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Astronomical_object | An astronomical object or celestial object is a naturally occurring physical entity , association , or structure that current astronomy has demonstrated to exist in the observable universe . In astronomy , the terms `` object '' and `` body '' are often used interchangeably . However , an astronomical body or celestial body refers to a single , tightly bound contiguous entity , while an astronomical or celestial object refers to a complex , less cohesively bound structure , that may consist of multiple bodies or even other objects with substructures . Examples for astronomical objects include planetary systems , star clusters , nebulae and galaxies , while asteroids , moons , planets , and stars are astronomical bodies . A comet may be identified as both body and object : It is a body when referring to the frozen nucleus of ice and dust , and an object when describing the entire comet with its diffuse coma and tail . |
Banking_BPO_services | Banking business process outsourcing or banking BPO is a highly specialized sourcing strategy used by banks and lending institutions to support the business acquisition and account servicing activities associated with the customer lending lifecycle . These specific BPO services are usually offered through multi-year service-level agreements for all or portions of the credit card lending , consumer lending or commercial lending segments of the financial services market . Some larger financial services organizations choose to extend their sourcing strategy to include other outsourced services such as ITO systems and software , human resources outsourcing and benefits services , finance and accounting outsourcing ( FAO ) services , procurement or training outsourcing . Banking BPO services are typically defined by industry analysts , advisors and leaders in the sourcing industry , such as the set of discrete processes or transactional activities that support the lending lifecycle as follows : New customer acquisition services include telemarketing activities , application processing , underwriting , customer or merchant credit evaluation and verification , credit approval , document processing , account opening and customer care and on-boarding . Account servicing processes for credit cards or consumer loans . These most commonly include payment processing systems and services , customer service or call center support operations ( voice , digital , email and mail services ) , product renewals , and loan disbursement ; document management services such as printing and mailing of statements , networked printing and storage solutions ; collections , recoveries processing , default management , risk management and foreclosure . Consumer and commercial lending post origination transaction processing services , such as check processing , clearance and settlement services , remittance , and records management . Back office transaction process management for loans or credit card portfolios , including custody services , fraud mitigation and detection , regulatory and program compliance , portfolio analytics , reporting , conversions , management of technology platforms , interface for customer data and custom development . |
Bangerz | Bangerz is the fourth studio album by American singer Miley Cyrus . It was released on October 4 , 2013 , by RCA Records . Opting to re-establish her music career instead of focusing on her film career as originally planned , Cyrus began planning the project in 2012 . Work continued into 2013 , at which time she left her previous label Hollywood Records and subsequently joined RCA Records . Described by Cyrus as `` dirty south hip-hop '' , Bangerz represents a musical departure from her earlier work , which she has grown to feel `` disconnected '' from . As executive producers , Cyrus and Mike Will Made It collaborated with hip hop producers including Cirkut , Pharrell Williams , and will.i.am to achieve Cyrus ' desired new sound . Their efforts resulted in a primarily pop record , with lyrical themes that revolve largely around romance . It features guest vocals from several new partners , including pop singer Britney Spears and rappers French Montana , Future , Ludacris , and Nelly . Bangerz received mixed to positive reviews from contemporary music critics , who praised its overall production and originality , and complimented Cyrus ' public persona evolution . The record debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 270,000 copies . In doing so , it became Cyrus ' fifth non-consecutive number-one album , including earlier soundtracks in which she performed as her character Hannah Montana . It was the third-highest opening week for a female artist in 2013 , and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) after moving one million units , while globally it managed to sell around 3 million units . The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album , giving Cyrus her first Grammy nomination . `` We Ca n't Stop '' was released as the lead single from Bangerz on June 3 , 2013 , and peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 . The second single `` Wrecking Ball '' was released on August 25 , 2013 , and became Cyrus ' first single to peak in the top position in the United States . Its accompanying music video held the record for the fastest video to reach 100 million views on Vevo being beaten by Adele 's `` Hello '' music video in 2015 , it also earned Cyrus the award for `` Video of The Year '' at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards . `` Adore You '' was serviced as the third single from the record on December 17 , 2013 ; it has peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 . A remix of the track produced by Cedric Gervais was released on March 3 , 2014 . Promotional efforts for Bangerz continued to associate Cyrus with an increasingly provocative image , an effort first begun with her third record , Ca n't Be Tamed ( 2010 ) . She garnered widespread media attention through a controversial performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards , and was later the host and musical guest during an episode of Saturday Night Live . Furthermore , Cyrus promoted the album with her international Bangerz Tour . |
Augustus_(honorific) | Augustus ( plural augusti ) , -LSB- ɔːˈɡʌstəs -RSB- -LSB- awˈɡʊstʊs -RSB- , Latin for `` majestic , '' `` the increaser , '' or `` venerable '' ) , was an ancient Roman title given as both name and title to Gaius Octavius ( often referred to simply as Augustus ) , Rome 's first Emperor . On his death , it became an official title of his successor , and was so used by Roman emperors thereafter . The feminine form Augusta was used for Roman empresses and other females of the Imperial family . The masculine and feminine forms originated in the time of the Roman Republic , in connection with things considered divine or sacred in traditional Roman religion . Their use as titles for major and minor Roman deities of the Empire associated the Imperial system and Imperial family with traditional Roman virtues and the divine will , and may be considered a feature of the Roman Imperial cult . In Rome 's Greek-speaking provinces , `` Augustus '' was translated as sebastos ( σεβαστός , `` venerable '' ) , or hellenised as augoustos . After the fall of the Roman Empire , Augustus was sometimes used as a name for men of aristocratic birth , especially in the lands of the Holy Roman Empire . It remains a given name for males . |
Ave_Caesar! | Ave Caesar ! is a 1919 Hungarian drama film directed by Alexander Korda and starring Oscar Beregi Sr. , María Corda and Gábor Rajnay . A debauched Habsburg Prince sends out one of his aide-de-camps to bring him back a gypsy girl . The film was considered as an attack on the aristocracy . It was made by Korda for the state-owned film industry during the Hungarian Soviet Republic . Once the regime fell later that year Korda was arrested and eventually compelled to leave Hungary as part of the White Terror . |
Aruba | Aruba ( -LSB- əˈruːbə -RSB- ; -LSB- aːˈrubaː -RSB- ) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the southern Caribbean Sea , located about 1600 km west of the main part of the Lesser Antilles and 29 km north of the coast of Venezuela . It measures 32 km long from its northwestern to its southeastern end and 10 km across at its widest point . Together with Bonaire and Curaçao , Aruba forms a group referred to as the ABC islands . Collectively , Aruba and the other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean . Aruba is one of the four countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands , along with the Netherlands , Curaçao and Sint Maarten . The citizens of these countries all share a single nationality : Dutch . Aruba has no administrative subdivisions , but , for census purposes , is divided into eight regions . Its capital is Oranjestad . Unlike much of the Caribbean region , Aruba has a dry climate and an arid , cactus-strewn landscape . This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm , sunny weather . It has a land area of 179 km2 and is densely populated , with a total of 102,484 inhabitants at the 2010 Census . It lies outside Hurricane Alley . |
Bank_of_America_Tower_(Phoenix) | The Bank of America Tower is a highrise in downtown Phoenix , Arizona . The tower is the centerpiece of the Collier Center , a multi-use office and entertainment complex . The tower was completed in 2000 and serves as the state headquarters for Bank of America . It rises 360 feet ( 110 m ) , topping out at 23 floors . It was designed in the postmodern style by Opus Architects and Engineers . A Bank of America branch , main lobby , and elevators to the upper floors are located on the second floor . Bank of America also occupies floors 19 - 24 . There is no floor designated as 13 . In January , 2008 , the tower was covered with a graphic of the Vince Lombardi Trophy in anticipation of Super Bowl XLII . The image was on the north face of the building overlooking Copper Square and spanned 18 floors . Bank of America Tower joined Hyatt Regency Phoenix in Downtown Phoenix with their temporary football themed decor . In February , 2009 , the east and south faces of the tower were covered with T-Mobile branded messages in anticipation of the 2009 NBA All Star Game . Elite Media , Inc. of Las Vegas completed installation of Phoenix 's Largest Ad on the exterior of the Bank of America Tower in Downtown Phoenix . The south façade ad stood at 190 ' tall by 188 ' wide , and the east façade ad at 190 ' tall by 94 ' 6 '' wide . The 53,694 total square feet of ad space was formed out of over 1400 individual panels to create the large mural images . The Elite Media Wall System panels measured at 4 ' x 20 ' and each was constructed out of a unique , weather-resistant , `` see-through , '' perforated , adhesive material . Job installation took two weeks and required 5 installers hanging from scaffolding off the 380 ft façade . |
Atlantic_Coast_Financial | Atlantic Coast Financial Corporation is an American publicly traded bank holding company headquartered in Jacksonville , Florida ( a Maryland corporation ) and listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market , which wholly owns Atlantic Coast Bank . Atlantic Coast Bank 's services are focused primarily on Personal Banking and Business Banking in the Northeast Florida , Central Florida and Southeast Georgia regions . The company has been recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal as one of north Florida 's `` Best Places to Work '' in both 2015 and 2016 , and was also selected as one of Florida 's `` Best Companies '' by Florida Trend Magazine in July 2016 . |
Bank_teller | A bank teller ( often abbreviated to simply teller ) is an employee of a bank who deals directly with customers . In some places , this employee is known as a cashier or customer representative . Most teller jobs require experience with handling cash and a high school diploma . Most banks provide on-the-job training . Tellers are considered a `` front line '' in the banking business because they are the first people who a customer sees at the bank . |
Bank_Holding_Company_Act | The Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 ( , et seq. ) is a United States Act of Congress that regulates the actions of bank holding companies . The original law ( subsequently amended ) , specified that the Federal Reserve Board of Governors must approve the establishment of a bank holding company and that bank holding companies headquartered in one state are banned from acquiring a bank in another state . The law was implemented , in part , to regulate and control banks that had formed bank holding companies to own both banking and non-banking businesses . The law generally prohibited a bank holding company from engaging in most non-banking activities or acquiring voting securities of certain companies that are not banks . The interstate restrictions of the Bank Holding Company act were repealed by the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act of 1994 ( IBBEA ) . The IBBEA allowed interstate mergers between `` adequately capitalized and managed banks , subject to concentration limits , state laws and Community Reinvestment Act ( CRA ) evaluations . '' Other restrictions , which prohibited bank holding companies from owning other financial institutions , were repealed in 1999 by Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act . In the United States , financial holding companies continue to be prohibited from owning non-financial corporations in contrast to Japan and continental Europe , where this arrangement is common . Private equity firms , which solicit funds but are not classified as banks and , more importantly , are not backstopped by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation , may acquire large ownership positions in a number of non-bank corporations . That is not a problem since private equity firms are not banks . |
Awnaw | `` Awnaw '' ( featuring Jazze Pha ) is the first single by the Kentucky rap group Nappy Roots , produced by James `` Groove '' Chambers . It was released in 2001 , taken from Nappy Roots 's first album Watermelon , Chicken & Gritz ( 2002 ) . It peaked at number 51 in the U.S. and features vocals by Jazze Pha who sang the hook/chorus . The instrumental portions are often used on the public radio program This American Life . |
Bank_of_England | The Bank of England , formally the Governor and Company of the Bank of England , is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based . Established in 1694 , it is the second oldest central bank in operation today , after the Sveriges Riksbank . The Bank of England is the world 's 8th oldest bank . It was established to act as the English Government 's banker and is still one of the bankers for the Government of the United Kingdom . The Bank was privately owned by stockholders from its foundation in 1694 until it was nationalised in 1946 . In 1998 , it became an independent public organisation , wholly owned by the Treasury Solicitor on behalf of the government , with independence in setting monetary policy . The Bank is one of eight banks authorised to issue banknotes in the United Kingdom , but it has a monopoly on the issue of banknotes in England and Wales and regulates the issue of banknotes by commercial banks in Scotland and Northern Ireland . The Bank 's Monetary Policy Committee has a devolved responsibility for managing monetary policy . The Treasury has reserve powers to give orders to the committee `` if they are required in the public interest and by extreme economic circumstances '' , but such orders must be endorsed by Parliament within 28 days . The Bank 's Financial Policy Committee held its first meeting in June 2011 as a macro prudential regulator to oversee regulation of the UK 's financial sector . The Bank 's headquarters have been in London 's main financial district , the City of London , on Threadneedle Street , since 1734 . It is sometimes known by the metonym The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street or The Old Lady , a name taken from the legend of Sarah Whitehead , whose ghost is said to haunt the Bank 's garden . The busy road junction outside is known as Bank junction . As a regulator and central bank , the Bank of England has not offered consumer banking services for many years , but it still does manage some public-facing services such as exchanging superseded bank notes . Until 2016 , the bank provided personal banking services as a popular privilege for employees . |
Austin_Powers_in_Goldmember | Austin Powers in Goldmember is a 2002 American spy action comedy film . It is the third and final installment of the Austin Powers trilogy starring Mike Myers in the title role . The film was directed by Jay Roach , and co-written by Mike Myers and Michael McCullers . Myers also plays the roles of Dr. Evil , Goldmember , and Fat Bastard . The movie co-stars Beyoncé in her theatrical film debut , as well as Robert Wagner , Seth Green , Michael York , Verne Troyer , Michael Caine , Mindy Sterling and Fred Savage . There are a number of cameo appearances including Steven Spielberg , Kevin Spacey , Britney Spears , Quincy Jones , Tom Cruise , Danny DeVito , Katie Couric , Gwyneth Paltrow , John Travolta , Nathan Lane , and The Osbournes . In a self-parody of the Austin Powers series , there is a film within the film in the opening . Austin Powers is featured in a bio-pic called Austinpussy ( a parody of the James Bond film Octopussy ) directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise as Austin Powers , Gwyneth Paltrow as Dixie Normous , Kevin Spacey as Dr. Evil , Danny DeVito as Mini-Me , and John Travolta as Goldmember . Goldmember is a loose parody of the James Bond films Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice , also incorporating elements of The Spy Who Loved Me , Live and Let Die , The Man with the Golden Gun and GoldenEye . The film grossed $ 296.6 million at the box office internationally . |
Balloon_payment_mortgage | A balloon payment mortgage is a mortgage which does not fully amortize over the term of the note , thus leaving a balance due at maturity . The final payment is called a balloon payment because of its large size . Balloon payment mortgages are more common in commercial real estate than in residential real estate . A balloon payment mortgage may have a fixed or a floating interest rate . The most common way of describing a balloon loan uses the terminology X due in Y , where X is the number of years over which the loan is amortized , and Y is the year in which the principal balance is due . An example of a balloon payment mortgage is the 7-year Fannie Mae Balloon , which features monthly payments based on a 30-year amortization . In the United States , the amount of the balloon payment must be stated in the contract if Truth-in-Lending provisions apply to the loan . Because borrowers may not have the resources to make the balloon payment at the end of the loan term , a `` two-step '' mortgage plan may be used with balloon payment mortgages . Under the two-step plan , sometimes referred to as `` reset option '' , the mortgage note `` resets '' using current market rates and using a fully amortizing payment schedule . This option is not necessarily automatic , and may only be available if the borrower is still the owner/occupant , has no 30-day late payments in the preceding 12 months , and has no other liens against the property . For balloon payment mortgages without a reset option or where the reset option is not available , the expectation is that either the borrower will have sold the property or refinanced the loan by the end of the loan term . This may mean that there is a refinancing risk . Adjustable rate mortgages are sometimes confused with balloon payment mortgages . The distinction is that a balloon payment may require refinancing or repayment at the end of the period ; some adjustable rate mortgages do not need to be refinanced , and the interest rate is automatically adjusted at the end of the applicable period . Some countries do not allow balloon payment mortgages for residential housing : the lender must continue the loan ( the reset option is required ) . To the borrower , therefore , there is no risk that the lender will refuse to refinance or continue the loan . A related piece of jargon is bullet payment . With a bullet loan , a bullet payment is paid back when the loan comes to its contractual maturity -- e.g. , reaches the deadline set to repayment at the time the loan was granted -- representing the full loan amount ( also called principal ) . Periodic interest payments are generally made throughout the life of the loan . |
Astrophysics | Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that employs the principles of physics and chemistry `` to ascertain the nature of the heavenly bodies , rather than their positions or motions in space . '' Among the objects studied are the Sun , other stars , galaxies , extrasolar planets , the interstellar medium and the cosmic microwave background . Their emissions are examined across all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum , and the properties examined include luminosity , density , temperature , and chemical composition . Because astrophysics is a very broad subject , astrophysicists typically apply many disciplines of physics , including mechanics , electromagnetism , statistical mechanics , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , relativity , nuclear and particle physics , and atomic and molecular physics . In practice , modern astronomical research often involves a substantial amount of work in the realms of theoretical and observational physics . Some areas of study for astrophysicists include their attempts to determine : the properties of dark matter , dark energy , and black holes ; whether or not time travel is possible , wormholes can form , or the multiverse exists ; and the origin and ultimate fate of the universe . Topics also studied by theoretical astrophysicists include : Solar System formation and evolution ; stellar dynamics and evolution ; galaxy formation and evolution ; magnetohydrodynamics ; large-scale structure of matter in the universe ; origin of cosmic rays ; general relativity and physical cosmology , including string cosmology and astroparticle physics . |
Baa_Bahoo_Aur_Baby | Baa Bahoo Aur Baby ( colloquially known as BBB or B3 ) is an Indian television dramedy series that aired in prime time on Star Plus between 2005 and 2010 . The series was produced by Hats Off Productions and centered on a fictitious Thakkar family , living in Parla East , Mumbai . The series tracks the story of an elderly woman Godavari Thakkar and her family , consisting of six sons , two daughters and their spouses and children . Godavari , who hails from a very rich family , lives in her father 's mansion , the famous Krishna Villa in Parla East , Mumbai , given to her by her late brother and sister-in-law Guvanti , who , with her child Raju , are settled in the United States . The last episode of the first season showed the family celebrating Godavari 's 65th Birthday . The cast was seen wearing the same dresses in the farewell broadcast of the show . The show did return with a second season , but it was eventually cancelled . |
Astronomical_system_of_units | The astronomical system of units , formally called the IAU ( 1976 ) System of Astronomical Constants , is a system of measurement developed for use in astronomy . It was adopted by the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ) in 1976 , and has been significantly updated in 1994 and 2009 ( see astronomical constant ) . The system was developed because of the difficulties in measuring and expressing astronomical data in International System of Units ( SI units ) . In particular , there is a huge quantity of very precise data relating to the positions of objects within the solar system which can not conveniently be expressed or processed in SI units . Through a number of modifications , the astronomical system of units now explicitly recognizes the consequences of general relativity , which is a necessary addition to the International System of Units in order to accurately treat astronomical data . The astronomical system of units is a tridimensional system , in that it defines units of length , mass and time . The associated astronomical constants also fix the different frames of reference that are needed to report observations . The system is a conventional system , in that neither the unit of length nor the unit of mass are true physical constants , and there are at least three different measures of time . |
Barbara_Bush | Barbara Bush ( née Pierce ; born June 8 , 1925 ) is the wife of George H. W. Bush , the 41st President of the United States , and served as First Lady of the United States from 1989 to 1993 . She is the mother of George W. Bush , the 43rd President , and Jeb Bush , the 43rd Governor of Florida . She served as the Second Lady of the United States from 1981 to 1989 . Barbara Pierce was born in Flushing , New York . She attended Milton Public School from 1931 to 1937 , and Rye Country Day School from 1937-1940 . She graduated from Ashley Hall School in Charleston , South Carolina . She met George Herbert Walker Bush at age 16 , and the two married in Rye , New York in 1945 , while he was on leave during his deployment as a Naval officer in World War II . While George was attending Yale University at age 22 , Barbara and George were living in New Haven , Connecticut and had their first son , George Walker Bush , on July 6 , 1946 . ( Thus , her first son , the eventual 43rd President of the United States , was the first Connecticut native to assume that office . George W. would eventually return to his hometown of New Haven in 1964 to attend Yale like his father did . ) They had six children together . The Bush family soon moved to Midland , Texas , where their second son , Jeb was born in , on February 11 , 1953 ; as George Bush entered political life , she raised their children . While First Lady of the United States , Barbara Bush worked to advance the cause of universal literacy , and founded the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy . |
Ball_hog | A ball hog is a player who would shoot it rather than passing the ball . Despite not being a violation of the rules of basketball , `` ball-hogging '' is generally considered unacceptable playing behavior at all levels of basketball competition . The term is highly subjective , and any individual player might be considered a ball hog by some observers but not by others . Ball-hogging usually involves excessive shooting of difficult shots , especially when other players are in advantageous positions . Ball hogs attempt to monopolize their play of the ball , frequently dribbling excessively and infrequently passing the ball to a teammate . Ball-hogging tends to manifest itself statistically as an abnormally high percentage of team shot attempts by the ball hog and often low percentages of shot accuracy and assists . They also tend to have a very poor assist-to-turnover ratio , used as the main statistical indicator of how well a player `` shares '' the ball . Ball-hogging can be detrimental to a team both immediately and in the long term . For instance , a player with ball-hogging tendencies may overlook or neglect a teammate who is open for a relatively easy shot , choosing instead to take a more difficult shot himself , often at the team 's expense . Additionally , repeated ball-hogging by a player can damage a team 's cohesiveness and alienate the player from his teammates , coaches , and fans . Another example of a ball hog is a player whose aim is to boost his statistics . This could be done even through assists . A player who tries to do the most of everything - holding the ball and executing all the plays , from scoring to assisting , when it is detrimental to the outcome of the game - can also be known as a ball hog . In professional leagues , when an exceptionally competent player takes control of the ball a large amount of the time , but it is in the team 's best interest due to the player 's very high shot percentage and low turnover rate , and low availability of similarly skilled players on the team , he is not usually considered a ball hog . The expectation of a professional team is to play in the manner which will produce the most team wins , which will naturally lead to an imbalance among teammates of differing skill levels . However , in amateur and children 's basketball , monopolizing the ball is often considered unsportsmanlike regardless of the effect it has on the team 's wins . |
Banakat | Banākat , Banākath , Fanākat , or Fanākath was a town on the upper Syr Darya in Transoxiana ( present-day Tajikistan , Central Asia ) . The second part of these names , kat or kath , is an Eastern Iranian ( Soghdian ) compound meaning town . Its other forms are kāt , kāth , kant , kand as in Samarkand and Chāchkand ( now Tashkent ) . It is similar to the Persian suffix ' - kada ' . Banākat was located near Khujand in present-day Tajikistan . At the time of his invasion , Chingis Khan divided his army into four : one part under Jochi to capture cities around Syr Darya including Khujand and Banākat one part under Chagatai and Ögedei to capture Otrar two other parts under Tolui and himself to capture Samarkand . This town was later rebuilt by Timur ( Tamerlane ) and renamed Shahrukhiya after his son Shahrukh . |
Astrakhan_Khanate | The Khanate of Astrakhan ( Xacitarxan Khanate ) was a Tatar Turkic state that appeared after the collapse of the Golden Horde . The Khanate existed in the 15th and 16th centuries in the area adjacent to the mouth of the Volga river , where the contemporary city of Astrakhan/Hajji Tarkhan is now located . Its khans were the patrilineal descendants of Toqa Temür ( Tūqāy Tīmūr ) , the thirteenth son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan . The Khanate was established in the 1460s by Mäxmüd of Astrakhan . The capital was the city of Xacítarxan , also known as Astrakhan in Russian chronicles . Its territory included the Lower Volga valley and the Volga Delta , including most of what is now Astrakhan Oblast and the steppeland on the right bank of Volga in what is now Kalmykia . The North-Western Caspian seaside was a southern boundary and the Crimean Khanate bounded Astrakhan on the west . |
Atlanta_hip_hop | Although the music scene of Atlanta is rich and varied , the city 's production of hip-hop music has been especially noteworthy , acclaimed , and commercially successful . In 2009 , the New York Times called Atlanta `` hip-hop 's center of gravity '' , and the city is home to many famous hip-hop , R&B and neo soul musicians . |
Aura_Dione | Maria Louise Joensen ( born 21 January 1985 ) , professionally known as Aura Dione , is a Danish singer and songwriter . In 2008 she released her debut album , Columbine . The album spawned the hit single `` I Will Love You Monday ( 365 ) '' which reached number one in Germany , achieved over 80 million video views and was certified platinum . After winning the European Border Breaker Award in 2011 , Dione won Best Female Artist and Hit of the Year for `` Geronimo '' at the Danish Music Awards 2012 and Female Artist of the Year in 2013 ; she is one of Denmark 's top two female recording artists and one of Germany 's top three . |
Backlash_(2009) | Backlash ( 2009 ) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) . It took place on April 26 , 2009 , at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence , Rhode Island . The eleventh event under the Backlash banner , it involved talent from all three WWE brands : Raw , SmackDown , and ECW . It was the final Backlash event until 2016 . The card comprised seven matches . The main matches saw Edge defeating World Heavyweight Champion John Cena in a Last Man Standing match to win the title and Randy Orton winning the WWE Championship in a Six-Man Tag Team match pitting champion Triple H , Batista and Shane McMahon against The Legacy ( Orton , Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase ) . The card also included Jeff Hardy defeating Matt Hardy in an `` I Quit '' match and Christian winning the ECW Championship by defeating Jack Swagger . The event received 182,000 buys , down on the previous event figure of 200,000 buys . |
Bailout | A bailout is a colloquial term for giving financial support to a company or country which faces serious financial difficulty or bankruptcy . It may also be used to allow a failing entity to fail gracefully without spreading contagion . A bailout can , but does not necessarily , avoid an insolvency process . The term is maritime in origin being the act of removing water from a sinking vessel using a smaller bucket . A bailout differs from the term bail-in ( coined in the 2010s ) under which the bondholders and/or depositors of global systemically important financial institutions ( G-SIFIs ) are forced to participate in the process , but taxpayers supposedly are not . Some governments have the power to participate in the insolvency process : for instance , the U.S. government intervened in the General Motors bailout of 2009 -- 2013 . |
Bancassurance | The bank insurance model ( BIM ) , also sometimes known as bancassurance or allfinanz , is the partnership or relationship between a bank and an insurance company , or a single integrated organisation , whereby the insurance company uses the bank sales channel in order to sell insurance products , an arrangement in which a bank and an insurance company form a partnership so that the insurance company can sell its products to the bank 's client base . BIM allows the insurance company to maintain smaller direct sales teams as their products are sold through the bank to bank customers by bank staff and employees as well . Bank staff and tellers , rather than an insurance salesperson , become the point of sale and point of contact for the customer . Bank staff are advised and supported by the insurance company through product information , marketing campaigns and sales training . The bank and the insurance company share the commission . Insurance policies are processed and administered by the insurance company . This partnership arrangement can be profitable for both companies . Banks can earn additional revenue by selling the insurance products , while insurance companies are able to expand their customer base without having to expand their sales forces or pay commissions to insurance agents or brokers . Bancassurance , the sale of insurance and pensions products through a bank , has proved to be an effective distribution channel in a number of countries in Europe , Latin America , Asia and Australia . BIM differs from classic or Traditional Insurance Model ( TIM ) in that TIM insurance companies tend to have larger insurance sales teams and generally work with brokers and third party agents . An additional approach , the hybrid insurance model ( HIM ) , is a mix between BIM and TIM . HIM insurance companies may have a sales force , may use brokers and agents and may have a partnership with a bank . BIM is extremely popular in European countries such as Spain , France and Austria . The use of the term picked up as banks and insurance companies merged and banks sought to provide insurance , especially in markets that have been liberalised recently . It is a controversial idea , and many feel it gives banks too great a control over the financial industry or creates too much competition with existing insurers . In some countries , bank insurance is still largely prohibited , but it was recently legalized in countries such as when the Glass -- Steagall Act was repealed after the passage . But revenues have been modest and flat in recent years , and most insurance sales in U.S. banks are for mortgage insurance , life insurance or property insurance related to loans . But China recently allowed banks to buy insurers and vice versa , stimulating the bancassurance product , and some major global insurers in China have seen the bancassurance product greatly expand sales to individuals across several product lines . Privatbancassurance is a wealth management process pioneered by Lombard International Assurance and now used globally . The concept combines private banking and investment management services with the sophisticated use of life assurance as a financial planning structure to achieve fiscal advantages and security for wealthy investors and their families . The banks are the agent of the insurance companies to sell them more and more policies . Bancassurance is an efficient distribution channel with higher productivity and lower costs than traditional distribution channel . |
Astor_Place_Theatre | The Astor Place Theatre is an off-Broadway house located at 434 Lafayette Street in the NoHo section of Manhattan . The theater is located in the historic Colonnade Row , originally constructed in 1831 as a series of nine connected buildings , of which only four remain . Though it bears the same name , it was not the site of the Astor Place Riot of 1849 . Designed in Greek Revival style and fronted by imposing marble columns , the buildings served as residences for the Astor and Vanderbilt families , and are among the oldest structures in the city . They were designated as New York City landmarks in 1963 . Bruce Mailman bought the building in 1965 . On January 17 1968 , the theater opened with Israel Horovitz 's The Indian Wants the Bronx starring newcomer Al Pacino . Since then , it has gained a reputation for introducing works by aspiring and often experimental playwrights , including Tom Eyen ( Women Behind Bars , The Dirtiest Show in Town ) and John Ford Noonan ( A Couple White Chicks Sitting Around Talking ) . Established writers like Terrence McNally ( Bad Habits ) , A.R. Gurney ( The Dining Room , The Perfect Party ) and Larry Shue ( The Foreigner ) also have premiered plays here . The musical revue , Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris enjoyed a successful run in 1974 . Since 1991 , the theater has served as home to the Blue Man Group , which purchased the theatre in 2001 . |
Astronomy | Astronomy ( from Greek : αστρονομία ) is a natural science that studies celestial objects and phenomena . It applies mathematics , physics , and chemistry , in an effort to explain the origin of those objects and phenomena and their evolution . Objects of interest include planets , moons , stars , galaxies , and comets ; while the phenomena include supernova explosions , gamma ray bursts , and cosmic microwave background radiation . More generally , all astronomical phenomena that originate outside Earth 's atmosphere are within the purview of astronomy . A related but distinct subject , physical cosmology , is concerned with the study of the Universe as a whole . Astronomy is the oldest of the natural sciences . The early civilizations in recorded history , such as the Babylonians , Greeks , Indians , Egyptians , Nubians , Iranians , Chinese , and Maya performed methodical observations of the night sky . Historically , astronomy has included disciplines as diverse as astrometry , celestial navigation , observational astronomy and the making of calendars , but professional astronomy is now often considered to be synonymous with astrophysics . During the 20th century , the field of professional astronomy split into observational and theoretical branches . Observational astronomy is focused on acquiring data from observations of astronomical objects , which is then analyzed using basic principles of physics . Theoretical astronomy is oriented toward the development of computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena . The two fields complement each other , with theoretical astronomy seeking to explain the observational results and observations being used to confirm theoretical results . Astronomy is one of the few sciences where amateurs can still play an active role , especially in the discovery and observation of transient phenomena . Amateur astronomers have made and contributed to many important astronomical discoveries , such as finding new comets . |
Aubrey–Maturin_series | The Aubrey -- Maturin series is a sequence of nautical historical novels -- 20 completed and one unfinished -- by Patrick O'Brian , set during the Napoleonic Wars and centering on the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey of the Royal Navy and his ship 's surgeon Stephen Maturin , a physician , natural philosopher , and intelligence agent . The first novel , Master and Commander , was published in 1969 and the last finished novel in 1999 . The 21st novel of the series , left unfinished at O'Brian 's death in 2000 , appeared in print in late 2004 . The series received considerable international acclaim and most of the novels reached The New York Times Best Seller list . These novels comprise the heart of the canon of an author often compared to Jane Austen , C. S. Forester and other British authors central to the English literature canon . The 2003 film Master and Commander : The Far Side of the World took material from books in this series , notably Master and Commander , HMS Surprise , The Letter of Marque , The Fortune of War , and particularly The Far Side of the World . Russell Crowe played the role of Jack Aubrey , and Paul Bettany that of Stephen Maturin . |
Ballot | A ballot is a device used to cast votes in an election , and may be a piece of paper or a small ball used in secret voting . It was originally a small ball ( see blackballing ) used to record decisions made by voters . Each voter uses one ballot , and ballots are not shared . In the simplest elections , a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate , but governmental elections use preprinted ballots to protect the secrecy of the votes . The voter casts his/her ballot in a box at a polling station . In British English , this is usually called a `` ballot paper '' . The word ballot is used for an election process within an organisation ( such as a trade union `` holding a ballot '' of its members ) . |
Bank_of_America_Plaza_(Charlotte) | The Bank of America Plaza is a 503 ft , 40-story skyscraper in Charlotte , North Carolina . It is the 5th tallest in the city . It contains 887079 sqft of rentable area of which 75000 sqft of retail space , and the rest office space . The tower also has below-grade parking garage has space for 456 vehicles and leases a nearby five-level garage , providing 730 additional parking spaces . It was the tallest building in North Carolina from its completion in 1974 until it was surpassed by One First Union Center in 1987 . The tower is located at the intersection of East Trade Street and South Tryon Street . A bronze sculpture entitled `` Il Grande Disco '' is located in the plaza adjacent to the building . Behringer Harvard REIT I Inc bought the tower in 2006 . NCNB Plaza was built along with the 350-room Radisson Plaza . In 1998 , LaSalle Advisors of Chicago owned NationsBank Plaza and the Radisson Plaza when Omni Hotels , which exited Charlotte two years earlier , bought the hotel with plans for an $ 8 million renovation , making it a Four Diamond luxury hotel . |
Avatar_(2009_film) | Avatar ( marketed as James Cameron 's Avatar ) is a 2009 American epic science fiction film directed , written , produced , and co-edited by James Cameron , and starring Sam Worthington , Zoe Saldana , Stephen Lang , Michelle Rodriguez , and Sigourney Weaver . The film is set in the mid-22nd century , when humans are colonizing Pandora , a lush habitable moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system , in order to mine the mineral unobtanium , a room-temperature superconductor . The expansion of the mining colony threatens the continued existence of a local tribe of Na ` vi -- a humanoid species indigenous to Pandora . The film 's title refers to a genetically engineered Na ` vi body with the mind of a remotely located human that is used to interact with the natives of Pandora . Development of Avatar began in 1994 , when Cameron wrote an 80-page treatment for the film . Filming was supposed to take place after the completion of Cameron 's 1997 film Titanic , for a planned release in 1999 , but according to Cameron , the necessary technology was not yet available to achieve his vision of the film . Work on the language of the film 's extraterrestrial beings began in 2005 , and Cameron began developing the screenplay and fictional universe in early 2006 . Avatar was officially budgeted at $ 237 million . Other estimates put the cost between $ 280 million and $ 310 million for production and at $ 150 million for promotion . The film made extensive use of new motion capture filming techniques , and was released for traditional viewing , 3D viewing ( using the RealD 3D , Dolby 3D , XpanD 3D , and IMAX 3D formats ) , and for `` 4D '' experiences in select South Korean theaters . The stereoscopic filmmaking was touted as a breakthrough in cinematic technology . Avatar premiered in London on , 2009 , and was internationally released on and in the United States and Canada on , to positive critical reviews , with critics highly praising its groundbreaking visual effects . During its theatrical run , the film broke several box office records and became the highest-grossing film of all time , as well as in the United States and Canada , surpassing Titanic , which had held those records for twelve years ( and was also directed by Cameron ) . It also became the first film to gross more than and the best-selling film of 2010 in the United States . Avatar was nominated for nine Academy Awards , including Best Picture and Best Director , and won three , for Best Art Direction , Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects . Following the film 's success , Cameron signed with 20th Century Fox to produce three sequels , making Avatar the first of a planned tetralogy . On April 14 , 2016 , Cameron confirmed that there were now plans for four sequels . Avatar 2 was scheduled for release in December 2018 before being delayed , with the sequels following in December 2020 , 2022 , and 2023 , respectively . The sequels are scheduled for release in 2020 , 2021 , 2024 and 2025 . |
Artyom_Prokhorov | Artyom Viktorovich Prokhorov ( Артём Викторович Прохоров born May 10 , 1989 ) is a Russian professional football player . He last played for FC Salyut Belgorod . |
Bachelor_of_Science | A Bachelor of Science ( Latin Baccalaureus Scientia , B.S. , BS , B.Sc. , or BSc ; or , less commonly , S.B. , SB , or Sc.B. , from the equivalent Latin Scientiae Baccalaureus ) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years , or a person holding such a degree . Whether a student of a particular subject is awarded a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree can vary between universities . For one example , an economics degree may be given as a Bachelor of Arts ( B.A. ) by one university but as a B.Sc . by another , and some universities offer the choice of either . Some liberal arts colleges in the United States offer only the BA , even in the natural sciences , while some universities offer only the BS even in non-science fields . Georgetown University 's School of Foreign Service awards Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degrees to all of its undergraduates , although many major in humanities-oriented fields such as international history and culture and politics . The London School of Economics offers B.Sc . degrees in practically all subject areas , even those normally associated with arts degrees , while the Oxbridge universities almost exclusively award arts qualifications . In both instances , there are historical and traditional reasons . Northwestern University 's School of Communication grants B.Sc . degrees in all of its programs of study , including theater , dance , and radio/television/film . University of California , Berkeley grants B.S. degree in Environmental Economics and Policy in College of Natural Resources ( CNR ) , and B.A. degree in Environmental Economics and Policy in College of Letters and Science ( L&S ) . Cornell University offers a B.S. degree in Computer Science from its College of Engineering and a B.A. degree in Computer Science from its College of Arts and Sciences . The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of London in 1860 . Prior to this , science subjects were included in the B.A. bracket , notably in the cases of mathematics , physics , physiology and botany . |
Barbican_Centre | The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the City of London and the largest of its kind in Europe . The Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts , theatre performances , film screenings and art exhibitions . It also houses a library , three restaurants , and a conservatory . The Barbican Centre is member of the Global Cultural Districts Network . The London Symphony Orchestra and the BBC Symphony Orchestra are based in the Centre 's Concert Hall . In 2013 , it once again became the London-based venue of the Royal Shakespeare Company following the company 's departure in 2001 . The Barbican Centre is owned , funded , and managed by the City of London Corporation , the third-largest arts funder in the United Kingdom . It was built as The City 's gift to the nation at a cost of # 161 million ( equivalent to # 480 million in 2014 ) and was officially opened to the public by Queen Elizabeth II on 3 March 1982 . The Barbican Centre is also known for its brutalist architecture . |
Azat | Azat ( ազատ plural ազատք azatkʿ , collective ազատանի azatani ) was a class of Armenian nobility ; the term came to designate the middle and lower nobility originally , in contrast to the naxararkʿ who were the great lords . From the Late Middle Ages on the term and its derivatives were used to designate the entire body of the nobility . The term is related to the Iranian āzāt-ān , `` free '' or `` noble '' , who are listed as the lowest class of the free nobility in the bilingual ( Middle Persian and Parthian ) Hajjiabad inscription of King Shapur I , and parallels to the aznauri of Georgia . See the ազատ for further etymology . The azatkʿ were a class of noble landowners directly subordinate to the princes and to the king , as prince of his own demesne , and at the same time a class of noble warriors , an equestrian order , whose vassalage to the dynasts was expressed , first of all , in the duty , which was also a privilege , of serving the feudal cavalry of their suzerains , as well as in other obligations . It seems plausible that they enjoyed certain minor governmental rights on their own lands . The azatkʿ had their share in the major events of the country , such as at the election of the Catholicos of Armenia according to Faustus of Byzantium . During Shapur II 's invasion of the Kingdom of Armenia , Arsaces II ( Arshak II ) , his wife Pharantzem and their son , the future king Papas ( Pap ) where holed up with the Armenian treasure in the fortress of Artogerassa defended by a troop of azatkʿ . Their equivalence with the medieval Western knights was immediately recognized when , as during the Crusades , the two societies , Armenian and Frankish , existed side by side . Thus the Armeno-Cilician Code of the Constable Smbat ( after 1275 ) explains the meaning of azat by dziavor , an Armenian adaptation of chevalier . |
Balkh_Province | Balkh ( Persian and Pashto : بلخ , Balx ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan , located in the north of the country . It is divided into 15 districts and has a population of about 1,245,100 , which is multi-ethnic and mostly a Persian-speaking society . The city of Mazar-i-Sharif serves as the capital of the province . The Mazar-e Sharif International Airport and Camp Marmal sit on the eastern edge of Mazar-i-Sharif . The name of the province is derived from the ancient city of Balkh , near the modern town . Home to the famous blue mosque , it was once destroyed by Genghis Khan but later rebuilt by Timur . The city of Mazar-e-Sharif has been an important stop on the trade routes from the Far East to the Middle East , the Mediterranean and Europe . The city of Balkh and the area of Balkh Province was considered a part of various historical regions in history including Ariana and Greater Khorasan . It serves today as Afghanistan 's second but main gateway to Central Asia , the other being Shir Khan Bandar in neighboring Kunduz Province . |
BA_Merchant_Services | BA Merchant Services , LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America specializing in handling credit , debit , stored value , and electronic benefits transfer ( EBT ) card transactions . BA Merchant Services was formed in 2004 , when Bank of America purchased National Processing Company from National City Corp. for $ 1.4 billion . Bank of America then consolidated its own Merchant Services division into the Louisville , Kentucky-based company . A call center for the company is located in El Paso , Texas . On September 29 , 2006 , a significant portion of the original NPC , including over 170,000 merchant contracts , over 400 ISO relationships , over 600 community bank relationships , and the NPC brand and logo , was purchased from Bank of America by ITPS . Concurrent with the closing of the acquisition , ITPS and each of its operating subsidiaries were renamed to incorporate the National Processing Company , or NPC , name . |
Asset–liability_mismatch | In finance , an asset -- liability mismatch occurs when the financial terms of an institution 's assets and liabilities do not correspond . Several types of mismatches are possible . For example , a bank that chose to borrow entirely in US dollars and lend in Russian rubles would have a significant currency mismatch : if the value of the ruble were to fall dramatically , the bank would lose money . In extreme cases , such movements in the value of the assets and liabilities could lead to bankruptcy , liquidity problems and wealth transfer . A bank could also have substantial long-term assets ( such as fixed-rate mortgages ) funded by short-term liabilities , such as deposits . If short-term interest rates rise , the short-term liabilities re-price at maturity , while the yield on the longer-term , fixed-rate assets remains unchanged . Income from the longer-term assets remains unchanged , while the cost of the newly re-priced liabilities funding these assets increases . This is sometimes called a maturity mismatch , which can be measured by the duration gap . An interest rate mismatch occurs when a bank borrows at one interest rate but lends at another . For example , a bank might borrow money by issuing floating interest rate bonds , but lend money with fixed-rate mortgages . If interest rates rise , the bank must increase the interest it pays to its bondholders , even though the interest it earns on its mortgages has not increased . Mismatches are handled by asset liability management . Asset -- liability mismatches are important to insurance companies and various pension plans , which may have long-term liabilities ( promises to pay the insured or pension plan participants ) that must be backed by assets . Choosing assets that are appropriately matched to their financial obligations is therefore an important part of their long-term strategy . Few companies or financial institutions have perfect matches between their assets and liabilities . In particular , the mismatch between the maturities of banks ' deposits and loans makes banks susceptible to bank runs . On the other hand , ` controlled ' mismatch , such as between short-term deposits and somewhat longer-term , higher-interest loans to customers is central to many financial institutions ' business model . Asset -- liability mismatches can be controlled , mitigated or hedged . |
Banat_in_the_Middle_Ages | The Middle Ages in the Banat ( a historical region in Central Europe which is now divided among Romania , Serbia and Hungary ) started around 900 . Around that time , Duke Glad ruled Banat , according to the Gesta Hungarorum ( a chronicle of debated reliability ) . Archaeological finds and 10th-century sources evidence that Magyars ( or Hungarians ) settled in the lowlands in the early , but the survival of Avar , Slav and Bulgar communities can also be documented . A local chieftain , Ajtony , converted to Eastern Orthodoxy around 1000 , but his attempts to control the delivery of salt on the Mureș River brought him into conflict with Stephen I of Hungary . Ajtony died fighting against the royal army in the first decades of the . His realm was transformed into a county of the Kingdom of Hungary . Counties ( which were established around royal fortresses ) were the most prominent units of royal administration . Featuring items of the `` Bijelo Brdo culture '' ( the dominant archaeological culture of the Carpathian Basin between around 950 and 1090 ) can be detected in the lowlands from around 975 . Artefacts from the Byzantine Empire or imitating Byzantine objects were found along the Danube , and in the Banat Mountains . Pagan burial rites disappeared by the end of the , evidencing the local inhabitants ' conversion to Christianity . Gerard , the first Bishop of Csanád ( now Cenad in Romania ) , played a preeminent role in the process , according to hagiographic works written centuries later . More than a dozen monasteries ( including at least three Orthodox monasteries ) were established in the region before the mid-13th-century . The Mongol invasion of Hungary brought severe destruction in 1241-1242 , causing the disappearance of dozens of villages . After the withdrawal of the Mongols , new fortresses , made of stone , were built . Cumans settled in the lowlands around 1246 . Their traditional nomadic way of life gave rise to conflicts with their neighbors for decades . Charles I of Hungary held his royal residence in Timișoara between 1315 and 1323 . Colonization contributed to the development of the noblemen 's estates in the . The presence of Vlachs ( or Romanians ) in the Banat Mountains can be documented from the same century . The expansion of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkan Peninsula forced thousands of Bulgarians and Serbs to leave their homelands and settle in Banat . Louis I of Hungary made several attempts to convert his Orthodox subjects into Roman Catholicism in Banat in the 1360s . The region became an important frontier zone after the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396 . The ispáns ( or heads ) of Temes County were tasked with the defence of the frontier , which enabled them to unite most counties of Banat under their rule and to administer all royal fortresses in the region . |
Bankocracy | Bankocracy ( from the English word bank and Ancient Greek κράτος - kratos , `` power , rule '' ) or trapezocracy ( from Greek τράπεζα - trapeza , `` bank '' ) is a polemic term referring to the excessive power or influence of banks on public policy-making . It can also refer to a form of government where financial institutions rule society . |
Automated_journalism | In automated journalism , also known as robot journalism , news articles are generated by computer programs . Through artificial intelligence ( AI ) software , stories are produced automatically by machines rather than human reporters . These programs interpret , organize , and present data in human-readable ways . Typically , the process involves an algorithm that scans large amounts of provided data , selects from an assortment of pre-programmed article structures , orders key points , and inserts details such as names , places , amounts , rankings , statistics , and other figures . The output can also be customized to fit a certain voice , tone , or style . Data science and AI companies such as Automated Insights , Narrative Science , and Yseop develop and provide these algorithms to news outlets . As of 2016 , only a few media organizations have used automated journalism . Early adopters include news providers such as the Associated Press , Forbes , ProPublica , and The Los Angeles Times . Due to the formulaic nature of automation , it is mainly used for stories based on statistics and numerical figures . Common topics include sports recaps , weather , financial reports , real estate analysis , and earnings reviews . StatSheet , an online platform covering college basketball , runs entirely on an automated program . The Associated Press began using automation to cover 10,000 minor baseball leagues games annually , using a program from Automated Insights and statistics from MLB Advanced Media . Outside of sports , the Associated Press also uses automation to produce stories on corporate earnings . In 2006 , Thomson Reuters announced their switch to automation to generate financial news stories on its online news platform . More famously , an algorithm called Quakebot published a story about a 2014 California earthquake on The Los Angeles Times website within three minutes after the shaking has stopped . Automated journalism is sometimes seen as an opportunity to free journalists from routine reporting , providing them with more time for complex tasks . It also allows efficiency and cost-cutting , alleviating some financial burden that many news organizations face . However , automated journalism is also perceived as a threat to the authorship and quality of news and the precarity of employment within the industry . |
Bank_of_America_Center_(Baltimore) | The Bank of America Center is an 18 story highrise building in Baltimore , Maryland at 100 South Charles Street . |
Associated_Banc-Corp | Associated Banc-Corp is a U.S. regional bank holding company providing retail banking , commercial banking , commercial real estate lending , private banking , specialized financial services , and insurance services . It is headquartered in Green Bay , Wisconsin . It is the largest bank ( by asset size ) headquartered in Wisconsin . The bank 's main focus is middle-market commercial banking in Wisconsin , Illinois , Minnesota , and the upper Midwest . At March 31 , 2017 , it had $ 29 billion in assets and was one of the top 50 publicly traded U.S. bank holding companies . Associated Bank is a nationally chartered bank , regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency , Department of the Treasury . Associated Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation , the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago . The company has approximately 4,400 employees . |
Baelor | `` Baelor '' is the ninth episode of the HBO medieval fantasy television series Game of Thrones . First aired on June 12 , 2011 , it was written by the show 's creators and executive producers David Benioff and D. B. Weiss , and directed by Alan Taylor , his directorial debut for the series . The plot depicts Eddard Stark , imprisoned and accused of high treason , struggling with the decision whether to falsely confess to save his daughters , and he is ultimately beheaded by King Joffrey . His wife Catelyn negotiates with Lord Walder Frey for the use of a strategic river crossing and his son Robb fights his first battle in the war against the Lannisters . Meanwhile , Jon Snow discovers a secret about Maester Aemon , and Daenerys stands up to Qotho and challenges Dothraki traditions to care for Khal Drogo . The episode received great acclaim among critics , who cited the final scene with Eddard Stark 's beheading as a highlight for the series , calling it a `` daring , tragic finish . '' In the United States , the episode achieved a viewership of 2.66 million in its initial broadcast . The episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series and Peter Dinklage won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his performance . |
Banking_in_the_United_States | Banking in the United States is regulated by both the federal and state governments . The five largest banks in the United States at December 31 , 2011 were JPMorgan Chase , Bank of America , Citigroup , Wells Fargo , and Goldman Sachs . In December 2011 , the five largest banks ' assets were equal to 56 percent of the U.S. economy , compared with 43 percent five years earlier . The U.S. finance industry comprised only 10 % of total non-farm business profits in 1947 , but it grew to 50 % by 2010 . Over the same period , finance industry income as a proportion of GDP rose from 2.5 % to 7.5 % , and the finance industry 's proportion of all corporate income rose from 10 % to 20 % . The mean earnings per employee hour in finance relative to all other sectors has closely mirrored the share of total U.S. income earned by the top 1 % income earners since 1930 . The mean salary in New York City 's finance industry rose from $ 80,000 in 1981 to $ 360,000 in 2011 , while average New York City salaries rose from $ 40,000 to $ 70,000 . In 1988 , there were about 12,500 U.S. banks with less than $ 300 million in deposits , and about 900 with more deposits , but by 2012 , there were only 4,200 banks with less than $ 300 million in deposits in the U.S. , and over 1,800 with more . American banking is closely linked to the UK ; in 2014 , the biggest US banks held almost 70 percent of their on and off-balance sheet foreign assets there . |
Atomic_physics | Atomic physics is the field of physics that studies atoms as an isolated system of electrons and an atomic nucleus . It is primarily concerned with the arrangement of electrons around the nucleus and the processes by which these arrangements change . This comprises ions , neutral atoms and , unless otherwise stated , it can be assumed that the term atom includes ions . The term atomic physics can be associated with nuclear power and nuclear weapons , due to the synonymous use of atomic and nuclear in standard English . Physicists distinguish between atomic physics -- which deals with the atom as a system consisting of a nucleus and electrons -- and nuclear physics , which considers atomic nuclei alone . As with many scientific fields , strict delineation can be highly contrived and atomic physics is often considered in the wider context of atomic , molecular , and optical physics . Physics research groups are usually so classified . |
Assassination_of_Martin_Luther_King_Jr. | Martin Luther King Jr. was an American clergyman and civil rights leader who was fatally shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis , Tennessee , on April 4 , 1968 . King was rushed to St. Joseph 's Hospital , where he was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m. that evening . He was a prominent leader of the Civil Rights Movement and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who was known for his use of nonviolence and civil disobedience . James Earl Ray , a fugitive from the Missouri State Penitentiary , was arrested on June 8 , 1968 , in London at Heathrow Airport , extradited to the United States , and charged with the crime . On March 10 , 1969 , Ray entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced to 99 years in the Tennessee State Penitentiary . Ray later made many attempts to withdraw his guilty plea and be tried by a jury , but was unsuccessful ; he died in prison on April 23 , 1998 , at the age of 70 . The King family and others believe that the assassination was carried out by a conspiracy involving the U.S. government , as alleged by Loyd Jowers in 1993 , and that Ray was a scapegoat . In 1999 the King family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Jowers for the sum of $ 10 million . During closing arguments , the Kings ' attorney asked the jury to award damages of $ 100 , to make the point that `` it was not about the money '' . During the trial both the family and Jowers presented evidence alleging a government conspiracy . The government agencies accused could not defend themselves or respond because they were not named as defendants . Based on the evidence , the jury concluded that Jowers and others were `` part of a conspiracy to kill King '' and awarded the Kings $ 100 . The allegations and the finding of the Memphis jury were later rejected by the United States Department of Justice in 2000 due to lack of evidence . |
Bank_of_America,_Los_Angeles | The Bank of America , Los Angeles was established in 1923 by Orra E. Monnette , emerging from a series of mergers between Los Angeles-based banks between 1909 and 1923 . The formation of BoA L.A. predates the creation of the Bank of America , merging with the Bank of Italy ( USA ) in 1928-29 to form the Bank of America . The foundation was the Los Angeles based American National Bank of Los Angeles ( ANB ) which Monnette purchased controlling interest using profits from his father 's silver mine in Tonopah , Nevada . In 1909 , ANB was merged into Citizens Trust and Savings Bank ; in 1911 , Monnette purchased the Broadway Bank and Trust Company , which when merged with the family 's other holdings formed the Citizens Bank and Trust Company in 1911 . In 1923 , Citizens Bank and Trust Company was renamed Bank of America , Los Angeles . Monnette 's intention was to build capital for national expansion ; however in 1928 Monnette was approached by Amadeo Giannini , founder of the Bank of Italy ( San Francisco , California ) , who was interested in pursuing a merger with BoA . Both men were concerned about the state of the American economy . One thing that the Bank of America , Los Angeles had that made it an attractive merge partner was its advanced bank branch system that employed centralized accounting and cash distribution system . BoA LA had its own secured fleet of armoured cars to transport branch cash supplies , keeping its branches stock with controlled amounts while other banks kept larger amounts on site , and thus away from investment purposes . With Monnette wishing to ease into retirement , and with no real heir apparent , BoA LA welcomed the combination of the two concerns under the name Bank of America . ( Monnette would use this same design to help the Los Angeles Public Library - the Board of which he chaired - create a modern , full service branch library system that is still in use today . ) The resulting Bank of America emerged prior to the stock market crash of 1929 . |
Auric_Goldfinger | Auric Goldfinger is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the James Bond film Goldfinger , based on Ian Fleming 's novel of the same name . His first name , Auric , is an adjective meaning of gold . Fleming chose the name to commemorate the architect Ernő Goldfinger , who had built his home in Hampstead , near Fleming 's ; it is possible , though unlikely , that he disliked Goldfinger 's style of architecture and destruction of Victorian terraces and decided to name a memorable villain after him . According to a 1965 Forbes article and The New York Times , the Goldfinger persona was based on gold mining magnate Charles W. Engelhard , Jr. . In 2003 , the American Film Institute declared Auric Goldfinger the 49th greatest villain in the past 100 years of film . In a poll on IMDb , Auric Goldfinger was voted the most sinister James Bond villain , beating out in order Ernst Stavro Blofeld , Dr. No , Max Zorin and Emilio Largo . Auric Goldfinger was played by German actor Gert Fröbe . Fröbe , who did not speak English well , was dubbed in the film by Michael Collins , an English actor . In the German version , Fröbe dubbed himself back again . Goldfinger was banned in Israel after it was revealed that Fröbe had been a member of the Nazi Party . However , he left the party before the outbreak of World War II . After several years , the ban was lifted , as it was found that Fröbe helped out hiding two Jews in his basement during the war . |
Bank_of_Italy_(United_States) | __ NOTOC __ The Bank of Italy was founded in San Francisco , California , United States , on October 17 , 1904 by Amadeo Giannini . It grew by a branch banking strategy to become the Bank of America , the world 's largest commercial bank , with 493 branches in California and assets of $ 5 billion in 1945 . The bank was established to serve working class citizens of the area , especially Italian Americans living in San Francisco 's North Beach neighborhood . The bank survived the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906 and was one of the first to offer loans to businesses to help rebuild the city . The Bank of Italy building -- which later became a National Historic Landmark -- was opened in 1908 . Giannini had his office space in an open area on the first floor . In 1909 , the bank began opening branches in other cities . It had 24 branches by 1918 , at which time it was the first statewide branch banking system . The Bank of Italy merged with the smaller Bank of America , Los Angeles in 1928 . In 1930 , Giannini changed the name `` Bank of Italy '' to `` Bank of America '' . As chairman of the new , larger Bank of America , Giannini expanded the bank throughout his tenure , which continued until his death in 1949 . Amadeo Giannini and the Bank of Italy were the basis for the classic 1932 Frank Capra movie American Madness , which was an original screenplay titled Faith by Robert Riskin . Bank of America merged with NationsBank of Charlotte , North Carolina , in 1998 . While NationsBank was the nominal survivor , the merged bank took the Bank of America name and operates under the original charter for Bank of Italy . |
Association_(psychology) | Association in psychology refers to a mental connection between concepts , events , or mental states that usually stems from specific experiences . Associations are seen throughout several schools of thought in psychology including behaviorism , associationism , psychoanalysis , social psychology , and structuralism . The idea stems from Plato and Aristotle , especially with regard to the succession of memories , and it was carried on by philosophers such as John Locke , David Hume , David Hartley , and James Mill . It finds its place in modern psychology in such areas as memory , learning , and the study of neural pathways . |
Ayr | Ayr ( ɛər Inbhir Àir , `` Mouth of the River Ayr '' ) is a large town and former Royal Burgh situated on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland , United Kingdom . It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire Council area and historic county town of Ayrshire . Ayr is currently the most populated settlement in Ayrshire and is the 12th most populous settlement in Scotland . The town adjoins the smaller town of Prestwick to the north , forming a single continuous urban area with the town . Ayr was established as a Royal Burgh in 1205 , serving as Ayrshire 's central marketplace and harbour throughout the Medieval Period and remaining a well-renowned port across the Early Modern Period . On the southern bank of the River Ayr sits the ramparts of a Citadel constructed by Oliver Cromwell during the mid-17th Century . Towards the south of the town is the birthplace of Scottish poet Robert Burns in the suburb of Alloway . With the expansion of the railway during the 19th Century Ayr soon developed into a seaside resort . This remains the case today with tourism occupying a significant sect of the local economy in Ayr through the opening of a Butlin 's holiday park on the southern headlands of the town and through the continued presence of the Gaiety Theatre , which ran various shows across the late 20th century attracting performers from across the United Kingdom . Politically , Ayr is considerably more Conservative-voting than the remainder of Scotland , being represented by a Conservative MP continuously for a period of 91 years -- from 1906 ( as part of the Ayr Burghs constituency ) until 1997 . The town forms part of the Ayr constituency in the Scottish Parliament , the first Conservative constituency seat in the Parliament , which has been represented by Conservative MSP John Scott since a by-election in 2000 . The town is now marginally contested between the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party ( SNP ) . In the UK Parliament Ayr is situated within the Ayr , Carrick and Cumnock constituency which is currently represented by SNP MP Corri Wilson . Ayr is one of the largest retail centres along the south of Scotland and was recognised as the second healthiest town centre in the United Kingdom by the Royal Society for Public Health in 2014 . Ayr has hosted the Scottish Grand National horse-racing steeplechase annually since 1965 . The town also accommodates the headquarters of the Ayr Advertiser and Ayrshire Post newspapers and the West FM radio station . |
Auctoritas | Auctoritas is a Latin word and is the origin of English `` authority '' . While historically its use in English was restricted to discussions of the political history of Rome , the beginning of phenomenological philosophy in the 20th century expanded the use of the word . In ancient Rome , Auctoritas referred to the general level of prestige a person had in Roman society , and , as a consequence , his clout , influence , and ability to rally support around his will . Auctoritas was not merely political , however ; it had a numinous content and symbolized the mysterious `` power of command '' of heroic Roman figures . Noble women could also achieve a degree of Auctoritas . For example , the wives , sisters , and mothers of the Julio-Claudians had immense influence on society , the masses , and the political apparatus . Their Auctoritas was exercised less overtly than their male counterparts due to Roman societal norms , but they were powerful nonetheless . |
Aur_Bhi_Gham_Hain_Zamane_Mein | Aur Bhi Gham Hain Zamane Mein ( Hindi : और भी ग़म हैं ज़माने में ) was an Indian television serial broadcast fortnightly on Doordarshan in the early 1980s . It spanned 32 episodes and combined entertainment with education , as each episode highlighted a social problem . The name of the serial was an allusion to Faiz Ahmed Faiz 's famous Urdu poem with a slightly different title , `` Aur Bhi Dukh Hain Zamane Mein , '' in which a man explains to his beloved that he is distracted from being focused on her completely by the social injustice and pain he sees around him . |
Atomic_theory | In chemistry and physics , atomic theory is a scientific theory of the nature of matter , which states that matter is composed of discrete units called atoms . It began as a philosophical concept in ancient Greece and entered the scientific mainstream in the early 19th century when discoveries in the field of chemistry showed that matter did indeed behave as if it were made up of atoms . The word atom comes from the Ancient Greek adjective atomos , meaning `` indivisible '' . 19th century chemists began using the term in connection with the growing number of irreducible chemical elements . While seemingly apropos , around the turn of the 20th century , through various experiments with electromagnetism and radioactivity , physicists discovered that the so-called `` uncuttable atom '' was actually a conglomerate of various subatomic particles ( chiefly , electrons , protons and neutrons ) which can exist separately from each other . In fact , in certain extreme environments , such as neutron stars , extreme temperature and pressure prevents atoms from existing at all . Since atoms were found to be divisible , physicists later invented the term `` elementary particles '' to describe the `` uncuttable '' , though not indestructible , parts of an atom . The field of science which studies subatomic particles is particle physics , and it is in this field that physicists hope to discover the true fundamental nature of matter . |
At_the_Edge | At the Edge is a percussion-based world music album by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart . It was released on CD and cassette by Rykodisc Records on September 18 , 1990 . It was Hart 's first album with the multi-national percussion ensemble that would later be called Planet Drum . In an interview in 2008 , Hart said of At the Edge , `` The soft side of percussion . More , we were romancing the drum on that one and that was really very sparse , beautiful , serene , patient and calm . '' |
Atom | An atom is the smallest constituent unit of ordinary matter that has the properties of a chemical element . Every solid , liquid , gas , and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms . Atoms are very small ; typical sizes are around 100 picometers ( a ten-billionth of a meter , in the short scale ) . Atoms are small enough that attempting to predict their behavior using classical physics -- as if they were billiard balls , for example -- gives noticeably incorrect predictions due to quantum effects . Through the development of physics , atomic models have incorporated quantum principles to better explain and predict the behavior . Every atom is composed of a nucleus and one or more electrons bound to the nucleus . The nucleus is made of one or more protons and typically a similar number of neutrons . Protons and neutrons are called nucleons . More than 99.94 % of an atom 's mass is in the nucleus . The protons have a positive electric charge , the electrons have a negative electric charge , and the neutrons have no electric charge . If the number of protons and electrons are equal , that atom is electrically neutral . If an atom has more or fewer electrons than protons , then it has an overall negative or positive charge , respectively , and it is called an ion . The electrons of an atom are attracted to the protons in an atomic nucleus by this electromagnetic force . The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are attracted to each other by a different force , the nuclear force , which is usually stronger than the electromagnetic force repelling the positively charged protons from one another . Under certain circumstances , the repelling electromagnetic force becomes stronger than the nuclear force , and nucleons can be ejected from the nucleus , leaving behind a different element : nuclear decay resulting in nuclear transmutation . The number of protons in the nucleus defines to what chemical element the atom belongs : for example , all copper atoms contain 29 protons . The number of neutrons defines the isotope of the element . The number of electrons influences the magnetic properties of an atom . Atoms can attach to one or more other atoms by chemical bonds to form chemical compounds such as molecules . The ability of atoms to associate and dissociate is responsible for most of the physical changes observed in nature and is the subject of the discipline of chemistry . |
Bank_of_America_500 | The Bank of America 500 is a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race that is hosted annually at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord , North Carolina , United States , with the other one being the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend , the 600 mi race . The race is held in the middle of October , as part of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs and it is a 501 mi annual race , Prior to 1966 , the race was a 400.5 mi event . Thanks in large part to the ratings boost NBC received from the 2002 race being run in primetime hours , NASCAR made a decision to move the race date from Sunday afternoon to Saturday night beginning in 2003 . NBC retained their rights to broadcast the race , unlike in most of the night events aired in their part of the season 's contract which normally aired on TNT . With the move , then-Lowe 's Motor Speedway became one of only two tracks in NASCAR to have two night dates on the schedule . In 2005 , the start was delayed by the finish to the Notre Dame-Southern California college football game which ran late . While the game was in its final minutes , NBC , the broadcaster of both events , had the race engines start and the pace laps proceed . As the pace car pulled off the track to pit road to start the race , NBC had just switched coverage from the game to the race , and the broadcast began as the field took the green flag . In 2015 and 2016 , the races on Saturday night were cancelled due to bad weather , so they were ran on Sunday afternoon . In 2017 , at the time of the schedule announcement , the race was scheduled for Saturday night . On April 20 , the race was rescheduled for Sunday and moved from a night race to a day race . In 2018 , the race will shift to run the infield road course configuration of Charlotte . With this , the race length will be shortened from 500 miles / 334 laps to 500 kilometers ( 310 miles ) / 130 laps . It will also move up a week on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule , serving as a elimination race of the first round of the playoffs . |
Ba_Province | Ba is a province of Fiji , occupying the north-western sector of Viti Levu , Fiji 's largest island . It is one of fourteen provinces in the nation of Fiji , and one of eight based in Viti Levu . It is Fiji 's most populous province , with a population of 231,762 - more than a quarter of the nation 's total - at the 2007 census . It covers a land area of 2634 km2 , the second largest of any province . Ba Province includes the towns and districts of Ba , Magodro , Nadi , Nawaka , Tavua , Vuda and Vitogo . The city of Lautoka and the Yasawa Archipelago , off the western coast of Viti Levu , are also in Ba Province . Notable residents of Ba Province include Fiji 's former president , Ratu Josefa Iloilo and the former Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs , Ratu Ovini Bokini . Former prime ministers Timoci Bavadra and Mahendra Chaudhry , both of whom were deposed in coups , were also from Ba Province . Vuda Point , in Ba Province , is the traditional landing of the canoes that brought the Melanesian ancestors of the Fijian people to the islands . The nearby village of Viseisei ( President Iloilo 's hometown ) is traditionally considered to be the oldest in Fiji . The province is governed by a Provincial Council , which is chaired by Ratu Ovini Bokini . |
Bank_of_America_Home_Loans | Bank of America Home Loans is the mortgage unit of Bank of America . In 2008 , Bank of America purchased the failing Countrywide Financial for $ 4.1 billion . In 2006 , Countrywide financed 20 % of all mortgages in the United States , at a value of about 3.5 % of United States GDP , a proportion greater than any other single mortgage lender . Bank of America Home Loans is composed of : Mortgage Banking , which originates , purchases , securitizes , and services mortgages . During the year ended December 31 , 2005 , the Mortgage Banking segment generated 59 % of the company 's pre-tax earnings . Banking , which operates a federally chartered thrift that primarily invests in mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit primarily sourced through its mortgage banking operation . Capital Markets , which operates as an institutional broker-dealer that primarily specializes in trading and underwriting mortgage-backed securities . Global Operations , which provides mortgage loan application processing and loan servicing . On January 11 , 2008 , Bank of America announced that it planned to purchase Countrywide Financial for $ 4.1 billion in stock . On June 5 , 2008 , Bank of America Corporation announced it had received approval from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to purchase Countrywide Financial Corporation . Then , on June 25 , 2008 , Countrywide announced it had received the approval of 69 % of its shareholders to the planned merger with Bank of America . On July 1 , 2008 , Bank of America Corporation completed its purchase of Countrywide Financial Corporation . In 1997 , Countrywide had spun off Countrywide Mortgage Investment as an independent company called IndyMac Bank . Federal regulators seized IndyMac on July 11 , 2008 , after a week-long bank run . |
Bank_of_North_America | The President , Directors , and Company , of the Bank of North America , commonly known as the Bank of North America , was a private bank first chartered on May 26 , 1781 by the Confederation Congress and opened in Philadelphia on January 7 , 1782 . It was based upon a plan presented by US Superintendent of Finance Robert Morris on May 17 , 1781 that created the Nation 's first de facto central bank . When shares in the bank were sold to the public , the Bank of North America became the country 's first initial public offering . It was succeeded in its role as central bank by the First Bank of the United States in 1791 . |
BarBara_Luna | Barbara Luna ( born March 2 , 1939 ) , also stylized as BarBara Luna , is an American actress with an extensive list of roles in film , television and musicals . Notable roles included Five Weeks in a Balloon and Lt. Marlena Moreau in the classic Star Trek episode `` Mirror , Mirror '' . She appeared during 2004 and 2010 in the first and sixth episodes of Star Trek : New Voyages , a fan-created show distributed over the Internet ( and retitled Star Trek : Phase II in 2008 ) . |
BBC_Food | BBC Food was the name of the BBC 's international commercial television channel focusing solely on food until it was replaced in the television markets in which it was broadcast by BBC Lifestyle . The channel was owned and operated by BBC Worldwide , the BBC 's commercial arm . The channel launched in June 2002 and was available in southern Africa and parts of Scandinavia . While much of the programming was from the BBC , having been shown on other outlets elsewhere , other content from other providers was included in the scheduling . Well known chefs who have appeared on the channel with their respective programmes have included : Nigella Lawson Delia Smith Jamie Oliver Antonio Carluccio Antony Worrall Thompson Rick Stein Sophie Grigson Ken Hom Madhur Jaffrey Ainsley Harriott James Martin Gary Rhodes A similar service operates within the United Kingdom and Ireland called Good Food , a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive . BBC Food was phased out in Africa in September 2008 , and in Scandinavia in December 2008 . The channel was replaced by the new BBC Lifestyle . The BBC Food website was also closed . Category : Food and drink television Category : Defunct BBC television channels Category : International BBC television channels Category : Television channels and stations established in 2002 Category : Television channels and stations disestablished in 2008 Category :2002 establishments in the United Kingdom Category :2008 disestablishments in the United Kingdom |
Baloch_of_Iran | The Baloch are the majority ethnic inhabitants of the region of Balochistan in Iran . They speak Rakhshani Balochi , an Iranian language . They mainly inhabit mountainous terrains , which have allowed them to maintain a distinct cultural identity and resist domination by neighbouring rulers . The Baloch are predominantly Muslim , with most belonging to the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam , but there are also a few number of Shia in Balochistan . Approximately 25 percent of the Baloch population live in Iran : media reports indicate there are 1.5 million Baloch in Iran . The utter vast majority of the Baloch population reside in Pakistan , and a significant number i.e. 600,000 reside in southern Afghanistan . They are also spread in other countries of the world , such as the Persian Gulf states and Europe . In Iran , the Baloch are divided into two groups : the Sarhadi and the Makorani . The cities such as Iranshahr , Chabahar , Nikshahr , Sarbaz , and Saravan are known as the Makoran region , while Zahedan and Khash are known as Sarhad region . Balochistan of Iran has been regarded as the most underdeveloped , desolate , and poorest region of the country . The government of Iran has been trying to reverse this situation by implementing new plans such as the creation of the Chabahar Free Trade Zone . Category : Ethnic groups in Iran Category : Baloch people Category : Sistan and Baluchestan Province |
Ayyubid_dynasty | The Ayyubid dynasty was a Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origin , founded by Saladin and centered in Egypt . The dynasty ruled much of the Middle East during the 12th and 13th centuries . Saladin had been the vizier of Fatimid Egypt before toppling the Fatimids in 1171 . Three years later , he proclaimed himself sultan following the death of his former master , the Zengid ruler Nur al-Din . For the next decade , the Ayyubids launched conquests throughout the region and by 1183 , they controlled Egypt , Syria , northern Mesopotamia , Hejaz , Yemen , and the North African coast up to the borders of modern-day Tunisia . Most of the Kingdom of Jerusalem fell to Saladin after his victory at the Battle of Hattin in 1187 . However , the Crusaders regained control of Palestine 's coastline in the 1190s . After the death of Saladin in 1193 , his sons contested control of the sultanate , but Saladin 's brother al-Adil became the paramount Ayyubid sultan in 1200 , and all of the later Ayyubid sultans of Egypt were his descendants . In the 1230s , the emirs of Syria attempted to assert their independence from Egypt and the Ayyubid realm remained divided until Sultan as-Salih Ayyub restored its unity by conquering most of Syria , except Aleppo , by 1247 . By then , local Muslim dynasties had driven out the Ayyubids from Yemen , the Hejaz , and parts of Mesopotamia . After his death in 1249 , as-Salih Ayyub was succeeded in Egypt by al-Mu ` azzam Turanshah . However , the latter was soon overthrown by the Mamluk generals who had repelled a Crusader invasion of the Nile Delta . This effectively ended Ayyubid power in Egypt ; attempts by the emirs of Syria , led by an-Nasir Yusuf of Aleppo , to wrest back Egypt failed . In 1260 , the Mongols sacked Aleppo and conquered the Ayyubids ' remaining territories soon after . The Mamluks , who expelled the Mongols , maintained the Ayyubid principality of Hama until deposing its last ruler in 1341 . During their relatively short tenure , the Ayyubids ushered in an era of economic prosperity in the lands they ruled , and the facilities and patronage provided by the Ayyubids led to a resurgence in intellectual activity in the Islamic world . This period was also marked by an Ayyubid process of vigorously strengthening Sunni Muslim dominance in the region by constructing numerous madrasas ( Islamic schools of law ) in their major cities . |
BBL_Championship | The British Basketball League Championship , often shortened to the BBL Championship , is the top-level men 's professional basketball league in the United Kingdom . Established in 1987 , the competition is administered by the British Basketball League and comprises 13 teams from both England and Scotland . Each team plays a 36-game regular season , from September until April , with the team that finishes in first place being crowned as League champions . Following the end of the regular season , the top eight-placed teams advance to the post-season Play-off tournament to decide the winner of the BBL Championship . There is currently no promotion or relegation between the second-tier English and Scottish leagues and the BBL Championship because of the franchise system in use in the BBL , although several clubs have been elected from the English Basketball League in recent years . |
Atmosphere_of_Earth | The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases , commonly known as air , that surrounds the planet Earth and is retained by Earth 's gravity . The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation , warming the surface through heat retention ( greenhouse effect ) , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night ( the diurnal temperature variation ) . By volume , dry air contains 78.09 % nitrogen , 20.95 % oxygen , 0.93 % argon , 0.04 % carbon dioxide , and small amounts of other gases . Air also contains a variable amount of water vapor , on average around 1 % at sea level , and 0.4 % over the entire atmosphere . Air content and atmospheric pressure vary at different layers , and air suitable for use in photosynthesis by terrestrial plants and breathing of terrestrial animals is found only in Earth 's troposphere and in artificial atmospheres . The atmosphere has a mass of about 5.15 kg , three quarters of which is within about 11 km of the surface . The atmosphere becomes thinner and thinner with increasing altitude , with no definite boundary between the atmosphere and outer space . The Kármán line , at 100 km , or 1.57 % of Earth 's radius , is often used as the border between the atmosphere and outer space . Atmospheric effects become noticeable during atmospheric reentry of spacecraft at an altitude of around 120 km . Several layers can be distinguished in the atmosphere , based on characteristics such as temperature and composition . The study of Earth 's atmosphere and its processes is called atmospheric science ( aerology ) . Early pioneers in the field include Léon Teisserenc de Bort and Richard Assmann . |
BP | BP P.L.C. , formerly British Petroleum , is a British multinational oil and gas company headquartered in London , England . It is one of the world 's seven oil and gas `` supermajors '' , whose performance in 2012 made it the world 's sixth-largest oil and gas company , the sixth-largest energy company by market capitalization and the company with the world 's fifth-largest revenue ( turnover ) . It is a vertically integrated company operating in all areas of the oil and gas industry , including exploration and production , refining , distribution and marketing , petrochemicals , power generation and trading . It also has renewable energy interests in biofuels and wind power . As of 31 December 2016 , BP had operations in 72 countries worldwide , produced around 3.3 e6oilbbl/d of oil equivalent , and had total proved reserves of 17.81 e9oilbbl of oil equivalent . The company has around 18,000 service stations worldwide . Its largest division is BP America in the United States . In Russia BP owns a 19.75 % stake in Rosneft , the world 's largest publicly traded oil and gas company by hydrocarbon reserves and production . BP has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index . It has secondary listings on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange . BP 's origins date back to the founding of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company in 1908 , established as a subsidiary of Burmah Oil Company to exploit oil discoveries in Iran . In 1935 , it became the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and in 1954 British Petroleum . In 1959 , the company expanded beyond the Middle East to Alaska and it was one of the first companies to strike oil in the North Sea . British Petroleum acquired majority control of Standard Oil of Ohio in 1978 . Formerly majority state-owned , the British government privatised the company in stages between 1979 and 1987 . British Petroleum merged with Amoco in 1998 , becoming BP Amoco plc , and acquired ARCO and Burmah Castrol in 2000 , becoming BP plc in 2001 . From 2003 to 2013 , BP was a partner in the TNK-BP joint venture in Russia . BP has been directly involved in several major environmental and safety incidents . Among them were the 2005 Texas City Refinery explosion , which caused the death of 15 workers and resulted in a record-setting OSHA fine ; Britain 's largest oil spill , the wreck of Torrey Canyon ; and the 2006 Prudhoe Bay oil spill , the largest oil spill on Alaska 's North Slope , which resulted in a US$ 25 million civil penalty , the largest per-barrel penalty at that time for an oil spill . The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill , the largest accidental release of oil into marine waters in history , resulted in severe environmental , health and economic consequences , and serious legal and public relations repercussions for BP . 1.8 million gallons of Corexit oil dispersant were used in the cleanup response , becoming the largest application of such chemicals in US history . The company pleaded guilty to 11 counts of felony manslaughter , two misdemeanors , one felony count of lying to Congress , and agreed to pay more than $ 4.5 billion in fines and penalties , the largest criminal resolution in US history . On July 2 , 2015 , BP and five states announced an $ 18.5 billion settlement to be used for Clean Water Act penalties and various claims . |
Banco_Comercial_do_Atlântico | The Banco Comercial do Atlântico ( Portuguese meaning the `` Atlantic Commercial Bank '' , abbreviation : BCA ) is a Cape Verdean bank . The headquarters of the company is located Praia , the largest city , on Santiago Island in Cape Verde . Its headquarters are at Praça Alexandre Albuquerque at the south end and covers the whole block , one surrounded by Avenida Amílcar Cabral , its second headquarters is in the southern end of Gamboa/Ch ã das Areias on Avenida de Cuba next to Avenida de Cidade de Lisboa , first built in 2009 and finished in 2011 and is an eight story complex forming one of the country 's tallest buildings . The bank has 23 branches and sub-branches spread over all 9 inhabited Cape Verdean islands . In 2000 it introduced ATMs and debit cards and now accounts for about half of both in the islands . Its logo is colored rose and has blue letters , the b overlays with an a and in the left middle part is the c , the acronym of the bank . |
Attachment_theory | Attachment theory is a psychological model that attempts to describe the dynamics of long-term and short-term interpersonal relationships between humans . However , `` attachment theory is not formulated as a general theory of relationships . It addresses only a specific facet '' : how human beings respond within relationships when hurt , separated from loved ones , or perceiving a threat . Essentially all infants become attached if provided any caregiver , but there are individual differences in the quality of the relationships . In infants , attachment as a motivational and behavioral system directs the child to seek proximity with a familiar caregiver when they are alarmed , with the expectation that they will receive protection and emotional support . John Bowlby believed that the tendency for primate infants to develop attachments to familiar caregivers was the result of evolutionary pressures , since attachment behavior would facilitate the infant 's survival in the face of dangers such as predation or exposure to the elements . The most important tenet of attachment theory is that an infant needs to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for the child 's successful social and emotional development , and in particular for learning how to effectively regulate their feelings . Fathers or any other individuals , are equally likely to become principal attachment figures if they provide most of the child care and related social interaction . In the presence of a sensitive and responsive caregiver , the infant will use the caregiver as a `` safe base '' from which to explore . It should be recognized that `` even sensitive caregivers get it right only about 50 percent of the time . Their communications are either out of synch , or mismatched . There are times when parents feel tired or distracted . The telephone rings or there is breakfast to prepare . In other words , attuned interactions rupture quite frequently . But the hallmark of a sensitive caregiver is that the ruptures are managed and repaired . '' Attachments between infants and caregivers form even if this caregiver is not sensitive and responsive in social interactions with them . This has important implications . Infants can not exit unpredictable or insensitive caregiving relationships . Instead they must manage themselves as best they can within such relationships . Based on her established Strange Situation Protocol , research by developmental psychologist Mary Ainsworth in the 1960s and 1970s found that children will have different patterns of attachment depending primarily on how they experienced their early caregiving environment . Early patterns of attachment , in turn , shape -- but do not determine -- the individual 's expectations in later relationships . Four different attachment classifications have been identified in children : secure attachment , anxious-ambivalent attachment , anxious-avoidant attachment , and disorganized attachment . Secure attachment is when children feel they can rely on their caregivers to attend to their needs of proximity , emotional support and protection . It is considered to be the best attachment style . Anxious-ambivalent attachment is when the infant feels separation anxiety when separated from the caregiver and does not feel reassured when the caregiver returns to the infant . Anxious-avoidant attachment is when the infant avoids their parents . Disorganized attachment is when there is a lack of attachment behavior . In the 1980s , the theory was extended to attachment in adults . Attachment applies to adults when adults feel close attachment to their parents and their romantic partners . Attachment theory has become the dominant theory used today in the study of infant and toddler behavior and in the fields of infant mental health , treatment of children , and related fields . |
Asteroid_belt | The asteroid belt is the circumstellar disc in the Solar System located roughly between the orbits of the planets Mars and Jupiter . It is occupied by numerous irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids or minor planets . The asteroid belt is also termed the main asteroid belt or main belt to distinguish it from other asteroid populations in the Solar System such as near-Earth asteroids and trojan asteroids . About half the mass of the belt is contained in the four largest asteroids : Ceres , Vesta , Pallas , and Hygiea . The total mass of the asteroid belt is approximately 4 % that of the Moon , or 22 % that of Pluto , and roughly twice that of Pluto 's moon Charon ( whose diameter is 1200 km ) . Ceres , the asteroid belt 's only dwarf planet , is about 950 km in diameter , whereas 4 Vesta , 2 Pallas , and 10 Hygiea have mean diameters of less than 600 km . The remaining bodies range down to the size of a dust particle . The asteroid material is so thinly distributed that numerous unmanned spacecraft have traversed it without incident . Nonetheless , collisions between large asteroids do occur , and these can form an asteroid family whose members have similar orbital characteristics and compositions . Individual asteroids within the asteroid belt are categorized by their spectra , with most falling into three basic groups : carbonaceous ( C-type ) , silicate ( S-type ) , and metal-rich ( M-type ) . The asteroid belt formed from the primordial solar nebula as a group of planetesimals . Planetesimals are the smaller precursors of the protoplanets . Between Mars and Jupiter , however , gravitational perturbations from Jupiter imbued the protoplanets with too much orbital energy for them to accrete into a planet . Collisions became too violent , and instead of fusing together , the planetesimals and most of the protoplanets shattered . As a result , 99.9 % of the asteroid belt 's original mass was lost in the first 100 million years of the Solar System 's history . Some fragments eventually found their way into the inner Solar System , leading to meteorite impacts with the inner planets . Asteroid orbits continue to be appreciably perturbed whenever their period of revolution about the Sun forms an orbital resonance with Jupiter . At these orbital distances , a Kirkwood gap occurs as they are swept into other orbits . Classes of small Solar System bodies in other regions are the near-Earth objects , the centaurs , the Kuiper belt objects , the scattered disc objects , the sednoids , and the Oort cloud objects . On 22 January 2014 , ESA scientists reported the detection , for the first definitive time , of water vapor on Ceres , the largest object in the asteroid belt . The detection was made by using the far-infrared abilities of the Herschel Space Observatory . The finding was unexpected because comets , not asteroids , are typically considered to `` sprout jets and plumes '' . According to one of the scientists , `` The lines are becoming more and more blurred between comets and asteroids . '' |
Bagratid_Armenia | The Bagratid Kingdom of Armenia ( Բագրատունիների թագավորություն , Bagratunineri t ' agavorut ' yun ) , also known as Bagratid Armenia ( Բագրատունյաց Հայաստան Bagratunyats Hayastan ) , was an independent state established by Ashot I Bagratuni in the early 880s following nearly two centuries of foreign domination of Greater Armenia under Arab Umayyad and Abbasid rule . With the two contemporary powers in the region , the Abbasids and Byzantines , too preoccupied to concentrate their forces in subjugating the people of the region and the dissipation of several of the Armenian nakharar noble families , Ashot was able to assert himself as the leading figure of a movement to dislodge the Arabs from Armenia . Ashot 's prestige rose as he was courted by both Byzantine and Arab leaders eager to maintain a buffer state near their frontiers . The Caliphate recognized Ashot as `` prince of princes '' in 862 and , later on , king in 884 or 885 . The establishment of the Bagratuni kingdom later led to the founding of several other Armenian principalities and kingdoms : Taron , Vaspurakan , Kars , Khachen and Syunik . Unity among all these states was sometimes difficult to maintain while the Byzantines and Arabs lost no time in exploiting the kingdom 's situation to their own gains . Under the reign of Ashot III , Ani became the kingdom 's capital and grew into a thriving economic and cultural center . The first half of the 11th century saw the decline and eventual collapse of the kingdom . With emperor Basil II 's string of victories in annexing parts of southwestern Armenia , King Hovhannes-Smbat felt forced to cede his lands and in 1022 promised to `` will '' his kingdom to the Byzantines following his death . However , after Hovhannes-Smbat 's death in 1041 , his successor , Gagik II , refused to hand over Ani and continued resistance until 1045 , when his kingdom , plagued with internal and external threats , was finally taken by Byzantine forces . |
B-type_asteroid | B-type asteroids are a relatively uncommon type of carbonaceous asteroid , falling into the wider C-group . In the asteroid population , B-class objects can be found in the outer asteroid belt , and also dominate the high-inclination Pallas family which includes the second-largest asteroid 2 Pallas . They are thought to be primitive , volatile-rich remnants from the early Solar System . There are 65 known B-type asteroids in the SMASS classification , and 9 in the Tholen classification as of March 2015 . |
Avro_Canada_VZ-9_Avrocar | The Avro Canada VZ-9 Avrocar was a VTOL aircraft developed by Avro Canada as part of a secret U.S. military project carried out in the early years of the Cold War . The Avrocar intended to exploit the Coandă effect to provide lift and thrust from a single `` turborotor '' blowing exhaust out the rim of the disk-shaped aircraft to provide anticipated VTOL-like performance . In the air , it would have resembled a flying saucer . Originally designed as a fighter-like aircraft capable of very high speeds and altitudes , the project was repeatedly scaled back over time and the U.S. Air Force eventually abandoned it . Development was then taken up by the U.S. Army for a tactical combat aircraft requirement , a sort of high-performance helicopter . In flight testing , the Avrocar proved to have unresolved thrust and stability problems that limited it to a degraded , low-performance flight envelope ; subsequently , the project was cancelled in September 1961 . Through the history of the program , the project was referred to by a number of different names . Avro referred to the efforts as Project Y , with individual vehicles known as Spade and Omega . Project Y-2 was later funded by the U.S. Air Force , who referred to it as WS-606A , Project 1794 and Project Silver Bug . When the U.S. Army joined the efforts it took on its final name `` Avrocar '' , and the designation `` VZ-9 '' , part of the U.S. Army 's VTOL projects in the VZ series . |
Bang_(Anitta_album) | Bang is the third studio album by Brazilian singer Anitta , released on October 13 , 2015 by Warner Music Group . The album contains 14 new songs plus an acoustic version of the single `` Deixa Ele Sofrer '' . Primarily a pop album , Bang explores R&B , reggae , samba and funk carioca music . The album features guest appearances by Nego do Borel , Vitin , Jhama , Dubeat , MC Duduzinho and rap group ConeCrewDiretoria . Production for the album took place during 2014 to 2015 at several recording studios and was handled by Anitta , Jefferson `` Mãozinha '' Junior and Umberto Tavares . The album was certified gold in sales only in the pre-order with over 40,000 copies sold . |
Bank_of_America | Bank of America Corporation ( abbreviated as BofA ) is a multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Charlotte , North Carolina . It is ranked 2nd on the list of largest banks in the United States by assets . As of 2016 , Bank of America was the 26th largest company in the United States by total revenue . In 2016 , it was ranked # 11 on the Forbes Magazine Global 2000 list of largest companies in the world . Its acquisition of Merrill Lynch in 2008 made it the world 's largest wealth management corporation and a major player in the investment banking market . As of December 31 , 2016 , it had US$ 886.148 billion in assets under management ( AUM ) . As of December 31 , 2016 , the company held 10.73 % of all bank deposits in the United States . It is one of the Big Four banks in the United States , along with Citigroup , JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo -- its main competitors . Bank of America operates -- but does not necessarily maintain retail branches -- in all 50 states of the United States , the District of Columbia and more than 40 other countries . It has a retail banking footprint that serves approximately 46 million consumer and small business relationships at 4,600 banking centers and 15,900 automated teller machines ( ATMs ) . Bank of America provides its products and services through 4,600 retail financial centers , approximately 15,900 automated teller machines , call centers , and online and mobile banking platforms . Its Consumer Real Estate Services segment offers consumer real estate products comprising fixed and adjustable-rate first-lien mortgage loans for home purchase and refinancing needs , home equity lines of credit , and home equity loans . Bank of America has been the subject of many lawsuits and investigations regarding both mortgages and financial disclosures dating back to the financial crisis , including a record settlement of $ 16.65 billion on August 21 , 2014 . |
Beck's_Record_Club | Record Club is a musical project initiated by Beck Hansen in June 2009 . The purpose of the project is to cover an entire album by another artist in one day , using an informal and fluid collective of musicians . Albums covered as of July 2010 are The Velvet Underground 's The Velvet Underground & Nico , Leonard Cohen 's Songs of Leonard Cohen , Skip Spence 's Oar , INXS 's Kick , and Yanni 's Yanni Live at the Acropolis . Video footage of every performance has been made available on Beck 's website . |
Beenie_Man | Anthony Moses Davis ( born 22 August 1973 ) , better known by his stage name Beenie Man , is a Grammy award-winning Jamaican reggae dancehall recording artist . He is referred to as the world 's `` King of Dancehall '' . |
Beverly_Hills_Cop_II | Beverly Hills Cop II is a 1987 American action comedy film directed by Tony Scott , written by Larry Ferguson and Warren Skaaren and starring Eddie Murphy . It is the sequel to the 1984 film Beverly Hills Cop and the second installment in the Beverly Hills Cop series . Murphy returns as Detroit police detective Axel Foley , who reunites with Beverly Hills detectives Billy Rosewood ( Judge Reinhold ) and John Taggart ( John Ashton ) to stop a robbery/gun-running gang after Captain Andrew Bogomil ( Ronny Cox ) is shot and seriously wounded . Although it made less money than the first film and received mixed reviews from critics , the film was still a box office success , making $ 153.7 million domestically . Aside from box office success , the film was nominated for an Academy Award and for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song , for Bob Seger 's `` Shakedown '' . |
Bayads | The Bayad ( Mongol : Баяд / Bayad , lit . `` the Riches '' ) is third largest subgroup of the Mongols in Mongolia and they are a tribe in Four Oirats . Bayids were a prominent clan within the Mongol Empire . Bayids can be found in both Mongolic and Turkic peoples . Within Mongols , the clan is spread through Khalkha , Inner Mongolians , Buryats and Oirats . |
Beverly_Hills,_California | Beverly Hills is a city in Los Angeles County , California , United States , surrounded by the cities of Los Angeles and West Hollywood . Originally a Spanish ranch where lima beans were grown , Beverly Hills was incorporated in 1914 by a group of investors who had failed to find oil , but found water instead and eventually decided to develop it into a town . By 2013 , its population had grown to 34,658 . Sometimes referred to as `` 90210 '' , one of its primary ZIP codes , it was home to many actors and celebrities throughout the 20th century . The city includes the Rodeo Drive shopping district and the Beverly Hills Oil Field . |
Billy_Mitchell | William `` Billy '' Mitchell ( December 29 , 1879 -- February 19 , 1936 ) was a United States Army general who is regarded as the father of the United States Air Force . Mitchell served in France during World War I and , by the conflict 's end , commanded all American air combat units in that country . After the war , he was appointed deputy director of the Air Service and began advocating increased investment in air power , believing that this would prove vital in future wars . He argued particularly for the ability of bombers to sink battleships and organized a series of bombing runs against stationary ships designed to test the idea . He antagonized many administrative leaders of the Army with his arguments and criticism and , in 1925 , was returned from appointment as a brigadier general to his permanent rank of colonel due to his insubordination . Later that year , he was court-martialed for insubordination after accusing Army and Navy leaders of an `` almost treasonable administration of the national defense '' for investing in battleships instead of aircraft carriers . He resigned from the service shortly afterward . Mitchell received many honors following his death , including a commission by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a major general . He is also the only individual for whom an American military aircraft design , the North American B-25 Mitchell , is named . |
Ben-Hur_(1959_film) | Ben-Hur is a 1959 American epic historical drama film , directed by William Wyler , produced by Sam Zimbalist for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and starring Charlton Heston as the title character . A remake of the 1925 silent film with the same name , Ben-Hur was adapted from Lew Wallace 's 1880 novel Ben-Hur : A Tale of the Christ . The screenplay is credited to Karl Tunberg but includes contributions from Maxwell Anderson , S. N. Behrman , Gore Vidal , and Christopher Fry . Ben-Hur had the largest budget ( $ 15.175 million ) as well as the largest sets built of any film produced at the time . Costume designer Elizabeth Haffenden oversaw a staff of 100 wardrobe fabricators to make the costumes , and a workshop employing 200 artists and workmen provided the hundreds of friezes and statues needed in the film . Filming commenced on May 18 , 1958 , and wrapped on January 7 , 1959 , with shooting lasting for 12 to 14 hours a day , six days a week . Pre-production began in Italy at Cinecittà around October 1957 , and post-production took six months . Under cinematographer Robert L. Surtees , MGM executives made the decision to film the picture in a widescreen format , which Wyler strongly disliked . More than 200 camels and 2,500 horses were used in the shooting of the film , with some 10,000 extras . The sea battle was filmed using miniatures in a huge tank on the back lot at the MGM Studios in Culver City , California . The nine-minute chariot race has become one of cinema 's most famous sequences , and the film score , composed and conducted by Miklós Rózsa , is the longest ever composed for a film and was highly influential on cinema for more than 15 years . Following a $ 14.7 million marketing effort , Ben-Hur premiered at Loew 's State Theatre in New York City on November 18 , 1959 . It was the fastest-grossing as well as the highest-grossing film of 1959 , in the process becoming the second-highest-grossing film in history at the time after Gone with the Wind . It won a record 11 Academy Awards , including Best Picture , Best Director ( Wyler ) , Best Actor in a Leading Role ( Heston ) , Best Actor in a Supporting Role ( Griffith ) , and Best Cinematography -- Color ( Surtees ) , an accomplishment that was not equaled until Titanic in 1997 and then again by The Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King in 2003 . Ben-Hur also won three Golden Globe Awards , including Best Motion Picture -- Drama , Best Director and Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture for Stephen Boyd . Today , Ben-Hur is widely considered to be one of the greatest films ever made , and in 1998 the American Film Institute ranked it the 72nd best American film and the 2nd best American epic film in the AFI 's 10 Top 10 . In 2004 , the National Film Preservation Board selected Ben-Hur for preservation by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for being a `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' motion picture . |
Basil_Brooke_(Royal_Navy_admiral) | Vice-Admiral Basil Charles Barrington Brooke , CB , CBE , DL , JP ( 6 April 1895 -- 20 January 1983 ) was an English admiral and cricketer , who also played for the Singapore national cricket team . He played twice for the Royal Navy Cricket Club in first-class cricket . A member of the Brooke family which ruled the Kingdom of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946 , he commanded the battle cruiser HMS Renown during the Second World War . |
Beyond_Belief:_Fact_or_Fiction | Beyond Belief : Fact or Fiction is an American television anthology series created by Lynn Lehmann , presented by Dick Clark Productions , and produced and aired by the Fox network from 1997 to 2002 . Each episode featured stories , all of which appeared to defy logic , and some of which were allegedly based on actual events . The viewer was offered the challenge of determining which are true and which are false . At the end of the show , it was revealed to the viewer whether the tales were true or works of fiction . The series was hosted by James Brolin in season one and by Jonathan Frakes in seasons two , three and four . The show was narrated by Don LaFontaine for the first three seasons and by Campbell Lane for the fourth and final season . |
Benjamin_Spock | Benjamin McLane Spock ( May 2 , 1903 -- March 15 , 1998 ) was an American pediatrician whose book Baby and Child Care ( 1946 ) is one of the best-sellers of all time . The book 's premise to mothers is that `` you know more than you think you do . '' Spock was the first pediatrician to study psychoanalysis to try to understand children 's needs and family dynamics . His ideas about childcare influenced several generations of parents to be more flexible and affectionate with their children , and to treat them as individuals . However , they were also widely criticized by colleagues for relying too heavily on anecdotal evidence rather than serious academic research . Spock was an activist in the New Left and anti Vietnam War movements during the 1960s and early 1970s . At the time , his books were criticized for propagating permissiveness and an expectation of instant gratification which allegedly led young people to join these movements -- a charge that Spock denied . Spock also won an Olympic gold medal in rowing in 1924 while attending Yale University . |
Belphégor_(novel) | Belphégor ( English title The Mystery of the Louvre ) is a 1927 crime novel by French writer Arthur Bernède , about a `` phantom '' which haunts the Louvre Museum , in reality a masked villain trying to steal a hidden treasure . It was simultaneously adapted as a movie serial starring René Navarre as Chantecoq , Bernède 's fictional detective , and Elmire Vautier as the villainous Belphégor . Belphégor inspired several other adaptations , including an eponymous 1965 French television series starring Juliette Greco in the title role ( but without Chantecoq ) , a 1965 daily comic strip sequel to the TV series , a 2001 film starring Sophie Marceau , and a 2001 French-Canadian animated television series . The 1966 film La Malédiction de Belphégor has nothing to do with Bernède 's version and was made to cash in on the 1965 television series ' popularity . |
Beverly_Hills_Cop | Beverly Hills Cop is a 1984 American action comedy film directed by Martin Brest , written by Daniel Petrie , Jr. and starring Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley , a street-smart Detroit cop who heads to Beverly Hills , California to solve the murder of his best friend . Judge Reinhold , John Ashton , Ronny Cox , Lisa Eilbacher , Steven Berkoff and Jonathan Banks appear in supporting roles . This first film in the Beverly Hills Cop series shot Murphy to international stardom , won the People 's Choice Award for `` Favorite Motion Picture '' and was nominated for both the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture -- Musical or Comedy and Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1985 . It earned $ 234 million at the North American domestic box office , making it the highest-grossing film of 1984 in the U.S. |
Battle_of_the_Bastards | `` Battle of the Bastards '' is the ninth episode of the sixth season of HBO 's fantasy television series Game of Thrones , and its 59th episode overall . It was written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss , and directed by Miguel Sapochnik . In the North , the armies of the eponymous bastards , Jon Snow ( Kit Harington ) and Ramsay Bolton ( Iwan Rheon ) , face off in a battle for control of Winterfell . The Bolton army defeats most of Jon 's forces , largely composed of Wildlings . However , Sansa Stark ( Sophie Turner ) arrives with Petyr Baelish ( Aidan Gillen ) and the Knights of the Vale and they defeat the remaining Bolton army . Ramsay retreats to Winterfell , where Jon beats him into the mud , locks him in the kennels and Sansa feeds him to his own hounds . In Meereen , Daenerys Targaryen ( Emilia Clarke ) refuses to surrender to the Masters , mounts Drogon and begins burning the Masters ' fleet ; this forces them to surrender . Yara ( Gemma Whelan ) and Theon Greyjoy ( Alfie Allen ) arrive in Meereen and offer their ships to Daenerys , swearing to help her take the Seven Kingdoms . `` Battle of the Bastards '' was praised as one of the series ' best episodes , with several reviewers hailing it as a `` masterpiece '' . Critics described the battle in the North as `` terrifying , gripping and exhilarating '' and Daenerys 's reunion with her dragons at the beginning of the episode as `` thrilling '' . Its eponymous battle took 25 days to film and required 500 extras , 600 crew members and 70 horses . In the United States , the episode had a viewership of 7.66 million in its initial broadcast . It earned Game of Thrones several Primetime Emmy Awards ( including Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Writing ) , and was Harington 's choice to support his nomination for the Outstanding Supporting Actor ; Sapochnik also won the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series for the episode . |
Becoming_(Buffy_the_Vampire_Slayer) | `` Becoming '' is the season finale of the WB Television Network 's second season of the drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer , consisting of the twenty-first and twenty-second episodes . The two episodes were split into two broadcasts ; `` Part 1 '' first aired on May 12 , 1998 and `` Part 2 '' first aired on May 19 , 1998 . They were written and directed by series creator Joss Whedon . The narrative features vampire slayer Buffy Summers ( Sarah Michelle Gellar ) working to prevent Angelus ( David Boreanaz ) and fellow vampires Drusilla ( Juliet Landau ) and Spike ( James Marsters ) from awakening the demon Acathla . Production of `` Becoming '' was the first time that the show had been filmed outside of the usual warehouses or other locations . A studio was used for the flashback scenes set in New York and Ireland . Actors Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz undertook training for their climactic sword fight . |
Beverly_Hills_Cop_III | Beverly Hills Cop III is a 1994 American action comedy film starring Eddie Murphy and directed by John Landis , who had previously worked with Murphy on Trading Places and Coming to America . It is the third film in the Beverly Hills Cop trilogy , and a sequel to Beverly Hills Cop II . Murphy again plays Detroit cop Axel Foley , who once again returns to Beverly Hills , California , to stop a gang of counterfeiters who are responsible for the death of his boss . Foley teams up with his friend , Beverly Hills detective Billy Rosewood ( Judge Reinhold ) , and his investigation leads him to an amusement park known as Wonder World . The film features a number of cameo appearances by well-known film personalities , including Robert B. Sherman , Arthur Hiller , John Singleton , Joe Dante , special effects legend Ray Harryhausen , and George Lucas as a ride patron . Beverly Hills Cop III was released on May 25 , 1994 and grossed $ 42 million in the United States , and over $ 77 million in the foreign box office . The film was considered by critics and Murphy himself as the weakest film in the series . |
Batman_Begins | Batman Begins is a 2005 British-American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman , co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale , Michael Caine , Liam Neeson , Katie Holmes , Gary Oldman , Cillian Murphy , Tom Wilkinson , Rutger Hauer , Ken Watanabe , and Morgan Freeman . The film reboots the Batman film series , telling the origin story of the title character ( Bale ) , from his alter ego Bruce Wayne 's initial fear of bats , the death of his parents , his journey to become Batman , and his fight to stop Ra 's al Ghul ( Neeson ) and the Scarecrow ( Murphy ) from plunging Gotham City into chaos . Comic book storylines such as The Man Who Falls , Batman : Year One , and Batman : The Long Halloween served as inspiration . After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Batman on screen following the critical failure and box office disappointment of Batman & Robin ( 1997 ) , Nolan and David S. Goyer began to work on the film in early 2003 and aimed for a darker and more realistic tone , with humanity and realism being the basis of the film . The goal was to get the audience to care for both Batman and Bruce Wayne . The film , which was primarily shot in Iceland and Chicago , relied on traditional stunts and miniatures , while computer-generated imagery was used minimally . Batman Begins opened on June 15 , 2005 , in the United States and Canada in 3,858 theaters . It grossed over $ 48 million in its opening weekend in North America , eventually grossing over $ 374 million worldwide . The film received positive reviews and is considered by many to be one of the best superhero films of the 2000s . The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and three BAFTA awards . It is followed by The Dark Knight ( 2008 ) and The Dark Knight Rises ( 2012 ) in a continual story-arc , which has later been referred to as The Dark Knight Trilogy . |
Batman:_Mask_of_the_Phantasm | Batman : Mask of the Phantasm ( also known as Batman : The Animated Movie ) is a 1993 American animated neo-noir superhero mystery film feauring the DC Comics character Batman . Directed by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm , it is based on the hit TV series Batman : The Animated Series and was distributed by Warner Bros. . Pictures . The film was written by Alan Burnett , Paul Dini , Martin Pasko and Michael Reaves and stars the vocal talents of Kevin Conroy , Mark Hamill and Efrem Zimbalist , Jr. ( all reprising their roles from The Animated Series ) , in addition to Dana Delany , Hart Bochner , Stacy Keach , and Abe Vigoda . It revolves around Batman attempting to apprehend a mysterious vigilante who 's murdering Gotham City 's crime bosses . The film was originally thought of as a direct-to-video release . Warner Bros. ultimately decided for a theatrical release , giving the filmmakers a strenuous eight-month schedule . Mask of the Phantasm was released on December 25 , 1993 to widespread acclaim from critics , who praised the animation , voice performances , storyline and music , among others . However , due to the decision to release the film in theaters on such short notice , it failed at the box office . After its release on home video , the film found cult success and over the years developed a cult following . The film 's success led to two direct-to-video standalone sequels , Batman & Mr. Freeze : SubZero in 1997 and Mystery of the Batwoman in 2003 . In recent years , many publications including Time , IGN and WhatCulture , have ranked it as one of the best Batman films ever made and among the best animated films ever made . |
Beaumont,_Texas | Beaumont ( -LSB- ˈboʊmɒnt -RSB- ) is a city in and the county seat of Jefferson County , Texas in the United States , within the Beaumont -- Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area . Located in Southeast Texas on the Neches River about 90 mi east of Houston , Beaumont city had a population of 118,296 at the time of the 2010 census , making it the twenty-fourth-most populous city in the state of Texas . Beaumont was founded as a town in 1835 by Northerners . The early European-American settlement had an economy based on the development of lumber , farming , and port industries . In 1892 , Joseph Eloi Broussard opened the first commercially successful rice mill in the state , stimulating development of rice farming in the area ; he also started an irrigation company ( since 1933 established as the Lower Neches Valley Authority ) to support rice culture . Rice became an important commodity crop in Texas , and is now cultivated in 23 counties . A big change occurred in 1901 with the Spindletop gusher , which demonstrated the potential of the huge oil field . With Spindletop , several energy companies developed in Beaumont , and some continue . The area rapidly developed as one of the major petro-chemical refining areas in the country . Along with Port Arthur and Orange , Beaumont forms the Golden Triangle , a major industrial area on the Texas Gulf Coast . Beaumont is home of Lamar University , a national Carnegie Doctoral Research university with 14,966 students , including undergraduates and post graduates . Over the years , several corporations have been based in this city , including Gulf States Utilities which had its headquarters in Beaumont until its takeover by Entergy Corporation in 1993 . GSU 's Edison Plaza headquarters is still the tallest building in Beaumont ( as of 2017 ) . |
Bash_at_the_Beach | Bash at the Beach was a yearly professional wrestling pay-per-view ( PPV ) event produced by World Championship Wrestling ( WCW ) . It was the company 's PPV for the month of July , held from 1994 to 2000 . The show centered on a beach theme , with the set around the entrance area for the wrestlers decorated with such things as surfboards and sand . The theme for the show seemed appropriate for an event scheduled during the hot summer month of July . The beach / `` fun in the sun '' theme was also reflected in the places where WCW chose to hold the event ; all of the shows emanated from cities in either Florida or California , two United States states renowned for their warm weather . It was WCW 's response to WWF 's SummerSlam . In 1992 and 1993 , WCW held a beach-themed pay-per-view show known as Beach Blast , which was the forerunner to Bash at the Beach . The 1992 show was held in June , however , as the company elected instead to reserve July for its flagship summertime extravaganza , The Great American Bash . Along with Slamboree , Starrcade , SuperBrawl , The Great American Bash , and Halloween Havoc , Bash at the Beach was booked to be one of WCW 's flagship events . WWE have owned the rights to Bash at the Beach since they purchased WCW in March 2001 . In 2014 , all WCW Bash at the Beach pay-per-views were made available on the WWE Network . |
Batman:_Inferno | Batman : Inferno is a novel set in the universe of DC Comics superhero Batman and was penned by Alex Irvine , a writer and assistant professor of English at the University of Maine . The novel is a sequel to Batman : Dead White and is the second installment in a trilogy of Batman novels published by Del Rey Books . Batman : Inferno features Batman 's archenemy , the Joker , and the introduction of an original villain called Enfer . |
Bay_Area_Air_Quality_Management_District | The Bay Area Air Quality Management District ( BAAQMD ) is a public agency that regulates the stationary sources of air pollution in the nine counties of California 's San Francisco Bay Area : Alameda , Contra Costa , Marin , Napa , San Francisco , San Mateo , Santa Clara , southwestern Solano , and southern Sonoma . The BAAQMD is governed by a Board of Directors composed of 22 elected officials from each of the nine Bay Area counties , and the board has the duty of adopting air pollution regulations for the district . |
Betsy_McCaughey | Elizabeth `` Betsy '' McCaughey ( -LSB- məˈkɔɪ -RSB- born Elizabeth Helen Peterken , October 20 , 1948 ) , formerly known as Betsy McCaughey Ross , is an American politician who was the Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1995 to 1998 , during the first term of Governor George Pataki . She unsuccessfully sought the Democratic Party nomination for Governor after Pataki dropped her from his 1998 ticket , and she ended up on the ballot under the Liberal Party line . In August 2016 the Donald Trump presidential campaign announced that she had joined the campaign as an economic adviser . A historian by training , with a PhD from Columbia University , McCaughey has , over the years , provided conservative media commentary on US public policy affecting healthcare-related issues . Her 1993 attack on the Clinton healthcare plan was likely a major factor in the initially-popular bill 's defeat in Congress . Also , it brought her to the attention of Republican Pataki , who chose her as his nominee/running mate . In 2009 , her criticisms of the Affordable Care Act , then a bill being debated in Congress , again gained significant media attention in television and radio interviews , and it may have specifically inspired the `` death panel '' claim about the act . She has been a fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute and Hudson Institute thinktanks and has written numerous articles and op-eds . She was a member of the boards of directors of medical equipment companies Genta ( from 2001 to 2007 ) and Cantel Medical Corporation , but she resigned in 2009 to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest , with her public advocacy against the Affordable Care Act . She was married for a while to business magnate Wilbur Ross , the current Secretary of Commerce , from 1995 until their divorce five years later in 2000 . |
Billy_Sullivan_(actor) | Billy Sullivan ( July 18 , 1891 -- May 23 , 1946 ) , also known as W. A. Sullivan , William A. Sullivan , and Arthur Sullivan , was an American character actor of the silent and early sound film eras . Born on Long Island , New York in the village of Great Neck on August 18 , 1891 , Sullivan had his start in film shorts in the 1910s . His first film production was a short which was part of a 23-part serial entitled , The Million Dollar Mystery , in 1914 . The 23 episodes were edited into a feature-length film of the same name in 1918 . His first feature-length film was in the role of King Arthur in 1917 's Over the Hill . During the early 1920s , he continued to work mainly in shorts , before moving into almost exclusively feature films in 1925 . From 1924 through 1927 he starred in about 20 films for Rayart Pictures , such as The Slanderers ( 1924 ) , Goat Getter ( 1925 ) , The Winner ( 1926 ) , and When Seconds Count ( 1927 ) . During his career he appeared in over 80 productions , including over 50 feature films . |