clarendon Code even though he favoured a policy of religious tolerance . The major foreign policy issue of his early reign was the Second Anglo-Dutch War . In 1670 , he entered into the secret treaty of Dover , an alliance with his first cousin King Louis XIV of France . Louis agreed to aid him in the Third Anglo-Dutch War and pay him a pension , and Charles secretly promised to convert to Catholicism at an unspecified future date . Charles attempted to introduce religious freedom for Catholics and Protestant dissenters with his 1672 Royal Declaration of Indulgence , but the English Parliament forced him to withdraw it . In 1679 , Titus Oates 's revelations of a supposed `` Popish Plot '' sparked the Exclusion Crisis when it was revealed that Charles 's brother and heir ( James , Duke of York ) was a Catholic . The crisis saw the birth of the pro-exclusion Whig and anti-exclusion Tory parties . Charles sided with the Tories , and , following the discovery of the Rye House Plot to murder Charles and James in 1683 , some Whig leaders were executed or forced into exile . Charles dissolved the English Parliament in 1681 , and ruled alone until his death on 6 February 1685 . He was received into the Roman Catholic Church on his deathbed .   Charles was popularly known as the Merry Monarch , in reference to both the liveliness and hedonism of his court and the general relief at the return to normality after over a decade of rule by Cromwell and the Puritans . Charles 's wife , Catherine of Braganza , bore no live children , but Charles acknowledged at least twelve illegitimate children by various mistresses . He was succeeded by his brother James .


The Conjuring The Conjuring is a 2013 American supernatural horror film directed by James Wan and written by Chad Hayes and Carey Hayes . It is the first film in The Conjuring franchise . Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star as Ed and Lorraine Warren , paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting . Their reports inspired The Amityville Horror . The Warrens come to the assistance of the Perron family ( Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor ) , who are experiencing increasingly disturbing events in their farmhouse in Rhode Island in 1971 .   The Conjuring was released in the United States and Canada on July 19 , 2013 , and in the United Kingdom and India on August 6 , 2013 . The film received positive reviews from critics and grossed over $ 318 million worldwide from its $ 20 million budget , making it one of the highest-grossing horror films of all time . A sequel , The Conjuring 2 , was released on June 10 , 2016 , also to critical and huge commercial success .


One by One (Foo Fighters album) was released by RCA Records, an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, Inc.

RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment ( SME ) , a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America , Inc. . It is one of SME 's three flagship record labels , alongside Columbia Records and Epic Records . The label has released multiple genres of music , including pop , rock , hip hop , R&B , blues , jazz , and country . The company 's name is derived from the initials of the label 's former parent company , the Radio Corporation of America ( RCA ) . It is the second oldest recording company in US history , after sister label Columbia Records . RCA 's Canadian unit ( formerly Berliner Gramophone Canada ) is Sony 's oldest label in Canada . It was one of only two Canadian record companies to survive the Great Depression .   Artists currently signed to RCA Records include Britney Spears , Bryson Tiller , Shakira , Christina Aguilera , Aretha Franklin , Sia , Alicia Keys , Justin Timberlake , Chris Brown , Usher , Van Morrison , Charlie Wilson , Monica , R. Kelly , Enrique Iglesias , Foo Fighters , Kings of Leon , Kesha , Miley Cyrus , Giorgio Moroder , Jennifer Hudson , D'Angelo , Pink , Pitbull and Zayn .


One by One (Foo Fighters album) One by One is the fourth studio album by American rock band Foo Fighters , released on October 22 , 2002 by RCA . The album is the first to feature guitarist Chris Shiflett . Production on the album was troubled , with initial recording sessions considered unsatisfying and raising tensions between the band members . They eventually decided to redo the album from scratch during a two-week period at frontman Dave Grohl 's home studio in Alexandria , Virginia . The songs on the album , which include the successful singles `` All My Life '' and `` Times Like These '' , have been noted for their introspective lyrics and a heavier and more aggressive sound compared to the band 's earlier work , which Grohl said was intended to translate the energy of the Foo Fighters ' live performances into a recording .   The album was a commercial success , topping the charts in Australia , Ireland and the United Kingdom and sold over one million copies in the United States . One by One was positively received by critics , winning a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2004 -- the second Grammy Award for Best Rock Album won by the band -- and praised for its sound and production . However , some considered the work inferior to the band 's previous albums , and the musicians themselves eventually grew distasteful of the record as a whole .


Maggie Gyllenhaal starred in Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang in 2010.

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


Empress Ki (TV series) Empress Ki is a television series starring Ha Ji-won as the titular Empress Gi . It aired on MBC from October 28 , 2013 to April 29 , 2014 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 51 episodes .   The early working title was Hwatu ( ; lit . `` Battle of Flowers '' ) but the title was changed to prevent confusion with the similarly named playing cards .