Nick Jonas Nicholas Jerry Jonas ( born September 16 , 1992 ) is an American singer , songwriter , producer , and actor . Jonas began acting in theater at the age of seven , and released his debut single in 2002 . He released his eponymous debut album in 2004 to little success , though it did catch the attention of Columbia Records . Jonas opted to form a band with his older brothers , Joe and Kevin , known as the Jonas Brothers . The group released their debut studio album It 's About Time through Columbia Records . The record failed to achieve commercial success , thus the group parted ways with their label . Their self-titled second studio album was released through Hollywood Records in 2007 , and became their breakthrough record . The band became prominent figures on the Disney Channel during this time , gaining a large following through the network . The band starred in the widely successful film Camp Rock ( 2008 ) .   The release of the band 's third studio album , A Little Bit Longer ( 2008 ) , helped the band achieve further success ; the album 's lead single hit the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . The release of their fourth studio album saw a decline in sales for the band , though was still fairly successful . Jonas and his brothers starred in the Disney Channel series JONAS in 2009 and 2010 , though poor ratings led to its cancellation in 2010 . It was later confirmed that the Jonas Brothers would be taking a hiatus , with Nick forming a new band known as Nick Jonas & the Administration . The band released one studio album in 2010 , though it failed to achieve much commercial success . Following the release , Jonas opted to focus on work in theater , and also had a recurring role on the television series Smash . The Jonas Brothers briefly reunited in 2013 , though officially parted ways due to creative differences .   Jonas decided to return to his solo music career following the band 's disbandment , and began work on his second studio album . He signed with Island Records , releasing Nick Jonas ( 2014 ) through the label . The album entered the top ten of the Billboard 200 , while both of the album 's singles entered the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100 . The project was re-released as Nick Jonas X2 in 2015 . The release helped provide Jonas with a new public image , earning him the title of a `` sex symbol '' . Jonas later co-founded Safehouse Records , a record label in conjunction with Island Records and Hollywood Records . Jonas released his third studio album , Last Year Was Complicated ( 2016 ) , through the label . The project became his highest peaking entry as a solo artist on the Billboard 200 , while the lead single was a top twenty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 .


Geoffrey Beevers received a Time Out Award.

Geoffrey Beevers Geoffrey Beevers ( born 1941 ) is a British actor who has appeared in many different stage and screen roles .   Beevers has worked extensively at the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond upon Thames , both as an actor ( including the title role in Jules Romain 's Doctor Knock , 1994 ) ; and as an adaptor/director of George Eliot 's novel Adam Bede ( February 1990 ) , for which he won a Time Out Award , and Honoré de Balzac 's Père Goriot ( February 1994 ) .   Beevers has made two appearances in the BBC science fiction series Doctor Who , including as the third actor to play the Master in the serial The Keeper of Traken , a role he has since reprised in some of Big Finish Productions ' Doctor Who audio dramas ( Dust Breeding , Master , Trail of the White Worm , The Oseidon Adventure , Mastermind , And You Will Obey Me , The Two Masters , The Light at the End , The Evil One , Requiem for the Rocket Men and Death Match ) . Beevers narrated the unabridged audio edition of Doctor Who : Harvest of Time , by Alastair Reynolds , released in June 2013 . He also read the AudioGO ( and later Audible ) audiobooks of Doctor Who and the Terror of the Autons , Doctor Who and the Doomsday Weapon , Doctor Who and the Sea Devils , Doctor Who and the Space War , Doctor Who and the Deadly Assassin , and Doctor Who and the State of Decay . He also played the vicar in the film Goodnight Mister Tom , and appeared in the 1978 television film The Nativity . In 1988 he appeared in the TV movie sequel The Great Escape II : The Untold Story , and played Wainwright ( Member of Parliament ) in A Very British Coup for Channel 4 Television ( UK ) . More recently , he played a small role in the 2010 remake of Clash of the Titans as a noble of Basilica . In February 2010 Beevers played Douglas Hogg in the television film On Expenses .   In 2012 , Beevers appeared as Fray Antonio in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of Helen Edmundson 's The Heresy of Love . In March 2013 he played opposite Helen Mirren in Peter Morgan 's play The Audience at the Gielgud Theatre , and reprised the role in February 2015 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City .   In October 2016 to March 2017 he played Baron Gottfried Van Swieten in a new production of Amadeus by Peter Shaffer at the Royal National Theatre 's Olivier Stage .   He was married to Caroline John , who portrayed the Third Doctor 's companion Liz Shaw , from 1970 until her death on 5 June 2012 .


Stagira (ancient city) Stagira ( -LSB- stəˈdʒaɪrə -RSB- ) , Stagirus ( -LSB- stəˈdʒaɪrəs -RSB- ) , or Stageira ( Στάγειρα or Στάγειρος ) was an ancient Greek city , located in central Macedonia , near the eastern coast of the peninsula of Chalkidice , and is chiefly known for being the birthplace of Aristotle , who was a Greek philosopher and polymath , a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great . The city lies approximately 8 km north northeast of the present-day village of Stagira , close to the town of Olympiada .   Stagira was founded in 655 BC by Ionian settlers from Andros . Xerxes I of Persia occupied it in 480 BC . The city later joined the Delian League , led by Athens , but left in 424 BC : as a result , the Athenian demagogue Cleon laid siege to it in 422 BC . However , Cleon was a poor strategist and his conduct of the siege was very inefficient : so much so that the ancient Greek comedy writer Aristophanes satirised him in the play The Knights . Cleon died in the same year , in the battle of Amphipolis . Later , during the Peloponnesian War , Stagira sided with Sparta against the Athenians .   In 348 BC , Philip II of Macedon occupied and destroyed the city . In return for Aristotle 's tutoring of his son Alexander , Philip later rebuilt the city and resettled the old city 's inhabitants , who had been enslaved . Many new structures were built at this time , including an aqueduct , two shrines to Demeter , and many houses .


Marie Curie Marie Skłodowska Curie ( -LSB- ˈkjʊri , _ kjʊˈriː -RSB- -LSB- kyʁi -RSB- ; -LSB- kʲiˈri -RSB- ; 7 November 18674 July 1934 ) , born Maria Salomea Skłodowska ( -LSB- ˈmarja salɔˈmɛa skwɔˈdɔfska -RSB- ) , was a Polish and naturalized-French physicist and chemist who conducted pioneering research on radioactivity . She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize , the first person and only woman to win twice , the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences , and was part of the Curie family legacy of five Nobel Prizes . She was also the first woman to become a professor at the University of Paris , and in 1995 became the first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Panthéon in Paris .   She was born in Warsaw , in what was then the Kingdom of Poland , part of the Russian Empire . She studied at Warsaw 's clandestine Floating University and began her practical scientific training in Warsaw . In 1891 , aged 24 , she followed her older sister Bronisława to study in Paris , where she earned her higher degrees and conducted her subsequent scientific work . She shared the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics with her husband Pierre Curie and with physicist Henri Becquerel . She won the 1911 Nobel Prize in Chemistry .   Her achievements included the development of the theory of radioactivity ( a term that she coined ) , techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes , and the discovery of two elements , polonium and radium . Under her direction , the world 's first studies were conducted into the treatment of neoplasms , using radioactive isotopes . She founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and in Warsaw , which remain major centres of medical research today . During World War I , she developed mobile radiography units to provide X-ray services to field hospitals .   While a French citizen , Marie Skłodowska Curie ( she used both surnames ) never lost her sense of Polish identity . She taught her daughters the Polish language and took them on visits to Poland . She named the first chemical element that she discoveredpolonium , which she isolated in 1898after her native country .   Curie died in 1934 , aged 66 , at a sanatorium in Sancellemoz ( Haute-Savoie ) , France , due to aplastic anemia brought on by exposure to radiation while carrying test tubes of radium in her pockets during research , and in the course of her work at field hospitals during World War I.


Nic Pizzolatto Nicholas Austin `` Nic '' Pizzolatto ( born October 18 , 1975 ) is an American novelist , short story writer , screenwriter , and producer .   He is best known for creating the HBO crime drama series True Detective .


True Detective (season 2) The second season of True Detective , an American anthology crime drama television series created by Nic Pizzolatto , began airing on June 21 , 2015 , on the premium cable network HBO . With a principal cast of Colin Farrell , Rachel McAdams , Taylor Kitsch , Kelly Reilly , and Vince Vaughn , the season comprises eight episodes and concluded its initial airing on August 9 , 2015 .   The season 's story takes place in California and follows the interweaving stories of officers from three cooperating police departments ; when California Highway Patrol officer and war veteran Paul Woodrugh ( Kitsch ) discovers the body of corrupt city manager Ben Caspere on the side of a highway , Vinci Police Department detective Raymond `` Ray '' Velcoro ( Farrell ) and Ventura County Sheriff 's Office Criminal Investigation Division Sergeant Antigone `` Ani '' Bezzerides ( McAdams ) are called to assist in the following investigation . Career criminal Francis `` Frank '' Semyon ( Vaughn ) attempts to legitimize his business with his wife Jordan ( Reilly ) by investing in a rail project overseen by Caspere , but loses his money when Caspere is killed , prompting him to start his own investigation .


True Detective (season 1) The first season of True Detective , an American anthology crime drama television series created by Nic Pizzolatto , premiered on January 12 , 2014 on the premium cable network HBO . Its principal cast consisted of Matthew McConaughey , Woody Harrelson , Michelle Monaghan , Michael Potts , and Tory Kittles . The season had eight episodes , and its initial airing concluded on March 9 , 2014 . As an anthology , each True Detective season possesses its own self-contained story , following a disparate set of characters in various settings .   Engineered as a nonlinear narrative , season one focuses on the lives of Louisiana State Police homicide detectives Rustin `` Rust '' Cohle ( McConaughey ) and Martin `` Marty '' Hart ( Harrelson ) . Over a seventeen-year period , they must recount their investigation into the murder of prostitute Dora Lange and the histories of several other unsolved crimes , the perpetrator of which remains at large . During this time , Hart 's infidelity threatens his marriage to Maggie ( Monaghan ) , and Cohle struggles to cope with his troubled past . True Detective first season explores themes of philosophical pessimism , masculinity , and Christianity , and critics have analyzed the show 's portrayal of women , its auteurist sensibility , and the influence of comics and weird horror fiction on its narrative .   Pizzolatto initially conceived True Detective as a novel , but felt it was more suitable for television . The episodes , directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga , were filmed in Louisiana over a three-month period . The series received positive reviews from critics and was cited as one of the strongest dramas of the 2014 television season . It was a candidate for numerous television awards , including a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Television Film , and won several other honors recognizing outstanding achievement in writing , cinematography , direction , and acting .


Rust Cohle Rustin Spencer `` Rust '' Cohle is a fictional character in the first season of the anthology crime drama television series True Detective on HBO . He was created by series creator Nic Pizzolatto and is portrayed by Matthew McConaughey . Cohle works as a detective for the Louisiana State Homicide Unit , alongside his partner Martin `` Marty '' Hart ( Woody Harrelson ) . The season follows Cohle and Hart 's hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana , across 17 years .   Both the character of Rust Cohle and Matthew McConaughey 's performance have received critical acclaim . McConaughey won the Critics ' Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series , and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Miniseries or Television Film .


True Detective True Detective is an American anthology crime drama television series created and written by Nic Pizzolatto . The series , broadcast by the premium cable network HBO in the United States , premiered on January 12 , 2014 . Each season of the series is structured as a disparate , self-contained narrative , employing new cast ensembles and following various sets of characters and settings .   The first season , starring Matthew McConaughey , Woody Harrelson , Michelle Monaghan , Michael Potts , and Tory Kittles , takes place in Louisiana and follows a pair of Louisiana State Police homicide detectives , and their pursuit of a serial killer over a 17-year period . The second season , starring Colin Farrell , Rachel McAdams , Taylor Kitsch , Kelly Reilly , and Vince Vaughn , is set in California , and focuses on three detectives from three cooperating police departments and a criminal-turned-businessman as they investigate a series of crimes they believe are linked to the murder of a corrupt politician .   The first season received generally excellent reviews from critics and earned high ratings for HBO . It was nominated for and won numerous awards and other accolades , chiefly for its acting , cinematography , writing , and direction . Reception to the second season was more divided , though the show maintained high viewership for HBO .   In July 2016 , HBO head of programming Casey Bloys confirmed plans for a potential third season , stating , `` It is not dead . I talked to Nic about it and both Nic and HBO are open to another season . I do n't think Nic has a take and he 's working on some other projects . We 're open to somebody else writing it and Nic supervising it . It 's a valuable franchise , it 's not dead , we just do n't have a take for a third season yet . '' This came shortly after McConaughey said he would hypothetically be interested in reprising his role as Rust Cohle in a third season . In March 2017 , it was revealed that Pizzolatto has written the first two episodes of a potential third season and that David Milch joined the creative team .


Ultimate Spider-Man's title was changed to Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man vs. the Sinister 6.

Ultimate Spider-Man (TV series) Ultimate Spider-Man is an American animated television series based on the Spider-Man comics published by Marvel Comics . The series featured writers such as Brian Michael Bendis ( who also writes the comic book series of the same name ) , Paul Dini , and Man of Action ( a group consisting of Steven T. Seagle , Joe Kelly , Joe Casey and Duncan Rouleau ) . The third season was retitled Marvel 's Ultimate Spider-Man : Web Warriors and the fourth and final season was retitled Marvel 's Ultimate Spider-Man vs. the Sinister 6 .   It was first announced to air on Disney XD in early 2012 , and debuted alongside the second season of The Avengers : Earth 's Mightiest Heroes as part of the Marvel Universe programming block on April 1 , 2012 .   At New York Comic Con 2016 , it was confirmed that Season 4 will be the series ' final season , making way for a new series titled Marvel 's Spider-Man '' . The series ended on January 7 , 2017 , with the two-part `` Graduation Day '' episode .


Leslie Groves enlisted in the United States army on August 17, 1896.

Leslie Groves Lieutenant General Leslie Richard Groves Jr. ( 17 August 1896 -- 13 July 1970 ) was a United States Army Corps of Engineers officer who oversaw the construction of the Pentagon and directed the Manhattan Project , a top secret research project that developed the atomic bomb during World War II .   As the son of a United States Army chaplain , Groves lived at a number of Army posts during his childhood . He graduated fourth in his class at the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1918 and was commissioned into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers . In 1929 , he went to Nicaragua as part of an expedition whose purpose was to conduct a survey for the Inter-Oceanic Nicaragua Canal . Following the 1931 Nicaragua earthquake , Groves took over responsibility for Managua 's water supply system , for which he was awarded the Nicaraguan Presidential Medal of Merit . He attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , in 1935 and 1936 , and the Army War College in 1938 and 1939 , after which he was posted to the War Department General Staff .   In 1940 Groves , who `` had a reputation as a doer , a driver , and a stickler for duty '' , became special assistant for construction to the Quartermaster General , tasked with inspecting construction sites and checking on their progress . In August 1941 , he was given responsibility for the gigantic office complex to house the War Department 's 40,000 staff which would ultimately become the Pentagon . In September 1942 , Groves took charge of the Manhattan Project . He was involved in most aspects of the atomic bomb 's development . He participated in the selection of sites for research and production at Oak Ridge , Tennessee ; Los Alamos , New Mexico ; and Hanford , Washington . He directed the enormous construction effort , made critical decisions on the various methods of isotope separation , acquired raw materials , directed the collection of military intelligence on the German nuclear energy project and helped select the cities in Japan that were chosen as targets . Groves wrapped the Manhattan Project in security but failed to prevent the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from conducting a successful espionage program that stole some of its most important secrets .   After the war , Groves remained in charge of the Manhattan Project until responsibility for nuclear weapons production was handed over to the United States Atomic Energy Commission in 1947 . He then headed the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project , which had been created to control the military aspects of nuclear weapons . He was given a dressing down by the Chief of Staff of the United States Army , General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower , and told that he would never be appointed Chief of Engineers . Three days later , Groves announced his intention to leave the Army . He was promoted to lieutenant general just before his retirement on 29 February 1948 in recognition of his leadership of the bomb program . By a special Act of Congress , his date of rank was backdated to 16 July 1945 , the date of the Trinity nuclear test . He went on to become a vice-president at Sperry Rand .


Wi-Fi Wi-Fi or WiFi is a technology for wireless local area networking with devices based on the IEEE 802.11 standards . Wi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance , which restricts the use of the term Wi-Fi Certified to products that successfully complete interoperability certification testing .   Devices that can use Wi-Fi technology include personal computers , video-game consoles , smartphones , digital cameras , tablet computers , digital audio players and modern printers . Wi-Fi compatible devices can connect to the Internet via a WLAN and a wireless access point . Such an access point ( or hotspot ) has a range of about 20 m indoors and a greater range outdoors . Hotspot coverage can be as small as a single room with walls that block radio waves , or as large as many square kilometres achieved by using multiple overlapping access points .   Wi-Fi most commonly uses the 2.4 GHz UHF and 5 GHz SHF ISM radio bands . Having no physical connections , it is more vulnerable to attack than wired connections , such as Ethernet .


Budapest has the world's smallest thermal water cave system.

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 .


Rainn Wilson Rainn Dietrich Wilson -LSB- reɪn_ˈdiːtrɪk_ˈwɪlsən -RSB- ( born January 20 , 1966 ) is an American actor , comedian , writer , director , and producer . He is best known for his role as Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office .   A native of Seattle , Washington , Wilson began acting in college at the University of Washington , and later worked in theatre in New York City after graduating in 1986 . Wilson made his film debut in Galaxy Quest ( 1999 ) , followed by supporting parts in Almost Famous ( 2000 ) , Steven Soderbergh 's Full Frontal ( 2002 ) , and House of 1000 Corpses ( 2003 ) . He also had a recurring part as Arthur Martin in the HBO series Six Feet Under from 2001 to 2006 .   Wilson was cast as Dwight Schrute in The Office in 2005 , a role which he would play until the show 's conclusion in 2013 . Other film credits include a lead roles in the comedies The Rocker ( 2008 ) and Super ( 2010 ) , and supporting roles in the horror films Cooties ( 2014 ) and The Boy ( 2015 ) .   In addition to acting , Wilson published an autobiography , The Bassoon King , in November 2015 , and also co-founded the digital media company SoulPancake in 2008 .


The Houston Rockets have been the winners of four Western Conference titles.

Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston , Texas . The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , as a member of the league 's Western Conference Southwest Division . The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center , located in downtown Houston . The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles . The team was established as the San Diego Rockets , an expansion team originally based in San Diego , in 1967 . In 1971 , the Rockets moved to Houston .   The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season as a franchise in 1967 . In the 1968 NBA draft , the Rockets , picking first overall , selected power forward Elvin Hayes , who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie season . The Rockets did not finish a season with a winning record until the 1976 -- 77 season , when they traded for center Moses Malone . Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) award twice and led Houston to the conference finals in his first year with the team . He also led the Rockets to the NBA Finals in 1981 where they were defeated in six games by the Boston Celtics , led by Larry Bird and future Rockets coach Kevin McHale .   In 1984 , the Rockets drafted center Hakeem Olajuwon , who would be paired with 7 ft Ralph Sampson , forming one of the tallest front courts in the NBA . Nicknamed the `` Twin Towers '' , they led the team to the 1986 NBA Finals -- the second NBA Finals appearance in franchise history -- where Houston was again defeated by the Boston Celtics . The Rockets continued to reach the playoffs throughout the 1980s , but failed to advance past the first round for several years following a second-round defeat to the Seattle SuperSonics in 1987 . Rudy Tomjanovich took over as head coach midway through the 1991 -- 92 season , ushering in the most successful period in franchise history . Olajuwon-led Rockets went to the 1994 NBA Finals and won franchise 's first championship against Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks . The following season , the Rockets reinforced by another All-Star , Clyde Drexler , repeated as champions as the sixth seed in the West and swept the Orlando Magic , led by a young Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway , in four games . Houston became the lowest-seeded team in NBA history to win the title .   The Rockets acquired all-star forward Charles Barkley in 1996 , but the presence of three of the NBA 's 50 greatest players of all-time ( Olajuwon , Drexler , and Barkley ) was not enough to propel Houston past the Western Conference Finals . Each one of the aging trio had left the team by 2001 , and the Rockets of the early 21st century , led by superstars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming , followed the trend of consistent regular-season respectability followed by playoff underachievement as both players struggled with injuries . After Yao 's early retirement in 2011 , the Rockets entered a period of rebuilding , completely dismantling and retooling their roster . The acquisition of franchise player James Harden in 2012 has launched the Rockets back into championship contention in the mid-2010s . The Rockets , under general manager Daryl Morey , are notable for popularizing the use of advanced statistical analytics ( similar to sabermetrics in baseball ) in player acquisitions and style of play .


Motorcycles is something that Yamaha Corporation produces.

Yamaha Corporation ( -LSB- jəˈmɑːhə -RSB- or -LSB- ˈjɑːməhə -RSB- -LSB- jamaha -RSB- ) is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate based in Japan with a very wide range of products and services , predominantly musical instruments , electronics , motorcycles and power sports equipment . It is one of the constituents of Nikkei 225 and is the world 's largest piano manufacturing company .


Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe ( -LSB- poʊ -RSB- born Edgar Poe ; January 19 , 1809 -- October 7 , 1849 ) was an American writer , editor , and literary critic . Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories , particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre . He is widely regarded as a central figure of Romanticism in the United States and American literature as a whole , and he was one of the country 's earliest practitioners of the short story . Poe is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction . He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone , resulting in a financially difficult life and career .   Poe was born in Boston , the second child of two actors . His father abandoned the family in 1810 , and his mother died the following year . Thus orphaned , the child was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond , Virginia . They never formally adopted him , but Poe was with them well into young adulthood . Tension developed later as John Allan and Edgar repeatedly clashed over debts , including those incurred by gambling , and the cost of secondary education for the young man . Poe attended the University of Virginia for one semester but left due to lack of money . Poe quarreled with Allan over the funds for his education and enlisted in the Army in 1827 under an assumed name . It was at this time that his publishing career began , albeit humbly , with the anonymous collection of poems Tamerlane and Other Poems ( 1827 ) , credited only to `` a Bostonian '' . With the death of Frances Allan in 1829 , Poe and Allan reached a temporary rapprochement . However , Poe later failed as an officer cadet at West Point , declaring a firm wish to be a poet and writer , and he ultimately parted ways with John Allan .   Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals , becoming known for his own style of literary criticism . His work forced him to move among several cities , including Baltimore , Philadelphia , and New York City . In Richmond in 1836 , he married Virginia Clemm , his 13-year-old cousin . In January 1845 , Poe published his poem `` The Raven '' to instant success . His wife died of tuberculosis two years after its publication . For years , he had been planning to produce his own journal The Penn ( later renamed The Stylus ) , though he died before it could be produced . Poe died in Baltimore on October 7 , 1849 , at age 40 ; the cause of his death is unknown and has been variously attributed to alcohol , brain congestion , cholera , drugs , heart disease , rabies , suicide , tuberculosis , and other agents .   Poe and his works influenced literature in the United States and around the world , as well as in specialized fields such as cosmology and cryptography . Poe and his work appear throughout popular culture in literature , music , films , and television . A number of his homes are dedicated museums today . The Mystery Writers of America present an annual award known as the Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre .


Robin Thicke Robin Charles Thicke ( born March 10 , 1977 ) is an American singer , songwriter and record producer .   Thicke has worked with several artists , such as Christina Aguilera , Nicki Minaj , K. Michelle , Pharrell Williams , Usher , Jennifer Hudson , Flo Rida , Brandy , Kid Cudi and Mary J. Blige , among others . Thicke worked on albums such as Usher 's Confessions and Lil Wayne 's Tha Carter III , while releasing his own R&B singles in the US including `` Lost Without U '' , `` Magic '' , and `` Sex Therapy '' . He rose to international fame in 2013 with his single `` Blurred Lines '' , which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 .   He is the son of actor Alan Thicke and actress Gloria Loring and known for his former marriage to actress Paula Patton . In 2013 and 2014 , their separation and divorce was covered extensively by the tabloid press including Thicke 's efforts to reconcile with Patton .


Nanotechnology Nanotechnology ( `` nanotech '' ) is manipulation of matter on an atomic , molecular , and supramolecular scale . The earliest , widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal of precisely manipulating atoms and molecules for fabrication of macroscale products , also now referred to as molecular nanotechnology . A more generalized description of nanotechnology was subsequently established by the National Nanotechnology Initiative , which defines nanotechnology as the manipulation of matter with at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometers . This definition reflects the fact that quantum mechanical effects are important at this quantum-realm scale , and so the definition shifted from a particular technological goal to a research category inclusive of all types of research and technologies that deal with the special properties of matter which occur below the given size threshold . It is therefore common to see the plural form `` nanotechnologies '' as well as `` nanoscale technologies '' to refer to the broad range of research and applications whose common trait is size . Because of the variety of potential applications ( including industrial and military ) , governments have invested billions of dollars in nanotechnology research . Until 2012 , through its National Nanotechnology Initiative , the USA has invested 3.7 billion dollars , the European Union has invested 1.2 billion and Japan 750 million dollars .   Nanotechnology as defined by size is naturally very broad , including fields of science as diverse as surface science , organic chemistry , molecular biology , semiconductor physics , microfabrication , molecular engineering , etc. . The associated research and applications are equally diverse , ranging from extensions of conventional device physics to completely new approaches based upon molecular self-assembly , from developing new materials with dimensions on the nanoscale to direct control of matter on the atomic scale .   Scientists currently debate the future implications of nanotechnology . Nanotechnology may be able to create many new materials and devices with a vast range of applications , such as in nanomedicine , nanoelectronics , biomaterials energy production , and consumer products . On the other hand , nanotechnology raises many of the same issues as any new technology , including concerns about the toxicity and environmental impact of nanomaterials , and their potential effects on global economics , as well as speculation about various doomsday scenarios . These concerns have led to a debate among advocacy groups and governments on whether special regulation of nanotechnology is warranted .


Ecosse Films refused to produce Monarch of the Glen.

Monarch of the Glen (TV series) Monarch of the Glen is a British drama television series produced by Ecosse Films for BBC Scotland and broadcast on BBC One for seven series between 2000 and 2005 .   The Monarch of the Glen television series is loosely based on Sir Compton Mackenzie 's Highland Novels , which are set in the same location but in the 1930s and 1940s . The first book in that series is called The Monarch of the Glen , which was a reference to the famous painting of the same name by Landseer . The first five series of Monarch of the Glen told the story of young restaurateur , Archie MacDonald , trying to restore his childhood home in the Scottish Highlands , starring Alastair Mackenzie , Richard Briers , Susan Hampshire , and Dawn Steele , whilst the final two series of the show focused on new Laird Paul Bowman trying to modernise the estate , primarily starring Lloyd Owen , Tom Baker , Alexander Morton , and Susan Hampshire .   The series was created by Michael Chaplin and produced by Nick Pitt , Paddy Higson , Jeremy Gwilt , Stephen Garwood , and Rob Bullock . The show saw many directors , most notably Edward Bennett , Richard Signy , Rick Stroud , and Robert Knights ; and many writers including Chaplin , Niall Leonard , John Martin Johnson , Leslie Stewart , and Jeremy Front . The series premiered in February 2000 , and its seventh and final series was broadcast from September 2005 until October 2005 with 64 episodes in total .


R. Kelly is the most successful R&B male director of the 1990s.

R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly ( born January 8 , 1967 ) , known professionally as R. Kelly , is an American singer , songwriter , record producer , and former professional basketball player . A native of Chicago , Illinois , Kelly began performing during the late 1980s and debuted in 1992 with the group Public Announcement . In 1993 , Kelly went solo with the album 12 Play . He is known for a collection of major hit singles including `` Bump N ' Grind '' , `` Your Body 's Callin ' '' , `` I Believe I Can Fly '' , `` Gotham City '' , `` Ignition ( Remix ) '' , `` If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time '' , `` The World 's Greatest '' , `` I 'm a Flirt ( Remix ) '' , and the hip-hopera `` Trapped in the Closet '' . In 1998 , Kelly won three Grammy Awards for `` I Believe I Can Fly '' . His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous hip hop and contemporary R&B artists . Kelly became the first musician to play professional basketball , when he was signed in 1997 .   Kelly has written , produced , and remixed songs and albums for many artists , including Aaliyah 's 1994 debut album Age Ai n't Nothing but a Number . In 1996 , Kelly was nominated for a Grammy for writing Michael Jackson 's song `` You Are Not Alone '' . In 2002 and 2004 , Kelly released collaboration albums with rapper Jay-Z and has been a guest vocalist for other hip hop artists like Nas , Sean Combs , and The Notorious B.I.G.   The Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) has recognized R. Kelly as one of the best-selling music artists in the United States with 40 million albums sold as well as only the fifth black artist to crack the top 50 of the same list . In March 2011 , R. Kelly was named the most successful R&B artist of the last 25 years by Billboard . Kelly has released 12 solo studio albums , and sold over 100 million records worldwide making him the most successful R&B male artist of the 1990s . He has been credited for helping redefine R&B and hip hop , earning the nicknames `` King of R&B '' and `` King of Pop-Soul '' . He is listed by Billboard as the most successful R&B / Hip Hop artist of the past 25 years ( 1985-2010 ) and also the most successful R&B artist in history . Throughout his career , Kelly has won numerous awards , including a Guinness World Records as well as countless of other awards like Grammy , BET , Soul Train , Billboard , NAACP and American Music Award .


Wolverine (character) Wolverine ( born James Howlett commonly known as Logan and sometimes as Weapon X ) is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics , mostly in association with the X-Men . He is a mutant who possesses animal-keen senses , enhanced physical capabilities , powerful regenerative ability known as a healing factor , and three retractable bone claws in each hand . Wolverine has been depicted variously as a member of the X-Men , Alpha Flight , and the Avengers .   The character appeared in the last panel of The Incredible Hulk # 180 before having a larger role in # 181 ( cover-dated Nov. 1974 ) . He was created by writer Len Wein and Marvel art director John Romita , Sr. , who designed the character , and was first drawn for publication by Herb Trimpe . Wolverine then joined a revamped version of the superhero team the X-Men , where eventually writer Chris Claremont and artist-writer John Byrne would play significant roles in the character 's development . Artist Frank Miller collaborated with Claremont and helped to revise the character with a four-part eponymous limited series from September to December 1982 which debuted Wolverine 's catchphrase , `` I 'm the best there is at what I do , but what I do best is n't very nice . ''   Wolverine is typical of the many tough antiheroes that emerged in American popular culture after the Vietnam War ; his willingness to use deadly force and his brooding nature became standard characteristics for comic book antiheroes by the end of the 1980s . As a result , the character became a fan favorite of the increasingly popular X-Men franchise , and has been featured in his own solo comic since 1988 .   He has appeared in most X-Men adaptations , including animated television series , video games , and the live-action 20th Century Fox X-Men film series , in which he is portrayed by Hugh Jackman in nine of the ten films . The character is highly rated in many comics best-of lists , ranked # 1 in Wizard magazine 's 2008 Top 200 Comic Book Characters ; 4th in Empires 2008 Greatest Comic Characters ; and 4th on IGN 's 2011 Top 100 Comic Book Heroes .


A Golden Globe Award nomination has been awarded to Judd Apatow's films.

Judd Apatow Judd Apatow ( -LSB- ˈæpətaʊ -RSB- born December 6 , 1967 ) is an American film producer , writer , director , actor , and comedian . He is the founder of Apatow Productions , through which he produced and developed the television series Freaks and Geeks , Undeclared , Girls , Love , Crashing and directed the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin ( 2005 ) , Knocked Up ( 2007 ) , Funny People ( 2009 ) , This Is 40 ( 2012 ) , and Trainwreck ( 2015 ) .   Apatow 's work has won numerous awards including a Primetime Emmy Award ( for The Ben Stiller Show ) , a Hollywood Comedy Award , and an AFI Award for Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) . His films have also been nominated for Grammy Awards , PGA Awards , Golden Globe Awards , and Academy Awards .   Also known for producing hit films such as The Cable Guy ( 1996 ) , Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy ( 2004 ) , Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby ( 2006 ) , Superbad ( 2007 ) , Forgetting Sarah Marshall ( 2008 ) , Step Brothers ( 2008 ) , Pineapple Express ( 2008 ) , Get Him to the Greek ( 2010 ) , Bridesmaids ( 2011 ) , The Five-Year Engagement ( 2012 ) , and Anchorman 2 : The Legend Continues ( 2013 ) .


The gray wolf colonized North American at least three times during the Rancholabrean.

Gray wolf The gray wolf or grey wolf ( Canis lupus ) , also known as the timber wolf or western wolf , is a canine native to the wilderness and remote areas of Eurasia and North America . It is the largest extant member of its family , with males averaging 43 - and females 36 - . Like the red wolf , it is distinguished from other Canis species by its larger size and less pointed features , particularly on the ears and muzzle . Its winter fur is long and bushy and predominantly a mottled gray in color , although nearly pure white , red , and brown to black also occur . , 37 subspecies of C. lupus are recognised by MSW3 .   The gray wolf is the second most specialised member of the genus Canis , after the Ethiopian wolf , as demonstrated by its morphological adaptations to hunting large prey , its more gregarious nature , and its highly advanced expressive behavior . It is nonetheless closely related enough to smaller Canis species , such as the eastern wolf , coyote , and golden jackal to produce fertile hybrids . It is the only species of Canis to have a range encompassing both the Old and New Worlds , and originated in Eurasia during the Pleistocene , colonizing North America on at least three separate occasions during the Rancholabrean . It is a social animal , travelling in nuclear families consisting of a mated pair , accompanied by the pair 's adult offspring . The gray wolf is typically an apex predator throughout its range , with only humans and tigers posing a serious threat to it . It feeds primarily on large ungulates , though it also eats smaller animals , livestock , carrion , and garbage .   The gray wolf is one of the world 's best-known and most-researched animals , with probably more books written about it than any other wildlife species . It has a long history of association with humans , having been despised and hunted in most pastoral communities because of its attacks on livestock , while conversely being respected in some agrarian and hunter-gatherer societies . Although the fear of wolves is pervasive in many human societies , the majority of recorded attacks on people have been attributed to animals suffering from rabies . Non-rabid wolves have attacked and killed people , mainly children , but this is rare , as wolves are relatively few , live away from people , and have developed a fear of humans from hunters and shepherds .


Stagira (ancient city) Stagira ( -LSB- stəˈdʒaɪrə -RSB- ) , Stagirus ( -LSB- stəˈdʒaɪrəs -RSB- ) , or Stageira ( Στάγειρα or Στάγειρος ) was an ancient Greek city , located in central Macedonia , near the eastern coast of the peninsula of Chalkidice , and is chiefly known for being the birthplace of Aristotle , who was a Greek philosopher and polymath , a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great . The city lies approximately 8 km north northeast of the present-day village of Stagira , close to the town of Olympiada .   Stagira was founded in 655 BC by Ionian settlers from Andros . Xerxes I of Persia occupied it in 480 BC . The city later joined the Delian League , led by Athens , but left in 424 BC : as a result , the Athenian demagogue Cleon laid siege to it in 422 BC . However , Cleon was a poor strategist and his conduct of the siege was very inefficient : so much so that the ancient Greek comedy writer Aristophanes satirised him in the play The Knights . Cleon died in the same year , in the battle of Amphipolis . Later , during the Peloponnesian War , Stagira sided with Sparta against the Athenians .   In 348 BC , Philip II of Macedon occupied and destroyed the city . In return for Aristotle 's tutoring of his son Alexander , Philip later rebuilt the city and resettled the old city 's inhabitants , who had been enslaved . Many new structures were built at this time , including an aqueduct , two shrines to Demeter , and many houses .


Just Hold On `` Just Hold On '' is a song by American DJ Steve Aoki and English singer and songwriter Louis Tomlinson , released as the latter 's debut single on December 10 , 2016 , by Ultra Music . It was written by Tomlinson , Aoki , Eric Rosse , Sasha Sloan and Sir Nolan and produced by Aoki , Sir Nolan and Jay Pryor . Aoki and Tomlinson performed the song for the first time on the series finale of The X Factor ( UK ) .   The song debuted at number 2 on the UK Singles Chart , and number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 , making it Aoki 's highest-charting song in both countries .


Louis Tomlinson Louis William Tomlinson ( born Louis Troy Austin ; 24 December 1991 ) is an English singer-songwriter and actor . He is known as a member of the pop boy band One Direction .   Tomlinson began his career as an actor , initially appearing in ITV drama Fat Friends as an extra . He also went on to appear in another ITV drama film If I Had You and the BBC drama Waterloo Road . In 2010 , he became a founding member of One Direction after auditioning as a solo artist on The X Factor . Following the band 's hiatus , Tomlinson released the single `` Just Hold On '' with Steve Aoki in December 2016 .   In 2013 , he was signed as a footballer by Doncaster Rovers of the Football League Championship on a non-contract basis . The same year he also formed his own record label , Triple Strings Ltd. . He appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK .


Point Place Point Place is the fictional town in Wisconsin in which the television sitcom That '70s Show takes place . It is depicted as a typical suburban community , largely white and middle class . According to the episode `` Hey Hey What Can I Do , '' Point Place 's economy seems to be largely built around slaughtering ( in fact , a later episode `` Leaving Home Ai n't Easy '' reveals a roadway named `` Slaughterhouse Way '' because it leads to a slaughterhouse ) .


Pluto Pluto ( minor-planet designation : 134340 Pluto ) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt , a ring of bodies beyond Neptune . It was the first Kuiper belt object to be discovered .   Pluto was discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930 and was originally considered to be the ninth planet from the Sun . After 1992 , its planethood was questioned following the discovery of several objects of similar size in the Kuiper belt . In 2005 , Eris , a dwarf planet in the scattered disc which is 27 % more massive than Pluto , was discovered . This led the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ) to define the term `` planet '' formally in 2006 , during their 26th General Assembly . That definition excluded Pluto and reclassified it as a dwarf planet .   Pluto is the largest and second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object directly orbiting the Sun . It is the largest known trans-Neptunian object by volume but is less massive than Eris . Like other Kuiper belt objects , Pluto is primarily made of ice and rock and is relatively small -- about one-sixth the mass of the Moon and one-third its volume . It has a moderately eccentric and inclined orbit during which it ranges from 30 to 49 astronomical units or AU ( 4.4 -- 7.4 billion km ) from the Sun . This means that Pluto periodically comes closer to the Sun than Neptune , but a stable orbital resonance with Neptune prevents them from colliding . Light from the Sun takes about 5.5 hours to reach Pluto at its average distance ( 39.5 AU ) .   Pluto has five known moons : Charon ( the largest , with a diameter just over half that of Pluto ) , Styx , Nix , Kerberos , and Hydra . Pluto and Charon are sometimes considered a binary system because the barycenter of their orbits does not lie within either body .   On July 14 , 2015 , the New Horizons spacecraft became the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto . During its brief flyby , New Horizons made detailed measurements and observations of Pluto and its moons . In September 2016 , astronomers announced that the reddish-brown cap of the north pole of Charon is composed of tholins , organic macromolecules that may be ingredients for the emergence of life , and produced from methane , nitrogen and other gases released from the atmosphere of Pluto and transferred about 19,000 km to the orbiting moon .


Lee Min-ho (actor, born 1987) Lee Min-ho ( , born June 22 , 1987 ) is a South Korean actor and singer . He first gained widespread fame in Korea and parts of Asia with his role as Gu Jun-pyo in Boys Over Flowers in 2009 . The role won him a Best New Actor award at the 45th Baeksang Arts Awards . He is noted for his leading roles in City Hunter ( 2011 ) , The Heirs ( 2013 ) and The Legend of the Blue Sea ( 2016 ) . The success of Lee 's television dramas throughout Asia established him as a top Hallyu star . Lee starred in his first leading role in film with Gangnam Blues ( 2015 ) , followed by his first China-produced film Bounty Hunters ( 2016 ) .


Janet Jackson signed a recording contract in 1982.

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson ( born May 16 , 1966 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer and actress . Known for sonically innovative , socially conscious , and sexually provocative records , elaborate stage shows , and high-profile television and film roles , she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 30 years .   The youngest child of the Jackson family , she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s , including Good Times and Fame . After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982 , she became a pop icon following the release of her third studio album Control ( 1986 ) . Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues , funk , disco , rap , and industrial beats , which led to crossover success in popular music .   In 1991 Jackson signed the first of two record-breaking multimillion-dollar contracts with Virgin Records , establishing her as one of the highest paid artists in the industry . Her debut album under the label , Janet ( 1993 ) , saw her develop a public image as a sex symbol as she began to explore sexuality in her work . That same year , she appeared in her first starring film role in Poetic Justice ; she has continued to act in feature films . By the end of the 1990s , she was the second most successful recording artist of the decade . The release of her seventh studio album All for You ( 2001 ) coincided with a celebration of her impact on popular music as the inaugural MTV Icon . After parting ways with Virgin she released her tenth studio album , Discipline ( 2008 ) , her first and only album with Island Records . In 2015 she partnered with BMG Rights Management to launch her own record label , Rhythm Nation , and released her eleventh studio album Unbreakable the same year .   Having sold over 100 million records , Jackson is one of the best-selling artists in the history of contemporary music . She has amassed an extensive catalog , with singles such as `` Nasty '' , `` Rhythm Nation '' , `` That 's the Way Love Goes '' , `` Together Again '' and `` All for You '' ; she holds the record for the most consecutive top 10 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart by a female artist with 18 . In 2016 , Billboard placed her number seven on its list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists , and in 2010 ranked her fifth among the `` Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years '' . In December 2016 , the magazine named her the second most successful dance club artist of all-time . One of the world 's most awarded artists , her longevity , records and achievements reflect her influence in shaping and redefining the scope of popular music . She has been cited as an inspiration among numerous performers .


Singapore Singapore ( -LSB- ˈsɪŋgəpɔr -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Singapore , sometimes referred to as the Lion City , the Garden City or the Little Red Dot , is a sovereign city-state in Southeast Asia . It lies one degree ( 137 km ) north of the equator , at the southern tip of peninsular Malaysia , with Indonesia 's Riau Islands to the south . Singapore 's territory consists of one main island along with 62 other islets . Since independence , extensive land reclamation has increased its total size by 23 % ( 130 km2 ) , and its greening policy has covered the densely populated island with tropical flora , parks and gardens .   Stamford Raffles founded colonial Singapore in 1819 as a trading post of the East India Company ; after its collapse and the eventual establishment of the British Raj , the islands were ceded to Britain and became part of its Straits Settlements in 1826 . During the Second World War , Singapore was occupied by Japan . It gained independence from the UK in 1963 by federating with other former British territories to form Malaysia , but separated two years later over ideological differences , becoming a sovereign nation in 1965 . After early years of turbulence , and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland , the nation developed rapidly as an Asian Tiger economy , based on external trade and its workforce .   Singapore is a global commerce , finance and transport hub . Its standings include : the most `` technology-ready '' nation ( WEF ) , top International-meetings city ( UIA ) , city with `` best investment potential '' ( BERI ) , second-most competitive country , third-largest foreign exchange market , third-largest financial centre , third-largest oil refining and trading centre , and the second-busiest container port . The country has also been identified as a tax haven .   Singapore ranks 5th on the UN Human Development Index and the 3rd highest GDP per capita . It is ranked highly in education , healthcare , life expectancy , quality of life , personal safety , and housing . Although income inequality is high , 90 % of homes are owner-occupied . 38 % of Singapore 's 5.6 million residents are permanent residents and other foreign nationals . There are four official languages : English ( common and first language ) , Malay , Mandarin , Tamil ; almost all Singaporeans are bilingual .   Singapore is a unitary multiparty parliamentary republic , with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government . The People 's Action Party has won every election since self-government in 1959 . The dominance of the PAP , coupled with a low level of press freedom and restrictions on civil liberties and political rights , has led to Singapore being classified by some as a semi-authoritarian regime . One of the five founding members of the ASEAN , Singapore is also the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) Secretariat , and a member of the East Asia Summit , Non-Aligned Movement , and the Commonwealth of Nations .


Richard III of England Richard III ( 2 October 1452 -- 22 August 1485 ) was King of England from 1483 until his death in 1485 , at the age of 32 , in the Battle of Bosworth Field . He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty . His defeat at Bosworth Field , the last decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses , marked the end of the Middle Ages in England . He is the subject of the historical play Richard III by William Shakespeare .   When his brother King Edward IV died in April 1483 , Richard was named Lord Protector of the realm for Edward 's son and successor , the 12-year-old Edward V . As the young king travelled to London from Ludlow , Richard met and escorted him to lodgings in the Tower of London , where Edward V 's own brother Richard of Shrewsbury joined him shortly afterwards . Arrangements were made for Edward 's coronation on 22 June 1483 ; but , before the young king could be crowned , his father 's marriage to his mother Elizabeth Woodville was declared invalid , making their children illegitimate and ineligible for the throne . On 25 June , an assembly of Lords and commoners endorsed the claims . The following day , Richard III began his reign , and he was crowned on 6 July 1483 . The young princes were not seen in public after August , and accusations circulated that the boys had been murdered on Richard 's orders , giving rise to the legend of the Princes in the Tower .   There were two major rebellions against Richard . The first , in October 1483 , was led by staunch allies of Edward IV and Richard 's former ally , Henry Stafford , 2nd Duke of Buckingham ; but the revolt collapsed . In August 1485 , Henry Tudor and his uncle , Jasper Tudor , led a second rebellion . Henry Tudor landed in southern Wales with a small contingent of French troops and marched through his birthplace , Pembrokeshire , recruiting soldiers . Henry 's force engaged Richard 's army and defeated it at the Battle of Bosworth Field in Leicestershire . Richard was struck down in the conflict , making him the last English king to die in battle on home soil and the first since Harold Godwinson ( who was killed at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 ) . Henry then ascended the throne as Henry VII .   After the battle Richard 's corpse was taken to Leicester and buried without pomp . His original tomb monument is believed to have been removed during the Reformation , and his remains were lost for more than five centuries , believed to have been thrown into the River Soar . In 2012 , an archaeological excavation was commissioned by the Richard III Society on a city council car park on the site once occupied by Greyfriars Priory Church . The University of Leicester identified the skeleton found in the excavation as that of Richard III as a result of radiocarbon dating , comparison with contemporary reports of his appearance , and comparison of his mitochondrial DNA with that of two matrilineal descendants of Richard III 's eldest sister , Anne of York . Richard 's remains were reburied in Leicester Cathedral on 26 March 2015 .


Gopalkrishna Gandhi is someone who governed West Bengal.

Gopalkrishna Gandhi Gopalkrishna Devdas Gandhi ( born April 22 , 1946 ) is a retired IAS officer and diplomat , who was the 22nd Governor of West Bengal serving from 2004 to 2009 . As a former IAS officer and he served as Secretary to the President of India and as High Commissioner to South Africa and Sri Lanka , among other administrative and diplomatic posts .


Alive 2006/2007 was a tour by an electronic music duo.

Alive 2006/2007 Alive 2006/2007 was a concert tour by French electronic music duo Daft Punk , their first tour as a duo since 1997 . While the 2006 concerts were not given a formal title , the 2007 performances were advertised as `` Alive 2007 '' . The 2006 performances and 2007 tour as a whole was later retroactively named `` Alive 2006/2007 '' .   The tour was met with praise and critical acclaim . The Times described Daft Punk 's set as a `` memorable sensory spectacle , both dazzling and deafening '' .


Naruto first aired in America before 2007.

Naruto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto . It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki , an adolescent ninja who searches for recognition and dreams of becoming the Hokage , the leader of his village . The story divided into two parts , the first set in Naruto 's preteen years , and the second in his teens . The series is based on two one-shot manga by Kishimoto . The first one , titled Karakuri , released in 1995 by Shueisha , earned Kishimoto an honorable mention in Shueisha 's monthly Hop Step Award in 1996 . The second one , titled Naruto , published in the summer 1997 issue of Akamaru Jump .   Naruto was serialized in Shueisha 's Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine from September 21 , 1999 , to November 10 , 2014 . Seventy-two tankōbon volumes were released . It currently is the third best-selling manga series in history , selling more than 220 million copies worldwide . The manga later adapted into an anime television produced by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex . It premiered across Japan on the terrestrial TV Tokyo and other TX Network stations on October 3 , 2002 , and ended on February 8 , 2007 , with 220 episodes . The English adaptation of the series premiered on Cartoon Network 's programming block named Toonami on September 10 , 2005 , and concluded on January 31 , 2009 . Naruto : Shippuden , a sequel to the original series , aired from February 15 , 2007 , to March 23 , 2017 , with 500 episodes . The English adaptation was broadcast on Disney XD from October 28 , 2009 , to November 5 , 2011 , and on Adult Swim 's Toonami block in January 2014 . Besides the anime series , Studio Pierrot has developed eleven movies and several original video animations ( OVAs ) . Other types of merchandise include light novels , video games , and trading cards developed by several companies .   Viz Media has licensed the manga and anime for North American production . Viz serialized Naruto in their digital Weekly Shonen Jump magazine , publishing the individual volumes . The anime series began airing in the United States and Canada in 2005 , and in the United Kingdom and Australia in 2006 and 2007 , respectively . The films and most OVAs from the series were also released by Viz , with the first film premiering in movie theaters . Viz Media began streaming the two anime series on their streaming service Neon Alley in December 2012 . The story of Naruto continues with Naruto 's son , Boruto Uzumaki , in Boruto : Naruto Next Generations . Boruto wishes to create his own ninja way instead of following his father 's .


Lilith can be found in texts in the Hebrew-language.

Lilith Lilith ( -LSB- ˈlɪlɪθ -RSB- לִילִית Lîlîṯ ) is a figure in Jewish mythology , developed earliest in the Babylonian Talmud ( 3rd to 5th centuries ) . The character is generally thought to derive in part from a historically far earlier class of female demons ( lilītu ) in ancient Mesopotamian religion , found in cuneiform texts of Sumer , the Akkadian Empire , Assyria , and Babylonia .   Evidence in later Jewish materials is plentiful , but little information has survived relating to the original Sumerian , Akkadian , Assyrian and Babylonian view of these demons . While the connection is almost universally agreed upon , recent scholarship has disputed the relevance of two sources previously used to connect the Jewish lilith to an Akkadian lilītu -- the Gilgamesh appendix and the Arslan Tash amulets . ( See below for discussion of the two problematic sources . )   In Hebrew-language texts , the term lilith or lilit ( translated as `` night creatures '' , `` night monster '' , `` night hag '' , or `` screech owl '' ) first occurs in a list of animals in Isaiah 34:14 , either in singular or plural form according to variations in the earliest manuscripts . In the Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q510-511 , the term first occurs in a list of monsters . In Jewish magical inscriptions on bowls and amulets from the 6th century CE onwards , Lilith is identified as a female demon and the first visual depictions appear .   In Jewish folklore , from the satirical book Alphabet of Sirach ( ca. 700 -- 1000 ) onwards , Lilith appears as Adam 's first wife , who was created at the same time ( Rosh Hashanah ) and from the same dirt as Adam -- compare Genesis 1:27 . ( This contrasts with Eve , who was created from one of Adam 's ribs : Genesis 2:22 ) The legend developed extensively during the Middle Ages , in the tradition of Aggadah , the Zohar , and Jewish mysticism . For example , in the 13th-century writings of Isaac ben Jacob ha-Cohen , Lilith left Adam after she refused to become subservient to him and then would not return to the Garden of Eden after she had coupled with the archangel Samael .   The resulting Lilith legend continues to serve as source material in modern Western culture , literature , occultism , fantasy , and horror .


Italy was an Axis power in World War II.

Italy Italy ( Italia -LSB- iˈtaːlja -RSB- ) , officially the Italian Republic ( -LSB- Repubblica italiana , links = no -RSB- ) , is a unitary parliamentary republic in Europe.The Italian peninsula is geographically located in Southern Europe , while North Italy can be placed partly or totally in Central Europe . Due to cultural , political and historical reasons , Italy is a Western European country . Located in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea , Italy shares open land borders with France , Switzerland , Austria , Slovenia , San Marino and Vatican City . Italy covers an area of 301338 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal and Mediterranean climate . Due to its shape , it is often referred to in Italy as lo Stivale ( the Boot ) . With 61 million inhabitants , it is the fourth most populous EU member state .   Since classical times , ancient Phoenicians , Carthaginians and Greeks established settlements in the south of Italy , with Etruscans and Celts inhabiting the centre and north of Italy respectively and various different ancient Italian tribes and Italic peoples dispersed throughout the Italian Peninsula and insular Italy . The Italic tribe known as the Latins formed the Roman Kingdom , which eventually became a republic that conquered and assimilated other nearby civilisations . Rome ultimately emerged as the dominant power in the Mediterranean basin , conquering much of the ancient world and becoming the leading cultural , political and religious centre of Western civilisation . The legacy of the Roman Empire is widespread and can be observed in the global distribution of civilian law , republican governments , Christianity and the Latin script .   During the Middle Ages , Italy suffered sociopolitical collapse amid calamitous barbarian invasions , but by the 11th century numerous rival city-states and maritime republics rose to great prosperity through shipping , commerce and banking , laying down the groundwork for modern capitalism . These independent statelets , acting as Europe 's main trading hubs with Asia and the Near East , often enjoyed a greater degree of democracy and wealth in comparison to the larger feudal monarchies that were consolidating throughout Europe at the time , though much of central Italy remained under the control of the theocratic Papal States , while Southern Italy remained largely feudal until the 19th century , partially as a result of a succession of Byzantine , Arab , Norman , Spanish and Bourbon conquests of the region .   The Renaissance began in Italy and spread to the rest of Europe , bringing a renewed interest in humanism , science , exploration and art . Italian culture flourished at this time , producing famous scholars , artists and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci , Galileo , Michelangelo and Machiavelli . Italian explorers such as Marco Polo , Christopher Columbus , Amerigo Vespucci and Giovanni da Verrazzano discovered new routes to the Far East and the New World , helping to usher in the European Age of Discovery . Nevertheless , Italy 's commercial and political power significantly waned with the opening of the Atlantic trade route and the route to the Indian Ocean via the Cape of Good Hope , which bypassed the Mediterranean . Furthermore , the Italian city-states constantly engaged one another in bloody warfare , culminating in the Italian Wars of the 15th and 16th centuries that left them exhausted , with no one emerging as a dominant power . The weakened sovereigns soon fell victim to conquest by European powers such as France , Spain and Austria .   By the mid-19th century , a rising movement in support of Italian nationalism and independence from foreign control led to a period of revolutionary political upheaval known as the Risorgimento , which sought the formation of a unified nation-state . After various unsuccessful attempts , the Italian Wars of Independence and the Expedition of the Thousand resulted in the eventual unification of the country in 1861 , now a great power after centuries of foreign domination and political division . From the late 19th century to the early 20th century , the new Kingdom of Italy rapidly industrialised , although mainly in the north , and acquired a colonial empire , while the south remained largely impoverished and excluded from industrialisation , fuelling a large and influential diaspora . Despite being one of the main victors in World War I , Italy entered a period of economic crisis and social turmoil , leading the way to the rise of a fascist dictatorship in 1922 . The subsequent participation in World War II on the Axis side ended in military defeat , economic destruction and an Italian civil war . Following the liberation of Italy and the rise of the resistance , the country abolished the monarchy , reinstated democracy , enjoyed a prolonged economic boom and , despite periods of sociopolitical turmoil ( e.g. Anni di piombo , Mani pulite , the Second Mafia War , the Maxi Trial and subsequent assassinations of anti-mafia officials ) , became a major developed country .   Today , Italy has the third largest economy in the Eurozone and the eighth largest in the world . It has a very high level of human development and is ranked sixth in the world for life expectancy . The country plays a prominent role in regional and global economic , military , cultural and diplomatic affairs , and it is both a regional power and a great power . Italy is a founding and leading member of the European Union and the member of numerous international institutions , including the UN , NATO , the OECD , the OSCE , the WTO , the G7/G8 , G20 , the Union for the Mediterranean , the Council of Europe , Uniting for Consensus and many more . As a reflection of its cultural wealth , Italy is home to 51 World Heritage Sites , the most in the world , and is the fifth most visited country .


Country A country is a region that is identified as a distinct national entity in political geography . A country may be an independent sovereign state or one that is occupied by another state , as a non-sovereign or formerly sovereign political division , or a geographic region associated with sets of previously independent or differently associated people with distinct political characteristics . Regardless of the physical geography , in the modern internationally accepted legal definition as defined by the League of Nations in 1937 and reaffirmed by the United Nations in 1945 , a resident of a country is subject to the independent exercise of legal jurisdiction .   Sometimes the word countries is used to refer both to sovereign states and to other political entities , while other times it refers only to states . For example , the CIA World Factbook uses the word in its `` Country name '' field to refer to `` a wide variety of dependencies , areas of special sovereignty , uninhabited islands , and other entities in addition to the traditional countries or independent states '' . -LSB- Note 1 -RSB-


India India , officially the Republic of India ( Bhārat Gaṇarājya '' ) , is a country in South Asia . It is the seventh-largest country by area , the second-most populous country ( with over 1.2 billion people ) , and the most populous democracy in the world . It is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south , the Arabian Sea on the southwest , and the Bay of Bengal on the southeast . It shares land borders with Pakistan to the west ; China , Nepal , and Bhutan to the northeast ; and Myanmar ( Burma ) and Bangladesh to the east . In the Indian Ocean , India is in the vicinity of Sri Lanka and the Maldives . India 's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Thailand and Indonesia .   The Indian subcontinent was home to the urban Indus Valley Civilisation of the 3rd millennium BCE . In the following millennium , the oldest scriptures associated with Hinduism began to be composed . Social stratification , based on caste , emerged in the first millennium BCE , and Buddhism and Jainism arose . Early political consolidations took place under the Maurya and Gupta empires ; the later peninsular Middle Kingdoms influenced cultures as far as southeast Asia . In the medieval era , Judaism , Zoroastrianism , Christianity , and Islam arrived , and Sikhism emerged , all adding to the region 's diverse culture . Much of the north fell to the Delhi sultanate ; the south was united under the Vijayanagara Empire . The economy expanded in the 17th century in the Mughal Empire . In the mid-18th century , the subcontinent came under British East India Company rule , and in the mid-19th under British crown rule . A nationalist movement emerged in the late 19th century , which later , under Mahatma Gandhi , was noted for nonviolent resistance and led to India 's independence in 1947 .   In 2015 , the Indian economy was the world 's seventh largest by nominal GDP and third largest by purchasing power parity . Following market-based economic reforms in 1991 , India became one of the fastest-growing major economies and is considered a newly industrialised country . However , it continues to face the challenges of poverty , corruption , malnutrition , and inadequate public healthcare . A nuclear weapons state and regional power , it has the third largest standing army in the world and ranks fifth in military expenditure among nations . India is a federal republic governed under a parliamentary system and consists of 29 states and 7 union territories . It is a pluralistic , multilingual and multi-ethnic society and is also home to a diversity of wildlife in a variety of protected habitats .


Tommy Lee Jones portrayed U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard.

Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones ( born September 15 , 1946 ) is an American actor and filmmaker . He has received four Academy Award nominations , winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive .   His other notable starring roles include former Texas Ranger Woodrow F. Call in the TV mini-series Lonesome Dove , Agent K in the Men in Black film series , Sheriff Ed Tom Bell in No Country for Old Men , the villain Two-Face in Batman Forever , terrorist William Strannix in Under Siege , a Texas Ranger in Man of the House , rancher Pete Perkins in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada , which he directed , Colonel Chester Phillips in Captain America : The First Avenger , CIA Director Robert Dewey in Jason Bourne and Warden Dwight McClusky in Natural Born Killers . Jones has also portrayed real-life figures such as businessman Howard Hughes , Radical Republican Congressman Thaddeus Stevens , executed murderer Gary Gilmore , U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur , Oliver Lynn , husband of Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner 's Daughter , and baseball great Ty Cobb .   Early in his career , Jones first gained recognition for his contract role as Dr. Mark Toland on the soap opera One Life to Live for six years .


Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin will lack commercial suborbital human spaceflight in 2018.

Jeff Bezos Jeff Bezos ( -LSB- ˈbeɪzoʊs -RSB- born Jeffrey Preston Jorgensen ; January 12 , 1964 ) is an American technology and retail entrepreneur , investor , and philanthropist who is best known as the founder , chairman , and chief executive officer of Amazon.com , which is the world 's largest online shopping retailer . The company began as an Internet merchant of books and expanded to a wide variety of products and services , most recently video streaming and audio streaming . Amazon.com is currently the world 's largest Internet sales company on the World Wide Web , as well as being the world 's largest provider of cloud infrastructure services , through its Amazon Web Services arm .   Bezos 's other diversified business interests include aerospace and newspapers . He is the founder and manufacturer of Blue Origin ( founded in 2000 ) with test flights to space which started in 2015 , and plans for commercial suborbital human spaceflight beginning in 2018 . In 2013 , Bezos purchased The Washington Post newspaper . A number of other business investments are managed through Bezos Expeditions .   With an estimated net worth of US$ 82 billion as of May 2017 , Bezos is currently the third-richest person in the world , just behind Bill Gates and Amancio Ortega in first and second places , and just ahead of Warren Buffett in fourth place . His rise to this position occurred after Amazon registered a 67 % jump in share price .


CBS is an American-based television network that has its origins in United Independent Broadcasters, Inc.

CBS CBS ( an initialism of the network 's former name , the Columbia Broadcasting System ) is an American English language commercial broadcast television network that is a flagship property of CBS Corporation . The company is headquartered at the CBS Building in New York City with major production facilities and operations in New York City ( at the CBS Broadcast Center ) and Los Angeles ( at CBS Television City and the CBS Studio Center ) .   CBS is sometimes referred to as the `` Eye Network '' , in reference to the company 's iconic logo , in use since 1951 . It has also been called the `` Tiffany Network '' , alluding to the perceived high quality of CBS programming during the tenure of William S. Paley . It can also refer to some of CBS 's first demonstrations of color television , which were held in a former Tiffany & Co. building in New York City in 1950 .   The network has its origins in United Independent Broadcasters Inc. , a collection of 16 radio stations that was purchased by Paley in 1928 and renamed the Columbia Broadcasting System . Under Paley 's guidance , CBS would first become one of the largest radio networks in the United States , and eventually one of the Big Three American broadcast television networks . In 1974 , CBS dropped its former full name and became known simply as CBS , Inc. . The Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired the network in 1995 , renamed its corporate entity to the current CBS Broadcasting , Inc. in 1997 , and eventually adopted the name of the company it had acquired to become CBS Corporation . In 2000 , CBS came under the control of Viacom , which was formed as a spin-off of CBS in 1971 . In late 2005 , Viacom split itself into two separate companies , and re-established CBS Corporation -- through the spin-off of its broadcast television , radio and select cable television and non-broadcasting assets -- with the CBS television network at its core . CBS Corporation is controlled by Sumner Redstone through National Amusements , which also controls the current Viacom .   CBS continues to operate the CBS Radio network , which now mainly provides news and features content for its portfolio of owned-and-operated radio stations in large and mid-sized markets , and affiliated radio stations in various other markets . The television network has more than 240 owned-and-operated and affiliated television stations throughout the United States .


Kanye West is a critically acclaimed musician.

Kanye West Kanye Omari West ( -LSB- ˈkɑːnjeɪ -RSB- born June 8 , 1977 ) is an American rapper , songwriter , record producer , fashion designer , and entrepreneur . Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago , West briefly attended art school before becoming known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s , producing hit singles for artists such as Jay Z and Alicia Keys . Intent on pursuing a solo career as a rapper , West released his debut album The College Dropout in 2004 to widespread critical and commercial success , and founded the record label GOOD Music . He went on to pursue a variety of different styles on subsequent albums Late Registration ( 2005 ) , Graduation ( 2007 ) , and 808s & Heartbreak ( 2008 ) . In 2010 , he released his fifth album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy to rave reviews from critics , and the following year he collaborated with Jay Z on the joint LP Watch the Throne ( 2011 ) . West released his abrasive sixth album , Yeezus , to further critical praise in 2013 . His seventh album , The Life of Pablo , was released in 2016 .   West 's outspoken views and life outside of music have received significant mainstream attention . He has been a frequent source of controversy for his conduct at award shows , on social media , and in other public settings . His more scrutinized comments include his off-script denunciation of President George W. Bush during a live 2005 television broadcast for Hurricane Katrina relief and his interruption of singer Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards . West 's efforts as a fashion designer include collaborations with Nike , Louis Vuitton , and A.P.C. on both clothing and footwear , and have most prominently resulted in the YEEZY collaboration with Adidas beginning in 2013 . He is the founder and head of the creative content company DONDA . His 2014 marriage to television personality Kim Kardashian has also been subject to widespread media coverage .   West is among the most acclaimed musicians of the 21st century , and is one of the best-selling artists of all time , having sold more than 32 million albums and 100 million digital downloads worldwide . He has won a total of 21 Grammy Awards , making him one of the most awarded artists of all time and the most Grammy-awarded artist to have debuted in the 21st century . Three of his albums have been included and ranked on Rolling Stone 's 2012 update of the `` 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' list . He has also been included in a number of Forbes annual lists . Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2005 and 2015 .


Marcus Allen's younger brother is a former professional quarterback.

Marcus Allen Marcus LeMarr Allen ( born March 26 , 1960 ) is a former American football running back and football analyst for CBS . As a professional , Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997 . He scored 145 touchdowns , including a then league record 123 rushing touchdowns , and was elected to six Pro Bowls over the course of his career . He was also a fairly good passer for a running back , completing 12 of 27 passes for 285 yards and six touchdowns , with only one interception . Allen was the first player ever to gain more than 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards during his career .   Allen is considered one of the greatest goal line and short-yard runners in National Football League ( NFL ) history . His younger brother , Damon Allen , played quarterback for 23 seasons in the Canadian Football League and was professional football 's all-time leader in passing yards .   Allen has the distinction of being the only player in the history of football to have won a Heisman Trophy , an NCAA National Championship , a Super Bowl , and be named NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP . He has also been inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame .


Steffi Graf was born in the 20th century.

Steffi Graf Stefanie Maria `` Steffi '' Graf ( -LSB- ˈʃtɛfiː ˈgʁa : f -RSB- ; born 14 June 1969 ) is a German former tennis player , who was ranked world No. 1 during her career . Graf won 22 Grand Slam singles titles . Her 22 singles titles put her second on the list of Major wins by a tennis player ( male or female ) since the introduction of the Open Era in 1968 and is third all-time behind Margaret Court ( 24 ) and Serena Williams ( 23 ) . In 1988 , she became the first and only tennis player ( male or female ) to achieve the Golden Slam by winning all four Grand Slam singles titles and the Olympic gold medal in the same calendar year . Furthermore , she is the only tennis player to have won each Grand Slam event at least four times .   Graf was ranked world No. 1 by the Women 's Tennis Association ( WTA ) for a record 377 total weeks -- the longest period for which any player , male or female , has held the number-one ranking since the WTA and the Association of Tennis Professionals began issuing rankings . She won 107 singles titles , which ranks her third on the WTA 's all-time list after Martina Navratilova ( 167 titles ) and Chris Evert ( 157 titles ) . She and Margaret Court are the only players , male or female , to win three grand slams in a calendar year five times ( 1988 , 1989 , 1993 , 1995 and 1996 ) .   Notable features of Graf 's game were her versatility across all playing surfaces , footwork and her powerful forehand drive . Graf won six French Open singles titles ( second to Evert ) , seven Wimbledon singles titles , four Australian Open titles , and five U.S. Open singles titles . She is the only singles player ( male or female ) to have achieved a Grand Slam since hard court was introduced as a surface at the US Open in 1978 . Consequently , Graf 's Grand Slam was achieved on grass , clay , and hard court while the previous five Grand Slams were decided on only grass and clay . Graf reached thirteen consecutive Grand Slam singles finals , from the 1987 French Open through to the 1990 French Open , winning nine of them . She won 5 consecutive Majors ( 1988 Australian Open to 1989 Australian Open ) , and seven Majors out of eight , in two calendar years ( 1988 Australian Open to 1989 US Open , except 1989 French Open ) . She reached a total of 31 Grand Slam singles finals .   Graf is regarded by some to be the greatest female tennis player of all time . Navratilova included Graf on her list of great players . In 1999 Billie Jean King said `` Steffi is definitely the greatest women 's tennis player of all time '' . In December 1999 , Graf was named the greatest female tennis player of the 20th century by a panel of experts assembled by the Associated Press . Tennis writer Steve Flink , in his book The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century , named her as the best female player of the 20th century . In March 2012 , Tennis Channel picked Graf as the greatest female tennis player ever in their list of 100 greatest tennis players of all time .   Graf retired in 1999 while she was ranked World No. 3 . She married former World No. 1 men 's tennis player Andre Agassi in October 2001 . The couple has two children -- Jaden Gil and Jaz Elle . Graf was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004 .


Same-sex marriage Same-sex marriage , also known as gay marriage , is marriage between people of the same sex , either as a secular civil ceremony or in a religious setting .   In the late 20th century , rites of marriage for same-sex couples without legal recognition became increasingly common . The first law providing for marriage of people of the same sex in modern times was enacted in 2001 in the Netherlands . , same-sex marriage is legally recognized ( nationwide or in some parts ) in the following countries : Argentina , Belgium , Brazil , Canada , Colombia , Denmark,Same-sex marriage is legal in Denmark proper and Greenland . Legislation allowing same-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands has received royal assent though is not yet in effect . Finland , France , Iceland , Ireland , Luxembourg , Mexico,Same-sex marriage is legal in the states of Campeche , Coahuila , Colima , Jalisco , Michoacán , Morelos , Nayarit , Quintana Roo and Mexico City as well as in some municipalities in Guerrero , Puebla , Querétaro and Tamaulipas . Same-sex marriages performed in these jurisdictions are recognized throughout Mexico . the Netherlands,Same-sex marriage is legal in The Netherlands proper . Same-sex marriages performed there are recognized in Aruba , Curaçao and Sint Maarten . New Zealand,Same-sex marriage is legal in New Zealand proper , though is not legal in Tokelau , the Cook Islands and Niue , which together make up the Realm of New Zealand . Norway , Portugal , South Africa , Spain , Sweden , the United Kingdom,Same-sex marriage is legal England and Wales and Scotland ; though is notably not legal in Northern Ireland . Same-sex marriage is legal in the overseas territories of Akrotiri and Dhekelia , Ascension Island , Bermuda , the British Antarctic Territory , the British Indian Ocean Territory , Gibraltar and the Pitcairn Islands ; and in the Crown dependencies of Guernsey and the Isle of Man . The law in the Falkland Islands is not yet in force . the United StatesSame-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states , the District of Columbia , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , the United States Virgin Islands and some tribal jurisdictions . Some tribal jurisdictions do not recognize same-sex marriage . In the United States , Congress ( not the federal courts ) has legal authority over Indian country . Thus , unless Congress passes a law regarding same-sex marriage for Indian tribes , federally recognized American Indian tribes have the legal right to form their own marriage laws . American Samoa is the only unincorporated territory of the United States not to have legalized same-sex marriage . and Uruguay . Same-sex marriage is likely to soon become legal in Taiwan , after a constitutional court ruling in May 2017 . Polls show rising support for legally recognizing same-sex marriage in the Americas , Australia and most of Europe .  However , as of 2017 , South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriage is recognized . No country in Asia legally recognises same-sex marriage ceremonies performed under its jurisdiction , although Israel recognises same-sex marriages performed overseas for some purposes .   Introduction of same-sex marriage laws has varied by jurisdiction , being variously accomplished through legislative change to marriage laws , a court ruling based on constitutional guarantees of equality , or by direct popular vote ( via ballot initiative or referendum ) . The recognition of same-sex marriage is a political and social issue , and also a religious issue in many countries , and debates continue to arise over whether people in same-sex relationships should be allowed marriage or some similar status ( a civil union ) . Same-sex marriage can provide those in same-sex relationships who pay their taxes with government services and make financial demands on them comparable to those afforded to and required of those in opposite-sex marriages . Same-sex marriage also gives them legal protections such as inheritance and hospital visitation rights . Various faith communities around the world support allowing those of the same sex to marry , while many major religions oppose same-sex marriage . Opponents of same-sex marriages have argued that recognition of same-sex marriages would erode religious freedoms , undermine a right of children to be raised by their biological mother and father or erode the institution of marriage itself .   Some analysts state that financial , psychological and physical well-being are enhanced by marriage , and that children of same-sex parents or carers benefit from being raised by two parents within a legally recognized union supported by society 's institutions . Court documents filed by American scientific associations also state that singling out gay men and women as ineligible for marriage both stigmatizes and invites public discrimination against them . The American Anthropological Association asserts that social science research does not support the view that either civilization or viable social orders depend upon marriage as an exclusively heterosexual institution .


Kevin Spacey Kevin Spacey Fowler , KBE ( born July 26 , 1959 ) , better known as Kevin Spacey , is an American actor , film director , producer , screenwriter , and singer . He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s before obtaining supporting roles in film and television . He gained critical acclaim in the early 1990s that culminated in his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the neo-noir crime thriller The Usual Suspects ( 1995 ) , and an Academy Award for Best Actor for midlife crisis-themed drama American Beauty ( 1999 ) .   His other starring roles have included the comedy-drama film Swimming with Sharks ( 1994 ) , psychological thriller Seven ( 1995 ) , the neo-noir crime film L.A. Confidential ( 1997 ) , the drama Pay It Forward ( 2000 ) , the science fiction-mystery film K-PAX ( 2001 ) , and the role of Lex Luthor in the superhero film Superman Returns ( 2006 ) .   In Broadway theatre , Spacey won a Tony Award for his role in Lost in Yonkers . He was the artistic director of the Old Vic theatre in London from 2004 until stepping down in mid-2015 . Since 2013 , Spacey has played Frank Underwood in the Netflix political drama series House of Cards . For his role as Underwood , he has won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor -- Television Series Drama and two consecutive Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series .