1.
San Diego Comic-Con
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San Diego Comic-Con International is a multi-genre entertainment and comic convention held annually in San Diego, California. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International, San Diego and it is a four-day event held during the summer at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego. On the Wednesday evening prior to the opening of the event, there is a preview for professionals, exhibitors. Comic-Con International also produces two other conventions, WonderCon, held in Los Angeles, and the Alternative Press Expo and it is also the home of the Will Eisner Awards. In 2010, it filled the San Diego Convention Center to capacity with more than 130,000 attendees, the convention was founded in 1970 by Shel Dorf, Richard Alf, Ken Krueger, Mike Towry, Barry Alfonso, Bob Sourk, and Greg Bear. Detroit, Michigan-born, comics fan Shel Dorf, had, in the mid-1960s, mounted the Detroit Triple-Fan Fairs, one of the first commercial comics-fan conventions. When he moved to San Diego, California, in 1970, he organized a convention on March 21,1970. Dorf went on to be associated with the convention as president or manager, variously, Alf co-chaired the first convention with Krueger and became chairman in 1971. Following the initial gathering, Dorfs first three-day San Diego comics convention, other locations in the conventions early years included the El Cortez Hotel, the University of California, San Diego, and Golden Hall, before being moved to the San Diego Convention Center in 1991. I was quietly walking the floor stunned and in awe of just how much bigger it really was, the convention is organized by a panel of 13 board members,16 to 20 full-time and part-time workers, and 80 volunteers who assist via committees. Comic Con International is an organization, and proceeds of the event go to funding it, as well as the Alternative Press Expo. The convention logo was designed by Richard Bruning and Josh Beatman in 1995, in September 2010, the convention announced that it would stay in San Diego through 2015. In 2015, working with Lionsgate, a channel was created to host Comic-Con related content. According to the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, the convention has a regional economic impact of $162.8 million. Along with panels, seminars, and workshops with comic book professionals, there are previews of upcoming feature films, like most comic-book conventions, Comic-Con features a large floorspace for exhibitors. These include media companies such as studios and TV networks, as well as comic-book dealers. And like most comics conventions, Comic-Con includes an area, as well as the Artists Alley where comics artists can sign autographs. Despite the name, artists alleys can include writers and even models, academics and comic industry professionals annually hold the Comics Arts Conference at Comic-Con, presenting scholarly studies on comics as a medium
2.
Pittsburgh
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Pittsburgh is a city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States, and is the county seat of Allegheny County. The city proper has a population of 304,391. The metropolitan population of 2,353,045 is the largest in both the Ohio Valley and Appalachia, the second-largest in Pennsylvania, and the 26th-largest in the U. S. The city features 30 skyscrapers, two inclines, a fortification and the Point State Park at the confluence of the rivers. Aside from steel, Pittsburgh has led in manufacturing of aluminum, glass, shipbuilding, petroleum, foods, sports, transportation, computing, autos, and electronics. For part of the 20th century, Pittsburgh was behind only New York and Chicago in corporate headquarters employment, Americas 1980s deindustrialization laid off area blue-collar workers and thousands of downtown white-collar workers when the longtime Pittsburgh-based world headquarters moved out. The area has served also as the federal agency headquarters for cyber defense, software engineering, robotics, energy research. The area is home to 68 colleges and universities, including research and development leaders Carnegie Mellon University, the region is a hub for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, sustainable energy, and energy extraction. Pittsburgh was named in 1758 by General John Forbes, in honor of British statesman William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham. The current pronunciation, which is unusual in English speaking countries, is almost certainly a result of a printing error in some copies of the City Charter of March 18,1816. The error was repeated commonly enough throughout the rest of the 19th century that the pronunciation was lost. After a public campaign the original spelling was restored by the United States Board on Geographic Names in 1911. The area of the Ohio headwaters was long inhabited by the Shawnee, the first known European to enter the region was the French explorer/trader Robert de La Salle from Quebec during his 1669 expedition down the Ohio River. European pioneers, primarily Dutch, followed in the early 18th century, Michael Bezallion was the first to describe the forks of the Ohio in a 1717 manuscript, and later that year European fur traders established area posts and settlements. In 1749, French soldiers from Quebec launched an expedition to the forks to unite Canada with French Louisiana via the rivers, during 1753–54, the British hastily built Fort Prince George before a larger French force drove them off. The French built Fort Duquesne based on LaSalles 1669 claims, the French and Indian War, the North American front of the Seven Years War, began with the future Pittsburgh as its center. British General Edward Braddock was dispatched with Major George Washington as his aide to take Fort Duquesne, the British and colonial force were defeated at Braddocks Field. General John Forbes finally took the forks in 1758, Forbes began construction on Fort Pitt, named after William Pitt the Elder while the settlement was named Pittsborough
3.
Manhattan
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Manhattan is the most densely populated borough of New York City, its economic and administrative center, and the citys historical birthplace. The borough is coextensive with New York County, founded on November 1,1683, Manhattan is often described as the cultural and financial capital of the world and hosts the United Nations Headquarters. Many multinational media conglomerates are based in the borough and it is historically documented to have been purchased by Dutch colonists from Native Americans in 1626 for 60 guilders which equals US$1062 today. New York County is the United States second-smallest county by land area, on business days, the influx of commuters increases that number to over 3.9 million, or more than 170,000 people per square mile. Manhattan has the third-largest population of New York Citys five boroughs, after Brooklyn and Queens, the City of New York was founded at the southern tip of Manhattan, and the borough houses New York City Hall, the seat of the citys government. The name Manhattan derives from the word Manna-hata, as written in the 1609 logbook of Robert Juet, a 1610 map depicts the name as Manna-hata, twice, on both the west and east sides of the Mauritius River. The word Manhattan has been translated as island of hills from the Lenape language. The United States Postal Service prefers that mail addressed to Manhattan use New York, NY rather than Manhattan, the area that is now Manhattan was long inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. In 1524, Florentine explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano – sailing in service of King Francis I of France – was the first European to visit the area that would become New York City. It was not until the voyage of Henry Hudson, an Englishman who worked for the Dutch East India Company, a permanent European presence in New Netherland began in 1624 with the founding of a Dutch fur trading settlement on Governors Island. In 1625, construction was started on the citadel of Fort Amsterdam on Manhattan Island, later called New Amsterdam, the 1625 establishment of Fort Amsterdam at the southern tip of Manhattan Island is recognized as the birth of New York City. In 1846, New York historian John Romeyn Brodhead converted the figure of Fl 60 to US$23, variable-rate myth being a contradiction in terms, the purchase price remains forever frozen at twenty-four dollars, as Edwin G. Burrows and Mike Wallace remarked in their history of New York. Sixty guilders in 1626 was valued at approximately $1,000 in 2006, based on the price of silver, Straight Dope author Cecil Adams calculated an equivalent of $72 in 1992. In 1647, Peter Stuyvesant was appointed as the last Dutch Director General of the colony, New Amsterdam was formally incorporated as a city on February 2,1653. In 1664, the English conquered New Netherland and renamed it New York after the English Duke of York and Albany, the Dutch Republic regained it in August 1673 with a fleet of 21 ships, renaming the city New Orange. Manhattan was at the heart of the New York Campaign, a series of battles in the early American Revolutionary War. The Continental Army was forced to abandon Manhattan after the Battle of Fort Washington on November 16,1776. The city, greatly damaged by the Great Fire of New York during the campaign, became the British political, British occupation lasted until November 25,1783, when George Washington returned to Manhattan, as the last British forces left the city
4.
Carnegie Mellon University
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Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools, in 1967, the Carnegie Institute of Technology merged with the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research to form Carnegie Mellon University. The universitys 140-acre main campus is 3 miles from Downtown Pittsburgh, john Heinz III College of Information Systems and Public Policy, and the School of Computer Science. The university also has campuses in Qatar and Silicon Valley, with degree-granting programs in six continents, Carnegie Mellon consistently ranks in the top 25 in the national U. S. News & World Report rankings. It is home to the world’s first degree-granting Robotics and Drama programs, the university spent $242 million on research in 2015. Carnegie Mellon counts 13,650 students from 114 countries, over 100,000 living alumni, Carnegies vision was to open a vocational training school for the sons and daughters of working-class Pittsburghers. Carnegie was inspired for the design of his school by the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, in 1912 the institution changed its name to Carnegie Institute of Technology and began offering four-year degrees. The Mellon Institute of Industrial Research was founded in 1913 by banker and industrialist brothers Andrew, Mellon in honor of their father, Thomas Mellon, the patriarch of the Mellon family. The Institute began as an organization which performed work for government. In 1927, the Mellon Institute incorporated as an independent nonprofit, in 1938, the Mellon Institutes iconic building was completed and it moved to its new, and current, location on Fifth Avenue. In 1967, with support from Paul Mellon, Carnegie Tech merged with the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research to become Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Mellons coordinate womens college, the Margaret Morrison Carnegie College closed in 1973 and merged its academic programs with the rest of the university. The industrial research mission of the Mellon Institute survived the merger as the Carnegie Mellon Research Institute and continued doing work on contract to industry, CMRI closed in 2001 and its programs were subsumed by other parts of the university or spun off into independent entities. Carnegie Mellons 140-acre main campus is three miles from downtown Pittsburgh, between Schenley Park and the Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, and Oakland neighborhoods, Carnegie Mellon is bordered to the west by the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Carnegie Mellon owns 81 buildings in the Oakland and Squirrel Hill neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, for decades the center of student life on campus was Skibo Hall, the Universitys student union. Built in the 1950s, Skibo Halls design was typical of Mid-Century Modern architecture, the original Skibo was razed in the summer of 1994 and replaced by a new student union that is fully wi-fi enabled. Known as University Center, the building was dedicated in 1996, in 2014, Carnegie Mellon re-dedicated the University Center as the Cohon University Center in recognition of the eighth president of the university, Jared Cohon. A large grassy area known as the Cut forms the backbone of the campus, the Cut was formed by filling in a ravine with soil from a nearby hill that was leveled to build the College of Fine Arts building. The northwestern part of the campus was acquired from the United States Bureau of Mines in the 1980s, the sculpture was controversial for its placement, the general lack of input that the campus community had, and its aesthetic appeal
5.
Sylar
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Gabriel Gray, more commonly known by his pseudonym Sylar, is a fictional character and a primary antagonist of the NBC drama Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers. He served as the villain of the first season and then as a recurring antagonist. TV Guide included him in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time, in an interview with series creator Tim Kring, it is asked if Sylar eats brains, and he merely states Thats the popular speculation. Theres a connection between the powers and the brain, and Sylar has found it, the question is addressed in the season three premiere, when he is depicted in the act of acquiring Claire Bennets regenerative powers through examination of her brain with his hands. When Claire asks him the question, he sounds surprised. The writers never bridged the gap between the early insinuations regarding what Sylar does with the brains and the final incarnation they reveal in his encounter with Claire. Prior to Quintos first appearance in the episode Seven Minutes to Midnight, Quinto himself played the role with his face hidden in the same way until Six Months Ago. In the second episode of the first season, Dont Look Back, his voice is heard in a phone conversation on Chandra Sureshs answering machine. Part of this conversation is heard again in Six Months Ago, Sylar was raised as the son of a watchmaker, but was indoctrinated by his mothers repeated assertions to believe that he was special and deserved more in life. This and the imperative to acquire new abilities are what drive him to kill the victims with powers. Taking the name Sylar from a brand, he has shed all connections to his former life as Gabriel Gray to the point where he angrily lashes out at anyone who calls him Gabriel. In addition to the above, Sylar shows a lack of empathy. This was seen with Mohinder Suresh, when Sylar tried to impersonate Zane Taylor, Sylars dominant trait was his innate desire to be recognized as special and admired. This was fueled by his mothers disappointment in him for perceived failure and his own feelings that he did not get a chance to choose his destiny. He spent his life hoping to learn something extraordinary about himself, Sylar is repeatedly shown as desperately looking for a family and parental figures due to his own unhappy home life, desperately wanting to be loved. The flip side of this is that he can react with violence when his emotional needs are exploited by others. Sylar is also known for his voracious appetite and he can constantly be seen snacking or looking for food and he has even taken time during his murders to eat, such as when he reacted with joy at a birthday cake of the woman he just killed
6.
Heroes (TV series)
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Heroes is an American psychological thriller science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25,2006 through February 8,2010. The series emulates the style and storytelling of American comic books, using multi-episode story arcs that build upon a larger. The series was produced by Tailwind Productions in association with Universal Media Studios and it was filmed primarily in Los Angeles, California. Four complete seasons aired, ending on February 8,2010, the second season of Heroes attracted an average of 13.1 million viewers in the U. S. and marked NBCs sole series among the top 20 ranked programs in total viewership for the 2007–2008 season. Heroes has earned a number of awards and nominations, including Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, Peoples Choice Awards, and British Academy Television Awards. An online extension of the series, Heroes 360 Experience, later rebranded as Heroes Evolutions, was created to explore the Heroes universe, other official Heroes media include magazines, action figures, tie-in and interactive websites, a mobile game, a novel, clothing and other merchandise. A 13-episode miniseries entitled Heroes Reborn premiered on NBC on September 24,2015, additionally, comic book writer Cullen Bunn will be writing an ongoing comic book continuing Heroes, called Heroes, Season Five, a release date and artist has yet to be determined. Originally, Kring designed the series to have an ever-shifting cast, in its first season, the show features an ensemble cast of twelve main characters making it the third largest cast in American primetime television behind Desperate Housewives and Lost. In episode eleven of the first season, Jack Coleman, who portrays Noah Bennet, was upgraded from a role to become the twelfth full-time cast member. Simone Deveaux was the first major character to be written out, DL became a guest star after the events of the first seasons finale, making two appearances throughout season two. Isaac Mendez was also written out, dying at the hands of Sylar, Two recurring characters from season one, Sylar, portrayed by Zachary Quinto, and Ando Masahashi, portrayed by James Kyson Lee, were upgraded to main characters in season two. Starting in season two, recurring character Angela Petrelli, portrayed by Cristine Rose, was promoted to a main character, Elle, Adam, and Micah were removed from the main cast. Monica Dawson did not appear after scenes including her were cut, Niki was also written out but actress Ali Larter remained on the show portraying a new character Tracy Strauss, Nikis triplet sister with the power to freeze objects with a touch. For season four, a new character Samuel Sullivan, portrayed by Robert Knepper, was added, originally cast as a recurring part, the part was changed to a starring role. Deanne Bray was also added as Emma Coolidge, the woman who had enhanced synesthesia including the ability to create a siren song. The plot of Heroes is designed to be told in a way similar to the way books are told. Each season of Heroes contains one or two volumes, there are several main story lines in each volume. As the main plots develop, smaller, more stories are told within them
7.
Spock
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Spock, commonly Mr. Spock, is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. In addition, numerous actors portrayed the various stages of Spocks rapid growth, due to the effects of the Genesis Planet, in the 1984 Star Trek film Star Trek III, The Search for Spock. In the 2009 film Star Trek, Nimoy reprised his role with Zachary Quinto, both reprised their roles in the 2013 sequel Star Trek Into Darkness and Quinto reprised his role again in 2016s Star Trek Beyond. Spock serves aboard the starship Enterprise, as officer and first officer. Spocks mixed human-Vulcan heritage serves as an important plot element in many of the characters appearances, Kirk and Dr. Leonard Bones McCoy, he is one of the three central characters in the original Star Trek series and its films. After retiring from Starfleet, Spock serves as a Federation ambassador, born to the Vulcan Sarek and the human Amanda Grayson, Spock has a troubled childhood due to his mixed heritage. On his homeworld, he was bullied and tormented by full-blooded Vulcan children. For a time, he grew up alongside his older half-brother Sybok, in the episode Amok Time, it is revealed that Spock became betrothed to TPring during his childhood. Sarek supported Spocks scientific learning and supporting his application to the Vulcan Science Academy, in the 2009 film Star Trek, Spock is seen rejecting his acceptance into the Vulcan Science Academy on the basis that they would never fully accept someone who was only half-Vulcan. Because Spock did not enter the VSA, and sought to join Starfleet instead, Spock appeared as the science officer on the USS Enterprise in the first pilot for the series, The Cage. Spock was one of the members of the team who joined Captain Christopher Pike on a mission to Talos IV in order to investigate a distress call. Spock did appear in the pilot, Where No Man Has Gone Before. During the events of that pilot, Spock became concerned at the risk to the ship posed by Lieutenant Commander Gary Mitchell, the earliest appearance of Spock in the series as broadcast was The Man Trap, the first such episode. When he needs to knock out a version of Kirk in The Enemy Within. Together with Chief Engineer Montgomery Scotty Scott work together to rejoin the good and evil versions of the Captain, during Miri, he finds himself to be the only member of the landing party to be immune to the physical affects of the disease affecting human adults on the planet. However, he realises that he is probably a carrier and could infect the Enterprise if he were to return, doctor Leonard McCoy manages to devise a cure, allowing the team to return to the ship. When Simon van Gelder enters the bridge armed with a phaser in Dagger of the Mind and he later conducts a mind meld with van Gelder as part of the investigation into the activities of the nearby colony. After the power to the colony is shut down, and a force field drops
8.
Star Trek (film)
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Star Trek is a 2009 American science fiction adventure film directed by J. J. Abrams, written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman and distributed by Paramount Pictures. Kirk and Spock aboard USS Enterprise as they combat Nero, a Romulan from their future who threatens the United Federation of Planets, the story takes place in an alternate reality because of time travel by both Nero and the original Spock. The alternate timeline was created in an attempt to free the film, the idea for a prequel film which would follow the Star Trek characters during their time in Starfleet Academy was discussed by series creator Gene Roddenberry in 1968. After the separation between Viacom and CBS Corporation, former Paramount president Gail Berman convinced CBS to allow Paramount to produce a feature film, Orci and Kurtzman, both fans of the Star Trek series, were approached to write the film and Abrams was approached to direct it. Kurtzman and Orci used inspiration from novels and graduate school dissertations as well as the series itself, principal photography commenced on November 7,2007 and ended on March 27,2008. The film was shot in locations around California and Utah. Abrams wanted to avoid using bluescreen and greenscreen, opting to use sets, heavy secrecy surrounded the films production and was under the fake working title Corporate Headquarters. Industrial Light & Magic used digital ships for the film, as opposed to the films in the franchise. Production for the film concluded by the end of 2008 and it was released in the United States and Canada on May 8,2009, to critical acclaim. Critics praised the development as well as the storyline in the film. Star Trek became a box office success, grossing over $385.7 million worldwide against its budget of $150 million. The DVD and Blu-ray for the film were released on October 19,2010, the film is followed by two sequels, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond with a fourth having been announced. In the 23rd century, the Federation starship USS Kelvin is investigating a storm in space. A Romulan ship, Narada, emerges from the storm and attacks Kelvin, naradas first officer, Ayel, demands that Kelvins Captain Robau come aboard to negotiate a truce. Robau is questioned about the current stardate and an Ambassador Spock, naradas commander, Nero, kills him, and resumes attacking Kelvin. George Kirk, Kelvins first officer, orders the ships personnel, including his pregnant wife Winona, Kirk sacrifices his life to ensure Winonas survival as she gives birth to James T. Kirk. Seventeen years later on the planet Vulcan, a young Spock is accepted to join the Vulcan Science Academy, realizing that the Academy views his human mother Amanda as a disadvantage, he joins Starfleet instead. On Earth, Kirk becomes a reckless but intelligent young adult, three years later, Commander Spock accuses Kirk of cheating during the Kobayashi Maru simulation
9.
Star Trek Into Darkness
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Star Trek Into Darkness is a 2013 American science fiction action film directed by J. J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. It is the 12th installment in the Star Trek film franchise, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve, and Peter Weller are also credited in the films principal cast. The film was the last time Nimoy would portray the character of Spock before his death in 2015, set in the 23rd century, Kirk and the crew of USS Enterprise are sent to the Klingon homeworld seeking former Starfleet member-turned-terrorist John Harrison. After the release of Star Trek, Abrams, Burk, Lindelof, Kurtzman, into Darknesss visual effects were primarily created by Industrial Light & Magic. The film was converted to 3D in post-production, the film was released on May 17 in the United States and Canada, opening at IMAX cinemas a day earlier. Into Darkness was a success and received positive reviews from critics. Its gross earnings of over $467 million worldwide made it the highest-grossing entry in the Star Trek franchise, at the 86th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for Best Visual Effects. A sequel, Star Trek Beyond, was released on July 22,2016, in 2259, Captain James T. Admiral Christopher Pike is reinstated as commanding officer with Kirk demoted to the rank of Commander and first officer. Commander Spock is transferred to another ship, shortly after, the Section 31 installation in London is bombed, perpetrated by the renegade Starfleet operative John Harrison. Harrison then attacks Starfleet Headquarters in a jumpship during the meeting about the situation, killing Pike. Kirk disables the jumpship by throwing a rifle one of its engines, but Harrison escapes by transporting to Kronos. Admiral Alexander Marcus reinstates Kirk and Spock to Enterprise with orders to kill Harrison by using a new missile called a Photon torpedo, chief Engineer Montgomery Scott strongly objects to allowing untested missiles on board the ship, but when he is overruled he resigns from his post. Kirk assigns Pavel Chekov to replace Scotty, en route to Kronos, Enterprises warp capabilities mysteriously become disabled. Kirk leads a team with Spock and Uhura onto the planet in a landing craft. Uhura leaves the craft to talk to the Klingons. They instead decide to kill Uhura, but Kirk and the landing party manage to kill the Klingons, after the battle, Harrison comes up to Kirk demanding to know the number of missiles on board the Enterprise and surrenders when Kirk tells him. Dr. Leonard McCoy and Marcuss daughter, Dr. Carol Marcus, inside is a man in cryogenic stasis. Every torpedo aboard Enterprise contains a human in stasis, Khan reveals that Marcus had sabotaged Enterprises warp drive, intending for the Klingons to destroy the ship after it fired on Kronos, creating an act of war by the Klingon Empire
10.
American Horror Story: Asylum
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American Horror Story, Asylum is the second season of the American FX horror television series American Horror Story, created by Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy. It originally aired from October 17,2012 to January 23,2013, the season begins in 1964 at the fictional mental institution, Briarcliff Manor, following the stories of the staff and inmates who occupy it, and intercuts with events in the past and present. Returning cast members from the season of the series include, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Dylan McDermott, Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Zachary Quinto. Like its predecessor, Asylum was well received by television critics, the performances of Jessica Lange, James Cromwell, Zachary Quinto, Sarah Paulson, and Lily Rabe were particularly praised. In addition, Quinto and Paulson won their respective supporting categories at the 3rd Critics Choice Television Awards, Arthur Arden, also known as Hans Grüper, respectively. Sister Jude is terrorized by the memory and goes to see the family of the dead girl and she figures that God had a plan for her all along, and decides that it is her job to destroy all the remaining evil at Briarcliff. Sister Mary Eunice is a shy and innocent nun who fears Sister Jude, Dr. Arden is a former Nazi whose experiments have produced Raspers, mutated former patients, who lurk in the woods surrounding the institution, and who are fed the flesh of dead patients. Dr. Thredson is assigned to evaluate Kit, who is accused of being the serial killer Bloody Face. Thredson also tries to reform Lana, who was an ambitious journalist attempting to expose Briarcliffs mistreatments of patients and she was in a relationship with Wendy, who was blackmailed by Sister Jude into committing Winters, before being killed by Bloody Face. Thredson helps Lana escape from the asylum, but she learns that Thredson is actually Bloody Face and he rapes her and tries to kill her, but she manages to escape, only to end up back at Briarcliff. She later learns she is pregnant with Thredsons baby, Kit is arrested after Thredson hands in a taped confession that he tricked Kit into saying and Grace is taken to be sterilized after the pair are caught having sex. However, she is abducted by aliens and is returned, very pregnant. Kit escapes custody and returns to Briarcliff, where he blackmails the Monsignor into letting Grace, himself, the three arrive at his old home to find his wife Alma, alive and with her own baby. The possessed Sister Mary Eunice, with the help of Dr. Arden, has Sister Jude deposed and committed, Monsignor Howard tries to exorcise her but instead is sexually assaulted by her. Out of options, Howard kills her by throwing her off the third floor balcony, Lana successfully captures a confession from Dr. Thredson, but decides to confront him in his house to say she has turned the tape over to the police. He states that because he is insane, no jury will convict him, as he reaches for a hidden gun, Lana shoots him in the head. In the present, Lana has become a television investigative reporter. Jude spends her remaining years bonding with Kits children, before dying, leaving the family devastated, Kit also develops pancreatic cancer and is abducted by the aliens again
11.
So Notorious
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So Notorious, sometimes stylized So NoTORIous, is an American sitcom starring — and loosely based on the life of — actress Tori Spelling. The series debuted on VH1 on April 2,2006, and despite lasting only ten episodes, the series follows the actress as she tries to downplay the fact that she is the daughter of Aaron Spelling. Despite the fact that her father is very wealthy, Tori tries to prove that she just wants people to like her for herself and she is also seen carrying around her overweight pug Mimi LaRue, who is frequently dressed in tacky designer clothes. The New York Post raved that the show was a very witty, newsday admired that the writing is pointed, the direction tight. But what really makes it work is Tori herself, light, bright and she creates an appealing character despite all the preconceptions, many of which are acknowledged and dispensed with in the first few scenes. The Los Angeles Times conceded that while this sort of thing has been done before – it has been done here exceedingly well, the Chicago Tribune began their review with there are people in the world wholl never watch anything that stars Tori Spelling. The review went on to praise the show, admitting that Spelling’s surprisingly good VH1 series, is a not-at-all-guilty pleasure and it has more than its share of amusing moments, and it also has a surprising amount of heart. The Detroit Free Press called the show a sassy, classy winner, the show was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series at the 2007 GLAAD Media Awards. Created by Chris Alberghini, Mike Chessler and Tori Spelling, the series was produced by NBC Universal Television and it was originally intended for the NBC network, but when they passed on the completed pilot episode the producers sought another outlet and eventually landed a deal with VH1. Paramount Home Entertainment issued the November 21,2006 DVD release So NoTORIous, although the first nine episodes aired on VH1, the Canadian episode was broadcast on its sister network LOGO on June 1,2006. This episode is not available for purchase on iTunes or Amazon Video, official website So Notorious at the Internet Movie Database So NoTORIous at TV. com
12.
The Slap (U.S. miniseries)
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The Slap is an American adaptation of an Australian series of the same name, which is in turn based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas. The eight installments of the miniseries aired on NBC, Jon Robin Baitz wrote the teleplay for the series and Lisa Cholodenko directed the pilot episode. The miniseries revolves around the aftermath of a party of a middle-aged city employee where adult Harry slaps someone elses misbehaving child Hugo. Hugos mother, Rosie, insists on criminal charges, self-diagnosing that Harrys slap has caused Hugo post-traumatic stress, though Rosies unprofessional diagnosis is later belied when Hugo mentions how much he misses seeing the fun guy, the case slowly makes its way to court. Each episode tells the story from the perspective of a different character, direction was by Michael Morris, Lisa Cholodenko, and Ken Olin. The series was written by Jon Robin Baitz, Walter F. Parkes, costumes were designed by Jennifer von Mayrhauser and art direction was by Alison Ford. Mary-Louise Parker was originally cast as Anouk, but she had to drop out due to pneumonia and was replaced by Uma Thurman, the Slap received mostly positive reviews from critics. Official website The Slap at the Internet Movie Database
13.
24 (TV series)
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24 is an American crime thriller television series produced for the Fox network, created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, and starring Kiefer Sutherland as counter terrorist agent Jack Bauer. Each season, comprising 24 episodes, covers 24 hours in Bauers life using the real method of narration. Premiering on November 6,2001, the show spanned 192 episodes over eight seasons, in addition, a television film,24, Redemption, was broadcast between seasons six and seven, on November 23,2008. 24 returned as a 12-episode series titled 24, Live Another Day,24, Legacy, a spin-off series featuring new characters, premiered on February 5,2017, after Super Bowl LI. Throughout the series most of the plot elements unfold like a political thriller. At the conclusion of its season,24 became the longest-running U. S. espionage/counterterrorism-themed television drama ever. 24 is a drama that stars Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer. Each episode typically follows Bauer, officials in the U. S. government, the episodes take place over the course of one hour, depicting events as they happen, in real time. Season 1 begins at midnight on the day of the California presidential primary, Season 2, set 18 months later, begins at 8,00 a. m. Season 3, set three years later, begins at 1,00 p. m, Jack must infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel to seize a deadly virus being marketed underground. President Palmer must deal with potential scandal that could cost him his presidency, Season 4, set 18 months later, begins at 7,00 a. m. Jack must save the lives of his new boss, Secretary of Defense James Heller, Season 5, set 18 months after, begins at 7,00 a. m. Jack is believed to be dead by everyone except a few of his closest friends and he is forced to resurface when some of those friends are murdered and he is framed by terrorists with connections to the American government. The acquisition of nerve gas by the terrorists poses a new threat, Season 6, set 20 months later, begins at 6,00 a. m. Jack is released after being detained in a Chinese prison following the events of Season 5, terrorists who hold a vendetta against Jack plot to set off suitcase nuclear devices in America. Later, Jack is forced to choose between those he loves and national security when the Chinese set their sights on sensitive circuitry that could trigger a war between the U. S. and Russia. Redemption, set years later, begins at 3,00 p. m. Jack finds himself caught up in a coup in the fictional African nation of Sangala
14.
Green Tree, Pennsylvania
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Green Tree is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 4,432 at the 2010 census, the town is the hometown of U. S. Congressman and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and Heroes star Zachary Quinto, Green Tree is connected to Pittsburgh via the Fort Pitt Tunnel. Settled in 1793, the area stayed rural until the late 1800s, with paintings of the time showing farmland, the community took its name from the local Green Tree Hotel. Rook Station on the Wabash Pittsburgh Terminal Railway opened in 1904 which heralded an industrialisation of the area, Green Tree is located at 40°24′54″N 80°2′59″W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has an area of 2.1 square miles. The population density was 2,247.7 people per square mile, there were 2,026 housing units at an average density of 965.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the borough was 96. 21% White,0. 53% African American,1. 95% Asian,0. 04% from other races, hispanic or Latino of any race were 0. 66% of the population. 22. 0% were of German,20. 5% Irish,16. 4% Italian,8. 9% Polish and 7. 8% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 26. 2% of all households were made up of individuals, the average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89. In the borough the population was out, with 19. 4% under the age of 18,5. 6% from 18 to 24,25. 6% from 25 to 44,27. 9% from 45 to 64. The median age was 45 years, for every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males, the median income for a household in the borough was $54,159, and the median income for a family was $63,814. Males had an income of $42,304 versus $33,438 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,480, about 1. 7% of families and 2. 8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3. 1% of those under age 18 and 3. 4% of those age 65 or over. Wexford Health Sources has its headquarters in Foster Plaza Two in Green Tree, the U. S. Green Tree Borough official website Green Tree Public Library
15.
Barber
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A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave mens and boys hair. A barbers place of work is known as a shop or a barbers. Barber shops are also places of social interaction and public discourse, in some instances, barbershops are also public forums. They are the locations of open debates, voicing public concerns and they were also influential in helping shape male identity. In previous times, barbers performed surgery and dentistry. With the development of safety razors and the prevalence of beards, in English-speaking cultures. In modern times, the barber is used both as a professional title and to refer to hairdressers who specialize in mens hair. Historically, all hairdressers were considered barbers, in the 20th century, the profession of cosmetology branched off from barbering, and today hairdressers may be licensed as either barbers or cosmetologists. Barbers differ with respect to where they work, which services they are licensed to provide, part of this terminology difference depends on the regulations in a given location. Different states in the US vary on their labor and licensing laws, for example, in Maryland, a cosmetologist cannot use a straight razor, strictly reserved for barbers. In Australia, the term for a barber is hairdresser, barber is only a popular title for mens hairdressers. Most would work in a hairdressing salon, the barbers trade has a long history, razors have been found among relics of the Bronze Age in Egypt. In ancient Egyptian culture, barbers were highly respected individuals, priests and men of medicine are the earliest recorded examples of barbers. Men in Ancient Greece would have their beards, hair, and fingernails trimmed and styled by the κουρεύς, in an agora which also served as a gathering for debates. Barbering was introduced to Rome by the Greek colonies in Sicily in 296 BC, starting from the Middle Ages, barbers often served as surgeons and dentists. In addition to haircutting, hairdressing, and shaving, barbers performed surgery, bloodletting and leeching, fire cupping, enemas, the barber pole, featuring red and white spiraling stripes, symbolized different aspects of the craft. Barbers received higher pay than surgeons until surgeons were entered into British warships during naval wars, some of the duties of the barber included neck manipulation, cleansing of ears and scalp, draining of boils, fistula and lancing of cysts with wicks. Barbershops were influential at the turn of the 19th century as African American businesses that helped to develop African American culture and economy
16.
Catholic
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The use of terms catholicism and catholicity is closely related to the use of term Catholic Church. The earliest evidence of the use of term is the Letter to the Smyrnaeans that Ignatius of Antioch wrote in about 108 to Christians in Smyrna. In 380, Emperor Theodosius I limited use of the term Catholic Christian exclusively to those who followed the faith as Pope Damasus I of Rome. Numerous other early writers including Cyril of Jerusalem, Augustine of Hippo further developed the use of the term catholic in relation to Christianity. In Christian theology, and specially in ecclesiology, terms Catholicism, when used with small c, terms catholicism and catholicity generally designate theological doctrine of the catholicity of the Church without denominational connotations. A common belief in Catholicism is institutional continuity with the early Christian church founded by Jesus Christ, many churches or communions of churches identify singularly or collectively as the authentic church. The Bishop of Rome was also considered to have the right to convene ecumenical councils, when the Imperial capital moved to Constantinople, Romes influence was sometimes challenged. The first great rupture in the Church followed this Council and they are often called Ancient Oriental Churches. The next major break was after the Council of Chalcedon and this Council repudiated Eutychian Monophysitism which stated that the divine nature completely subsumed the human nature in Christ. This Council declared that Christ, though one person, exhibited two natures without confusion, without change, without division, without separation and thus is both fully God and fully human, the next great rift within Christianity was in the 11th century. This division between the Western Church and the Eastern Church is called the East–West Schism, several eastern churches reunited, constituting some of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Liturgical and canonical practices vary between all these particular Churches constituting the Roman and Eastern Catholic Churches, in all these cases the beliefs and practices of Catholicism would be identical with the beliefs and practices of the Church in question. However, in Roman Catholicism, the term catholic is understood as to cover those who recognize and are in standing with the Magisterium. The sense given to the word by those who use it to distinguish their position from a Calvinistic or Puritan form of Protestantism. It is then meaningful to attempt to draw up a list of common characteristic beliefs, the Roman Catholic Church includes the 23 rites who recognize the Magisterium. Belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, the belief that Christ is made manifest in the elements of Holy Communion, possession of the threefold ordained ministry of Bishops, Priests and Deacons. Belief that the Church is the vessel and deposit of the fullness of the teachings of Jesus and this teaching is preserved in both written scripture and in unwritten tradition, neither being independent of the other. A belief in the necessity and efficacy of sacraments, liturgical and personal use of the Sign of the Cross The use of sacred images, candles, vestments and music, and often incense and water, in worship
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Italians
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Italians are a nation and ethnic group native to Italy who share a common culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a native tongue. The majority of Italian nationals are speakers of Standard Italian. Italians have greatly influenced and contributed to the arts and music, science, technology, cuisine, sports, fashion, jurisprudence, banking, Italian people are generally known for their localism and their attention to clothing and family values. The term Italian is at least 3,000 years old and has a history that goes back to pre-Roman Italy. According to one of the common explanations, the term Italia, from Latin, Italia, was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú. The bull was a symbol of the southern Italic tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Social War. Greek historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus states this account together with the legend that Italy was named after Italus, mentioned also by Aristotle and Thucydides. The Etruscan civilization reached its peak about the 7th century BC, but by 509 BC, when the Romans overthrew their Etruscan monarchs, its control in Italy was on the wane. By 350 BC, after a series of wars between Greeks and Etruscans, the Latins, with Rome as their capital, gained the ascendancy by 272 BC, and they managed to unite the entire Italian peninsula. This period of unification was followed by one of conquest in the Mediterranean, in the course of the century-long struggle against Carthage, the Romans conquered Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica. Finally, in 146 BC, at the conclusion of the Third Punic War, with Carthage completely destroyed and its inhabitants enslaved, octavian, the final victor, was accorded the title of Augustus by the Senate and thereby became the first Roman emperor. After two centuries of rule, in the 3rd century AD, Rome was threatened by internal discord and menaced by Germanic and Asian invaders. Emperor Diocletians administrative division of the empire into two parts in 285 provided only temporary relief, it became permanent in 395, in 313, Emperor Constantine accepted Christianity, and churches thereafter rose throughout the empire. However, he moved his capital from Rome to Constantinople. The last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed in 476 by a Germanic foederati general in Italy and his defeat marked the end of the western part of the Roman Empire. During most of the period from the fall of Rome until the Kingdom of Italy was established in 1861, Odoacer ruled well for 13 years after gaining control of Italy in 476. Then he was attacked and defeated by Theodoric, the king of another Germanic tribe, Theodoric and Odoacer ruled jointly until 493, when Theodoric murdered Odoacer. Theodoric continued to rule Italy with an army of Ostrogoths and a government that was mostly Italian, after the death of Theodoric in 526, the kingdom began to grow weak
18.
Irish people
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The Irish people are a nation and ethnic group native to the island of Ireland, who share a common Irish ancestry, identity and culture. Ireland has been inhabited for about 9,000 years according to archaeological studies, for most of Irelands recorded history, the Irish have been primarily a Gaelic people. Today, Ireland is made up of the Republic of Ireland, the people of Northern Ireland hold various national identities, including Irish, Northern Irish, British, or some combination thereof. The Irish have their own customs, language, music, dance, sports, cuisine, although Irish was their main language in the past, today the huge majority of Irish people speak English as their first language. Historically, the Irish nation was made up of kin groups or clans, there have been many notable Irish people throughout history. After Irelands conversion to Christianity, Irish missionaries and scholars exerted great influence on Western Europe, the 6th-century Irish monk and missionary Columbanus is regarded as one of the fathers of Europe, followed by saints Cillian and Fergal. The scientist Robert Boyle is considered the father of chemistry, famous Irish writers include Oscar Wilde, W. B. Yeats, George Bernard Shaw, Bram Stoker and James Joyce, notable Irish explorers include Brendan the Navigator, Robert McClure, Ernest Shackleton and Tom Crean. By some accounts, the first European child born in North America had Irish descent on both sides, many presidents of the United States have had some Irish ancestry. The population of Ireland is about 6.3 million, but it is estimated that 50 to 80 million people around the world have Irish forebears, historically, emigration from Ireland has been the result of conflict, famine and economic issues. People of Irish descent are mainly in English-speaking countries, especially the United Kingdom. There are also significant numbers in Argentina, Mexico and New Zealand, the United States has the most people of Irish descent, while in Australia those of Irish descent are a higher percentage of the population than in any other country. Many Icelanders have Irish and Scottish Gaelic forebears, in its summary of their article Who were the Celts. The National Museum Wales notes It is possible that genetic studies of ancient. However, early studies have, so far, tended to produce implausible conclusions from very small numbers of people and using outdated assumptions about linguistics, nineteenth century anthropology studied the physical characteristics of Irish people in minute detail. During the past 10,000 years of inhabitation, Ireland has witnessed some different peoples arrive on its shores, the ancient peoples of Ireland—such as the creators of the Céide Fields and Newgrange—are almost unknown. Neither their languages nor terms they used to describe themselves have survived, as late as the middle centuries of the 1st millennium the inhabitants of Ireland did not appear to have a collective name for themselves. Ireland itself was known by a number of different names, including Banba, Fódla, Ériu by the islanders, Iouerne and Hiverne to the Greeks, other Latin names for people from Ireland in Classic and Mediaeval sources include Attacotti and Gael
19.
Central Catholic High School (Pittsburgh)
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Central Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic, Lasallian, all-boys college preparatory school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is a part of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and is administered, boyle invited the Brothers of the Christian Schools to found an all-male secondary school in Oakland, the academic district of Pittsburgh. Students attend from neighborhoods including Bloomfield and Squirrel Hill, to communities such as Cranberry, Jefferson Hills. The diocese also opened a school, Oakland Catholic, also in the Oakland area. Central Catholics academic courses are divided into five levels, Regular, Intermediate, Advanced, Honors, class rank is based upon GPA weighted for level. Because the different academic levels are weighted differently, the weighted GPA is based upon a 6.0 rather than 5.0 scale, freshmen are placed into levels within the six departments of based on elementary school grades and a standardized test given by the school itself. The languages offered are French, Italian, Latin and Spanish, freshman may opt to take an additional music or visual arts course, or gym. Upperclassmen have more flexibility in course and department selection, the school offers 16 Advanced Placement courses and over 30 honors courses. The program is directed by John Allen and Dr. Patrizia Costa Frezza, in the 2013–2014 school year, two pilot engineering classes were introduced, and the school planned to construct a new building for STEM subjects. Beginning in the 2013–2014 school year, a one to one computing program was initiated at the high school, apple iPads were deployed to all freshman and sophomores. The school has a history that includes championships for track and field, soccer, swimming, rowing. Other varsity sports offered are basketball, baseball, rugby, tennis, lacrosse, bowling, ice hockey, in-line hockey, golf, cross country, wrestling, fencing, table tennis, Ultimate frisbee, and disc golf are offered as club sports. The school has forensics team, musical productions, PJAS participation, student publications, chess team. The schools mascot is the Viking and it had a long-standing rivalry with North Catholic High School until enrollment declined at North Catholic, and competition grew increasingly one-sided in favor of Central Catholic. North Allegheny, Pine Richland High School and Woodland Hills have come to replace North Catholic as Centrals major rivals in sports, built in the 1920s in the National Romantic style, the school building is designated a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark. The building has undergone renovations to the classrooms, the hall, the library, the theater, the writing center. Renovation of the classrooms included adding flat screen televisions, Smart Boards, on the same campus as the main building, there is a gymnasium building, an athletic field, and a weight training room. Next to the building, on the Neville Street side, is located the Brothers House
20.
Gene Kelly Awards
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The award was founded in 1991 and celebrates excellence in the musicals of the Pittsburgh areas high schools. For Best Musical, there are three levels based on budget, the organization also offers scholarships to high school seniors involved in any aspect of the show. As of 2011, there are 29 participating schools, in 2009, the Gene Kelly Awards spawned the National High School Musical Theater Awards, nicknamed The Jimmys, which the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera co-produces with Nederlander Presentations. Clair High School Vincentian Academy West Allegheny High School The award winners from each category are bolded, the award winners from each category are bolded. Gene Kelly Awards homepage Pittsburgh CLO homepage University of Pittsburgh Theatre Arts WPXI TV11 High School Shows
21.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
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CSI, Crime Scene Investigation is a procedural forensics crime drama television series that premiered on CBS October 6,2000. The series, starring William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Laurence Fishburne, Ted Danson, the series concluded on September 27,2015, after 15 seasons, with a feature-length finale titled Immortality. The team is led by Gil Grissom, a socially-awkward forensic entomologist. Grissoms second-in-command, Catherine Willows, is a mother with a cops instinct. Born and raised in Vegas, Catherine was a stripper before being recruited into law enforcement, following Grissoms departure during the ninth season of the series, Catherine is promoted to Supervisor. After overseeing the training of new investigator Raymond Langston, Willows is replaced by D. B, Russell, and recruited to the FBI shortly thereafter. Russell is a man, a keen forensic botanist and a veteran of the Seattle Crime Lab. In the series season, Russell is reunited with his former partner Julie Finlay. During the 1990s, Anthony Zuiker caught producer Jerry Bruckheimers attention after writing his first movie script, Zuiker was convinced that there was a series in the concept, Bruckheimer agreed and arranged a meeting with the head of Touchstone Pictures. The studios head at the time liked the script and presented it to ABC, NBC and Fox executives. The head of development at CBS saw potential in the script, and the network had a pay-or-play contract with actor William Petersen. The networks executives liked the pilot so much that they decided to include it in their 2000 schedule immediately, airing on Fridays after The Fugitive. Initially it was thought that CSI would benefit from The Fugitive, which was expected to be a hit, formerly a co-production with the now-defunct Alliance Atlantis Communications, that companys interest was later bought by the investment firm GS Capital Partners, an affiliate of Goldman Sachs. CBS acquired AACs international distribution rights to the program, though the non-US DVD distribution rights did not change, the series is currently in syndication, and reruns are broadcast in the U. S. on the Spike and TV Land cable networks. The show has aired in reruns on the USA Network since January 14,2011, the CSI catalog has been exclusive to the whole NBC Universal portfolio since September 2014. Occasionally, the cast would still shoot on location in Las Vegas, other California locations include Verdugo Hills High School, UCLAs Royce Hall, Pasadena City Hall, and California State University, Los Angeles. While shooting took place primarily at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, CSIs theme song was, since season one, Who Are You, written by Pete Townshend with vocals by lead singer Roger Daltrey of The Who. In certain countries, to music licensing fees, a unique theme was used instead
22.
Touched by an Angel
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Touched by an Angel is an American supernatural drama television series that premiered on CBS on September 21,1994, and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27,2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, throughout the series, Monica is tasked with bringing guidance and messages from God to various people who are at a crossroads in their lives. From season three on, they are joined by Andrew, the angel of death. The series went into syndication in 1998, and has shown on Ion Television, Hallmark Channel. Monica in one episode outlines that she started in the choir then annunciations, followed by search and rescue, most cases involve a single person or a group of people who are at a crossroad in their lives and facing a large problem or tough decision. Monica and Tess bring them messages of hope from God and help give them guidance towards making their decision, as the series progresses, Monica continues gaining experience as a case worker and, during some cases having to learn lessons of her own. During the series pilot, an angel of death named Adam is introduced, in the season two premiere, Interview with an Angel, the Angel of Death is introduced as Henry. In the season two episode entitled, The One That Got Away Andrew is introduced as the Angel of Death. During season seven, a new angel, Gloria, is sent by God during one of Monicas assignments, the explosion killed most of the children, leaving the citizens devastated. An out of town developer claims Zack is the perpetrator and despite the lack of evidence, Zack is put on trial. Monica does all she can to help him, including asking Mike to represent him, but the prosecutor in the case, Jones, is really Satan in disguise, and Zack is eventually convicted. After the trial, Monica is able to help the citizens realize their mistake and they begin going back to church, welcomed by the pastor they had once abandoned. Their change of heart, however, cannot free Zack, so Monica visits him in jail and she then promises him that she will become his guardian angel, forgoing all future assignments and the coveted promotion, to protect him from harm in prison. When she returns in the morning, however, the cell is empty, the citizens decide not to search for him, and it is revealed that Joey inadvertently caused the explosion after the devil tricked him into turning the boiler too high to warm some kittens hed found. The perplexed Monica returns to the desert to find Tess and Zack, There, she learns that Zack was actually God, and that her defending him was a test, which she passed by being willing to sacrifice herself for him. As she leaves, she says her goodbyes to Gloria, and to Andrew, before parting, Tess gives Monica the keys to the Cadillac, as she is leaving her job to sit at Gods feet. Monica is last shown driving away as the camera out over the desert. Roma Downey as Monica, a soft kind-hearted angel who is sent town-to-town to encourage people, Della Reese as Tess, a tough and sarcastic, but loving supervisor who plays a key role in every one of Monicas cases
23.
Charmed
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Charmed is an American television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television, with Brad Kern serving as showrunner. The series was originally broadcast by The WB for eight seasons from October 7,1998, each sister possesses unique magical powers that grow and evolve, while they attempt to maintain normal lives in modern-day San Francisco. The series initially focuses on the three Halliwell sisters, Prue, Piper and Phoebe, however, following Prues death in the third-season finale, their long-lost half sister Paige Matthews assumes her place within the Power of Three from season four onwards. During its fifth season, the became the highest-rated Sunday night program in The WBs history. The shows ratings, although smaller than rival shows on the big four networks, were substantial for The WB as it was not one of the main TV networks in the US. At 178 episodes, Charmed is the second-longest drama broadcast by The WB, the series has also received numerous awards and nominations. Charmed has also become a source of pop culture references in film, the shows success has led to its development in other media, including a video game, board games, novels, and a comic book series which serves as a continuation of its narrative. Throughout 2012, six years after it ceased broadcasting, Charmed was the second-most watched television series on subscription services, including Amazon Video. The series starts when Phoebe Halliwell returns from New York and moves back into the familys Halliwell Manor in San Francisco to live with her sisters Prue and Piper. By the end of the first episode, each sister learns that she has a magical power. Prue, the eldest, has the power of telekinesis, Piper, the middle sister, has the power to effectively freeze people and objects. As she grows more proficient, she learns how to freeze only certain people or objects or body parts, in season three, her powers evolve further, as she is able to cause evil beings or objects to explode using her hands. Phoebe, the youngest of the three, initially possesses the power of allowing her to receive visions of the future. She later develops the powers of levitation in season three, and empathy in season six, the latter allowing her to sense and tap into others emotions and, sometimes, in accordance with the series mythology, a witchs powers are tied to their emotions. During the first two seasons, the sisters face various evil beings from week to week, however, in the third season, they discover that their ultimate enemy is The Underworlds demonic ruler, The Source of All Evil. Eventually, Prue is killed in the season three finale by The Sources personal assassin, Shax, the Source, responsible for the majority of attacks on the sisters, becomes the main villain during season four until he is finally vanquished. After his demise, an annual season-long storyline and several antagonists are introduced in subsequent seasons, the sisters also fight to prevent the exposure of the existence of magic to the human community at large, contending with several police and FBI investigations. The sisters also face romantic storylines, eventually, the two manage to marry and consecrate their union in season three, producing a son named Wyatt in season five
24.
Six Feet Under (TV series)
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Six Feet Under is an American drama television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It premiered on the cable network HBO in the United States on June 3,2001 and ended on August 21,2005. The show depicts members of the Fisher family, who run a home in Los Angeles. The series traces these characters lives over the course of five years, the ensemble drama stars Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Freddy Rodriguez, Mathew St. Patrick, the series was produced by Actual Size Films and The Greenblatt/Janollari Studio, and was shot on location in Los Angeles and in Hollywood studios. Six Feet Under received widespread acclaim, particularly for its writing and acting. Regarded by many as one of the greatest TV dramas of all time, it has since included on TIME magazines All-TIME100 TV Shows. It has also described as having one of the finest series finales in the history of television. It won numerous awards, including nine Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Peabody Award. The show stars Peter Krause as Nathaniel Samuel Nate Fisher, Jr. whose funeral director father dies and bequeaths to him and his brother, David, the Fisher clan also includes widow, Ruth, and daughter, Claire. Other regulars include mortician and family friend, Federico Diaz, Nates on-again/off-again girlfriend, Brenda Chenowith, on one level, the show is a conventional family drama, dealing with such issues as interpersonal relationships, infidelity, and religion. At the same time, the show is distinguished by its focus on the topic of death. The show also utilises dark humor and surrealism running throughout, sometimes, the characters converse with other, recurring deceased characters, most notably Nathaniel Fisher, Sr. The shows creator, Alan Ball, avers that this represents the characters internal dialogues expressed in the form of external conversations. Although overall plots and characters were created by Alan Ball, there are conflicting reports on how the series was conceived, in one instance, Ball stated that he came up with the premise of the show after the deaths of his sister and father. However, in an interview, he intimates that HBO entertainment president Carolyn Strauss proposed the idea to him. Ball stated in an interview, The show focuses on human mortality, the nature of life and death feeding off of each other. Throughout its five-season, 63-episode run, major characters experience crises which are in relation to their environment
25.
Lizzie McGuire
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Lizzie McGuire is an American live-action scripted teen sitcom, which features an animated version of the title character performing soliloquy. The animated sequences were interspersed with the shows live-action sequences and it premiered on the Disney Channel on January 12,2001, following the premiere of Zenon, The Zequel, and ended February 14,2004. A total of 65 episodes were produced and aired and its target demographic was preteens and adolescents. The series won Favorite TV Show at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards in 2002 and 2003. The series follows 13-year-old Lizzie McGuire, a shy, compassionate, episodes center on Lizzies life, dealing with her family, mostly her parents Jo and Sam and her younger brother Matt, and normal teenage life issues. Lizzie has an animated alter-ego that represents her feelings, the series was created by Terri Minsky. The shows working title was Whats Lizzie Thinking, before being changed to Lizzie McGuire. The shows producer Stan Rogow says the visual look of the show was inspired by the film Run Lola Run. Though production wrapped in June 2002, the show did not end its run on Disney Channel until 2004. In 2014, Hilary Duff announced that she would be open to a Lizzie McGuire reunion, elizabeth Lizzie Brooke McGuire is portrayed as a shy, compassionate, and clumsy teen who dreams to fit in and be popular, although her animated alter ego often tells her true feelings. Lizzie constantly gets into arguments with her brother, Matt. Shes a Straight B student and is good at rhythmic gymnastics. Always the first to apologize and incredibly loyal, Lizzie sometimes loses herself in her nature and impulsiveness. Lizzies allergic to strawberries and oysters, Miranda Isabella Sanchez is Lizzies best friend. Despite showcasing great confidence, she is the most self-conscious of the three friends and her family is Mexican American, but she speaks very little Spanish. Like Lizzie, Miranda struggles with being a girl and growing up. She did not appear in the last six episodes, nor in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, during this time, her character was said to be sick, visiting her aunt, and vacationing with her family in Mexico City. During the events of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, Miranda is still on vacation in Mexico with her family, Miranda sings and in Season 2 its shown that she plays the violin
26.
Dragnet (franchise)
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Dragnet was an American radio, television and motion picture series, enacting the cases of a dedicated Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday, and his partners. The show takes its name from the police dragnet, meaning a system of coordinated measures for apprehending criminals or suspects. Dragnet is perhaps the most famous and influential police procedural drama in media history, the series gave audience members a feel for the danger and heroism of police work. Dragnet earned praise for improving the public opinion of police officers, Actor and producer Jack Webbs aims in Dragnet were for realism and unpretentious acting, he achieved both goals, and Dragnet remains a key influence on subsequent police dramas in many media. Another Dragnet trademark is the opening narration, Ladies and gentlemen. Only the names have changed to protect the innocent. This underwent minor revisions over time, the only and ladies and gentlemen were dropped at some point, and for the television version hear was changed to see. Variations on this narration have been featured in subsequent crime dramas, Webb relaunched Dragnet in 1966, with NBC once again chosen to air the series. He tried to persuade Ben Alexander to rejoin him as Frank Smith, Alexander was then committed to an ABC police series, Felony Squad, and the producers would not release him. Webb reluctantly came up with a new character to take the role of Joe Fridays partner, Morgan had previously portrayed rooming house proprietor Luther Gage in the 1949 radio series episode James Vickers. George Fenneman returned as the primary announcer with John Stephenson replacing Hal Gibney in the role of announcing the trial dates. Fenneman replaced Stephenson in that role during the fourth season, unlike the previous Dragnet series, the revival was produced and aired in color. Webb produced a TV movie pilot for the new version of the show for Universal Television, NBC bought the show on the strength of the movie and it debuted as a midseason replacement for the sitcom The Hero on Thursday nights in January 1967. To distinguish it from the original, the year was included in the title of the show, although Friday had been promoted to lieutenant in the final episode of the 1950s production, Webb chose to have Friday revert to sergeant with his familiar badge,714. Cooke was technical advisor to the KNBC documentary Police Unit 2A-26, the show had good ratings on NBCs schedule for four seasons, although its popularity did not exceed that of the 1950s version. Much as was done 11 years earlier, Webb decided voluntarily to discontinue Dragnet after its season to focus on producing and directing his other projects through Mark VII Limited. The first of these projects was a spinoff of Dragnet titled Adam-12, a 30-minute police procedural like its parent series, the series premiered in the fall of 1968 and ran for seven seasons, coming to an end in 1975. Adam-12, in turn, spawned its own spinoff in early 1972 called Emergency, running as a weekly series until 1977 and as a series of made-for-television movies for two years after that, Emergency
27.
Endgame (play)
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Endgame, by Samuel Beckett, is a one-act play with four characters. It was originally written in French, Beckett himself translated it into English, the play was first performed in a French-language production at the Royal Court Theatre in London, opening on 3 April 1957. It is commonly considered, along with such works as Waiting for Godot, Hamm – unable to stand and blind Clov – Hamms servant, unable to sit. Taken in by Hamm as a child, Nagg – Hamms father, has no legs and lives in a dustbin. Nell – Hamms mother, has no legs and lives in a next to Nagg. The main character, Hamm, behaves badly, at the end, he is alone in an apparently depopulated world. The English title is taken from the last part of a chess game and they are in search for their identity through their inner thoughts’ interaction with the external world—the world of ‘existence and non-existence’. They are in necessity for ‘trust’ and the relatedness between age and ego, although these efforts are attempts to cover prospective contingency, the negativity of the past responds to the brokenness of the same life, in the same breath. Flashbacks turn identity search inside out, and the feeling of self-integrity versus despair gains intensity in the process of old age. Needs vary from childhood to old age, accordingly, the reaction-based inferences relieve not only the existence of the characters. The play was premiered on 3 April 1957 at the Royal Court Theatre, London, directed by Roger Blin, in 1984, JoAnne Akalaitis directed the play at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The production featured music from Philip Glass and was set in a subway tunnel. Grove Press, the owner of Becketts work, took action against the theatre. My play requires an empty room and two small windows, the American Repertory Theater production which dismisses my directions is a complete parody of the play as conceived by me. Anybody who cares for the work couldnt fail to be disgusted by this, in 2008 there was a brief revival staged at the Brooklyn Academy of Music starring John Turturro as Hamm, Max Casella as Clov, Alvin Epstein as Nagg and Elaine Stritch as Nell. New York theatre veteran Andrei Belgrader directed, replacing originally sought Sam Mendes at the helm of the production, the British theatre company Complicite staged the play in Londons West End with Mark Rylance as Hamm and Simon McBurney as Clov. The production also featured Tom Hickey as Nagg and Miriam Margolyes as Nell, the production opened on 2 October 2009 at the Duchess Theatre. In 2010, Steppenwolf Theatre Company staged Endgame and it was directed by Frank Galati and starred Ian Barford as Clov, William Petersen as Hamm, Francis Guinan as Nagg, and Martha Lavey as Nell
28.
Samuel Beckett
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Samuel Barclay Beckett was an Irish avant-garde novelist, playwright, theatre director, and poet, who lived in Paris for most of his adult life and wrote in both English and French. He is widely regarded as among the most influential writers of the 20th century, Becketts work offers a bleak, tragicomic outlook on human existence, often coupled with black comedy and gallows humour, and became increasingly minimalist in his later career. He is considered one of the last modernist writers, and one of the key figures in what Martin Esslin called the Theatre of the Absurd. Beckett was awarded the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature for his writing, which—in new forms for the novel and he was elected Saoi of Aosdána in 1984. The Becketts were members of the Anglican Church of Ireland, the family home, Cooldrinagh in the Dublin suburb of Foxrock, was a large house and garden complete with tennis court built in 1903 by Samuels father, William. Samuel Beckett was born on Good Friday,13 April 1906, to William Frank Beckett, a quantity surveyor and descendant of the Huguenots, and Maria Jones Roe, a nurse, Beckett had one older brother, Frank Edward Beckett. At the age of five, Beckett attended a local playschool, where he started to learn music, in 1919, Beckett went to Portora Royal School in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. A natural athlete, Beckett excelled at cricket as a left-handed batsman, later, he was to play for Dublin University and played two first-class games against Northamptonshire. As a result, he became the only Nobel literature laureate to have played first class cricket, Beckett studied French, Italian, and English at Trinity College, Dublin from 1923 to 1927. He was elected a Scholar in Modern Languages in 1926, Beckett graduated with a BA and, after teaching briefly at Campbell College in Belfast, took up the post of lecteur danglais at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris from November 1928 to 1930. While there, he was introduced to renowned Irish author James Joyce by Thomas MacGreevy and this meeting had a profound effect on the young man. Beckett assisted Joyce in various ways, one of which was research towards the book that became Finnegans Wake, in 1929, Beckett published his first work, a critical essay entitled Dante. Becketts close relationship with Joyce and his family cooled, however, Becketts first short story, Assumption, was published in Jolass periodical transition. In 1930, Beckett returned to Trinity College as a lecturer, in November 1930, he presented a paper in French to the Modern Languages Society of Trinity on the Toulouse poet Jean du Chas, founder of a movement called le Concentrisme. It was a parody, for Beckett had in fact invented the poet and his movement that claimed to be at odds with all that is clear. Beckett later insisted that he had not intended to fool his audience, when Beckett resigned from Trinity at the end of 1931, his brief academic career was at an end. He spent some time in London, where in 1931 he published Proust, two years later, following his fathers death, he began two years treatment with Tavistock Clinic psychoanalyst Dr. Wilfred Bion. Aspects of it became evident in Becketts later works, such as Watt, in 1932, he wrote his first novel, Dream of Fair to Middling Women, but after many rejections from publishers decided to abandon it
29.
Fox Broadcasting Company
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The Fox Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcast television network that is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group subsidiary of 21st Century Fox. It is the third largest major network in the world based on total revenues, assets. Launched on October 9,1986 as a competitor to the Big Three television networks, Fox and its affiliated companies operate many entertainment channels in international markets, although these do not necessarily air the same programming as the U. S. network. Most viewers in Canada have access to at least one U. S, the network is named after sister company 20th Century Fox, and indirectly for producer William Fox, who founded one of the movie studios predecessors, Fox Film. Fox is a member of the North American Broadcasters Association and the National Association of Broadcasters, 20th Century Fox had been involved in television production as early as the 1950s, producing several syndicated programs. Following the demise of the DuMont Television Network in August of that year after it became mired in financial problems. 20th Century Fox would also produce original content for the NTA network, KTTV in Los Angeles, KRIV in Houston, WFLD-TV in Chicago, and KRLD-TV in Dallas. In October 1985, 20th Century Fox announced its intentions to form a television network that would compete with ABC, CBS. The plans were to use the combination of the Fox studios, organizational plans for the network were held off until the Metromedia acquisitions cleared regulatory hurdles. Then, in December 1985, Rupert Murdoch agreed to pay $325 million to acquire the remaining equity in TCF Holdings from his original partner, Marvin Davis. These first six stations, then broadcasting to a reach of 22% of the nations households. Except for KDAF, all of the original owned-and-operated stations are part of the Fox network today. Like the core O&O group, Foxs affiliate body consisted of independent stations. The Fox Broadcasting Company launched at 11,00 p. m. Eastern and its inaugural program was a late-night talk show, The Late Show, which was hosted by comedian Joan Rivers. By early 1987, Rivers quit The Late Show after disagreements with the network over the creative direction. The network expanded its programming into prime time on April 5,1987, with Children and the sketch comedy series The Tracey Ullman Show. Fox added one new show per week over the several weeks, with the drama 21 Jump Street. On July 11, the network rolled out its Saturday night schedule with the premiere of the drama series Werewolf
30.
Iranian Americans
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Iranian Americans or Persian Americans, are Americans of Iranian ancestry or people possessing Iranian and American dual citizenship. Iranian Americans are among the highest educated people in the United States and they have historically excelled in business, academia, the sciences, arts, and entertainment – but have traditionally shied away from participating in American politics and other civic activities. The Collins English Dictionary uses a variety of similar and overlapping definitions for the terms Persian and Iranian, one of the very first recorded Iranians to visit North America was Martin the Armenian, an Iranian-Armenian tobacco grower who settled in Jamestown, Virginia in 1618. Mirza Mohammad Ali, who is known as Hajj Sayyah is another Iranian who came to North America in the 1800s. He was inspired to travel around the world due to the contradiction between the ideals he read about around the world and how his fellow Iranians were treated by their leaders. He began his travel as a 23-year-old looking for knowledge and to gain perspective on the lives of others to bring back him to help Irans progress. His stay in the United States lasted 10 years, and took him across the country from New York to San Francisco. He also met with a variety of influential American figures including Ulysses S. Grant who was a president during that time, Hajj Sayyah was the first Iranian to become an American Citizen on May 26,1875. He was imprisoned upon his return to Iran for making a stand against the conditions there. He looked to the United States to protect him but to no avail, during the peak period of worldwide emigration to the United States, only 130 Iranian nationals were known to have immigrated. The first wave of Iranian migration to the United States occurred between the late 1940s to 1979, or alternatively 1977, Iranian students, most of whom had learned English as a second language in Iran, were highly desirable as new students in the United States colleges and universities. By the mid-1970s, nearly half of all Iranian students who studied abroad did so in the United States, as the Iranian economy continued to rise steadily in the 70s, it enabled many more Iranians to travel abroad freely. As reported by Bozorgmehr and Sabagh, consequently, the number of Iranian visitors to the United States also increased considerably, during the 1977–78 academic year, of about 100,000 Iranian students abroad,36,220 were enrolled in American institutions of higher learning. It is notable to mention that the pattern of Iranian migration during this phase usually only involved individuals- not whole families. However, Due to the events that followed very soon afterwards in the 1979 Revolution, matters changed. The second phase of Iranian migration began immediately before and after the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the overthrow of the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, and became significant in the early 1980s. As Prof. Ronald H. Bayor adds, The 1979 Revolution and the 1980–88 war with Iraq transformed Irans class structure, politically, socially, and economically. During and after the revolution, most students did not return to Iran, Many students who graduated abroad after the revolution also did not return, due to ruling clergys repression
31.
Tori Spelling
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Victoria Davey Tori Spelling is an American actress, television personality, socialite and author. Her first major role was Donna Martin on Beverly Hills,90210 in 1990, produced by her father and she reprised her prominent role of Donna Martin in Beverly Hills, 90210s spin-off,90210, in 2009. Spellings autobiography, Stori Telling, debuted on top of the New York Times Best Seller list and was named the best celebrity autobiography of 2009, Spelling was born on May 16,1973 in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Candy and television and film producer Aaron Spelling and she has a younger brother, Randy, a former actor who as of 2009 works as a life coach. Spellings parents were from Jewish families whose ancestors moved to the United States from Russia and her middle name comes from her paternal grandfather, David. She attended Beverly Hills High School in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 17, she was given the role of Donna Martin on Beverly Hills,90210, co-produced by Aaron Spellings company Spelling Television. Tori Spelling portrayed Donna for the entire run and was nominated for two Young Artist Awards. In 2006, Spelling starred as herself in the VH1 sitcom So Notorious, in July 2007, Spelling became a minister to marry a gay couple at Chateau La Rue. A tape of the ceremony was shown on Inn Love. Spellings fashion and jewelry line premiered on HSN and she released her autobiography, sTori TELLING, on March 11,2008. Her second book, Mommywood, was released on April 14,2009, on January 7,2009, it was reported that Spelling would reprise her role as Donna Martin on Beverly Hills,90210 spin-off 90210. She appeared in two episodes as a special guest star, in 2010, Spelling released her third book, uncharted terriTORI. Spelling told People, I love sharing my stories and experiences with people, the response to my first two books has been so amazing that I wanted to write a third one for my fans. Home Sweet Hollywoods spin-off series, Tori & Dean, sTORIbook Weddings premiered on April 6,2011, later in 2011, Spelling voiced the Pirate Princess in Jake and the Never Land Pirates. She played a role in the short film Hoarders, Untold sTori which premiered at the Outfest Film Festival in July 2011. On September 4,2011, Spelling made an appearance on Big Brother 13, on April 21,2012, Spelling hosted My Little Pony, Friendship Is Magic Royal Wedding special, celebrating the series second season finale, called A Canterlot Wedding. She also hosted the premiere of Craft Wars, where three new contestants each episode battle against each other crafting for a chance to earn $10,000. On December 18,2012, Spelling appeared on Nick Jr. s Yo Gabba Gabba. and this was part of a Christmas special for the series
32.
VH1
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VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City that is owned by the Viacom Global Entertainment Group, a unit of Viacom Media Networks. The channel was first launched on January 1,1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting Systems short-lived Cable Music Channel and it was originally created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and the original owner of MTV. As of February 2015, approximately 92.6 million US households receive VH1, also frequently featured in the networks early years were videos for Motown and other 60s oldies consisting of newsreel and concert footage. It was introduced on January 1,1985 with the performance of The Star-Spangled Banner by Marvin Gaye. From the start, Video Hits One was branded as a version of its sister/parent channel. It played more jazz and R&B artists than MTV and had a rotation of urban-contemporary performers. Its early on-camera personalities were New York radio veterans Don Imus, Frankie Crocker, Scott Shannon, Jon Bauman, Bobby Rivers, later VJs included Tim Byrd of WPIX-FM, a station whose eclectic ballad-and-R&B oriented format mirrored that of VH-1, and Alison Steele. Rosie ODonnell later joined the outlets veejay lineup, ODonnell would also host a comedy show featuring various comedians each episode. The format left room for occasional ad-libs by the VJ, a godsend for emcees such as Imus, in true Imus style, he used a 1985 segment of his VH-1 show to jokingly call smooth-jazz icon Sade Adu a grape for her oval-shaped head. At first many different musicians guest-hosted the program, but eventually musician/songwriter Ben Sidran became the permanent host, new-Age music videos continued to play on the channel into the 1990s. They would be seen on the Sunday morning 2-hour music video block titled Sunday Brunch, once VH1 established itself a few years later, they catered to Top 40, adult contemporary, classic rock, and 1980s mainstream pop. For a time, even music videos aired in a one-hour block during the afternoons. They started out using MTVs famous Kabel typeface font for their music video credit tags and it was later replaced in 1991 by a larger font, with the year the video was made added to the lower column that identified the label on which the album was released. In 1993, the name of the director was included at the bottom of the credits. Every week, the Top 21 Video Countdown usually had a different guest host, occasionally, they had themed countdowns as well, such as Elvira hosting scary videos for Halloween in 1991. Long blocks of videos by a particular artist or band, theme. One popular weekend program was called Video Rewind, in blocks of 1980s videos from one particular year would play for an hour. There was also a short-lived hour-long program called By Request in which viewers could call a 1–900 hotline number to request their videos, also in 1991, a popular morning program was introduced called Hits News & Weather that ran from 7 AM to 9 AM ET
33.
J. J. Abrams
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Jeffrey Jacob J. J. Abrams is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. He is known for work in the genres of action, drama, Abrams wrote and/or produced feature films such as Regarding Henry, Forever Young, Armageddon, Cloverfield, and Star Wars, The Force Awakens. He created or co-created a number of TV drama series, including Felicity, Alias, Lost, Abrams won two Emmy Awards for Lost—Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series. His directorial film work includes Star Trek and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness, Mission, Impossible III, and Super 8. He also directed and co-wrote Star Wars, The Force Awakens, Abrams was born in New York City and raised in Los Angeles, the son of television producer Gerald W. Abrams and executive producer Carol Ann Abrams. His sister is screenwriter Tracy Rosen, Abramss first job in the movie business started at 15 when he wrote the music for Don Dohlers 1982 film Nightbeast. During his senior year at college, he teamed with Jill Mazursky to write a film treatment. Purchased by Touchstone Pictures, the treatment was the basis for Taking Care of Business, Abramss first produced film and he followed with Regarding Henry, starring Harrison Ford, and Forever Young, starring Mel Gibson. He also co-wrote with Mazursky the script for the comedy Gone Fishin starring Joe Pesci, Abrams worked on the screenplay for the 1998 film Armageddon with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay. That same year, he made his first foray into television with Felicity and he also composed its opening theme music. Under his production company, Bad Robot, which he founded with Bryan Burk in 2001, Abrams created and executive-produced ABCs Alias and is co-creator and he later co-wrote the teleplay for Losts third season premiere A Tale of Two Cities. As with Felicity, Abrams also composed the theme music for Alias. In 2001, Abrams co-wrote and produced the thriller Joy Ride, in 2006, he served as executive producer of What About Brian and Six Degrees, also on ABC. Abrams directed and wrote the pilot for Lost and remained active producer for the first half of the season. That same year, he made his directorial debut in 2006 with Mission, Impossible III. Abrams spoke at the TED conference in 2007, in 2008, Abrams produced the monster movie Cloverfield. In 2009, he directed the fiction film Star Trek. In 2008, Abrams co-created, executive produced, and co-wrote the FOX science fiction series Fringe and he was featured in the 2009 MTV Movie Awards 1980s-style digital short Cool Guys Dont Look at Explosions, with Andy Samberg and Will Ferrell, in which he plays a keyboard solo
34.
Reboot (fiction)
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In serial fiction, to reboot means to discard all continuity in an established series in order to recreate its characters, timeline and backstory from the beginning. The term is used with respect to different forms of fictional media such as comic books, television series, video games. The term is thought to originate from the term for restarting a computer system. Reboots remove any non-essential elements associated with a franchise by starting the franchises continuity over, for audiences, reboots allow easier entry for newcomers unfamiliar with earlier titles in a series. With reboots, filmmakers revamp and reinvigorate a film series in order to new fans. A reboot can renew interest in a series that has grown stale, reboots also allow directors and producers to cast a new set of younger actors for the familiar roles of a film series in order to attract a younger audience. Unlike a remake, however, a reboot often presupposes a working familiarity on the part of the audience with the original work, reboots are common in the video game industry, particularly with franchises that have multiple entries in the series. Reboots in video games are used to refresh the storyline and elements of the game, comic books sometimes use an in-universe explanation for a reboot, such as merging parallel worlds and timelines together or destroying and recreating a fictional universe from the beginning. Artistic license Canon List of modernized adaptations of old works Prequel Reset button technique Retroactive continuity Sequel
35.
Star Trek
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Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry. The first television series, simply called Star Trek and now referred to as The Original Series, debuted in 1966 and it followed the interstellar adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and his crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise, an exploration vessel. The Star Trek canon of the franchise include The Original Series, a series, four spin-off television series, its film franchise. In creating Star Trek, Roddenberry was inspired by the Horatio Hornblower novels, the satirical book Gullivers Travels and these adventures continued in the short-lived Star Trek, The Animated Series and six feature films. The adventures of The Next Generation crew continued in four feature films. In 2009, the franchise underwent a reboot set in an alternate timeline, or Kelvin Timeline. This film featured a new cast portraying younger versions of the crew from the show, their adventures were continued in the sequel film. The thirteenth film feature and sequel, Star Trek Beyond, was released to coincide with the franchises 50th anniversary, a new Star Trek TV series, titled Star Trek, Discovery, will premiere in May 2017 on the digital platform CBS All Access. Star Trek has been a phenomenon for decades. Fans of the franchise are called Trekkies or Trekkers, the franchise spans a wide range of spin-offs including games, figurines, novels, toys, and comics. Star Trek had an attraction in Las Vegas that opened in 1998. At least two museum exhibits of props travel the world, the series has its own full-fledged constructed language, Klingon. Several parodies have been made of Star Trek, in addition, viewers have produced several fan productions. As of July 2016, the franchise had generated $10 billion in revenue, Star Trek is noted for its cultural influence beyond works of science fiction. The franchise is also noted for its civil rights stances. The Original Series included one of televisions first multiracial casts, Star Trek references can be found throughout popular culture from movies such as the submarine thriller Crimson Tide to the animated series South Park. As early as 1964, Gene Roddenberry drafted a proposal for the series that would become Star Trek
36.
Leonard Nimoy
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Leonard Simon Nimoy was an American actor, film director, photographer, author, singer and songwriter. He was known for his role as Spock of the Star Trek franchise, foreshadowing his fame as a semi-alien, he played Narab, one of three Martian invaders, in the 1952 movie serial Zombies of the Stratosphere. The character has had a significant cultural impact and garnered Nimoy three Emmy Award nominations, TV Guide named Spock one of the 50 greatest TV characters. After the original Star Trek series, Nimoy starred in Mission, narrated Civilization IV, and made several well-received stage appearances. He also had a role in the science fiction series Fringe. Nimoys public profile as Spock was so strong that both of his autobiographies, I Am Not Spock and I Am Spock, were written from the viewpoint of sharing his existence with the character, in 2015 an asteroid was named 4864 Nimoy in his honor. In September 2016, For the Love of Spock, a documentary that covered his life. Leonard Simon Nimoy was born on March 26,1931, in the West End of Boston, Massachusetts and they reunited after arriving in the United States. His mother, Dora, was a homemaker, and his father, Max Nimoy and he had an elder brother, Melvin. He also began acting at the age of eight in a childrens, Nimoy also realized he had an aptitude for singing, which he developed while a member of his synagogues choir. His singing during his bar mitzvah at age 13 was so good that he was asked to repeat his performance the week at another synagogue. He is still the only man I know whose voice was two bar mitzvahs good and his first major role was at 17, as Ralphie in an amateur production of Clifford Odets Awake and Sing. Which dealt with the struggles of a matriarchal Jewish family similar to his during the Great Depression, playing this teenage kid in this Jewish family that was so much like mine was amazing, he said. The same dynamics, the tensions in the household. The role lit a passion that led him to pursue an acting career, I never wanted to do anything else. Shatner notes that Nimoy also worked on radio shows for children, often voice acting Bible stories, adding, Obviously. Many years later as Captain Kirk, I would be busy rescuing civilizations in distress on distant planets while Leonards Mr. Spock would be examining the morality of man– and alienkind. Nimoy took drama classes at Boston College, and after moving to Los Angeles and he took method actor Marlon Brando as a role model, and like him, wore jeans and T-shirt
37.
Barack Obama
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Barack Hussein Obama II is an American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He is the first African American to have served as president and he previously served in the U. S. Senate representing Illinois from 2005 to 2008, and in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004. Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, two years after the territory was admitted to the Union as the 50th state and he grew up mostly in Hawaii, but also spent one year of his childhood in Washington State and four years in Indonesia. After graduating from Columbia University in 1983, he worked as a community organizer in Chicago, in 1988 Obama enrolled in Harvard Law School, where he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review. After graduation, he became a civil rights attorney and professor, Obama represented the 13th District for three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004, when he ran for the U. S. Senate. In 2008, Obama was nominated for president, a year after his campaign began and he was elected over Republican John McCain, and was inaugurated on January 20,2009. Nine months later, Obama was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, during his first two years in office, Obama signed more landmark legislation than any Democratic president since LBJs Great Society. Main reforms were the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, after a lengthy debate over the national debt limit, Obama signed the Budget Control and the American Taxpayer Relief Acts. In foreign policy, Obama increased U. S. troop levels in Afghanistan, reduced nuclear weapons with the U. S. -Russian New START treaty, and ended military involvement in the Iraq War. He ordered military involvement in Libya in opposition to Muammar Gaddafi, after winning re-election over Mitt Romney, Obama was sworn in for a second term in 2013. Obama also advocated gun control in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and issued wide-ranging executive actions concerning climate change and immigration. In foreign policy, Obama ordered military intervention in Iraq in response to gains made by ISIL after the 2011 withdrawal from Iraq, Obama left office in January 2017 with a 60% approval rating. He currently resides in Washington, D. C and his presidential library will be built in Chicago. Obama was born on August 4,1961, at Kapiʻolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu and he is the only President to have been born in Hawaii. He was born to a mother and a black father. His mother, Ann Dunham, was born in Wichita, Kansas, of mostly English descent, with some German, Irish, Scottish, Swiss and his father, Barack Obama Sr. was a married Luo Kenyan man from Nyangoma Kogelo. Obamas parents met in 1960 in a Russian language class at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the couple married in Wailuku, Hawaii on February 2,1961, six months before Obama was born. In late August 1961, Obamas mother moved him to the University of Washington in Seattle for a year
38.
Short film
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A short film, is a cinema format, denoting any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. The term featurette originally applied to a longer than a short subject. The increasingly rare term short subject means approximately the same thing and it is an industry term which carries more of an assumption that the film is shown as part of a presentation along with a feature film. Short is an abbreviation for either term, Short films are often screened at local, national, or international film festivals and made by independent filmmakers for non profit, either with a low budget or no budget at all. They are usually funded by grants, non profit organizations. Short films are used by filmmakers to gain experience or prove their talent in order to gain funding for future films from private investors, entertainment companies. Longer and shorter films coexisted with similar popularity throughout the days of film. However, comedy films were produced in large numbers compared to lengthy features such as D. W. Griffiths The Birth of a Nation. By the 1920s, a ticket purchased a varied program including a feature and several supporting works from such as second feature, short comedy, 5–10 minute cartoon, travelogue. Short comedies were popular, and typically came in a serial or series. Even though there was no set release schedule, these series could be considered somewhat like a modern TV sitcom – lower in status than feature films. Animated cartoons came principally as short subjects, in the 1930s, the distribution system changed in many countries owing to the Great Depression. Instead of the cinema owner assembling a program of their own choice, the studios sold a package centered on a main and supporting feature, with the rise of the double feature, two reel shorts went into decline as a commercial category. Hal Roach, for example, moved Laurel and Hardy full-time into feature films after 1935, by the mid-1950s, with the rise of television, the commercial live-action short was virtually dead, The Three Stooges being the last major series of 2-reelers, ending in 1959. Short films had become a medium for student, independent and specialty work, cartoon shorts had a longer life, due in part to the implementation of lower-cost limited animation techniques, but also declined in this period. Warner Bros. one of the most prolific of the golden era, the Pink Panther was the last regular theatrical cartoon short series, having begun in 1964 and ended in 1980. By the 1960s, the market for animated shorts had largely shifted to television, a few animated shorts continue within mainstream commercial distribution. For instance, Pixar has screened a short along with each of its feature films during its theatrical run since 1995
39.
Karl Urban
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Karl-Heinz Urban is a New Zealand actor. Leonard Bones McCoy in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond and he won acclaim for his performances in New Zealand films The Price of Milk and Out of the Blue. He also played the main character John Kennex in the television series Almost Human. Urban was born in Wellington, New Zealand and his father, a German immigrant, owned a leather goods store, and his mother once worked for Film Facilities in Wellington. Through his mother, the young Urban was exposed to classic New Zealand cinema, Urban attended St Marks Church School, where he showed an early love for public performance. His first acting role came at age eight, when he had a line in one episode of the New Zealand television series Pioneer Woman. Though continuing to take part in stage productions, he did not act professionally again until after high school. He attended Wellington College in 1986–1990 and he then enrolled at Victoria University of Wellington in the Bachelor of Arts program but left after one year to pursue a career in acting. Over the next few years, he appeared in several local TV commercials in addition to roles in the Wellington area. Eventually he moved to Auckland, where he was offered many guest roles in TV shows, Urban then moved briefly to Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia in 1995, before returning to New Zealand the following year. He also made an appearance as Mael in the episode Altared States, both programs were filmed in New Zealand. In 2001, he appeared in the offbeat rural romance The Price of Milk, for which he received his first nomination at the New Zealand Qantas Film, urbans first Hollywood role was in the 2002 horror film Ghost Ship. However he was unable to make the audition because of filming commitments, the role eventually went to Daniel Craig. Urban played John Reaper Grimm in Universal Pictures Doom, which was released on 21 October 2005, in 2007, he starred in the Viking adventure Pathfinder. A longtime fan of Westerns, Urban appeared as Woodrow Call in Comanche Moon, in 2009, he played Dr. Leonard Bones McCoy, a role famously originated by DeForest Kelley, in the eleventh Star Trek film. A fan of the Star Trek franchise since childhood, Urban actively pursued a role in the film and his performance was widely embraced by the Star Trek fan community for its faithfulness to the spirit of Kelleys McCoy. In 2009, he appeared as himself in the documentary film Reclaiming the Blade. Urban next appeared as CIA agent William Cooper in Red, adapted from the DC Comics graphic novel of the name and co-starring Bruce Willis
40.
Chris Pine
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Christopher Whitelaw Chris Pine is an American actor. He is known for his role as James T, Kirk in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond. Pine was born in Los Angeles and his father, Robert, is an actor who co-starred on CHiPs as Sergeant Joseph Getraer, and his mother, Gwynne Gilford, is a former actress who is now a practicing psychotherapist. He has a sister, Katie. His maternal grandmother, Anne Gwynne, was a Hollywood actress, Pines maternal grandfather was from a Russian Jewish family, while Pines other ancestry is English, Welsh, German, and French. Pine graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2002 and he was an exchange student at the University of Leeds in England for one year. After graduating, he attended the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and he studied at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, Pines first acting role was in a 2003 episode of ER, the same year, he also appeared in episodes of The Guardian and CSI, Miami. In 2004, he appeared in Why Germany, a short film, and in The Princess Diaries 2, Royal Engagement. Pine played the part of Nicholas Devereaux, the love interest of Anne Hathaways leading character. In 2005, Pine appeared in an episode of the series Six Feet Under, as well as in Confession, an independent film that was released directly to video, Pine appeared in the made-for-television film Surrender, Dorothy which aired in early 2006. He played Jake Hardin in the American film Just My Luck, a comedy in which he starred opposite Lindsay Lohan. The film was released on May 12,2006, later that year, Pine appeared in the comedy Blind Dating, and in the action film Smokin Aces. Pine did the play, The Atheist, at Center Stage. In 2007, he starred opposite Scott Wolf in the Los Angeles production of Neil LaButes play Fat Pig, winning positive reviews for his depiction of a competitive and he portrayed real-life Napa Valley vintner Bo Barrett in the 2008 film Bottle Shock. In 2007, Pine turned down a role in an adaptation of White Jazz. Kirk in the 2009 Star Trek film, which was released to critical and that same month, he made a brief appearance promoting the film on Saturday Night Live, with co-stars Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy. During the rest of summer 2009, he appeared in the Los Angeles production of the Beau Willimon play Farragut North. Pine appeared in the Los Angeles production of The Lieutenant of Inishmore during the summer of 2010, Pine was rumored to play the title role in the 2011 Green Lantern film, but the role eventually went to Ryan Reynolds
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Michael McMillian
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Michael McMillian is an American actor and writer, known for his roles as Henry Gibson on What I Like About You, Steve Newlin on the HBO series True Blood and Owen on Hot in Cleveland. McMillian is also the creator and writer of a comic book, McMillian was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and grew up in Olathe, Kansas, attending Blue Valley Northwest High School through his second year. In 1995, McMillian transferred to Interlochen Arts Academy where he studied acting, playwriting and screenwriting and he has said that during his teen years, he was not a full-on nerd reading comic books. Wasnt good in sports and got picked on a lot, McMillian went on to attend Carnegie Mellon University, where he was spotted and signed by an agent after a senior class showcase. McMillian has acted in films and television shows and has contributed work to a number of video games. He garnered attention for his role in the independent film Dorian Blues. He played Greg in the pilot episode of Luis, but gave up the series in favor of making his then-recurring What I Like About You character, Henry Gibson. McMillian penned an episode during the season of What I Like About You. He played the role of Harper in the TNTs Saved and his most recent film role was in Imagine That. In 2009, McMillian wrote and created the comic book mini-series, Lucid, for Before the Door Pictures. He is also co-writer of the second True Blood comic book produced by IDW publishing. In 2010 he appeared opposite star Hilary Duff in the TV movie Beauty & the Briefcase based on the novel Diary of a Working Girl by Daniella Brodsky, crazy Ex-Girlfriend – Tim King of the Nerds – Judge The Banshee Chapter – James Hirsch Emily Owens, M. D
