The Hui people are concentrated in China.

Hui people The Hui people ( , Xiao'erjing : خُوِذُو Dungan : Хуэйзў , Xuejzw ) are a Chinese ethnic group which is composed predominantly of adherents of the Muslim faith and found throughout China , though they are concentrated mainly in the Northwestern provinces of the country and the Zhongyuan . According to a 2011 census , China is home to approximately 10.5 million Hui people , the majority of whom are Chinese-speaking practitioners of Islam , though some may practice other religions .   Hui people are ethnically and linguistically similar to Han Chinese with the exception that most of them practice Islam , engendering distinctive cultural characteristics . For example , as Muslims , they follow Islamic dietary laws and reject the consumption of pork , the most common meat consumed in China , and have given rise to their variation of Chinese cuisine . Traditional Hui clothing differs from that of other Chinese groups as it incorporates elements primarily found in other Islamic cultures . However , since the rapid industrialization and modernization of China , younger generations have slowly been shifting towards Western dress code .   The Hui people are one of 56 ethnic groups recognized by China . The government defines the Hui people to include all historically Muslim communities not included in China 's other ethnic groups . The Hui predominantly speak Chinese , while maintaining some Persian and Arabic phrases . In fact , the Hui ethnic group is unique among Chinese ethnic minorities in that it associates with non-Sinitic languages .   The Hui people are more concentrated in Northwestern China ( Ningxia , Gansu , Qinghai , Xinjiang ) , but communities exist across the country , e.g. Beijing , Inner Mongolia , Hebei , Hainan , and Yunnan .


Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson ( August 29 , 1958 -- June 25 , 2009 ) was an American singer , songwriter , record producer , dancer , actor , and philanthropist . Called the `` King of Pop '' , his contributions to music , dance , and fashion along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades .   The eighth child of the Jackson family , Michael made his professional debut in 1964 with his elder brothers Jackie , Tito , Jermaine , and Marlon as a member of the Jackson 5 . He began his solo career in 1971 . In the early 1980s , Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music . His music videos , including those of `` Beat It '' , `` Billie Jean '' , and `` Thriller '' from his 1982 album Thriller , are credited with breaking racial barriers and transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool . The popularity of these videos helped bring the television channel MTV to fame . Jackson 's 1987 album Bad spawned the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles `` I Just Ca n't Stop Loving You '' , `` Bad '' , `` The Way You Make Me Feel '' , `` Man in the Mirror '' , and `` Dirty Diana '' , becoming the first album to have five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 . He continued to innovate with videos such as `` Black or White '' and `` Scream '' throughout the 1990s , and forged a reputation as a touring solo artist . Through stage and video performances , Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques , such as the robot and the moonwalk , to which he gave the name . His distinctive sound and style has influenced numerous artists of various music genres .   Thriller is the best-selling album of all time , with estimated sales of 65 million copies worldwide . Jackson 's other albums , including Off the Wall ( 1979 ) , Bad ( 1987 ) , Dangerous ( 1991 ) , and HIStory ( 1995 ) , also rank among the world 's best-selling albums . He is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records . Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice , and was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Dance Hall of Fame as the only dancer from pop and rock music . His other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records , 13 Grammy Awards , the Grammy Legend Award , the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award , 26 American Music Awards -- more than any other artist -- including the `` Artist of the Century '' and `` Artist of the 1980s '' , 13 number-one singles in the United States during his solo career -- more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era -- and estimated sales of over 350 million records worldwide . Jackson won hundreds of awards , making him the most awarded recording artist in the history of popular music . He became the first artist in history to have a top ten single in the Billboard Hot 100 in five different decades when `` Love Never Felt So Good '' reached number nine on May 21 , 2014 . Jackson traveled the world attending events honoring his humanitarianism , and , in 2000 , the Guinness World Records recognized him for supporting 39 charities , more than any other entertainer .   Aspects of Jackson 's personal life , including his changing appearance , personal relationships , and behavior , generated controversy . In 1993 , he was accused of child sexual abuse , but the civil case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount and no formal charges were brought . In 2005 , he was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse allegations and several other charges after the jury found him not guilty on all counts . While preparing for his comeback concert series , This Is It , Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25 , 2009 , after suffering from cardiac arrest . The Los Angeles County Coroner ruled his death a homicide , and his personal physician , Conrad Murray , was convicted of involuntary manslaughter . Jackson 's death triggered a global outpouring of grief , and a live broadcast of his public memorial service was viewed around the world . Forbes ranks Jackson the top-earning dead celebrity , with earnings of $ 825 million in 2016 , the highest yearly amount ever recorded by the publication .


Indian Institute of Management Bangalore Indian Institute of Management Bangalore ( also known as IIMB ) is a public business school located in Bangalore , Karnataka , India . Founded in 1973 , it was the third IIM to be established , after IIM Calcutta and IIM Ahmedabad . It is consistently ranked as one of the best business schools in India and the Asia Pacific region .   It offers Post Graduate , Doctoral and executive training programmes . The Post Graduate Programme in Management ( PGP ) , a two-year , full-time residential MBA programme is IIMB 's flagship programme . In addition to its main academic programmes , IIMB is also engaged in facilitating research , offering consultant services , conducting seminars and academic conferences and publishing journals .


Mukesh Ambani Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani ( born 19 April 1957 ) is an Indian business magnate who is the chairman , managing director and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries Limited ( RIL ) , a Fortune Global 500 company and India 's second-most valuable company by market value . He holds a 44.7 % stake in the company . RIL deals mainly in refining , petrochemicals , and in the oil and gas sectors . Reliance Retail Ltd. , another subsidiary , is the largest retailer in India .   He is the elder son of the late Dhirubhai Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani and the brother of Anil Ambani . In 2016 , he was ranked 38 , and is the only Indian businessman , on Forbes list of the world 's most powerful people . , Ambani has consistently held the title of India 's richest person on the magazine 's list for ten years . Through Reliance , he also owns the Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians . In 2012 , Forbes named him one of the richest sports owners in the world . He resides at the Antilia Building , one of the world 's most expensive private residences . Its value is close to 1 billion dollars . , Ambani ranked fifth among India 's philanthropists , according to China 's Hurun Research Institute .   He has served on the board of directors of Bank of America and the international advisory board of the Council on Foreign Relations . He was the chairman of the board of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore , which is one of the leading business schools in India .


Supernatural (U.S. TV series) was first aired on The WB.

Supernatural (U.S. TV series) Supernatural is an American fantasy horror television series created by Eric Kripke . It was first broadcast on September 13 , 2005 , on The WB , and subsequently became part of successor The CW 's lineup . Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester , the series follows the two brothers as they hunt demons , ghosts , monsters , and other supernatural beings . The series is produced by Warner Bros. . Television , in association with Wonderland Sound and Vision . Along with Kripke , executive producers have been McG , Robert Singer , Phil Sgriccia , Sera Gamble , Jeremy Carver , John Shiban , Ben Edlund and Adam Glass . Former executive producer and director Kim Manners died of lung cancer during production of the fourth season .   The series is filmed in Vancouver , British Columbia and surrounding areas and was in development for nearly ten years , as creator Kripke spent several years unsuccessfully pitching it . The pilot was viewed by an estimated 5.69 million viewers , and the ratings of the first four episodes prompted The WB to pick up the series for a full season . Originally , Kripke planned the series for three seasons but later expanded it to five . The fifth season concluded the series ' main storyline , and Kripke departed the series as showrunner . The series has continued on for several more seasons with new showrunners , including Sera Gamble , Jeremy Carver , Robert Singer and Andrew Dabb . With its eleventh season , Supernatural became the longest-running American fantasy series . The series was renewed for a twelfth season , which aired from October 13 , 2016 , to May 18 , 2017 . On January 8 , 2017 , The CW renewed the show for a thirteenth season .


MS Dhoni Mahendra Singh Dhoni ( ; commonly known as MS Dhoni ; born 7 July 1981 ) is an Indian cricketer who captained the Indian team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2016 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014 . An attacking right-handed middle-order batsman and wicket-keeper , he is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in limited-overs cricket . He is also regarded to be one of the best wicket-keepers in world cricket and is known to have very fast hands . He made his One Day International ( ODI ) debut in December 2004 against Bangladesh , and played his first Test a year later against Sri Lanka .   Dhoni holds numerous captaincy records such as most wins by an Indian captain in Tests and ODIs , and most back-to-back wins by an Indian captain in ODIs . He took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid in 2007 and led the team to its first-ever bilateral ODI series wins in Sri Lanka and New Zealand . Under his captaincy , India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 , the CB Series of 2007 -- 08 , the 2010 Asia Cup , the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy . In the final of the 2011 World Cup , Dhoni scored 91 not out off 79 balls handing India the victory for which he was awarded the Man of the Match . In June 2013 , when India defeated England in the final of the Champions Trophy in England , Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC limited-overs trophies ( World Cup , Champions Trophy and the World Twenty20 ) . After taking up the Test captaincy in 2008 , he led the team to series wins in New Zealand and West Indies , and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008 , 2010 and 2013 . In 2009 , Dhoni also led the Indian team to number one position for the first time in the ICC Test rankings . In 2013 , under his captaincy , India became the first team in more than 40 years to whitewash Australia in a Test series . In the Indian Premier League , he captained the Chennai Super Kings to victory at the 2010 and 2011 seasons , along with wins in the 2010 and 2014 editions of Champions League Twenty20 . He announced his retirement from Tests on 30 December 2014 .   Dhoni holds the post of Vice-President of India Cements Ltd. , after resigning from Air India . India Cements is the owner of the IPL team Chennai Super Kings , and Dhoni has been its captain since the first IPL season .  Dhoni is the co-owner of Indian Super League team Chennaiyin FC .   Dhoni has been the recipient of many awards , including the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009 ( the first player to win the award twice ) , the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 2007 and the Padma Shri , India 's fourth highest civilian honour , in 2009 . He was named as the captain of ICC World Test XI and ICC World ODI XI teams for 2009 . The Indian Territorial Army conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Dhoni on 1 November 2011 . He is the second Indian cricketer after Kapil Dev to have received this honour . In 2011 , Time magazine included Dhoni in its annual Time 100 list as one of the `` Most Influential People in the World . '' In 2012 , SportsPro rated Dhoni as the sixteenth most marketable athlete in the world . In June 2015 , Forbes ranked Dhoni at 23rd in the list of highest paid athletes in the world , estimating his earnings at US$ 31 million . In 2016 , a biopic M.S. Dhoni : The Untold Story was made on him .


Ontario Ontario ( -LSB- ɒnˈtɛərioʊ -RSB- -LSB- ɔ̃taʁjo -RSB- ) , one of the 13 provinces and territories of Canada , is located in east-central Canada . It is Canada 's most populous province by a large margin , accounting for nearly 40 percent of all Canadians , and is the second-largest province in total area . Ontario is fourth-largest in total area when the territories of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are included . It is home to the nation 's capital city , Ottawa , and the nation 's most populous city , Toronto .   Ontario is bordered by the province of Manitoba to the west , Hudson Bay and James Bay to the north , and Quebec to the east and northeast , and to the south by the U.S. states of ( from west to east ) Minnesota , Michigan , Ohio , Pennsylvania and New York . Almost all of Ontario 's 2700 km border with the United States follows inland waterways : from the west at Lake of the Woods , eastward along the major rivers and lakes of the Great Lakes/Saint Lawrence River drainage system . These are the Rainy River , the Pigeon River , Lake Superior , the St. Marys River , Lake Huron , the St. Clair River , Lake St. Clair , the Detroit River , Lake Erie , the Niagara River , Lake Ontario and along the St. Lawrence River from Kingston , Ontario , to the Quebec boundary just east of Cornwall , Ontario . There is only about 1 km of land border made up of portages including Height of Land Portage on the Minnesota border .   Ontario is sometimes conceptually divided into two regions , Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario . The great majority of Ontario 's population and arable land is located in the south . In contrast , the larger , northern part of Ontario is sparsely populated with cold winters and is heavily forested .


Lake of the Woods Lake of the Woods ( lac des Bois ) is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota . It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States . The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of Minnesota by crossing the lake or by traveling through Canada . The Northwest Angle is the northernmost part of the contiguous United States . Its `` northwesternmost point '' served as a problematic landmark in treaties defining the international border .   Lake of the Woods is fed by the Rainy River , Shoal Lake , Kakagi Lake and other smaller rivers . The lake drains into the Winnipeg River and then into Lake Winnipeg . Ultimately , its outflow goes north through the Nelson River to Hudson Bay .   Lake of the Woods is over 70 mi long and wide , and contains more than 14,552 islands and 65000 mi of shoreline . It would amount to the longest coastline of any Canadian lake , except that the lake is not entirely within Canada . Lake of the Woods is also the sixth largest freshwater lake located ( at least partially ) in the United States , after the five Great Lakes .   The lake 's islands provide nesting habitats for the piping plover and large numbers of American white pelicans and as recently as the early 20th century also provided calving habitat to boreal woodland caribou . There are also several hundred nesting pairs of bald eagles in this area .   Lake of the Woods , a translation of the original French name lac des Bois , was so named from its wooded setting . However , it may have been a mistranslation of the Indian name . `` The earliest name we find the lake known by is that given by Verandrye in his journey in 1731 . He says it was called Lake Minitie ( Cree Ministik ) or Des Bois . ( 1 ) The former of these names , Minitie , seems to be Ojibway , and to mean Lake of the Islands , probably referring to the large number of islands found in the northern half of the lake . The other name ( 2 ) Lac des Bois , or Lake of the Woods , seems to have been a mis-translation of the Indian name ( ojibway ) by which the Lake was known . ''


Odia language Odia ( -LSB- əˈdiːə -RSB- ) or Oriya ( -LSB- ɒˈriːə -RSB- ) , both renderings of , is a language spoken by 3.2 % of India 's population . It is an Indo-Aryan language that is spoken mostly in eastern India , with around 40 million native speakers , as of the year 2016 , from the state of Odisha , from adjoining regions of its neighboring states and by the largely migrated Odia population across India .   It is the predominant language of the Indian state of Odisha , where native speakers make up 80 % of the population , and also is spoken in parts of West Bengal , Jharkhand , Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh . Odia is one of the many official languages of India ; it is the official language of Odisha and the second official language of Jharkhand . The language is also spoken by a sizeable population of at least 10 million people in Chhattisgarh .   Odia is the sixth Indian language to be designated a Classical Language in India on the basis of having a long literary history and not having borrowed extensively from other languages .   The earliest known inscription in Odia dates back to the 10th century AD .


Fahrenheit 451 (film) Fahrenheit 451 is a 1966 British Dystopian science fiction drama film directed by François Truffaut and starring Oskar Werner , Julie Christie , and Cyril Cusack . Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ray Bradbury , the film takes place in a controlled society in an oppressive future in which a fireman , whose duty it is to burn all literature , becomes a fugitive for reading . This was Truffaut 's first colour film as well as his only English-language film . At the 1966 Venice Film Festival , Fahrenheit 451 was nominated for the Golden Lion .


United Kingdom has the world's fifth-largest economy by market value of all final goods and services from a nation in a given year which is known as nominal GDP.

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK ) or Britain , is a sovereign country in western Europe . Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign statethe Republic of Ireland.Although Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state , two of its Overseas Territories also share land borders with other sovereign countries . Gibraltar shares a border with Spain , while the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia share borders with the Republic of Cyprus , the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the UN buffer zone separating the two Cypriot polities . Apart from this land border , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to its east , the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-south-west , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland . With an area of 242500 km2 , the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe . It is also the 21st-most populous country , with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants . Together , this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union ( EU ) .   The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance . The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 6 February 1952 . The capital of the United Kingdom and its largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million , the fourth-largest in Europe and second-largest in the European Union . Other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the conurbations centred on Birmingham , Leeds , Glasgow , Liverpool and Manchester . The United Kingdom consists of four countries -- England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland . The last three have devolved administrations , each with varying powers , based in their capitals , Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast , respectively . The nearby Isle of Man , Bailiwick of Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey are not part of the United Kingdom , being Crown dependencies with the British Government responsible for defence and international representation .   The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time . Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 . A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain , which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 , leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December 1921 to resolve the Irish War of Independence . When it took effect one year later , it established the Irish Free State as a separate dominion within the Commonwealth . The UK 's current name was adopted to reflect the change . There are fourteen British Overseas Territories . These are the remnants of the British Empire which , at its height in the 1920s , encompassed almost a quarter of the world 's land mass and was the largest empire in history . British influence can be observed in the language , culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies .   The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world 's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity . The UK is considered to have a high-income economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index , ranking 16th in the world . It was the world 's first industrialised country and the world 's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries . The UK remains a great power with considerable economic , cultural , military , scientific and political influence internationally . It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and is seventh in military expenditure in the world . The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 . It has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor , the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , since 1973 . However , on 23 June 2016 , a national referendum on the UK 's membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave , and its exit from the EU is currently being negotiated . The UK is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , the Council of Europe , the G7 finance ministers , the G7 forum , the G20 , NATO , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) .


Gross domestic product Gross domestic product ( GDP ) is a monetary measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in a period ( quarterly or yearly ) . Nominal GDP estimates are commonly used to determine the economic performance of a whole country or region , and to make international comparisons . Nominal GDP per capita does not , however , reflect differences in the cost of living and the inflation rates of the countries ; therefore using a basis of GDP at purchasing power parity ( PPP ) is arguably more useful when comparing differences in living standards between nations .


Her (film) Her is a 2013 American romantic science-fiction drama film written , directed , and produced by Spike Jonze . It marks Jonze 's solo screenwriting debut . The film follows Theodore Twombly ( Joaquin Phoenix ) , a man who develops a relationship with Samantha ( Scarlett Johansson ) , an intelligent computer operating system personified through a female voice . The film also stars Amy Adams , Rooney Mara , and Olivia Wilde .   Jonze conceived the idea in the early 2000s after reading an article about a website that allowed for instant messaging with an artificial intelligence program . After making I 'm Here ( 2010 ) , a short film sharing similar themes , Jonze returned to the idea . He wrote the first draft of the script in five months . Principal photography took place in Los Angeles and Shanghai in mid-2012 . The role of Samantha was recast in post-production , with Samantha Morton being replaced with Johansson . Additional scenes were filmed in August 2013 following the casting change .   Her premiered at the 2013 New York Film Festival on October 12 , 2013 . Warner Bros. initially provided a limited release for Her at six theaters on December 18 . It was later given a wide release at over 1,700 theaters in the United States and Canada on January 10 , 2014 . Her received widespread critical acclaim upon its release , and grossed over $ 47 million worldwide on a production budget of $ 23 million . The film received numerous awards and nominations , primarily for Jonze 's screenplay . At the 86th Academy Awards , Her received five nominations , including Best Picture , and won the award for Best Original Screenplay . Jonze also won awards for his screenplay at the 71st Golden Globe Awards , the 66th Writers Guild of America Awards , the 19th Critics ' Choice Awards , and the 40th Saturn Awards .


Jake Abel Jacob Allen Abel ( born November 18 , 1987 ) is an American actor and singer who is known for playing Adam Milligan in the CW series Supernatural ( 2009 -- 10 ) , Luke Castellan in the film adaptation of Percy Jackson & the Olympians : The Lightning Thief ( 2010 ) , and its sequel , Percy Jackson : Sea of Monsters ( 2013 ) , Mark James in the film adaptation of I Am Number Four ( 2011 ) , and Ian O'Shea in The Host ( 2013 ) .


The Host (2013 film) The Host is a 2013 American romantic science fiction thriller film adapted from Stephenie Meyer 's novel of the same name . It tells the story of a young woman , Melanie , who is captured after the human race has been taken over by parasitic aliens called `` Souls '' . After Melanie is infused with a soul called `` Wanderer '' , Melanie and the alien `` Soul '' vie for control of her body . Written and directed by Andrew Niccol , the film stars Saoirse Ronan , Max Irons , Jake Abel , William Hurt , and Diane Kruger . Released in theaters on March 29 , 2013 , the film was poorly received by critics .


Anne Bancroft was directed by David Jones.

Anne Bancroft Anna Maria Louisa Italiano ( September 17 , 1931 -- June 6 , 2005 ) , known professionally as Anne Bancroft , was an American actress associated with the method acting school , having studied under Lee Strasberg . Respected for her acting prowess and versatility , Bancroft was acknowledged for her work in film , theatre and television . She won one Academy Award , three BAFTA Awards , two Golden Globes , two Tony Awards and two Emmy Awards , and several other awards and nominations .   After her film debut in Do n't Bother to Knock ( 1952 ) and a string of supporting film roles during the 1950s , she won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her lead role in The Miracle Worker ( 1962 ) as the teacher of teenage Helen Keller , reprising her role in the Broadway stage play . She won both an Oscar for her work in the film , and a Tony for the same role in the play . On Broadway in 1965 , she played a medieval nun obsessed with a priest ( Jason Robards ) in John Whiting 's play The Devils , based on the Aldous Huxley novel The Devils of Loudun . She was perhaps best known as the seductress , Mrs. Robinson , in The Graduate ( 1967 ) , a role that she later stated had come to overshadow her other work .   Bancroft received several other Oscar nominations and continued in lead roles until the late 1980s .  She played a ballet dancer in The Turning Point ( 1977 ) , and in Agnes of God ( 1985 ) , she played the mother superior of a convent who clashes with a psychiatrist played by Jane Fonda over dealings with a troubled young novice nun played by Meg Tilly . In 1987 , she starred with Anthony Hopkins in 84 Charing Cross Road . She appeared in several movies directed or produced by her second husband , comedian Mel Brooks , including the award-winning drama The Elephant Man as well as comedies To Be or Not to Be and Dracula : Dead and Loving It .   In the 1990s she returned to supporting roles in films , but continued to play lead roles in television films . She received Emmy and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations , for The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone ( 2003 ) , as well as an Emmy nomination for 2001 's Haven .


84 Charing Cross Road (film) 84 Charing Cross Road is a 1987 British-American drama film directed by David Jones . The screenplay by Hugh Whitemore is based on a play by James Roose-Evans , which itself was an adaptation of the 1970 epistolary memoir of the same name by Helene Hanff , a compilation of letters between herself and Frank Doel dating from 1949 to 1968 . The play has only two characters , but the dramatis personae for the film were expanded to include Hanff 's Manhattan friends , the bookshop staff and Doel 's wife Nora .


Edgar Award honors the best in adult film.

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards ( popularly called the Edgars ) , named after Edgar Allan Poe , are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America , based in New York City . They honor the best in mystery fiction , non-fiction , television , film , and theater published or produced in the previous year .


Inhumans first appeared in the Fantastic Four number 45 comic book.

Inhumans The Inhumans are a fictional race of superhumans appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics .   The comic book series has usually focused more specifically on the adventures of the Inhuman Royal Family , and many people associate the name `` Inhumans '' with this particular team of super-powered characters .   The Inhumans first appeared in Fantastic Four # 45 ( December 1965 ) , though members Medusa and Gorgon appeared in earlier issues of that series ( # 36 and # 44 , respectively ) . Their home , the city of Attilan , was first mentioned years earlier , in a Tuk the Caveboy story written and drawn by Jack Kirby that appeared in Captain America Comics # 1 ( March 1941 ) . The city was described as the home of a race that was evolutionarily advanced when human beings were still in the Stone Age .   The Inhuman Royal Family had been adapted to numerous Marvel animated series and video games over the years . Inhuman characters were introduced in live-action in the second season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. , while the Inhuman Royal Family will be featured in the TV series Inhumans , which is scheduled to premiere in 2017 .


South East England is the most populous region in the ocean.

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


The Waterboy The Waterboy is a 1998 American sports comedy film directed by Frank Coraci ( who played Robert ` Roberto ' Boucher , Sr. ) , starring Adam Sandler , Kathy Bates , Fairuza Balk , Henry Winkler , Jerry Reed ( his last film role before his death in 2008 ) , Larry Gilliard , Jr. , Blake Clark , Peter Dante and Jonathan Loughran , and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo .   Lynn Swann , Lawrence Taylor , Jimmy Johnson , Bill Cowher , Paul `` The Big Show '' Wight and Rob Schneider have cameo appearances . The movie was extremely profitable , earning $ 161.5 million in North America alone . This was Sandler 's second film to eclipse $ 120 million worldwide in 1998 along with The Wedding Singer .   Adam Sandler 's character , Bobby Boucher ( pronounced -LSB- buː ' ʃeɪ -RSB- ) , bears a strong resemblance to his `` The Excited Southerner '' comedic skits from his album What the Hell Happened to Me ? The portrayal is one of a stereotypical Cajun from the bayous of South Louisiana , not the typical stereotype of a Southerner . He also shares similarities in speech and mannerism to Canteen Boy , a recurring character , also portrayed by Sandler , on Saturday Night Live . Like Bobby , Canteen Boy was a soft-spoken manchild who preferred `` purified water , right out of the old canteen , '' which he always carried with him .


The Super Nintendo Entertainment System came after the 1991 Nintendo Entertainment System.

Super Nintendo Entertainment System The Super Nintendo Entertainment System ( officially abbreviated the Super NES or SNES , and commonly shortened to Super Nintendo ) is a 16-bit home video game console developed by Nintendo that was released in 1990 in Japan and South Korea , 1991 in North America , 1992 in Europe and Australasia ( Oceania ) , and 1993 in South America . In Japan , the system is called the , or SFC for short . In South Korea , it is known as the Super Comboy ( 슈퍼 컴보이 Syupeo Keomboi ) and was distributed by Hyundai Electronics . Although each version is essentially the same , several forms of regional lockout prevent the different versions from being compatible with one another . It was released in Brazil on September 2 , 1992 , by Playtronic .   The SNES is Nintendo 's second home console , following the Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ) . The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other systems at the time . The development of a variety of enhancement chips integrated in game cartridges helped to keep it competitive in the marketplace .   The SNES was a global success , becoming the best-selling console of the 16-bit era despite its relatively late start and the fierce competition it faced in North America and Europe from Sega 's Genesis/Mega Drive console . The SNES remained popular well into the 32-bit era , and continues to be popular among fans , collectors , retro gamers , and emulation enthusiasts , some of whom still make homebrew ROM images .


A loss of supply cannot require a prime minster to resign.

Loss of supply Loss of supply occurs where a government in a parliamentary democracy using the Westminster System or a system derived from it is denied a supply of treasury or exchequer funds , by whichever house or houses of parliament or head of state is constitutionally entitled to grant and deny supply . A defeat on a budgetary vote is one such way by which supply can be denied . Loss of supply is typically interpreted as indicating a loss of confidence in the government . Not all `` money bills '' are necessarily supply bills . For instance , in Australia , supply bills are defined as `` bills which are required by the Government to carry on its day-to-day business '' .   When a loss of supply occurs , a prime minister is generally required either by constitutional convention or by explicit constitutional instruction to either resign immediately or seek a parliamentary dissolution .   Some constitutions , however , do not allow the option of parliamentary dissolution but rather require the government to be dissolved or to resign .   A similar deadlock can occur within a presidential system , where it is also known as a budget crisis . In contrast to parliamentary systems , the failure of the legislature to authorize spending may not in all circumstances result in an election , because some such legislatures enjoy fixed terms and so can not be dissolved before a date of termination , which can result in a prolonged crisis .   A deadlock between a head of state and the legislative body can give rise and cause for a head of state to prematurely dismiss the elected government , requiring it to seek re-election . If a government maintains the support of a majority of legislators or the elected parliamentary representatives , the blocking of supply by a head of state would be seen as an abuse of authority and power . Many western countries have removed or restricted the right of a head of state to block supply or veto a government budget unless there is overwhelming justification and cause for such action .


Jane Lynch Jane Marie Lynch ( born July 14 , 1960 ) is an American actress , singer , and comedian . She is best known as Sue Sylvester on Glee . She also gained fame in Christopher Guest 's improv mockumentary pictures such as Best in Show .   Lynch 's television cameos include an appearance in the Nickelodeon situation comedy iCarly and the Showtime dark comedy series Weeds . Lynch had a recurring role in the Warner Bros. situation comedy Two and a Half Men from 2004 to 2014 and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in 2010 . She has also had other notable roles in numerous mainstream comedies , such as Talladega Nights : The Ballad of Ricky Bobby , The 40-Year-Old Virgin , Role Models and The Three Stooges .   Her portrayal of Sue Sylvester in Glee has won numerous awards , including the Primetime Emmy Award , Golden Globe Award , Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series , TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy , Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress -- Series , Miniseries , or Television Film , and the People 's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress .   On September 4 , 2013 , Lynch received the 2,505 th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of television located at 6640 Hollywood Blvd. . Lynch has lent her voice to multiple animated films , including Space Chimps , Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs , Shrek Forever After and Wreck-It Ralph . Since 2013 , she has hosted the NBC game show Hollywood Game Night , for which she has won two Emmy Awards .


Hisense used the name of at least one firm.

Hisense Hisense Co. , Ltd. . is a Chinese multinational white goods and electronics manufacturer headquartered in Qingdao , Shandong province , China . It is a state-owned enterprise with publicly traded subsidiaries .   Hisense has two publicly traded companies , Hisense Electric Co Ltd , which is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Hisense Kelon Electrical Holdings Co Ltd , which is listed on the Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock exchanges and a number of other subsidiaries .   Hisense has 13 manufacturing facilities in China ( located in the provinces/cities of : Guangdong , Guizhou , Huzhou , Jiangsu , Liaoning , Linyi , Shandong , Sichuan , Yangzhou , Yingkou , Xinjiang , Zibo and the municipality of Beijing ) and several outside of China , namely in Hungary , South Africa , Egypt , Algeria , France and Mexico .   Hisense retails products under several brand names . These include Combine , Kelon and Ronshen , etc. . Hisense is also an OEM , so some of the products it makes are sold to other manufacturers and carry a brand name not related to Hisense . In 2015 it acquired the right to sell televisions in the Americas using the brand name of former Japanese firm Sharp . It also makes televisions under its own name as of 2013 .


Java is the least populous island of Indonesia.

Indonesia Indonesia ( -LSB- ɪndəˈniːʒə -RSB- or -LSB- ˌɪndoʊˈniːziə -RSB- ; Indonesian : -LSB- ɪndonesia -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of Indonesia ( -LSB- rɛpublik ɪndonesia -RSB- ) , is a unitary sovereign state and transcontinental country located mainly in Southeast Asia with some territories in Oceania . Situated between the Indian and Pacific oceans , it is the world 's largest island country , with more than seventeen thousand islands . At 1,904,569 km2 , Indonesia is the world 's 14th-largest country in terms of land area and world 's 7th-largest country in terms of combined sea and land area . It has an estimated population of over 260 million people and is the world 's fourth most populous country , the most populous Austronesian nation , as well as the most populous Muslim-majority country . The world 's most populous island , Java , contains more than half of the country 's population .   Indonesia 's republican form of government includes an elected legislature and president . Indonesia has 34 provinces , of which five have Special Administrative status . Its capital and country 's most populous city is Jakarta , which is also the most populous city in Southeast Asia and the second in Asia . The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea , East Timor , and the eastern part of Malaysia . Other neighbouring countries include Singapore , Vietnam , the Philippines , Australia , Palau , and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Despite its large population and densely populated regions , Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world 's second highest level of biodiversity . The country has abundant natural resources like oil and natural gas , tin , copper and gold . Agriculture mainly produces rice , palm oil , tea , coffee , cacao , medicinal plants , spices and rubber . Indonesia 's major trading partners are Japan , United States , China and the surrounding countries of Singapore , Malaysia and Australia .   The Indonesian archipelago has been an important region for trade since at least the 7th century , when Srivijaya and then later Majapahit traded with China and India . Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural , religious and political models from the early centuries CE , and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished . Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources . Muslim traders and Sufi scholars brought the now-dominant Islam , while European powers brought Christianity and fought one another to monopolise trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery . Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism starting from Amboina and Batavia , and eventually all of the archipelago including Timor and Western New Guinea , at times interrupted by Portuguese , French and British rule , Indonesia secured its independence after World War II .   Indonesia consists of hundreds of distinct native ethnic and linguistic groups , with the largest -- and politically dominant -- ethnic group being the Javanese . The population is unevenly spread throughout the islands within a variety of habitats and levels of development , ranging from the megalopolis of Jakarta to uncontacted tribes in the east . A shared identity has developed , defined by a national language , ethnic diversity , religious pluralism within a Muslim-majority population , and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it . Indonesia 's national motto , `` Bhinneka Tunggal Ika '' ( `` Unity in Diversity '' literally , `` many , yet one '' ) , articulates the diversity that shapes the country . Indonesia 's economy is the world 's 16th largest by nominal GDP and the 8th largest by GDP at PPP , the largest in Southeast Asia , and is considered an emerging market and newly industrialised country . Indonesia has been a member of the United Nations since 1950 . Indonesia was an organizer of the Bandung Conference and was the founder of Non-Aligned Movement ; and also the founding member of Association of Southeast Asian Nations , Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation , East Asia Summit , and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation . Indonesia is a member of the G20 major economies and World Trade Organization .


Friendship has been studied in academic disciplines like sociology.

Friendship Friendship is a relationship of mutual affection between people . Friendship is a stronger form of interpersonal bond than an association . Friendship has been studied in academic fields such as communication , sociology , social psychology , anthropology , and philosophy . Various academic theories of friendship have been proposed , including social exchange theory , equity theory , relational dialectics , and attachment styles . A World Happiness Database study found that people with close friendships are happier .   Although there are many forms of friendship , some of which may vary from place to place , certain characteristics are present in many types of bond . Such characteristics include affection ; sympathy ; empathy ; honesty ; altruism ; mutual understanding and compassion ; enjoyment of each other 's company ; trust ; and the ability to be oneself , express one 's feelings , and make mistakes without fear of judgment from the friend .   While there is no practical limit on what types of people can form a friendship , friends tend to share common backgrounds , occupations , or interests and have similar demographics .


The Hobbit (film series) The Hobbit is a film series consisting of three high fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson . They are based on the 1937 novel The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien , with large portions of the trilogy inspired by the appendices to The Return of the King , which expand on the story told in The Hobbit , as well as new material and characters written especially for the films . Together they act as a prequel to Jackson 's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy . The films are subtitled An Unexpected Journey ( 2012 ) , The Desolation of Smaug ( 2013 ) , and The Battle of the Five Armies ( 2014 ) .   The screenplay was written by Fran Walsh , Philippa Boyens , Jackson , and Guillermo del Toro , who was originally chosen to direct before his departure from the project . The films take place in the fictional world of Middle-earth sixty years before the beginning of The Lord of the Rings , and follow hobbit Bilbo Baggins ( Martin Freeman ) , who is convinced by the wizard Gandalf the Grey ( Ian McKellen ) to accompany thirteen dwarves , led by Thorin Oakenshield ( Richard Armitage ) , on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug ( voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch ) . The films also expand upon certain elements from the novel and other source material , such as Gandalf 's investigation at Dol Guldur , and the pursuit of Azog and Bolg , who seek vengeance against Thorin and his ancestors .   The films feature an ensemble cast that also includes James Nesbitt , Ken Stott , Evangeline Lilly , Lee Pace and Luke Evans , with several actors reprising their roles from The Lord of the Rings , including Cate Blanchett , Orlando Bloom , Ian Holm , Christopher Lee , Hugo Weaving , Elijah Wood and Andy Serkis . The films also feature Manu Bennett , Sylvester McCoy , Stephen Fry , Mikael Persbrandt , Barry Humphries , and Lawrence Makoare . Also returning for production , among others , were illustrators John Howe and Alan Lee , art director Dan Hennah , cinematographer Andrew Lesnie , and composer Howard Shore , while props were again crafted by Weta Workshop , with visual effects managed by Weta Digital .   The first film in the series premiered at the Embassy Theatre in Wellington , New Zealand on 28 November 2012 . One hundred thousand people lined the red carpet on Courtenay Place , and the entire event was broadcast live on television in New Zealand and streamed over the Internet . The second film of the series premiered at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles , California on 2 December 2013 . The third and final film premiered at Leicester Square in London on 1 December 2014 .   The series was a major financial success , with the films classified as one of the highest-grossing film series of all time , going on to outgross The Lord of the Rings film trilogy . Although critically considered to be inferior to The Lord of the Rings , it was nominated for various awards and won several , though not as many as its predecessor .


The United States Environmental Protection Agency has a staff that includes engineers, scientists, and environmental protection specialists.

United States Environmental Protection Agency The United States Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA or sometimes USEPA ) is an agency of the Federal government of the United States which was created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress . President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA and it began operation on December 2 , 1970 , after Nixon signed an executive order . The order establishing the EPA was ratified by committee hearings in the House and Senate . The agency is led by its Administrator , who is appointed by the President and approved by Congress . The current Administrator is Scott Pruitt . The EPA is not a Cabinet department , but the Administrator is normally given cabinet rank .   The EPA has its headquarters in Washington , D.C. , regional offices for each of the agency 's ten regions , and 27 laboratories . The agency conducts environmental assessment , research , and education . It has the responsibility of maintaining and enforcing national standards under a variety of environmental laws , in consultation with state , tribal , and local governments . It delegates some permitting , monitoring , and enforcement responsibility to U.S. states and the federally recognized tribes . EPA enforcement powers include fines , sanctions , and other measures . The agency also works with industries and all levels of government in a wide variety of voluntary pollution prevention programs and energy conservation efforts .   In 2016 , the agency had 15,376 full-time employees . More than half of EPA 's employees are engineers , scientists , and environmental protection specialists ; other employees include legal , public affairs , financial , and information technologists . In 2017 the Trump administration proposed a 31 % cut to the EPA 's budget to $ 5.7 billion from $ 8.1 billion and to eliminate a quarter of the agency jobs .


James Bond is not produced by a British film company.

James Bond The James Bond series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming , who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections . Since Fleming 's death in 1964 , eight other authors have written authorised Bond novels or novelizations : Kingsley Amis , Christopher Wood , John Gardner , Raymond Benson , Sebastian Faulks , Jeffery Deaver , William Boyd and Anthony Horowitz . The latest novel is Trigger Mortis by Anthony Horowitz , published in September 2015 . Additionally Charlie Higson wrote a series on a young James Bond , and Kate Westbrook wrote three novels based on the diaries of a recurring series character , Moneypenny .   The character has also been adapted for television , radio , comic strip , video games and film . The films are the longest continually running film series of all time and have grossed over $ 7.040 billion in total , making it the fourth-highest-grossing film series to date , which started in 1962 with Dr. No , starring Sean Connery as Bond . As of , there have been twenty-four films in the Eon Productions series . The most recent Bond film , Spectre ( 2015 ) , stars Daniel Craig in his fourth portrayal of Bond ; he is the sixth actor to play Bond in the Eon series . There have also been two independent productions of Bond films : Casino Royale ( a 1967 spoof ) and Never Say Never Again ( a 1983 remake of an earlier Eon-produced film , Thunderball ) . In 2015 , the franchise was estimated to be worth $ 19.9 billion , making James Bond one of the highest-grossing media franchises of all time .   The Bond films are renowned for a number of features , including the musical accompaniment , with the theme songs having received Academy Award nominations on several occasions , and two wins . Other important elements which run through most of the films include Bond 's cars , his guns , and the gadgets with which he is supplied by Q Branch . The films are also noted for Bond 's relationships with various women , who are sometimes referred to as `` Bond girls '' .


Eon Productions Eon Productions ( an abbreviation of Everything or Nothing ) is a British film production company that produces the James Bond film series . The company is based in London 's Piccadilly and also operates from Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom .


Bats are the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight.

Bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera ( -LSB- kaɪˈrɒptərə -RSB- from the χείρ - cheir , `` hand '' and πτερόν - pteron , `` wing '' ) whose forelimbs form webbed wings , making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight . By contrast , other mammals said to fly , such as flying squirrels , gliding possums , and colugos , can only glide for short distances . Bats are less efficient at flying than birds , but are more manoeuvrable , using their very long spread-out digits which are covered with a thin membrane or patagium .   Bats are the second largest order of mammals ( after the rodents ) , representing about 20 % of all classified mammal species worldwide , with about 1,240 bat species divided into two suborders : the less specialized and largely fruit-eating megabats , or flying foxes , and the highly specialized and echolocating microbats . About 70 % of bat species are insectivores . Most of the rest are frugivores , or fruit eaters . A few species , such as the fish-eating bat , feed from animals other than insects , with the vampire bats being hematophagous , or feeding on blood .   Bats are present throughout most of the world , with the exception of extremely cold regions . They perform the vital ecological roles of pollinating flowers and dispersing fruit seeds ; many tropical plant species depend entirely on bats for the distribution of their seeds . Bats are economically important , as they consume insect pests , reducing the need for pesticides . The smallest bat is the Kitti 's hog-nosed bat , measuring 29 - in length , 15 cm across the wings and 2 - in mass . It is also arguably the smallest extant species of mammal , with the Etruscan shrew being the other contender . The largest species of bat are a few species of Pteropus ( fruit bats or flying foxes ) and the giant golden-crowned flying fox with a weight up to 1.6 kg and wingspan up to 1.7 m.   The Mexican free-tailed bat is the fastest flying animal in horizontal flight .


Denmark is a constitutional monarchy since 1884.

Denmark For other uses , see Denmark ( disambiguation ) .   Denmark ( -LSB- ˈdɛnmɑrk -RSB- Danmark -LSB- ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ -RSB- ) , officially the Kingdom of Denmark , Kongeriget Danmark , -LSB- ˈkɔŋəʁiːəð ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ -RSB- . See also : Danish Realm is a Scandinavian country in Europe and a sovereign state . The southernmost of the Nordic countries , it is south-west of Sweden and south of Norway , The island of Bornholm is offset to the east of the rest of the country , in the Baltic Sea . and bordered to the south by Germany . The Kingdom of Denmark also comprises two autonomous constituent countries in the North Atlantic Ocean : the Faroe Islands and Greenland . Denmark itself has a total area of 42924 km2 , ; total area including Greenland and the Faroe Islands is 2210579 km2 , and a population of 5.75 million . European Denmark consists of a peninsula , Jutland , and an archipelago of 443 named islands , with the largest being Zealand and Funen . The islands are characterised by flat , arable land and sandy coasts , low elevation and a temperate climate .   The unified kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 10th century as a proficient seafaring nation in the struggle for control of the Baltic Sea . Denmark , Sweden and Norway were ruled together under the Kalmar Union , established in 1397 and ending with Swedish secession in 1523 . Denmark and Norway remained under the same monarch until outside forces dissolved the union in 1814 . The union with Norway made it possible for Denmark to inherit the Faroe Islands , Iceland , and Greenland . Beginning in the 17th century , there were several cessions of territory to Sweden . In the 19th century there was a surge of nationalist movements , which were defeated in the 1864 Second Schleswig War . Denmark remained neutral during World War I . In April 1940 , a German invasion saw brief military skirmishes while the Danish resistance movement was active from 1943 until the German surrender in May 1945 . An industrialised exporter of agricultural produce in the second half of the 19th century , Denmark introduced social and labour-market reforms in the early 20th century that created the basis for the present welfare state model with a highly developed mixed economy .   The Constitution of Denmark was signed on 5 June 1849 , ending the absolute monarchy which had begun in 1660 . It establishes a constitutional monarchy organised as a parliamentary democracy . The government and national parliament are seated in Copenhagen , the nation 's capital , largest city and main commercial centre . Denmark exercises hegemonic influence in the Danish Realm , devolving powers to handle internal affairs . Home rule was established in the Faroe Islands  in 1948 ; in Greenland home rule was established in 1979 and further autonomy in 2009 . Denmark became a member of the European Economic Community ( now the EU ) in 1973 , maintaining certain opt-outs ; it retains its own currency , the krone . It is among the founding members of NATO , the Nordic Council , the OECD , OSCE , and the United Nations ; it is also part of the Schengen Area .   Danes enjoy a high standard of living and the country ranks highly in some metrics of national performance , including education , health care , protection of civil liberties , democratic governance , prosperity and human development . The country ranks as having the world 's highest social mobility , a high level of income equality , is the country with the lowest perceived level of corruption in the world , has one of the world 's highest per capita incomes , and one of the world 's highest personal income tax rates .


Constitution of Denmark The Constitutional Act of the Kingdom of Denmark ( Danmarks Riges Grundlov ) , or simply the Constitution ( Grundloven ) , forms a part of the supreme law of Kingdom of Denmark , applying equally in Denmark , Greenland and the Faroe Islands . It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles of governance and establishes the structure , procedures , powers and duties of government institutions . Later sections set out fundamental rights and the duties of citizens , such as freedom of speech , freedom of religion and compulsory military service .   The Kingdom is governed on the basis of this Constitutional Act but it is complemented by Royal Law ( Kongeloven ) , the Act of Succession ( Tronfølgeloven ) and devolution arrangements in Greenland and the Faroe Islands .   The government of Denmark , as described in Part One of the Constitutional Act , is a parliamentary system under a constitutional monarchy . In its present form , the Constitutional Act is from 1953 , but the principal features of the Act go back to 1849 , making it one of the oldest constitutions . Its adoption ended an absolute monarchy and introduced democracy . Denmark celebrates the adoption of the Constitution on 5 June -- the date in which the Constitution was ratified -- every year as Constitution Day .   The Danish Parliament ( Folketinget ) can not make any laws which may be repugnant or contrary to the Constitutional Act . However , Denmark has no constitutional court , and establishing such a court would require a constitutional amendment . Changes to the Act must be confirmed by a majority in two consecutive parliamentary terms and the approval of the electorate through a national referendum .


Ray Milland Ray Milland ( 3 January 1907  -- 10 March 1986 ) was a Welsh actor and director . His screen career ran from 1929 to 1985 , and he is best remembered for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of an alcoholic writer in The Lost Weekend ( 1945 ) , a sophisticated leading man opposite a corrupt John Wayne in Reap the Wild Wind ( 1942 ) , the murder-plotting husband in Dial M for Murder ( 1954 ) , and as Oliver Barrett III in Love Story ( 1970 ) .   Before becoming an actor , Milland served in the Household Cavalry of the British Army , becoming a proficient marksman , horse-rider and aeroplane pilot . He left the army to follow a career in acting and appeared as an extra in several British productions before getting his first major role in The Flying Scotsman ( 1929 ) . This led to a nine-month contract with MGM and he moved to the United States where he appeared as a stock actor . After being released by MGM , he was picked up by Paramount , who used Milland in a range of lesser speaking parts , normally as an English character . He was loaned out to Universal for a film called Three Smart Girls ( 1936 ) , and its success saw Milland given a lead role in The Jungle Princess ( also 1936 ) alongside new starlet Dorothy Lamour . The film was a big success and catapulted both to stardom . Milland remained with Paramount for almost 20 years , and as well as his Oscar-winning role in The Lost Weekend , he is remembered for the films The Major and the Minor ( 1942 ) , The Big Clock ( 1948 ) , and The Thief ( 1952 ) , the last of which saw him nominated for his second Golden Globe . After leaving Paramount , he began directing and ended his career moving into television .   Milland , who was at one time Paramount Pictures ' highest paid actor , co-starred alongside many of the most popular actresses of the time including Gene Tierney , Grace Kelly , Lana Turner , Marlene Dietrich , Ginger Rogers , Jane Wyman , Loretta Young and Veronica Lake .


Rebecca Hall Rebecca Maria Hall ( born 3 May 1982 ) is an English-American actress . In 2003 , she won the Ian Charleson Award for her debut stage performance in a production of Mrs. Warren 's Profession . She has appeared in the films The Prestige , Vicky Cristina Barcelona ( for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe ) , The Town , The Awakening , Frost/Nixon , Iron Man 3 , Transcendence , and The Gift . In 2016 , Hall portrayed the troubled news anchor Christine Chubbuck in the critically acclaimed drama Christine .   In June 2010 , Hall won the Supporting Actress BAFTA for her portrayal of Paula Garland in the 2009 Channel 4 production Red Riding : In the Year of Our Lord 1974 . She was also nominated for the Leading Actress Television BAFTA in 2013 for her role as socialite Sylvia Tietjens in BBC Two 's Parade 's End , opposite Benedict Cumberbatch .


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


Lily James Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson ( born 5 April 1989 ) , known as Lily James , is an English actress . She played Lady Rose Aldridge in the ITV period drama Downton Abbey and the title role in the 2015 Disney film Cinderella .   James began her professional acting career as Ethel Brown in the 2010 BBC production Just William . In 2011 and 2012 , she earned warm reviews in several London theatre productions . She began to appear in Hollywood films in 2012 , with roles in Wrath of the Titans and Fast Girls , and was seen in further television roles , including that of Countess Natasha Rostova in the 2016 BBC historical drama series War & Peace .


The Last House on the Left was released in 2010.

The Last House on the Left (2009 film) The Last House on the Left is a 2009 American horror film directed by Dennis Iliadis and written by Carl Ellsworth and Adam Alleca . It is a remake of the 1972 film of the same name , and stars Tony Goldwyn , Monica Potter , Garret Dillahunt , Spencer Treat Clark , Martha MacIsaac and Sara Paxton . The film follows the parents ( Goldwyn and Potter ) of Mari Collingwood ( Paxton ) , who attempt to get revenge on a group of strangers , led by a man named Krug ( Dillahunt ) , that have taken shelter at their home during a thunderstorm .   The film rights were picked up by Rogue Pictures in 2006 , with the remake being the first film produced by Wes Craven 's new production studio Midnight Pictures . Craven , who wrote and directed the 1972 original , was interested to see what kind of film could be produced on a large budget , as the limited funds in 1972 forced him to eliminate scenes he had wanted to film to tell a complete story . Alleca 's original script included elements of the supernatural , which prompted the studio to reject it and bring in Ellsworth to perform a rewrite . One of the elements director Iliadis wanted to avoid with this film , given its graphic nature , was turning it into torture porn -- a subgenre of horror popularized by the Saw franchise . For Craven and Iliadis , The Last House on the Left primarily illustrates how even the most normal of families can be driven to evil acts if pushed too far .   The film was released on March 13 , 2009 , and took the top spot away from Watchmen with $ 5.6 million in weekend revenue . The Last House on the Left was met with mixed reviews from critics . Audience opinion ranked the film at a `` B '' level , from a scale of `` A to F '' ; the film would ultimately gross $ 45,286,228 worldwide .


The settling of Iceland is detailed in the ancient manuscript Landnámabók.

Iceland Iceland ( -LSB- ˈaɪslənd -RSB- -LSB- ˈistlant -RSB- ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean . It has a population of and an area of 103000 km2 , making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe . The capital and largest city is Reykjavík . Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to over two-thirds of the population . Iceland is volcanically and geologically active . The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields , mountains and glaciers , while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands . Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate , despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle . Its high latitude and marine influence still keeps summers chilly , with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate .   According to the ancient manuscript Landnámabók , the settlement of Iceland began in the year 874 AD when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island . In the following centuries , Norwegians , and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians , emigrated to Iceland , bringing with them thralls of Gaelic origin . The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the Althing , one of the world 's oldest functioning legislative assemblies . Following a period of civil strife , Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century . The establishment of the Kalmar Union in 1397 united the kingdoms of Norway , Denmark and Sweden . Iceland thus followed Norway 's integration to that Union and came under Danish rule after Sweden 's secession from that union in 1523 . Although the Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism forcefully in 1550 , Iceland remained a distant semi-colonial territory in which Danish institutions and infrastructures were conspicuous by their absence . In the wake of the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars , Iceland 's struggle for independence took form and culminated in independence in 1918 and the founding of a republic in 1944 . Until the 20th century , Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture , and was among the poorest in Europe . Industrialisation of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid following World War II brought prosperity , and Iceland became one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world . In 1994 , it became a part of the European Economic Area , which further diversified the economy into sectors such as finance , biotechnology , and manufacturing .   Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes compared to other OECD countries . It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens . Iceland ranks high in economic , political and social stability and equality . In 2013 , it was ranked as the 13th most-developed country in the world by the United Nations ' Human Development Index . Iceland runs almost completely on renewable energy . Affected by the ongoing worldwide financial crisis , the nation 's entire banking system systemically failed in October 2008 , leading to a severe depression , substantial political unrest , the Icesave dispute , and the institution of capital controls . Some bankers were jailed . Since then , the economy has made a significant recovery , in large part due to a surge in tourism .   Icelandic culture is founded upon the nation 's Scandinavian heritage . Most Icelanders are descendants of Germanic and Gaelic settlers . Icelandic , a North Germanic language , is descended from Old Norse and is closely related to Faroese and West Norwegian dialects . The country 's cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic cuisine , Icelandic literature and medieval sagas . Iceland has the smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing army , its lightly armed coast guard being in charge of defence .


25 (Adele album) 25 is the third studio album by British singer and songwriter Adele . It was released on 20 November 2015 , through XL Recordings . Following the release and international success of her second studio album 21 .   Titled as a reflection of her life and frame of mind at 25 years old , 25 is a `` make-up record '' . The album 's lyrical content features themes of Adele `` yearning for her old self , her nostalgia '' , and `` melancholia about the passage of time '' according to an interview with the singer by Rolling Stone , as well as themes of motherhood and regret . In contrast to Adele 's previous works , the production of 25 incorporated the use of electronic elements and creative rhythmic patterns , with elements of 1980s R&B and organs . Like 21 , Adele worked with producer and songwriter Paul Epworth and Ryan Tedder , along with new collaborations with Max Martin and Shellback , Greg Kurstin , Danger Mouse , the Smeezingtons , Samuel Dixon , and Tobias Jesso Jr. .   25 received generally positive reviews from music critics , who commended Adele 's vocal performance and the album 's production . The album was a massive commercial success , debuting at number one in more than 25 markets and broke first-week sales records in multiple countries , including the United Kingdom and United States ; in the US , the album sold 3.38 million copies in its first week of release , marking the largest single-week sales for an album since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking point-of-sale music purchases in 1991 . 25 eventually became the world 's best-selling album of 2015 with 17.4 million copies sold within the year , and has sold 20 million copies as of June 2016 , making it one of the best selling albums worldwide .   Following 21 , it was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , denoting shipments of ten million copies in the United States , making Adele the only artist of the 2010s to achieve this certification with two albums . Many journalists felt that the album impacted the music industry by encouraging the public to return to buying physical albums , instead of downloading or streaming . 25 received the BRIT Award for British Album of the Year , while the lead single `` Hello '' won British Single of the Year . The album then won the 2017 Grammy Awards for Album of the Year , and Best Pop Vocal Album . `` Hello '' also won Grammys for Record of the Year , Song of the Year , and Best Pop Solo Performance .


Independence Day: Resurgence is a 2016 film.

Independence Day: Resurgence Independence Day : Resurgence is a 2016 American science fiction film written and directed by Roland Emmerich with co-writers Dean Devlin , Nicolas Wright , James A. Woods , and James Vanderbilt . As sequel to the 1996 film Independence Day , it stars an ensemble cast featuring Liam Hemsworth , Jeff Goldblum , Bill Pullman , Maika Monroe , Jessie Usher , Travis Tope , William Fichtner , Charlotte Gainsbourg , Judd Hirsch , Brent Spiner and Sela Ward .   The film takes place twenty years after the events of the first film , during which the United Nations has collaborated to form Earth Space Defense ( ESD ) , an international military defense and research organization . Through reverse engineering , the world has harnessed the power of alien technology and laid the groundwork to resist a second invasion .   Plans for a sequel to Independence Day began as early as 2001 , with 20th Century Fox eventually green-lighting the project in 2014 . Principal photography began in April 2015 at locations primarily in New Mexico but also in the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah , which were featured in the original . Independence Day : Resurgence was released in the United States on June 24 , 2016 , in 2D , 3D , and IMAX 3D , grossing $ 389.7 million worldwide at the box office . The film received generally unfavorable reviews from critics , who found the plot convoluted and action sequences overblown , though some praised its overall humor .


Hawaii Hawaii ( -LSB- langpronaudio = en-us-Hawaii . ogghəˈwaɪ.i , _ - ji , _ - ʔi -RSB- ; Hawai -LSB- - hawhəˈvɐjʔi -RSB- ) is the 50th and most recent state to have joined the United States of America , having received statehood on August 21 , 1959 . Hawaii is the only U.S. state located in Oceania and the only one composed entirely of islands . It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia , occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean . Hawaii is the only U.S. state not located in the Americas .   The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian archipelago , which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1500 mi . At the southeastern end of the archipelago , the eight main islands are -- in order from northwest to southeast : Niihau , Kauai , Oahu , Molokai , Lānai , Kahoolawe , Maui , and the Island of Hawaii . The last is the largest island in the group ; it is often called the `` Big Island '' or `` Hawaii Island '' to avoid confusion with the state or archipelago . The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania .   Hawaii 's diverse natural scenery , warm tropical climate , abundance of public beaches , oceanic surroundings , and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists , surfers , biologists , and volcanologists . Because of its central location in the Pacific and 19th-century labor migration , Hawaii 's culture is strongly influenced by North American and Asian cultures , in addition to its indigenous Hawaiian culture . Hawaii has over a million permanent residents , along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel . Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oahu .   Hawaii is the 8th-smallest and the 11th-least populous , but the 13th-most densely populated of the fifty U.S. states . It is the only state with an Asian plurality . The state 's coastline is about 750 mi long , the fourth longest in the U.S. after the coastlines of Alaska , Florida , and California .


Rod Serling argued with people over discrimination by race.

Rod Serling Rodman Edward `` Rod '' Serling ( December 25 , 1924 -- June 28 , 1975 ) was an American screenwriter , playwright , television producer , and narrator known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science-fiction anthology TV series , The Twilight Zone . Serling was active in politics , both on and off the screen , and helped form television industry standards . He was known as the `` angry young man '' of Hollywood , clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship , racism , and war .


Racism Racism is discrimination and prejudice towards people based on their race or ethnicity . Today , the use of the term `` racism '' does not easily fall under a single definition .   The ideology underlying racist practices often includes the idea that humans can be subdivided into distinct groups that are different in their social behavior and innate capacities and that can be ranked as inferior or superior . The Holocaust is a classic example of institutionalized racism which led to the death of millions of people based on race .  While the concepts of race and ethnicity are considered to be separate in contemporary social science , the two terms have a long history of equivalence in both popular usage and older social science literature . `` Ethnicity '' is often used in a sense close to one traditionally attributed to `` race '' : the division of human groups based on qualities assumed to be essential or innate to the group ( e.g. shared ancestry or shared behavior ) . Therefore , racism and racial discrimination are often used to describe discrimination on an ethnic or cultural basis , independent of whether these differences are described as racial . According to a United Nations convention on racial discrimination , there is no distinction between the terms `` racial '' and `` ethnic '' discrimination . The UN convention further concludes that superiority based on racial differentiation is scientifically false , morally condemnable , socially unjust and dangerous , and there is no justification for racial discrimination , anywhere , in theory or in practice .   Racist ideology can become manifest in many aspects of social life . Racism can be present in social actions , practices , or political systems ( e.g. , apartheid ) that support the expression of prejudice or aversion in discriminatory practices . Associated social actions may include nativism , xenophobia , otherness , segregation , hierarchical ranking , supremacism , and related social phenomena .


Mary-Louise Parker received a Golden Globe for Best Actress.

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


Al Gore became Vice President in the nineties.

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


Helen Mirren won an Olivier in 2013 and a Tony in 2015.

Helen Mirren Dame Helen Lydia Mirren ( née Mironoff ; born 26 July 1945 ) is an English actor . Mirren began her acting career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1967 , and is one of the few performers who have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting , having won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2007 , after two previous nominations , for her performance as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen . She received an Olivier Award for Best Actress in 2013 for her West End performance in The Audience , in which she also portrayed Elizabeth II , and in 2015 she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her Broadway performance in the play . The Audience was written by Peter Morgan , who also wrote The Queen . Mirren won three consecutive BAFTA Awards for Best Actress between 1992 and 1994 and her first of several Emmy Awards in 1996 for her performance as police detective Jane Tennison on the British television series Prime Suspect , which ran for seven seasons between 1991 and 2006 .   Some of her other notable film roles include Marcella in the 1984 film Cal , for which she won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress , 2010 ( 1984 ) , The Cook , the Thief , His Wife & Her Lover ( 1989 ) , The Madness of King George ( 1994 ) , Teaching Mrs. Tingle ( 1999 ) , Gosford Park ( 2001 ) , Calendar Girls ( 2003 ) , The Last Station ( 2009 ) , Hitchcock ( 2012 ) , and The Hundred-Foot Journey ( 2014 ) . She played Victoria Winslow in the action-comedy films Red and Red 2 .   In 2003 , she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( DBE ) for Services to the Performing Arts . In 2013 , Mirren was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , and in 2014 , BAFTA announced that Mirren would be the recipient of the Academy Fellowship .


The Communist Party of the Soviet Union is still in power.

Communist Party of the Soviet Union The Communist Party of the Soviet Union , abbreviated in English as CPSU , was the founding and ruling political party of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( USSR or Soviet Union ) . The CPSU was the sole governing party of the Soviet Union until 1990 , when the Congress of People 's Deputies modified the article of the constitution , which had granted the CPSU a monopoly over the political system . The party was founded in 1912 by the Bolsheviks ( the majority faction of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party ) , a revolutionary group led by Vladimir Lenin which seized power in the aftermath of the October Revolution of 1917 . The party was dissolved on 29 August 1991 on Soviet territory soon after a failed coup d'état and was completely abolished on 6 November 1991 on Russian territory .   The CPSU was a communist party organized on the basis of democratic centralism , a principle conceived by Lenin that entails democratic and open discussion of policy issues within the party followed by the requirement of total unity in upholding the agreed policies . The highest body within the CPSU was the party Congress , which convened every five years . When the Congress was not in session , the Central Committee was the highest body . Because the Central Committee met twice a year , most day-to-day duties and responsibilities were vested in the Politburo , the Secretariat , and the Orgburo ( until 1952 ) . The party leader was the head of government and held the office of either General Secretary , Premier or head of state , or some of the three offices concurrentlybut never all three at the same time . The party leader was the de facto chairman of the CPSU Politburo and chief executive of the USSR ; the tension between the party and the state ( Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union ) for the shifting locus of power was never formally resolved , but in reality the party dominated , and a paramount leader always existed ( first Lenin and thereafter the General Secretary ) .   The CPSU , according to its party statute , adhered to Marxism -- Leninism , an ideology based on the writings of Vladimir Lenin and Karl Marx , and formalized under Joseph Stalin . The party pursued state socialism , under which all industries were nationalized and a planned economy was implemented . Before central planning was adopted in 1929 , Lenin had introduced a mixed economy , commonly referred to as the New Economic Policy , in the 1920s , which allowed to introduce certain capitalist elements in the Soviet economy . After Mikhail Gorbachev took power in 1985 , at first trying to prop up the stagnant centrally planned economy , rapid steps were taken to transform the economic system in the direction of a market economy . Gorbachev and some of his allies envisioned the introduction of an economy similar to Lenin 's New Economic Policy through a program of perestroika , or restructuring , but the results of their reforms contributed to the fall of the entire system of government .   A number of causes contributed to CPSU 's loss of control and the dissolution of the Soviet Union . Some historians have written that Gorbachev 's policy of glasnost ( political openness ) was the root cause , noting that it weakened the party 's control over society . Gorbachev maintained that perestroika without glasnost was doomed to failure anyway . Others have blamed the economic stagnation and subsequent loss of faith by the general populace in communist ideology .


Bill Clinton was the 22nd U.S. President.

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( born August 19 , 1946 ) is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 . Prior to the Presidency he was the 40th Governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and the state 's 42nd Governor from 1983 to 1992 . Before that , he served as Arkansas Attorney General from 1977 to 1979 . A member of the Democratic Party , Clinton was ideologically a New Democrat , and many of his policies reflected a centrist `` Third Way '' political philosophy .   Clinton was born and raised in Arkansas and is an alumnus of Georgetown University , where he was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Phi Beta Kappa Society ; he earned a Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford . Clinton is married to Hillary Rodham Clinton , who served as United States Secretary of State from 2009 to 2013 and U.S. Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009 , and was the Democratic nominee for President in 2016 . Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham both earned degrees from Yale Law School , where they met and began dating . As Governor of Arkansas , Clinton overhauled the state 's education system and served as chairman of the National Governors Association .   Clinton was elected President of the United States in 1992 , defeating incumbent Republican opponent George H. W. Bush . At age 46 , he became the third-youngest president ( behind Theodore Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy ) and the first from the Baby Boomer generation . Clinton presided over the longest period of peacetime economic expansion in American history and signed into law the North American Free Trade Agreement . After failing to pass national health care reform , the Democratic House was ousted when the Republican Party won control of the Congress in 1994 , for the first time in 40 years . Two years later , in 1996 , Clinton became the first Democrat since Franklin D. Roosevelt to be elected to a second term . Clinton passed welfare reform and the State Children 's Health Insurance Program , as well as financial deregulation measures , including the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000 .   In 1998 , Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives for perjury before a grand jury and obstruction of justice during a lawsuit against him , both related to a scandal involving White House ( and later Department of Defense ) employee Monica Lewinsky . Clinton was acquitted by the U.S. Senate in 1999 and served his complete term of office .   The Congressional Budget Office reported a budget surplus between the years 1998 and 2000 , the last three years of Clinton 's presidency . In foreign policy , Clinton ordered U.S. military intervention in the Bosnian and Kosovo wars , signed the Iraq Liberation Act in opposition to Saddam Hussein , and participated in the 2000 Camp David Summit to advance the Israeli -- Palestinian peace process .   Clinton left office with the highest end-of-office approval rating of any U.S. President since World War II . Since then , Clinton has been involved in public speaking and humanitarian work . He created the William J. Clinton Foundation to address international causes , such as the prevention of AIDS and global warming . In 2004 , Clinton published his autobiography , My Life . He has remained active in politics by campaigning for Democratic candidates , including his wife 's campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016 , and Barack Obama 's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012 .   In 2009 , Clinton was named the United Nations Special Envoy to Haiti , and after the 2010 Haiti earthquake , Clinton teamed with George W. Bush to form the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund . Since leaving office , Clinton has been rated highly in public opinion polls of U.S. Presidents .


Russ (rapper) Russ Vitale ( born September 26 , 1992 ) , known by his stage name and mononym Russ , is an American hip hop recording artist , singer-songwriter and record producer . He is known for his singles `` What They Want '' and `` Losin Control '' , which peaked respectively at number 83 and 63 on the US Billboard Hot 100 . He is part of the Diemon Crew , a rap group . His first studio album There 's Really A Wolf was released on May 5 , 2017 .


In 2011, SpaceX was raising funds privately.

SpaceX Space Exploration Technologies Corporation , better known as SpaceX , is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne , California . It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars . SpaceX has since developed the Falcon launch vehicle family and the Dragon spacecraft family , which both currently deliver payloads into Earth orbit .   SpaceX 's achievements include the first privately funded liquid-propellant rocket to reach orbit ( Falcon 1 in 2008 ) ; the first privately funded company to successfully launch , orbit , and recover a spacecraft ( Dragon in 2010 ) ; the first private company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station ( Dragon in 2012 ) ; the first propulsive landing for an orbital rocket ( Falcon 9 in 2015 ) ; and the first reuse of an orbital rocket ( Falcon 9 in 2017 ) . , SpaceX has since flown ten missions to the International Space Station ( ISS ) under a cargo resupply contract . NASA also awarded SpaceX a further development contract in 2011 to develop and demonstrate a human-rated Dragon , which would be used to transport astronauts to the ISS and return them safely to Earth .   SpaceX announced in 2011 that they were beginning a privately funded reusable launch system technology development program . In December 2015 , a first stage was flown back to a landing pad near the launch site , where it successfully accomplished a propulsive vertical landing . This was the first such achievement by a rocket for orbital spaceflight . In April 2016 , with the launch of CRS-8 , SpaceX successfully vertically landed a first stage on an ocean drone-ship landing platform . In May 2016 , in another first , SpaceX again landed a first stage , but during a significantly more energetic geostationary transfer orbit mission . In March 2017 , SpaceX became the first to successfully re-launch and land the first stage of an orbital rocket .   In September 2016 , CEO Elon Musk unveiled the mission architecture of the Interplanetary Transport System program , an ambitious privately funded initiative to develop spaceflight technology for use in manned interplanetary spaceflight , and which , if demand emerges , could lead to sustainable human settlements on Mars over the long term . This is the main purpose this System was designed for . In 2017 , Elon Musk announced that the company had been contracted by two private individuals to send them in a Dragon spacecraft on a free return trajectory around the Moon . Provisionally launching in 2018 , this could become the first instance of lunar tourism .