David Beckham is a professional football player.

Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol ( -LSB- reˈal maˈðɾið ˈkluβ ðe ˈfuðβol -RSB- ; Royal Madrid Football Club ) , commonly known as Real Madrid , or simply as Real , is a professional football club based in Madrid , Spain .   Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club , the club has traditionally worn a white home kit since inception . The word Real is Spanish for Royal and was bestowed to the club by King Alfonso XIII in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem . The team has played its home matches in the 81,044-capacity Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in downtown Madrid since 1947 . Unlike most European sporting entities , Real Madrid 's members ( socios ) have owned and operated the club throughout its history .   The club was estimated to be worth $ 3.24 billion ( $ 3.65 billion ) in 2015 , and in the 2014 -- 15 season it was the world 's highest-earning football club , with an annual revenue of $ 577 million . The club is one of the most widely supported teams in the world . Real Madrid is one of three founding members of the Primera División that have never been relegated from the top division , along with Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona . The club holds many long-standing rivalries , most notably El Clásico with Barcelona and El Derbi with Atlético Madrid .   Real Madrid established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football during the 1950s , winning five consecutive European Cups and reaching the final seven times . This success was replicated in the league , where the club won five times in the space of seven years . This team , which consisted of players such as Alfredo Di Stéfano , Ferenc Puskás , Francisco Gento and Raymond Kopa , is considered by some in the sport to be the greatest team of all time .   In domestic football , the club has won a record 33 La Liga titles , 19 Copa del Rey , nine Supercopa de España , a Copa Eva Duarte , and a Copa de la Liga . In international football , the club has won a record 11 European Cup/UEFA Champions League titles , a joint record three Intercontinental Cups , two UEFA Cups , three UEFA Super Cups , and two FIFA Club World Cups .   Real Madrid was recognised as the FIFA Club of the 20th Century on 11 December 2000 , and received the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit on 20 May 2004 . The club was also awarded Best European Club of the 20th Century by the IFFHS on 11 May 2010 and leads the current UEFA club rankings .


Manchester United F.C. Manchester United Football Club is a professional football club based in Old Trafford , Greater Manchester , England , that competes in the Premier League , the top flight of English football . Nicknamed `` the Red Devils '' , the club was founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878 , changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to its current stadium , Old Trafford , in 1910 .   Manchester United are the most successful club in England , having won a record 20 League Titles , 12 FA Cups , 5 League Cups and a record 21 FA Community Shields . The club has also won three UEFA Champions League , one UEFA Europa League , one UEFA Cup Winners ' Cup , one UEFA Super Cup , one Intercontinental Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup . In 1998 -- 99 , the club became the first in the history of English football to achieve the treble of the Premier League , the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League . In 2016 -- 17 , they also , by winning the UEFA Europa League , became one of five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions . In winning all three top domestic trophies ( as well as both iterations of the English championship ) , all three major European trophies , both the domestic and European super cups , and both international titles ( the now-defunct Intercontinental Cup in 1999 and its successor , the FIFA World Club Cup in 2008 ) , the club has achieved a clean sweep of all top honours available to it ; the first and thus far only English club to do so .   The 1958 Munich air disaster claimed the lives of eight players . In 1968 , under the management of Matt Busby , Manchester United became the first English football club to win the European Cup . Alex Ferguson won 38 trophies as manager , including 13 Premier League titles , 5 FA Cups and 2 UEFA Champions Leagues , between 1986 and 2013 , when he announced his retirement . José Mourinho is the club 's current manager , having been appointed on 27 May 2016 .   Manchester United was the highest-earning football club in the world for 2015 -- 16 , with an annual revenue of $ 689 million , and the world 's third most valuable football club in 2015 , valued at # 1.98 billion . As of June 2015 , it is the world 's most valuable football brand , estimated to be worth $ 1.2 billion . After being floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1991 , the club was purchased by Malcolm Glazer in May 2005 in a deal valuing the club at almost # 800 million , after which the company was taken private again , before going public once more in August 2012 , when they made an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange . Manchester United is one of the most widely supported football clubs in the world , and holds several rivalries with other clubs , most notably with Liverpool , Manchester City and Leeds United , and more recently with Arsenal .


David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham , ( -LSB- ˈbɛkəm -RSB- born 2 May 1975 ) is an English former professional footballer . He played for Manchester United , Preston North End , Real Madrid , Milan , LA Galaxy , Paris Saint-Germain , and the England national team for which he held the appearance record for an outfield player until 2016 when Wayne Rooney surpassed his total . He is the first English player to win league titles in four countries : England , Spain , the United States and France . He announced his retirement in May 2013 after a 20-year career , during which he won 19 major trophies .   Known for his range of passing , crossing ability and bending free-kicks as a right winger , Beckham was runner up in the Ballon d'Or , twice runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004 he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world 's greatest living players . He was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008 . A global ambassador for the sport , Beckham is regarded as a British cultural icon .   Beckham 's professional club career began with Manchester United , where he made his first-team debut in 1992 aged 17 . With United , he won the Premier League title six times , the FA Cup twice , and the UEFA Champions League in 1999 . He then played four seasons with Real Madrid , winning the La Liga championship in his final season with the club . In July 2007 Beckham signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy . While a Galaxy player , he spent two loan spells in Italy with Milan in 2009 and 2010 . He was the first British footballer to play 100 UEFA Champions League games .   In international football , Beckham made his England debut on 1 September 1996 at the age of 21 . He was captain for six years , earning 58 caps during his tenure . He made 115 career appearances in total , appearing at three FIFA World Cup tournaments , in 1998 , 2002 and 2006 , and two UEFA European Championship tournaments , in 2000 and 2004 .   Beckham has consistently ranked among the highest earners in football , and in 2013 he was listed as the highest-paid player in the world , earning over $ 50 million in the previous 12 months . He has been married to Victoria Beckham since 1999 and they have four children . He has been a UNICEF UK ambassador since 2005 , and in 2015 he launched 7 : The David Beckham UNICEF Fund . In 2014 , MLS announced Beckham and a group of investors would own an expansion team in Miami , which would begin in 2016 or 2017 .


England national football team The England national football team represents England in international football and is controlled by The Football Association , the governing body for football in England .   England are one of the two oldest national teams in football ; alongside Scotland , whom they played in the world 's first international football match in 1872 . England 's home ground is Wembley Stadium , London , and the current manager is Gareth Southgate . Although part of the United Kingdom , England has always had a representative side that plays in major professional tournaments , though not in the Olympic Games , as the IOC has always recognised United Kingdom representative sides .   England contest the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship , which alternate biennially . In contesting for the World Cup seventeen times over the past sixty four years , England won the 1966 World Cup , when they hosted the finals , and achieved a semi final appearance in 1990 . England have never won the UEFA European Football Championship -- after fifteen attempts over fifty-six years -- their best performances were semi final appearances at the 1968 and 1996 Championships , the latter of which they hosted .


Paris Saint-Germain F.C. Paris Saint-Germain Football Club , commonly known as Paris Saint-Germain ( -LSB- paʁi sɛ̃ ʒɛʁmɛ̃ -RSB- ) and familiarly as PSG or Paris SG , is a French sports club founded in 1970 , and based in the city of Paris in France . The club is most notable for its professional football team , which plays in the highest tier of French football , the Ligue 1 .   The Parc des Princes has been the home ground of Paris Saint-Germain since 1974 . PSG is France 's most successful football club in terms of trophies won , with 33 . Domestically , the Parisians have won six Ligue 1 titles , a record eleven French Cups , a record seven French League Cups , six French Super Cups and one Ligue 2 title . In international club football , they have won one UEFA Cup Winners ' Cup and one UEFA Intertoto Cup .   Paris SG is also the only club to have never been relegated from Ligue 1 , one of only two French clubs to have won a major European title , and the most popular football club in France . Moreover , the Red-and-Blues have a long-standing rivalry with Olympique de Marseille . The duo contest French football 's most notorious match , known as Le Classique .   Oryx Qatar Sports Investments ( QSi ) has been the club 's owner since 2011 . The takeover made Paris Saint-Germain not only the richest club in France but one of the wealthiest in the world . The club has other departments for youth football , women 's football , handball , and eSports .


LA Galaxy The LA Galaxy , also known as the Los Angeles Galaxy , is an American professional soccer franchise based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson , California , that competes in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) , as a member of the Western Conference of the league . The club began play in 1996 as a charter team in the league .   The Galaxy was founded in 1994 and is owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group . In their early years , the club played their home games at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena , California . Since 2003 , they have played at the StubHub Center in Carson , California . The team holds a fierce rivalry with the San Jose Earthquakes in the California Clásico , and used to play the SuperClasico against city rivals Chivas USA before they folded in 2014 .   In Major League Soccer , the franchise is one of the league 's most-decorated clubs , having won the MLS Cup on five occasions -- more than any other club -- the Supporters ' Shield four times , the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup twice , and the old CONCACAF Champions ' Cup in 2000 , being one of just two American clubs , along with D.C. United , to win the regional tournament .   In 2007 , the club made international headlines with the signing of English player David Beckham from Real Madrid , the most high-profile transaction in Major League Soccer to that point . The club has fielded other international players including Robbie Keane , Luis Hernández , Giovani dos Santos , Jorge Campos , Steven Gerrard , Ashley Cole and American Landon Donovan who is the all-time leading scorer for both the club and the league .


A.C. Milan Associazione Calcio Milan ( -LSB- assotʃatˈtsjone ˈkaltʃo ˈmiːlan -RSB- ) , commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional football club in Milan , Italy , founded in 1899 . The club has spent its entire history , with the exception of the 1980 -- 81 and 1982 -- 83 seasons , in the top flight of Italian football , known as Serie A since 1929 -- 30 .   With 18 officially recognised UEFA and FIFA titles , they are the fourth most successful club in the world and the most successful Italian club at international level . Milan has won a joint record three Intercontinental Cups and one FIFA Club World Cup , seven European Cup/Champions League titles ( Italian record ) , the UEFA Super Cup a joint record five times and the Cup Winners ' Cup twice . With 18 league titles , Milan is the joint-second most successful club in Serie A , along with local rivals Internazionale . They have also won the Coppa Italia five times , and the Supercoppa Italiana seven .   Milan 's home games are played at San Siro , also known as the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza . The stadium , which is shared with city rivals Internazionale , is the largest in Italian football , with a total capacity of 80,018 . Inter are considered their biggest rivals , and matches between the two teams are called Derby della Madonnina , which is one of the most followed derbies in football .   The former owner of the club was former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi , which owned the club for 31 years . The club is one of the wealthiest in Italian and world football . It was a founding member of the now-defunct G-14 group of Europe 's leading football clubs as well as its replacement , the European Club Association .


Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club ( often shortened to PNE ) is a professional association football club located in the Deepdale area of Preston , Lancashire . They play in the Championship , the second tier of the English football league system .   The club was a founding member of the Football League and completed the inaugural season unbeaten to become the first league champions , in the same season winning the FA Cup without conceding a goal to become the first club to achieve the English football `` Double '' . Preston 's unbeaten League and Cup season earned them the nickname `` The Invincibles '' .   Preston 's most recent major trophy success was their FA Cup victory over Huddersfield Town in 1938 . Many notable players have played for the club , including Tom Finney , Bill Shankly , Tommy Docherty , Alan Kelly , Sr. and Graham Alexander .   Based on results achieved in the Football League from 1888 -- 89 to 2015 -- 16 , Preston were ranked as the fourth most-successful English football club of all time domestically , while only Notts County had played more Football League games than Preston .


Idris Elba failed to ever be cast in a movie.

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


Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best in the Beatles after 1962.

Ringo Starr Richard Starkey , ( born 7 July 1940 ) , known professionally as Ringo Starr , is an English drummer , singer , songwriter and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for the Beatles . He occasionally sang lead vocals , usually for one song on an album , including `` With a Little Help from My Friends '' , `` Yellow Submarine '' and their cover of `` Act Naturally '' . He also wrote the Beatles ' songs `` Do n't Pass Me By '' and `` Octopus 's Garden '' , and is credited as a co-writer of others , including `` What Goes On '' and `` Flying '' .   Starr was twice afflicted by life-threatening illnesses during childhood , and as a result of prolonged hospitalisations fell behind in school . In 1955 , he entered the workforce and briefly held a position with British Rail before securing an apprenticeship at a Liverpool equipment manufacturer . Soon afterwards , he became interested in the UK skiffle craze , developing a fervent admiration for the genre . In 1957 , he cofounded his first band , the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group , which earned several prestigious local bookings before the fad succumbed to American rock and roll by early 1958 .   When the Beatles formed in 1960 , Starr was a member of another Liverpool group , Rory Storm and the Hurricanes . After achieving moderate success with that band in the UK and Hamburg , he quit the Hurricanes and joined the Beatles in August 1962 , replacing Pete Best . Starr played key roles in the Beatles ' films and appeared in numerous others . After the band 's break-up in 1970 , he released several successful singles including the US number four hit `` It Do n't Come Easy '' , and number ones `` Photograph '' and `` You 're Sixteen '' . In 1972 , he released his most successful UK single , `` Back Off Boogaloo '' , which peaked at number two . He achieved commercial and critical success with his 1973 album Ringo , which was a top ten release in both the UK and the US . He has been featured in a number of documentaries and hosted television shows . He also narrated the first two series of the children 's television programme Thomas & Friends and portrayed `` Mr Conductor '' during the first season of the PBS children 's television series Shining Time Station . Since 1989 , he has toured with twelve variations of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band .   Starr 's creative contribution to music has received praise from other drummers such as Phil Collins , who described him as `` a great musician '' , and Steve Smith , who commented : `` Before Ringo , drum stars were measured by their soloing ability and virtuosity . Ringo 's popularity brought forth a new paradigm ... we started to see the drummer as an equal participant in the compositional aspect ... His parts are so signature to the songs that you can listen to a Ringo drum part without the rest of the music and still identify the song . '' He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1998 . In 2011 , Rolling Stone readers named Starr the fifth-greatest drummer of all time . Starr , who was previously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a Beatle in 1988 , was inducted for his solo career in 2015 , making him one of 21 performers inducted more than once .


Maisie Williams was born on March 15th, 1997.

Maisie Williams Margaret Constance `` Maisie '' Williams ( born 15 April 1997 ) is an English actress . She made her professional acting debut as Arya Stark in the HBO fantasy television series Game of Thrones in 2011 , for which she won the EWwy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama , the Portal Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Television and Best Young Actor , and the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor . In 2016 , she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series .   Williams has also had a recurring role in Doctor Who as Ashildr in 2015 . In addition to television , she made her feature film debut in the mystery The Falling ( 2014 ) , for which she won the London Film Critics ' Circle Award for Young Performer of the Year .


International Relations includes many subject matters.

International relations International relations ( IR ) or international affairs , depending on academic institution , is either a field of political science , an interdisciplinary academic field similar to global studies , or an entirely independent academic discipline in which students take a variety of internationally focused courses in social science and humanities disciplines . In both cases , the field studies relationships between political entities ( polities ) such as states , sovereign states , empires , inter-governmental organizations ( IGOs ) , international non-governmental organizations ( INs ) , non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) , and multinational corporations ( MNCs ) , and the wider world-systems produced by this interaction . International relations is an academic and a public policy field , and so can be positive and normative , because it analyzes and formulates the foreign policy of a given State .   As political activity , international relations dates from the time of the Greek historian Thucydides ( c. 460 -- 395 BC ) , and , in the early 20th century , became a discrete academic field ( No. 5901 in the 4-digit UNESCO Nomenclature ) within political science . In practice International Relations and International Affairs forms a separate academic program or field from Political Science , and the courses taught therein are highly interdisciplinary .   For example , international relations draws from the fields of : technology and engineering , economics , communication studies , history , international law , demography , philosophy , geography , social work , sociology , anthropology , criminology , psychology , gender studies , cultural studies , culturology , and diplomacy . The scope of international relations comprehends globalization , diplomatic relations , state sovereignty , international security , ecological sustainability , nuclear proliferation , nationalism , economic development , global finance , as well as terrorism and organized crime , human security , foreign interventionism , and human rights , as well , as , more recently , comparative religion .


Houston has a population from various backgrounds.

Houston Houston ( -LSB- ˈhjuːstən -RSB- ) is the most populous city in the state of Texas and the fourth-most populous city in the United States . With a census-estimated 2014 population of 2.239 million within an area of 667 sqmi , it is also the largest city in the southern United States and the seat of Harris County . Located in Southeast Texas near the Gulf of Mexico , it is the principal city of the Greater Houston metro area , which is the fifth-most populated MSA in the United States .   Houston was founded on August 28 , 1836 , near the banks of Buffalo Bayou ( now known as Allen 's Landing ) and incorporated as a city on June 5 , 1837 . The city was named after former General Sam Houston , who was president of the Republic of Texas and had commanded and won at the Battle of San Jacinto 25 mi east of where the city was established . The burgeoning port and railroad industry , combined with oil discovery in 1901 , has induced continual surges in the city 's population . In the mid-20th century , Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center -- the world 's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions -- and NASA 's Johnson Space Center , where the Mission Control Center is located .   Houston 's economy has a broad industrial base in energy , manufacturing , aeronautics , and transportation . Leading in health care sectors and building oilfield equipment , outside of New York City , Houston has more Fortune 500 headquarters than any other U.S. municipality within its city limits . The Port of Houston ranks first in the United States in international waterborne tonnage handled and second in total cargo tonnage handled . Nicknamed the `` Space City '' , Houston is a global city , with strengths in business , international trade , entertainment , culture , media , fashion , science , sports , technology , education , medicine , and research . The city has a population from various ethnic and religious backgrounds and a large and growing international community . Houston is the most diverse city in Texas and has been described as the most racially and ethnically diverse major metropolis in the U.S. . It is home to many cultural institutions and exhibits , which attract more than 7 million visitors a year to the Museum District . Houston has an active visual and performing arts scene in the Theater District and offers year-round resident companies in all major performing arts .


Android (operating system) Android is a mobile operating system developed by Google , based on the Linux kernel and designed primarily for touchscreen mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets . Android 's user interface is mainly based on direct manipulation , using touch gestures that loosely correspond to real-world actions , such as swiping , tapping and pinching , to manipulate on-screen objects , along with a virtual keyboard for text input . In addition to touchscreen devices , Google has further developed Android TV for televisions , Android Auto for cars , and Android Wear for wrist watches , each with a specialized user interface . Variants of Android are also used on notebooks , game consoles , digital cameras , and other electronics .   Initially developed by Android Inc. , which Google bought in 2005 , Android was unveiled in 2007 , along with the founding of the Open Handset Alliancea consortium of hardware , software , and telecommunication companies devoted to advancing open standards for mobile devices . Beginning with the first commercial Android device in September 2008 , the operating system has gone through multiple major releases , with the current version being 7.0 `` Nougat '' , released in August 2016 . Android applications ( `` apps '' ) can be downloaded from the Google Play store , which features over 2.7 million apps as of February 2017 . Android has been the best-selling OS on tablets since 2013 , and runs on the vast majority of smartphones . , Android has two billion monthly active users , and it has the largest installed base of any operating system .   Android 's source code is released by Google under an open source license , although most Android devices ultimately ship with a combination of free and open source and proprietary software , including proprietary software required for accessing Google services . Android is popular with technology companies that require a ready-made , low-cost and customizable operating system for high-tech devices . Its open nature has encouraged a large community of developers and enthusiasts to use the open-source code as a foundation for community-driven projects , which deliver updates to older devices , add new features for advanced users or bring Android to devices originally shipped with other operating systems . The extensive variation of hardware in Android devices causes significant delays for software upgrades , with new versions of the operating system and security patches typically taking months before reaching consumers , or sometimes not at all . The success of Android has made it a target for patent and copyright litigation as part of the so-called `` smartphone wars '' between technology companies .


The Legend of Tarzan (film) is based on a fictional person created by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Tarzan Tarzan ( John Clayton , Viscount Greystoke ) is a fictional character , an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes ; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer . Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs , Tarzan first appeared in the novel Tarzan of the Apes ( magazine publication 1912 , book publication 1914 ) , and subsequently in 25 sequels , several authorized books by other authors , and innumerable works in other media , both authorized and unauthorized .


The Legend of Tarzan (film) The Legend of Tarzan is a 2016 American action adventure film based on the fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs . Directed by David Yates , and written by Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer , the film stars Alexander Skarsgård as the title character , with Samuel L. Jackson , Margot Robbie , Djimon Hounsou , Jim Broadbent and Christoph Waltz in supporting roles . Principal photography began on June 21 , 2014 , at Warner Bros. . Leavesden Studios in the United Kingdom , and wrapped four months later on October 3 .   The film premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on June 29 , 2016 and was theatrically released in the United States on July 1 , 2016 , in 2D , 3D , IMAX and IMAX 3D . The film grossed over $ 356 million against a budget of $ 180 million and received mixed reviews from critics .


Poverty was a struggle for Florence Ballard.

Florence Ballard Florence Glenda Chapman ( née Ballard ; June 30 , 1943 -- February 22 , 1976 ) was an American vocalist . She was one of the founding members of the popular Motown vocal female group the Supremes . Ballard sang on 16 top forty singles with the group , including ten number-one hits .   After being removed from the Supremes in 1967 , Ballard tried an unsuccessful solo career with ABC Records before she was dropped from the label at the end of the decade . Ballard struggled with alcoholism , depression , and poverty for three years . She was making an attempt for a musical comeback when she died of a heart attack in February 1976 at the age of 32 . Ballard 's death was considered by one critic as `` one of rock 's greatest tragedies '' . Ballard was posthumously inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes in 1988 .


2007 was the year when The Reader (2008 film) production began in Germany.

The Reader (2008 film) The Reader is a 2008 German-American romantic drama film directed by Stephen Daldry and written by David Hare , based on the 1995 German novel of the same name by Bernhard Schlink . Ralph Fiennes and Kate Winslet star along with the young actor David Kross . It was the last film for producers Anthony Minghella and Sydney Pollack , both of whom had died prior to release . Production began in Germany in September 2007 , and the film opened in limited release on December 10 , 2008 .   It tells the story of Michael Berg , a German lawyer who , as a mid-teenager in 1958 , has an affair with an older woman , Hanna Schmitz , who then disappears only to resurface years later as one of the defendants in a war crimes trial stemming from her actions as a guard at a Nazi concentration camp . Michael realizes that Hanna is keeping a personal secret she believes is worse than her Nazi past -- a secret which , if revealed , could help her at the trial .   Winslet and Kross , who plays the young Michael , received acclaim for their performances ; Winslet won a number of awards for her role , including the Academy Award for Best Actress . The film itself was nominated for several other major awards , including the Academy Award for Best Picture .


Orson Welles worked in theatre, radio, and film.

Orson Welles George Orson Welles ( -LSB- ˈwɛlz -RSB- May 6 , 1915 -- October 10 , 1985 ) was an American actor , director , writer , and producer who worked in theatre , radio , and film . He is remembered for his innovative work in all three : in theatre , most notably Caesar ( 1937 ) , a Broadway adaptation of William Shakespeare 's Julius Caesar ; in radio , the legendary 1938 broadcast `` The War of the Worlds '' ; and in film , Citizen Kane ( 1941 ) , consistently ranked as one of the all-time greatest films .   In his 20s , Welles directed a number of high-profile stage productions for the Federal Theatre Project , including an adaptation of Macbeth with an entirely African American cast , and the political musical The Cradle Will Rock . In 1937 he and John Houseman founded the Mercury Theatre , an independent repertory theatre company that presented a series of productions on Broadway through 1941 . Welles found national and international fame as the director and narrator of a 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells ' novel The War of the Worlds performed for his radio anthology series The Mercury Theatre on the Air . It reportedly caused widespread panic when listeners thought that an invasion by extraterrestrial beings was actually occurring . Although some contemporary sources claim these reports of panic were mostly false and overstated , they rocketed Welles to notoriety .   His first film was Citizen Kane ( 1941 ) , which he co-wrote , produced , directed , and starred in as Charles Foster Kane . Welles was an outsider to the studio system and directed only 13 full-length films in his career . He struggled for creative control on his projects early on with the major film studios and later in life with a variety of independent financiers , and his films were either heavily edited or remained unreleased . His distinctive directorial style featured layered and nonlinear narrative forms , uses of lighting such as chiaroscuro , unusual camera angles , sound techniques borrowed from radio , deep focus shots , and long takes . He has been praised as `` the ultimate auteur '' .   Welles followed up Citizen Kane with 12 other feature films , the most acclaimed of which include The Magnificent Ambersons ( 1942 ) , Touch of Evil ( 1958 ) , and Chimes at Midnight ( 1966 ) . Other works of his , such as The Lady from Shanghai ( 1947 ) and F for Fake ( 1973 ) , are also well-regarded .   In 2002 , Welles was voted the greatest film director of all time in two British Film Institute polls among directors and critics . Known for his baritone voice , Welles was an actor in radio and film , a Shakespearean stage actor , and a magician noted for presenting troop variety shows in the war years .


The Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne , California , in 1961 . The group 's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian , Dennis , and Carl Wilson ; their cousin Mike Love ; and their friend Al Jardine . Distinguished by their vocal harmonies and early surf songs , they are one of the most influential acts of the rock era . The group , led by their principal songwriter and producer Brian , pioneered novel approaches to popular music form and production , combining their affinities for jazz-based vocal groups , 1950s rock and roll , and black R&B to create their unique sound . He later arranged his compositions for studio orchestras and explored a variety of other styles , often incorporating classical or jazz elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways .   The Beach Boys began as a garage band managed by the Wilsons ' father Murry , with Brian 's increasingly sophisticated songwriting and recording abilities dominating their creative direction . Emerging at the vanguard of the `` California Sound '' , they performed original material that reflected a southern California youth culture of surfing , cars , and romance . After 1964 , they abandoned the surfing aesthetic for more personal lyrics and multi-layered sounds . In 1966 , the Pet Sounds album and `` Good Vibrations '' single vaulted the group to the top level of rock innovators and established the band as symbols of the nascent counterculture era . Following the dissolution of the group 's Smile project in 1967 , Brian gradually ceded production and songwriting duties to the rest of the band , reducing his input because of mental health and substance abuse issues . The group 's public image subsequently faltered , and despite efforts to continue their psychedelic/avant-garde ventures and reclaim their hippie audiences , they were dismissed as an embodiment of the values and outlooks shared by early 1960s white , suburban teenagers .   The continued success of their greatest hits albums during the mid 1970s precipitated the band 's transition into an oldies act , a move that was denigrated by critics and many fans . Since the 1980s , much-publicized legal wrangling over royalties , songwriting credits and use of the band 's name transpired . Dennis drowned in 1983 and Carl died of lung cancer in 1998 . After Carl 's death , many live configurations of the band fronted by Mike Love and Bruce Johnston continued to tour into the 2000s while other members pursued solo projects . Even though Wilson and Jardine have not performed with Love and Johnston 's band since their one-off 2012 reunion tour , they remain a part of the Beach Boys ' corporation , Brother Records Inc. .   The Beach Boys are one of the most critically acclaimed , commercially successful , and widely influential bands of all time . The group had over eighty songs chart worldwide , thirty-six of them US Top 40 hits ( the most by an American rock band ) , four reaching number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart . The Beach Boys have sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide , making them one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time and are listed at No. 12 on Rolling Stone magazine 's 2004 list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . The core quintet of the three Wilsons , Love and Jardine were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 .


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 .


Velvet Revolver Velvet Revolver was an American hard rock supergroup consisting of former Guns N ' Roses members Slash ( lead guitar ) , Duff McKagan ( bass , backing vocals ) , and Matt Sorum ( drums , backing vocals ) , alongside Dave Kushner ( rhythm guitar ) formerly of punk band Wasted Youth . Original vocalist Scott Weiland formerly of Stone Temple Pilots left the band in 2008 . In 2004 , the band achieved commercial success with their debut album , Contraband . Despite positive reviews , some critics initially described Velvet Revolver as a mere combination of Stone Temple Pilots and Guns N ' Roses , criticizing them for a `` disconnection '' between Scott Weiland and the rest of the band . With their single `` Slither '' , they won the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance .   The band released Libertad in 2007 , driven by the release of the single `` She Builds Quick Machines '' , and embarked on a tour with Alice in Chains . In April 2008 , Weiland left Velvet Revolver and reunited with Stone Temple Pilots . Velvet Revolver was put on indefinite hiatus in April 2008 . Then , in November of the same year , the band was released by their record label RCA Records , at their request , to allow them `` complete freedom to go through whatever process it would take to accomplish '' replacing Weiland .   The release of Slash 's self-titled debut solo album and Duff McKagan 's addition to the Jane 's Addiction lineup seemed to put the future of the band in doubt . However , McKagan left Jane 's Addiction a few months after joining . Velvet Revolver then wrote new songs and briefly auditioned singers before once again resuming their hiatus , although reunited with Scott Weiland for a one-off reunion show on January 12 , 2012 at a benefit concert , which proved to be their last performance together before Weiland 's death in 2015 . Slash and McKagan have since rejoined Guns N ' Roses .


Slash (musician) Saul Hudson ( born July 23 , 1965 ) , better known by his stage name Slash , is a British-American musician and songwriter . He is best known as the lead guitarist of the American rock band Guns N ' Roses , with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s . During his later years with Guns N ' Roses , Slash formed the side project Slash 's Snakepit . After leaving Guns N ' Roses in 1996 , he co-founded the supergroup Velvet Revolver , which re-established him as a mainstream performer in the mid to late 2000s . Slash has since released three solo albums : Slash ( 2010 ) , featuring an array of famous guest musicians , and Apocalyptic Love ( 2012 ) and World on Fire ( 2014 ) , recorded with his band , Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators . He returned to Guns N ' Roses in 2016 , nearly 20 years after he had left .   Slash has received critical acclaim and is considered as one of the greatest rock guitarists . Time Magazine named him runner-up on their list of `` The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players '' in 2009 , while Rolling Stone Magazine placed him at No. 65 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time '' in 2011 . Guitar World ranked his guitar solo in `` November Rain '' No. 6 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos '' in 2008 , and Total Guitar placed his riff in `` Sweet Child o ' Mine '' at No. 1 on their list of `` The 100 Greatest Riffs '' in 2004 . During 2010 Gibson Guitar Corporation ranked Slash as No. 34 on their `` Top 50 Guitarists of All Time '' , while their readers landed him No. 9 on Gibson 's `` Top 25 Guitarists of All Time '' . In 2012 , he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Guns N ' Roses ' classic line-up .


Suits (TV series) has actress Gina Torres in a prominent role.

Suits (TV series) Suits is an American legal drama television series created and written by Aaron Korsh . The series premiered on June 23 , 2011 , on the cable network USA , and is produced by Universal Cable . Suits is set at a fictional law firm in New York City . The focal point of the show follows talented college dropout Mike Ross ( Patrick J. Adams ) , who initially works as a law associate for Harvey Specter ( Gabriel Macht ) , despite never actually attending law school . The show focuses on Harvey and Mike managing to close cases while maintaining Mike 's secret .   Suits has been nominated for several awards since 2012 , with Gina Torres and Patrick J. Adams receiving individual praise for their roles as Jessica Pearson and Mike Ross respectively . On top of two nominations recognizing her role as a supporting actress , Torres was awarded Outstanding Performance in a Television Series at the 2013 NHMC Impact Awards . Adams was nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series at the 2012 Screen Actors Guild Awards , and the show itself has been nominated for two People 's Choice Awards .   In August 2016 , the series was renewed for a 16-episode seventh season , which is set to premiere on July 12 , 2017 .


The Avengers (2012 film) was written by Joss Whedon.

The Avengers (2012 film) Marvel 's The Avengers ( classified under the name Marvel Avengers Assemble in the United Kingdom and Ireland ) , or simply The Avengers , is a 2012 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures . It is the sixth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was written and directed by Joss Whedon and features an ensemble cast that includes Robert Downey Jr. , Chris Evans , Mark Ruffalo , Chris Hemsworth , Scarlett Johansson , Jeremy Renner , Tom Hiddleston , Clark Gregg , Cobie Smulders , Stellan Skarsgård , and Samuel L. Jackson . In the film , Nick Fury , director of the peacekeeping organization S.H.I.E.L.D. , recruits Iron Man , Captain America , the Hulk , and Thor to form a team that must stop Thor 's brother Loki from subjugating Earth .   The film 's development began when Marvel Studios received a loan from Merrill Lynch in April 2005 . After the success of the film Iron Man in May 2008 , Marvel announced that The Avengers would be released in July 2011 . With the signing of Johansson in March 2009 , the film was pushed back for a 2012 release . Whedon was brought on board in April 2010 and rewrote the original screenplay by Zak Penn. . Production began in April 2011 in Albuquerque , New Mexico , before moving to Cleveland , Ohio , in August and New York City in September . The film was converted to 3D in post-production .   The Avengers premiered on April 11 , 2012 , at Hollywood 's El Capitan Theatre and was released theatrically in the United States on May 4 , 2012 . The film received positive reviews from critics , as well as numerous awards and nominations including Academy Award and BAFTA nominations for achievements in visual effects . It has set or tied numerous box office records , including the biggest opening weekend in North America . The Avengers grossed over $ 1.5 billion worldwide , and became the third-highest-grossing film during its theatrical run -- as well as the first Marvel production to generate $ 1 billion in ticket sales . The film was released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on September 25 , 2012 . A sequel , titled Avengers : Age of Ultron , was released on May 1 , 2015 , while two additional sequels , Avengers : Infinity War and an untitled sequel , are currently in development , with Infinity War scheduled for a May 4 , 2018 release date , and its sequel scheduled to be released on May 3 , 2019 .


What a Girl Wants earned a gold certification in Australia and Belgium.

What a Girl Wants (Christina Aguilera song) `` What a Girl Wants '' is a song by American singer Christina Aguilera , taken from her self-titled debut album ( 1999 ) . A re-recorded version was released on November 28 , 1999 by RCA Records as the second single from the album , following the commercial success of the lead single `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The song was written by Shelly Peiken and Guy Roche . The song was completed and pitched to RCA executive Ron Fair as `` What a Girl Needs '' and was renamed `` What a Girl Wants '' ; Fair later gave the track to Aguilera . A Spanish version of the song , titled `` Una Mujer , '' was included on Aguilera 's second studio album Mi Reflejo ( 2000 ) .   The song was described as a pop and R&B track and had similarities to `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The song received positive reviews from music critics , who described it as a `` light '' song and compared Aguilera 's vocals on the track to those of Mariah Carey . Commercially , the song became her second consecutive US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single , and topped the charts in Canada , New Zealand , and Spain . The single eventually earned gold certifications in countries including Australia , Belgium , Sweden and the US .   A music video was released directed by Diane Martel who had also directed her previous video for `` Genie in a Bottle '' . The video presented Aguilera dancing in a room with female friends whilst being viewed by their boyfriends and saw a scene of her dressed as a medieval-style princess . In December 1999 , the video reached pole position on the US music video chart TRL . Aguilera has performed the song at events such as the US Jingle Ball and the MTV New Year 's Eve Special in 1999 , as well as her tours including the 2000 -- 01 Christina Aguilera : In Concert , the 2003 Stripped Live ... on Tour , and her 2006 -- 07 Back to Basics Tour .


Armadillo World Headquarters was a book.

Armadillo World Headquarters Armadillo World Headquarters ( sometimes called simply The ` Dillo ) was a music venue and nightclub located in Austin , Texas from 1970 to 1980 .


Olivia Munn Lisa Olivia Munn ( born July 3 , 1980 ) is an American actress and model . She was credited as Lisa Munn in her early career , but since 2006 , she has used the name Olivia Munn .   Munn began her professional career in television journalism before becoming an actress . In 2006 , Munn starred as Mily Acuna on the series Beyond the Break . She co-hosted Attack of the Show ! from 2006 to 2010 and was a correspondent on The Daily Show from 2010 to 2011 . Munn has also had supporting roles in various films and television series since 2004 . She played the character Sloan Sabbith on the television series The Newsroom from 2012 to 2014 and appeared in the film X-Men : Apocalypse ( 2016 ) as Psylocke .


Dirt is a TV series created by Matthew Carnahan.

Dirt (TV series) Dirt ( styled d!rt for logos ) is an American television serial broadcast on the FX network . It premiered on January 2 , 2007 and starred Courteney Cox as Lucy Spiller , the editor-in-chief of the first-of-its-kind `` glossy tabloid '' magazine DirtNow , which was previously two separate publications : dirt ( a tabloid ) and Now ( a glossy magazine with a more respectable reputation ) .   A 13-episode second and final season was announced on May 8 , 2007 . Only seven episodes were produced prior to the 2007 WGA strike shut down production . The shortened second season began airing on March 2 , 2008 .   The show was created by Matthew Carnahan and produced by Coquette Productions and ABC Studios .   On June 8 , 2008 , FX canceled the series after two seasons .


Charles Dickens was not a social critic.

Charles Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens ( -LSB- ˈdɪkᵻnz -RSB- 7 February 1812 -- 9 June 1870 ) was an English writer and social critic . He created some of the world 's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era . His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime , and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius . His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity .   Born in Portsmouth , Dickens left school to work in a factory when his father was incarcerated in a debtors ' prison . Despite his lack of formal education , he edited a weekly journal for 20 years , wrote 15 novels , five novellas , hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles , lectured and performed extensively , was an indefatigable letter writer , and campaigned vigorously for children 's rights , education , and other social reforms .   Dickens 's literary success began with the 1836 serial publication of The Pickwick Papers . Within a few years he had become an international literary celebrity , famous for his humour , satire , and keen observation of character and society . His novels , most published in monthly or weekly instalments , pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction , which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication . The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience 's reaction , and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback . For example , when his wife 's chiropodist expressed distress at the way Miss Mowcher in David Copperfield seemed to reflect her disabilities , Dickens improved the character with positive features . His plots were carefully constructed , and he often wove elements from topical events into his narratives . Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in ha ` pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them , opening up and inspiring a new class of readers .   Dickens was regarded as the literary colossus of his age . His 1843 novella , A Christmas Carol , remains popular and continues to inspire adaptations in every artistic genre . Oliver Twist and Great Expectations are also frequently adapted , and , like many of his novels , evoke images of early Victorian London . His 1859 novel , A Tale of Two Cities , set in London and Paris , is his best-known work of historical fiction . Dickens has been praised by fellow writers -- from Leo Tolstoy to George Orwell and G. K. Chesterton -- for his realism , comedy , prose style , unique characterisations , and social criticism . On the other hand , Oscar Wilde , Henry James , and Virginia Woolf complained of a lack of psychological depth , loose writing , and a vein of saccharine sentimentalism . The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings , such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters .


The Prince of Egypt is incapable of being an animated film.

The Prince of Egypt The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated epic musical drama film and the first traditional animated film produced and released by DreamWorks . The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt . Directed by Brenda Chapman , Steve Hickner , and Simon Wells , the film features songs written by Stephen Schwartz and a score composed by Hans Zimmer . The voice cast consists of Val Kilmer in a dual role , Ralph Fiennes , Michelle Pfeiffer , Sandra Bullock , Jeff Goldblum , Danny Glover , Patrick Stewart , Helen Mirren , Steve Martin , and Martin Short .   Jeffrey Katzenberg had frequently suggested an animated adaptation of the 1956 film The Ten Commandments while working for The Walt Disney Company , and he decided to put the idea into production after founding DreamWorks in 1995 . To make this inaugural project , DreamWorks employed artists who had worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation and the recently disbanded Amblimation , totaling a crew of 350 people from 34 different nations . The film has a blend of traditional animation and computer-generated imagery , created using software from Toon Boom Animation and Silicon Graphics .   Theatrically released on December 18 , 1998 , and on home video on September 14 , 1999 , reviews were generally positive , with critics praising the animation , music , and voice work . The film went on to gross over $ 218 million worldwide in theaters , which made it the most successful non-Disney animated feature at the time . The film 's success led to the direct-to-video prequel Joseph : King of Dreams ( 2000 ) and the development of a stage adaptation . The song `` When You Believe '' became a commercially successful single in a pop version performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey , and went on to win Best Original Song at the 1999 Academy Awards .


Iron Man (2008 film) Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name , produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures . It is the first film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe . The film was directed by Jon Favreau , with a screenplay by Mark Fergus & Hawk Ostby and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway . It stars Robert Downey Jr. , Terrence Howard , Jeff Bridges , Shaun Toub and Gwyneth Paltrow . In Iron Man , Tony Stark , an industrialist and master engineer , builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero Iron Man .   The film had been in development since 1990 at Universal Pictures , 20th Century Fox , or New Line Cinema at various times , before Marvel Studios reacquired the rights in 2006 . Marvel put the project in production as its first self-financed film , with Paramount Pictures as its distributor . Favreau signed on as director , aiming for a naturalistic feel , and he chose to shoot the film primarily in California , rejecting the East Coast setting of the comics to differentiate the film from numerous superhero films set in New York City-esque environments . Filming began in March 2007 and concluded in June . During filming , the actors were free to create their own dialogue because pre-production was focused on the story and action . Rubber and metal versions of the armors , created by Stan Winston 's company , were mixed with computer-generated imagery to create the title character .   Iron Man premiered in Sydney on April 14 , 2008 , and was released in theaters on May 2 , 2008 . The film was a critical and commercial success , grossing over $ 585 million and garnering widespread critical acclaim . Downey 's performance as Tony Stark was particularly praised . The American Film Institute selected the film as one of the ten best of the year . It was also nominated for two Academy Awards for the Best Sound Editing and the Best Visual Effects . Two sequels , Iron Man 2 and Iron Man 3 , were released on May 7 , 2010 , and May 3 , 2013 , respectively .


James L. Brooks James Lawrence `` Jim '' Brooks ( born May 9 , 1940 ) is an Academy Award - , Emmy - and Peabody Award-winning American television and movie director , producer and screenwriter . Growing up in North Bergen , New Jersey , Brooks endured a fractured family life and passed the time by reading and writing . After dropping out of New York University , he got a job as an usher at CBS , going on to write for the CBS News broadcasts . He moved to Los Angeles in 1965 to work on David L. Wolper 's documentaries . After being laid off he met producer Allan Burns who secured him a job as a writer on the series My Mother the Car .   Brooks wrote for several shows before being hired as a story editor on My Friend Tony and later created the series Room 222 . Grant Tinker hired Brooks and Burns at MTM Productions to create The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1970 . The show , one of the first to feature an independent working woman as its lead character , was critically acclaimed and won Brooks several Primetime Emmy Awards . Brooks and Burns then created two successful spin-offs from Mary Tyler Moore in the shape of Rhoda ( a comedy ) and Lou Grant ( a drama ) . Brooks left MTM Productions in 1978 to co-create the sitcom Taxi which , despite winning multiple Emmys , suffered from low ratings and was canceled twice .   Brooks moved into feature film work when he wrote and co-produced the 1979 film Starting Over . His next project was the critically acclaimed film Terms of Endearment , which he produced , directed and wrote , winning an Academy Award for all three roles . Basing his next film , Broadcast News , on his journalistic experiences , the film earned him a further two Academy Award nominations . Although his 1994 work I 'll Do Anything was hampered by negative press attention due to the cutting of all of its recorded musical numbers , As Good as It Gets ( co-written with Mark Andrus ) earned further praise . It was seven years until his next film , 2004 's Spanglish . His sixth film , How Do You Know , was released in 2010 . Brooks also produced and mentored Cameron Crowe on Say Anything ... ( 1989 ) and Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson on Bottle Rocket ( 1996 ) .   In 1984 , Brooks founded the television and film company , Gracie Films . Although he did not intend to do so , Brooks returned to television in 1987 as the producer of The Tracey Ullman Show . He hired cartoonist Matt Groening to create a series of shorts for the show , which eventually led to The Simpsons in 1989 . The Simpsons won numerous awards and is still running . Brooks also co-produced and co-wrote the 2007 film adaptation of the show , The Simpsons Movie . In total , Brooks has received 47 Emmy nominations , winning 20 of them .


Broadcast News (film) Broadcast News is a 1987 romantic comedy-drama film written , produced and directed by James L. Brooks . The film concerns a virtuoso television news producer ( Holly Hunter ) , who has daily emotional breakdowns , a brilliant yet prickly reporter ( Albert Brooks ) and his charismatic but far less seasoned rival ( William Hurt ) . It also stars Robert Prosky , Lois Chiles , Joan Cusack , and Jack Nicholson ( billed only in the end credits ) as the evening news anchor .


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


Seth Rogen Seth Aaron Rogen ( -LSB- ˈroʊɡən -RSB- born April 15 , 1982 ) is a Canadian-American actor , filmmaker , and comedian . He began his career performing stand-up comedy during his teenage years , winning the Vancouver Amateur Comedy Contest in 1998 . While still living in his native Vancouver , he landed a supporting role in the series Freaks and Geeks . Shortly after he moved to Portland , Oregon for his role , Freaks and Geeks was officially cancelled after one season due to low viewership . Rogen later got a part on sitcom Undeclared , which also hired him as a staff writer .   After landing his job as a staff writer on the final season of Da Ali G Show , for which he and the other writers received an Emmy Award nomination , he was guided by Judd Apatow toward a film career . Rogen made his first movie appearance in Donnie Darko with a minor role as a rebellious student in Donnie 's high school classes in 2001 . Rogen was cast in a major supporting role and credited as a co-producer in Apatow 's directorial debut , The 40-Year-Old Virgin . After Rogen received critical praise for his performance , Universal Pictures agreed to cast him as the lead in Apatow 's films Knocked Up and Funny People . Rogen co-starred as Steve Wozniak in Universal 's Steve Jobs biopic in 2015 . In 2016 , he developed the AMC television series Preacher with his writing partner Evan Goldberg and Sam Catlin . He also serves as a writer and executive producer , and directed the first two episodes of the series with Goldberg .   Rogen and Goldberg co-wrote the films Superbad , Pineapple Express , The Green Hornet , This Is the End , and directed both This Is the End and The Interview ; all of which Rogen starred in . He has also done voice work for the films Horton Hears a Who ! , the Kung Fu Panda film series , The Spiderwick Chronicles , Monsters vs. Aliens , Paul , and Sausage Party .


Snooki Nicole Elizabeth `` Snooki '' LaValle ( née Polizzi ; born November 23 , 1987 ) is an American reality television personality , author , dancer and professional wrestler who is best known for being a cast member of the MTV reality show Jersey Shore and starring in Snooki & Jwoww . Since the show 's debut in 2009 , Polizzi has gained popularity by appearing on talk shows including The View , The Ellen DeGeneres Show , Jimmy Kimmel Live ! , Late Show with David Letterman , and The Wendy Williams Show . She earned $ 150,000 per Jersey Shore episode for the last two seasons . She also appeared as the guest hostess for WWE Raw in 2011 and competed at WrestleMania XXVII that same year .


Gemini (astrology) Gemini ( pronunciation : -LSB- ˈdʒɛmɪnaɪ -RSB- or -LSB- ˈdʒɛmɪniː -RSB- or ) is the third astrological sign in the zodiac , originating from the constellation of Gemini . Under the tropical zodiac , the sun transits this sign between May 21 and June 21 . Gemini is represented by The Twins Castor and Pollux . The symbol of the twins is based on the Dioscuri , two mortals that were granted shared godhood after death .


Chokher Bali (film) Chokher Bali ( চোখের বালি literally translated to `` sand in the eye '' , figuratively to `` constant irritant '' ) is a Bengali drama film based on the novel Chokher Bali by Rabindranath Tagore . It was directed by Rituparno Ghosh in 2003 and stars Aishwarya Rai as Binodini and Raima Sen as Ashalata . Ashalata and Binodini refer to each other as Chokher Bali . The other major characters are played by Prosenjit Chatterjee as Mahendra , Lily Chakravarty as Rajlakshmi , the mother of Mahendra , Tota Roy Chowdhury as Behari , Rajlakshmi 's adopted son and Swastika Mukherjee in a cameo role . The film was later dubbed into Hindi and was released internationally in that language .   Upon release , Chokher Bali met with positive critical and box office reception .   Chokher Bali won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Bengali and was nominated for the Golden Leopard ( Best Film ) award at the Locarno International Film Festival in 2003 . The film screened at the 34th International Film Festival of India on 19 October . It was the Official Selection at the Chicago International Film Festival in 2003 and was showcased in over 25 international festivals including the Toronto International Film Festival , London Film Festival , Palm Springs , Karlovy Vary and Washington DC International Film Festival besides winning the Apsara Film Producers ' Award for the Best Regional Film 2004 . Aishwarya Rai had won the Best Actress award at the Anandalok Awards 2003 .


Anandalok Puraskar Anandalok Puraskar or Anandalok Awards ceremony is one of the most prominent film events given for Bengali Cinemas in India . The Anandalok , only film magazine in Bengali language , published from Ananda Publishers and Ananda Bazar Patrika presents this Award ( Puraskar ) . The magazine was started on 25 January 1975 and the awards ( Puraskar ) ceremony was started in 1998 .


Rituparno Ghosh Rituparno Ghosh ( 31 August 1963 -- 30 May 2013 ) was an Indian film director , actor , writer and lyricist in the Bengali cinema . After pursuing a degree in economics he started his career as a creative artist at an advertising agency . In 1992 , his debut film Hirer Angti released . In 1994 , his next film Unishe April released which won National Film Award for Best Feature Film .   Ghosh was a self-professed Satyajit Ray fan and inspired other filmmakers like Mithaq Kazimi who adapted Ghosh 's film Raincoat in English . In his career spanning almost two decades , he won 12 National and many International awards . Ghosh died on 30 May 2013 in Kolkata after a heart attack .   His unreleased Bengali movie named Taak Jhaank was honoured and released at the 19th Kolkata International Film Festival .


Lily Chakravarty Lily Chakravarty is an Indian film actress . She works in Bengali and Hindi films . She was born in Dhaka on 8 August 1941 .


Michael Keaton Michael John Douglas ( born September 5 , 1951 ) , known professionally as Michael Keaton , is an American actor , producer and director . He first rose to fame for his comedic film roles in Night Shift ( 1982 ) , Mr. Mom ( 1983 ) , Johnny Dangerously ( 1984 ) and Beetlejuice ( 1988 ) , and he earned further acclaim for his dramatic portrayal of the title character in Tim Burton 's Batman ( 1989 ) and Batman Returns ( 1992 ) .   Since then , he has appeared in a variety of films ranging from dramas and romantic comedies to thriller and action films ; such as Clean and Sober ( 1988 ) , The Dream Team ( 1989 ) , Pacific Heights ( 1990 ) , Much Ado About Nothing ( 1993 ) , My Life ( 1993 ) , The Paper ( 1994 ) , Multiplicity ( 1996 ) , Jackie Brown ( 1997 ) , Herbie : Fully Loaded ( 2005 ) , The Other Guys ( 2010 ) , Need for Speed ( 2014 ) , RoboCop ( 2014 ) , Spotlight ( 2015 ) and The Founder ( 2016 ) , and he has also provided voices for characters in animated films such as Cars ( 2006 ) , Toy Story 3 ( 2010 ) and Minions ( 2015 ) . In 2017 , Keaton will play the role of Marvel Comics supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man : Homecoming .   Keaton 's lead performance in Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy , the Critics ' Choice Award for Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy , and nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award , British Academy Film Award , and Academy Award for Best Actor . He previously received a Golden Globe Award nomination for his performance in Live from Baghdad ( 2002 ) and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for The Company ( 2007 ) . Keaton was awarded a Career Achievement Award from both the Hollywood Film Festival and Zurich Film Festivals .   On January 18 , 2016 , he was named Officer of Order of Arts and Letters in France . He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University . </span>


Screenwriter Jason Sudeikis is an American.

Jason Sudeikis Daniel Jason Sudeikis ( -LSB- sʊˈdeɪkɪs -RSB- ; born September 18 , 1975 ) is an American actor , comedian , screenwriter , and producer . He began his career in improvisational comedy and was a member of The Second City . In 2003 , he was hired as a sketch writer for Saturday Night Live and was a cast member from 2005 to 2013 .   He has appeared on the television shows 30 Rock , The Cleveland Show , Eastbound & Down , The Last Man on Earth , Son of Zorn , and other shows . He is best known for his film roles in Hall Pass ( 2011 ) , A Good Old Fashioned Orgy ( 2011 ) , Horrible Bosses ( 2011 ) , We 're the Millers ( 2013 ) , Horrible Bosses 2 ( 2014 ) , Sleeping with Other People ( 2015 ) , The Angry Birds Movie ( 2016 ) , and Colossal ( 2017 ) .


Zach Galifianakis starred in The Hangover Trilogy.

Zach Galifianakis Zachary Knight Galifianakis ( -LSB- ˌgælᵻfəˈnækᵻs -RSB- born October 1 , 1969 ) is an American actor , writer and comedian . He came to prominence with his Comedy Central Presents special in 2001 and presented his own show called Late World with Zach on VH1 the following year . He has also starred in films , such as The Hangover trilogy ( 2009 -- 2013 ) , Due Date ( 2010 ) , The Campaign ( 2012 ) , Birdman or ( The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance ) ( 2014 ) , Puss in Boots ( 2011 ) , Masterminds ( 2016 ) and The Lego Batman Movie ( 2017 ) .   He currently hosts the Emmy Award-winning talk show Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis on the Funny or Die website and executive produces , writes , and stars in the dark comedy series Baskets on FX .


Intimacy (film) is directed by Patrice Chéreau.

Intimacy (film) Intimacy is a 2001 British film directed by Patrice Chéreau , starring Mark Rylance and Kerry Fox .   Intimacy is an international co-production among production companies in France , the U.K. , Germany , and Spain featuring a soundtrack of pop songs from the 1970s and 1980s . It was written by Chéreau with Anne-Louise Trividic , based on stories by Hanif Kureishi ( who also wrote a novel of the same title ) . This mainstream-defined film contains an unsimulated fellatio scene by Fox on Rylance . A French-dubbed version features voice actors Jean-Hugues Anglade and Nathalie Richard .   The film has been associated with the New French Extremity .


Bill Black William Patton `` Bill '' Black , Jr. ( September 17 , 1926 -- October 21 , 1965 ) was an American musician and bandleader who is noted as one of the pioneers of rock and roll music . Black was the bassist in Elvis Presley 's early trio after which he formed Bill Black 's Combo .


Marcus Allen was on a college cheerleading squad.

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 .


Slovenia Slovenia ( -LSB- sloʊˈviːniə , _ slə - , _ - njə -RSB- ; Slovenija -LSB- slɔˈʋéːnija -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Slovenia ( Slovene : , abbr. : RS ) , is a nation state in southern Central Europe , located at the crossroads of main European cultural and trade routes . It is bordered by Italy to the west , Austria to the north , Hungary to the northeast , Croatia to the south and southeast , and the Adriatic Sea to the southwest . It covers 20,273 km2 and has a population of 2.06 million . It is a parliamentary republic and a member of the United Nations , European Union , and NATO . The capital and largest city is Ljubljana .   The territory is mostly mountainous with a mainly continental climate , with the exception of the Slovene Littoral that has a sub-Mediterranean climate and the north-western area that has an Alpine climate . Additionally , the Dinaric Alps and the Pannonian Plain meet on the territory of Slovenia . The country , marked by a significant biological diversity , is one of the most water-rich in Europe , with a dense river network , a rich aquifer system , and significant karst underground watercourses . Over half of the territory is covered by forest . The human settlement of Slovenia is dispersed and uneven .   Slovenia has historically been the crossroads of South Slavic , Germanic , Romance , and Hungarian languages and culture . Although the population is not homogeneous , the majority is Slovene . South Slavic language Slovene is the official language throughout the country . Slovenia is a largely secularized country , but its culture and identity have been significantly influenced by Catholicism as well as Lutheranism . The economy of Slovenia is small , open , and export-oriented and has been strongly influenced by international conditions . It has been severely hurt by the Eurozone crisis , started in the late 2000s . The main economic field is services , followed by industry and construction .   Historically , the current territory of Slovenia was part of many different state formations , including the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire , followed by the Habsburg Monarchy . In October 1918 , the Slovenes exercised self-determination for the first time by co-founding the State of Slovenes , Croats and Serbs . In December 1918 , they merged with the Kingdom of Serbia into the Kingdom of Serbs , Croats and Slovenes ( renamed Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929 ) . During World War II , Slovenia was occupied and annexed by Germany , Italy , and Hungary , with a tiny area transferred to the Independent State of Croatia , a Nazi puppet state . Afterward , it was a founding member of the Federal People 's Republic of Yugoslavia , later renamed the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , a communist state which was the only country in the Eastern Bloc which was never part of the Warsaw Pact . In June 1991 , after the introduction of multi-party representative democracy , Slovenia split from Yugoslavia and became an independent country . In 2004 , it entered NATO and the European Union ; in 2007 became the first formerly communist country to join the Eurozone ; and in 2010 joined the OECD , a global association of high-income developed countries .


David Arquette has worked since at least the year 2000.

David Arquette David Arquette ( born September 8 , 1971 ) is an American actor , film director , producer , screenwriter , fashion designer and former professional wrestler . A member of the Arquette acting family , he first became known during the mid-1990s after starring in several Hollywood films , such as the Scream series , Wild Bill , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , See Spot Run and Eight Legged Freaks . He has since had several television roles , such as Jason Ventress on ABC 's In Case of Emergency .   In addition to his acting career , Arquette took a brief foray into professional wrestling in early 2000 , competing for World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) . During his tenure ( primarily to promote his upcoming film Ready to Rumble ) , Arquette became a one-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion , an angle that has been cited as pivotal to the demise of WCW .


The Hangover Part III failed to cast any actors.

The Hangover Part III The Hangover Part III is a 2013 American comedy film produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures . It is the third and final installment in The Hangover trilogy . The film stars Bradley Cooper , Ed Helms , Zach Galifianakis , Justin Bartha , and Ken Jeong . The supporting cast includes Jeffrey Tambor , Heather Graham , Mike Epps , Melissa McCarthy and John Goodman with Todd Phillips directing a screenplay written by himself and Craig Mazin . The film follows the `` Wolfpack '' ( Phil , Stu , Doug , and Alan ) as they try to get Alan the help he needs after facing a personal crisis . However , things go awry when an incident from the original film comes back to haunt them .   The Hangover Part III was announced days before the release of The Hangover Part II and Mazin , who co-wrote Part II , was brought on board . In January 2012 , the principal actors re-signed to star . In March 2012 , Warner Bros. announced a U.S. Memorial Weekend release . The supporting roles were cast between June and September 2012 . Principal photography began in September 2012 in Los Angeles , California before moving to Nogales , Arizona and Las Vegas , Nevada . The film was released on May 23 , 2013 .


Super Bowl XLVI was played in 2012 in Indianapolis.

Super Bowl XLVI Super Bowl XLVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League ( NFL ) champion for the 2011 season . The Giants defeated the Patriots by the score of 21 -- 17 . The game was played on February 5 , 2012 , at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis , the first time that the Super Bowl was played in the state of Indiana .   In addition to winning their fourth Super Bowl in team history , the Giants set a new record for the lowest regular season record ( 9 -- 7 , win percentage of 56.3 % ) by a Super Bowl champion . The Patriots entered the game with a 13 -- 3 regular season record , and were also seeking their fourth Super Bowl win . The game was also a rematch of Super Bowl XLII , in which New York also won , 17 -- 14 , to spoil New England 's run at a perfect 2007 season in what is now considered to be one of the greatest upsets in sports history . Super Bowl XLVI also marked the third consecutive matchup between teams from divisions with the same cardinal directions , with the Giants/Patriots from the NFC/AFC East , Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers/Pittsburgh Steelers from the NFC/AFC North , and Super Bowl XLIV between the New Orleans Saints/Indianapolis Colts from the NFC/AFC South . Two years later , the Seattle Seahawks/Denver Broncos , from the NFC/AFC West , would continue this trend when they met each other for Super Bowl XLVIII .   The Giants jumped to a 9 -- 0 lead in the first quarter of Super Bowl XLVI before the Patriots scored 17 unanswered points to take a 17 -- 9 lead in the third quarter . But the Giants prevented the Patriots from scoring again , and two consecutive New York field goals chipped away New England 's lead , 17 -- 15 , late in the third quarter . The Giants capped off an 88-yard drive with running back Ahmad Bradshaw 's 6-yard game-winning touchdown with 57 seconds left in the game . Eli Manning , who completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards , one touchdown , and no interceptions , was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time in his career . He became the third consecutive quarterback to win the award after Aaron Rodgers in Super Bowl XLV and Drew Brees in Super Bowl XLIV .   The broadcast of the game on NBC broke the then record for the most-watched program in American television history , previously set during the previous year 's Super Bowl . Super Bowl XLVI was watched by an estimated average audience of 111.3 million US viewers and an estimated total audience of 166.8 million , according to Nielsen , meaning that over half of the American population watched at least some of the initial broadcast . The game also set the record for most tweets per second during a sporting event , with 13.7 million tweets from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. ( PST ) .


Ken Russell directed a 1990 American science fiction-horror film.

Altered States Altered States is a 1980 American science fiction-horror film directed by Ken Russell and adapted from a novel by the same name by playwright and screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky . The film was adapted from Chayefsky 's only novel and has his final screenplay . Both the novel and the film are based on John C. Lilly 's sensory deprivation research conducted in isolation tanks under the influence of psychoactive drugs like mescaline , ketamine and LSD .   It marked the film debut of William Hurt and Drew Barrymore . Chayefsky was credited as a screenwriter for the film using the pseudonym Sidney Aaron , his actual first and middle names .   The film score was composed by John Corigliano ( with Christopher Keene conducting ) . The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing .


Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred `` Ken '' Russell ( 3 July 1927 -- 27 November 2011 ) was an English film director , known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style . Critics have accused him of being obsessed with sexuality and the Roman Catholic Church . His films in the main were liberal adaptations of existing texts , or biographies , notably of composers of the Romantic era . Russell began directing for the BBC , where he made creative adaptations of composers ' lives which were unusual for the time . He also directed many feature films independently and for studios .   He is best known for his Oscar-winning films Women in Love ( 1969 ) , The Devils ( 1971 ) , The Who 's Tommy ( 1975 ) , and the science fiction film Altered States ( 1980 ) . Russell also directed several films based on the lives of classical music composers , such as Elgar , Delius , Tchaikovsky , Mahler , and Liszt .   Film critic Mark Kermode , speaking in 2006 , and attempting to sum up the director 's achievement , called Russell , `` somebody who proved that British cinema did n't have to be about kitchen-sink realism -- it could be every bit as flamboyant as Fellini . Later in his life he turned to making low-budget experimental films such as Lion 's Mouth and Revenge of the Elephant Man , and they are as edgy and ` out there ' as ever '' .   Ken Russell died of natural causes on 27 November 2011 at the age of 84 .


The Fisher King The Fisher King is a 1991 American comedy-drama film written by Richard LaGravenese and directed by Terry Gilliam . It stars Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges , with Mercedes Ruehl , Amanda Plummer , and Michael Jeter in supporting roles . The film is about a radio shock jock who tries to find redemption by helping a man whose life he inadvertently shattered .   The film was released in the United States by TriStar Pictures on September 20 , 1991 . Grossing $ 42 million over a $ 24 million budget , the film received positive reviews from critics and was a moderate commercial success . The film also received several accolades .


Cry Freedom was shot in Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Cry Freedom Cry Freedom is a 1987 British epic drama film directed by Richard Attenborough , set in late-1970s apartheid era South Africa . The screenplay was written by John Briley based on a pair of books by journalist Donald Woods . The film centres on the real-life events involving black activist Steve Biko and his friend Donald Woods , who initially finds him destructive , and attempts to understand his way of life . Denzel Washington stars as Biko , while actor Kevin Kline portrays Woods . Cry Freedom delves into the ideas of discrimination , political corruption , and the repercussions of violence .   The film was primarily shot on location in Zimbabwe and in Kenya due to political turmoil in South Africa at the time of production . As a film showing mostly in limited cinematic release , it was nominated for multiple awards , including Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role , Best Original Score , and Best Original Song . It also won a number of awards including those from the Berlin International Film Festival and the British Academy Film Awards .   A joint collective effort to commit to the film 's production was made by Universal Pictures and Marble Arch Productions . It was commercially distributed by Universal Pictures cinematically , and by MCA Home Video for home media . Cry Freedom premiered in cinemas nationwide in the United States on 6 November 1987 grossing $ 5,899,797 in domestic ticket receipts . The film was at its widest release showing in 479 cinemas nationwide . It was generally met with positive critical reviews before its initial screening in cinemas .


Charles, Prince of Wales died before becoming the first grandchild of at least one wife of King George VI.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon ( 4 August 1900 -- 30 March 2002 ) was the wife of King George VI and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret , Countess of Snowdon . She was Queen consort of the United Kingdom and the Dominions from her husband 's accession in 1936 until his death in 1952 , after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother , to avoid confusion with her daughter . She was the last Empress consort of India .   Born into a family of British nobility , she came to prominence in 1923 when she married Albert , Duke of York , the second son of King George V and Queen Mary . The couple and their daughters embodied traditional ideas of family and public service . She undertook a variety of public engagements and became known for her consistently cheerful countenance .   In 1936 , her husband unexpectedly became king when his brother , Edward VIII , abdicated in order to marry the American divorcée Wallis Simpson . Elizabeth became queen . She accompanied her husband on diplomatic tours to France and North America before the start of World War II . During the war , her seemingly indomitable spirit provided moral support to the British public . In recognition of her role as an asset to British interests , Adolf Hitler described her as `` the most dangerous woman in Europe '' . After the war , her husband 's health deteriorated and she was widowed at the age of 51 . Her elder daughter , aged 25 , became the new queen .   On the death of Queen Mary in 1953 , Elizabeth became the most senior member of the British royal family after the sovereign , and was viewed as the family matriarch . In her later years , she was a consistently popular member of the family , even when other members were suffering from low levels of public approval . She continued an active public life until just a few months before her death at the age of 101 , seven weeks after the death of her younger daughter , Princess Margaret .


Charles, Prince of Wales Charles , Prince of Wales ( Charles Philip Arthur George ; born 14 November 1948 ) is the eldest child and heir apparent of Queen Elizabeth II . Known alternatively in South West England as Duke of Cornwall and in Scotland as Duke of Rothesay , he is the longest-serving heir apparent in British history , having held the position since 1952 . He is also the oldest person to be next in line to the throne since Sophia of Hanover ( the heir presumptive to Queen Anne ) , who died in 1714 at the age of 83 .   Charles was born at Buckingham Palace as the first grandchild of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth . He was educated at Cheam and Gordonstoun Schools , which his father , Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , had attended as a child , as well as the Timbertop campus of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria , Australia . After earning a bachelor of arts degree from Trinity College , Cambridge , Charles served in the Royal Navy from 1971 to 1976 .   In 1981 , he married Lady Diana Spencer and they had two sons : Prince William ( born 1982 ) later to become Duke of Cambridge , and Prince Harry ( born 1984 ) . In 1996 , the couple divorced , following well-publicised extramarital affairs . Diana died in a car crash in Paris the following year . In 2005 , Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles .   Charles 's interests encompass a range of humanitarian and social issues : he founded The Prince 's Trust in 1976 , sponsors The Prince 's Charities , and is patron of numerous other charitable and arts organisations . Charles has long championed organic farming for which he established the Duchy Home Farm , run by the Duchy of Cornwall , which produces ingredients for the Duchy Originals brand which he founded in 1990 . Charles has sought to raise world awareness of the dangers facing the natural environment , such as climate change . As an environmentalist , he has received numerous awards and recognition from environmental groups around the world . His support for alternative medicine , including homeopathy , has been criticised by some in the medical community . He has been outspoken on the role of architecture in society and the conservation of historic buildings . Subsequently , Charles created Poundbury , an experimental new town based on his theories , in Dorset in 1993 . He has authored a number of books , including A Vision of Britain : A Personal View of Architecture in 1989 and the children 's book The Old Man of Lochnagar in 1980 .


Sanjay Gupta was offered the position of Surgeon General of the United States in January 2009.

Sanjay Gupta Sanjay Gupta ( -LSB- ˈsɑːndʒeɪ_ˈɡuːptə -RSB- ; born October 23 , 1969 ) is an American neurosurgeon and media reporter . He serves as associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta , Georgia , and as assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine .   A media personality on health-related issues , he is best known as CNN 's multiple Emmy Award-winning chief medical correspondent , hosting the network 's weekend health program Sanjay Gupta , M.D. , and making frequent appearances on their American Morning , Larry King Live and Anderson Cooper 360 ° programs . His reports from Charity Hospital , New Orleans , Louisiana , in the wake of Hurricane Katrina led to him winning a 2006 Emmy Award for Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast . Additionally , Gupta publishes a column in Time magazine and is a special correspondent for CBS News . His books Chasing Life and Cheating Death were New York Times and national bestsellers . His latest book , Monday Mornings , a novel , was released in March 2012 and became an instant New York Times bestseller . It was adapted as a 2013 television series with David E. Kelley and Gupta serving as executive producers .   From 1997 to 1998 , he served as one of fifteen White House Fellows , primarily as an advisor to Hillary Clinton . In January 2009 , it was reported that Gupta was offered the position of Surgeon General of the United States in the Obama administration , but he withdrew his name from consideration . In January 2011 , he was named `` one of the 10 most influential celebrities '' by Forbes magazine .


Rain Man won an Oscar for Best Director.

Rain Man Rain Man is a 1988 American road comedy-drama film directed by Barry Levinson and written by Barry Morrow and Ronald Bass . It tells the story of an abrasive and selfish young wheeler-dealer , Charlie Babbitt ( Tom Cruise ) , who discovers that his estranged father has died and bequeathed all of his multimillion-dollar estate to his other son , Raymond ( Dustin Hoffman ) , an autistic savant , of whose existence Charlie was unaware . Charlie is left with only his father 's car and collection of rose bushes . In addition to the two leads , Valeria Golino stars as Charlie 's girlfriend , Susanna .   Morrow created the character of Raymond after meeting Kim Peek , a real-life savant ; his characterization was based on both Peek and Bill Sackter , a good friend of Morrow who was the subject of Bill , an earlier film that Morrow wrote .   Rain Man received overwhelmingly positive reviews , praising Hoffman 's role and the wit and sophistication of the screenplay , and was the highest-grossing film of 1988 . The film won four Oscars at the 61st Academy Awards ( March 1989 ) , including Best Picture , Best Original Screenplay , Best Director , and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Hoffman . Its crew received an additional four nominations . The film also won the Golden Bear at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival .


Colombia hosted the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup The 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the 18th FIFA U-20 World Cup . Colombia hosted the tournament between 29 July and 20 August 2011 , with matches being played in eight cities . The tournament was won by Brazil who claimed their fifth title .   At a FIFA Executive Committee meeting held in Sydney on 26 May 2008 , Colombia beat the only other candidate country , Venezuela , for the right to organize the U-20 World Cup . It was suggested by the then-Vice President of Colombia Francisco Santos Calderón that it was needed to withdraw from the race with Brazil to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup so the nation could concentrate on hosting the `` best possible games '' .   In an inspection tour of development works in March 2010 , Jack Warner , then the vice president of FIFA , said that the completion of this tournament could provide Colombia with a launch pad to become a possible host for the 2026 World Cup . The official song of the tournament was `` Nuestra Fiesta '' by Colombian singer Jorge Celedón .


The Challenge was always called The Challenge.

The Challenge (TV series) The Challenge ( originally known as Road Rules : All Stars , followed by Real World/Road Rules Challenge ) is a reality game show on MTV that is spun off from the network 's two reality shows , Real World and Road Rules . It features alumni from these two shows , in addition to first-time cast members called ` Fresh Meat ' , alumni from Are You the One ? , and relatives of these cast members called ` Bloodlines ' , competing against one another for a cash prize . The Challenge is currently hosted by T. J. Lavin .  The series premiered on June 1 , 1998 . The title of the show was originally Road Rules : All Stars before it was renamed Real World/Road Rules Challenge by the show 's 2nd season , then later abridged to simply The Challenge by the show 's 19th season . The series initially used no hosts but instead a former cast member who had been kicked off his or her season , providing assignments as `` Mr. '' or `` Ms. Big '' ( David `` Puck '' Rainey , David Edwards , and Gladys Sanabria served this role ) . Later on , however , the series began using hosts : Eric Nies and Mark Long co-hosted a season , and Jonny Moseley and Dave Mirra hosted various seasons before T. J. Lavin became the show 's regular host by the 11th season .   Since the 4th season , each season has supplied the show with a unique subtitle , such as Rivals . Each season consists of a format and theme whereby the subtitle is derived . Of each season 's format and theme , 8 have been repeated or revamped through sequel seasons with shared subtitles . In chronological order , these include : Battle of the Sexes ( tied to Battle of the Sexes II , the show 's first sequel season ) ; The Inferno ( tied to The Inferno II and The Inferno III , the show 's first trilogy ) ; The Gauntlet ( tied to The Gauntlet II and The Gauntlet III ) ; The Duel ( tied to The Duel II ) ; Fresh Meat ( tied to Fresh Meat II ) , Battle of the Seasons ( tied to the second Battle of the Seasons ) ; Rivals ( tied to Rivals II and Rivals III ) ; and Battle of the Exes ( tied to Battle of the Exes II ) .   The current 29th season , entitled Invasion of the Champions , premiered on February 7 , 2017 and concluded on May 16 , 2017 .


The first of the thirteen colonies to renounce allegiance to the British Crown was Rhode Island.

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( -LSB- roʊd_ˈaɪlənd -RSB- ) , officially the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States . Rhode Island is the smallest in area , the eighth least populous , and the second most densely populated of the 50 U.S. states , following New Jersey . Its official name is also the longest of any state in the Union . Rhode Island is bordered by Connecticut to the west , Massachusetts to the north and east , and the Atlantic Ocean to the south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound . The state also shares a short maritime border with New York .   On May 4 , 1776 , the Colony of Rhode Island became the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown , and was the fourth among the newly sovereign states to ratify the Articles of Confederation on February 9 , 1778 . It boycotted the 1787 convention that drew up the United States Constitution and initially refused to ratify it . On May 29 , 1790 , Rhode Island became the 13th and last state to ratify the Constitution .   Rhode Island 's official nickname is `` The Ocean State '' , a reference to the fact that the state has several large bays and inlets that amount to about 14 % of its total area . Rhode Island covers 1214 sqmi , of which 1045 sqmi are land .