Biography of Russell Brand

Russell Brand biography

  

Quick Facts

• NAME: Russell Brand
• OCCUPATION: Actor, Comedian, Writer
• BIRTH DATE: June 04, 1975 (Age: 37)
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Grays, United Kingdom
• ZODIAC SIGN: Gemini

Best Known For

Comedian Russell Brand is famous for his controversial comments and stunts, past struggles with addiction and his short-lived marriage to singer Katy Perry.

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Synopsis

Born in 1975, comedian Russell Brand discovered acting in school. He attended the Italia Conti Academy in London in 1991, but he was kicked out for his destructive behavior. Brand later turned to stand-up comedy and landed a job at MTV in Britain in 2000. His next major breakthroughs came with his 2007 memoir My Booky Wook and his 2008 film Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Brand has several film projects in the works.

Quotes

You stick a few rings and bangles about your person and it makes you incredibly bohemian, but really I'm a guy from Grays in Essex who was brought up by a single mum.

– Russell Brand

Early Life

Known for his clever, edgy and sometimes lewd humor, Russell Brand has enjoyed a successful career as a stand-up comedian, actor and writer. Many of his jokes stem from his own difficult experiences, including his battles with drug and sex addiction.
Born in 1975, Brand grew up in the small working-class community of Grays, England. His parents split up when he was just a baby, and he was raised by his mother. Brand's childhood was marked by many personal challenges. Around the age of seven, Brand lived with relatives for a time while his mother received treatment for her first battle with cancer. (She would go through two more bouts with the disease by the time Brand was 16.) While always close to his mother, Brand clashed with her boyfriend, which made the times he lived with her more difficult. He suffered from depression and had an eating disorder around the age of 11, Brand told The Observer. "It was really unusual in boys, quite embarrassing. But I found it euphoric," he explained. At another point he was sexually assaulted by a tutor.
At school, Brand sought attention through painful and gross stunts, including eating ants. One teacher described his behavior as "acting the fool" and called him a "waste of space." He got kicked out of a boarding school for having girls in his room. The young troublemaker found some salvation in drama club. Playing a gangster in a school production led to an interest in acting. At the age of 16, Brand went to London to study at the Italia Conti stage school. There he impressed his teachers with his talent and started experimenting with drugs. But he was kicked out of that school and the Camden Drama Centre "for smashing things up, crying and cutting myself, breaking down in tears all the time."

Early Career

While he landed a few television parts in the mid-1990s, Brand's career really started to take off with his stand-up comedy. He competed for New Act of the Year at London's Hackney Empire theater in 2000. While he didn't win, Brand soon landed a gig on MTV as a presenter. He was fired the following year, however, after showing up to work dressed as Osama bin Laden on the day after the September 11 terrorist attacks. ''Put bluntly, it was a very stupid thing to do and I put it under what I call the 'drug-brella'—stuff I did while on drugs,'' Brand later told Entertainment Weekly.
In 2002, Brand appeared in the short-lived series Re:Brand, which featured the comedian taking on several disturbing challenges. He got into a boxing ring with his father, bathed with a homeless man and performed other odd acts. In an interview with GQ, Brand later called the show "psychological self-harm." He went to rehab around this time to face his drug addiction and found enough humor in his struggle to incorporate it into his 2004 stand-up act, Better Now.

In 2005, Brand tackled another personal demon. He spent time in a Philadelphia treatment center for his sex addiction. At one point, Brand estimated that he
had slept with roughly 2,000 women. He turned his life into a British best-seller in 2007 with My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs, and Stand-Up (which was published in the United States in 2009). With his addictions in check, Brand continued to stir up controversy with his often outlandish humor. He made a series of prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs with Jonathan Ross in 2008 on his British radio show. The pair made lewd comments about the actor's granddaughter, which created a firestorm of outrage after the segment aired. In addition to issuing an apology, Brand resigned from the show.

While he had trouble in Britain, Brand had a career breakthrough in America in 2008. He appeared in the comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall with Kristen Bell and Jason Segel. In the movie, Brand played a rock lothario, which was not unlike his stand-up stage persona. He also introduced the nation to his distinctive type of humor as the host of the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. Once again, Brand made waves, joking about the Jonas Brothers' purity rings and comparing singer Britney Spears to Jesus Christ. He also had a role in Adam Sandler's comedy Bedtime Stories that same year.

Recent Years

With his acting, stand-up comedy and writing, Brand has maintained a hectic schedule in recent years. He reprised his role of wanton rocker Aldous Snow for 2010's Get Him to the Greek with Jonah Hill. That same year, Brand lent his voice to the animated hit Despicable Me and appeared in Julie Taymor's film adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest . He also published his second memoir, Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal (2010).
In Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal, Brand wrote about his relationship with pop singer Katy Perry. The couple met in 2009 at the MTV Video Music Awards. Despite having previously sworn off marriage, Brand wed Perry in India in 2010. They seemed to be an odd couple that somehow worked—the sober, vegetarian comic and the much younger pop princess.
Brand plunged into several film projects after his marriage. He played a rich, bumbling young man in the remake of the Dudley Moore classic comedy Arthur (2011) and gave voice to the Easter Bunny in the animated smash Hop (2011). Unfortunately, Brand's union with Perry didn't last. Brand filed for divorce in December 2011, claiming irreconcilable differences. "Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage," he said in a statement. "I'll always adore her and I know we'll remain friends." The couple officially ended their marriage the following year.
While his personal relationship may have crumbled, Brand's career seems to be going strong. He has a role in the 2012 musical Rock of Ages with Tom Cruise. He is also working on screenwriter Diablo Cody's untitled directorial debut and is set to appear in a new Michael Bay film. On the small screen, Brand is scheduled to host his own show on the FX network in 2012.

Biography of Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: Naomi Campbell
• OCCUPATION: Model
• BIRTH DATE: May 22, 1970 (Age: 42)
• EDUCATION: Italia Conti Academy, London Academy for the Performing Arts
• PLACE OF BIRTH: London, England
• ZODIAC SIGN: Gemini

Best Known For

Supermodel Naomi Campbell was the first black woman on the cover of French Vogue.

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Synopsis

Supermodel Naomi Campbell was born in London on May 22, 1970. She began modeeling at age 15, becoming the first black woman on the cover of French Vogue at 18, and the first black model on the cover of Time. On a few occasions, Campbell's hot temper got her in trouble with the law. In addition to modelling, Campbell launched a singing career and a perfume.

Profile

Supermodel and actress Naomi Campbell was born May 22, 1970, in London, England. The daughter of a Jamaican-born dancer and unnamed father, Naomi Campbell attended Dunraven School and the London Academy for Performing Arts as a youngster.
She studied at Italia Conti Academy stage school and appeared in music videos for Bob Marley and Culture Club before signing with Synchro modeling agency at age 15.
One of the world's most renowned supermodels, Naomi Campbell was the first black woman to appear on the covers of French and British Vogue and the first black model to appear on the cover of Time.
While the exquisitely exotic leggy supermodel began her career on the catwalk, she quickly segued to high-profile advertising campaigns for such fashion icons as Ralph Lauren and Francois Nars. Naomi Campbell has also posed for more erotic fare, including Playboy magazine and Madonna's book Sex.
In addition to modeling, Campbell has pursued acting and music careers, the latter of which has been particularly successful in Japan. Her singing career peaked with the hit "Love and Tears." Though her debut album Baby Woman sold over 1 million copies, it was a critical flop.
Campbell has appeared in several music videos and films, including Cool As Ice and Miami Rhapsody. She is the co-author of the novel Swan and has published a self-titled photo book. An ambitious businesswoman, Naomi Campbell has created two spin-off companies, NC Connect and a perfume line.
In 2002, Naomi Campbell was involved in a high-profile lawsuit with London's Daily Mirror over the publishing of photos of her leaving a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. After several appeals, the court ruled in Campbell's favor.
With a reputation for a quick temper, Campbell has been arrested and sued for committing acts of physical violence and verbal abuse. In June 2008, she pleaded guilty to assaulting two police officers during an "air rage" disturbance on a plane at London's Heathrow airport. In January 2007, Campbell pleaded guilty to misdemeanor "reckless assault" for throwing her cell phone at her maid in a dispute over a missing pair of jeans. She spent five days mopping floors at a New York City warehouse, covered the maid's medical expenses and was ordered to attend a two-day anger-management program.
In 2000, she pleaded guilty to a similar attack on an employee in Canada. Her assistant claimed Campbell threw a mobile phone at her and threatened to throw her out of a moving car. Campbell paid the assistant an undisclosed sum and agreed to attend anger management"
classes. Naomi Campbell has been linked with such high-profile love interests as Mike Tyson, Robert De Niro, Usher and Flavio Briatore. She is active in promoting the welfare of children in Africa and has worked with Nelson Mandela since 1997.

Biography of Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage biography

  

Quick Facts

• NAME: Nicolas Cage
• OCCUPATION: Film Actor
• BIRTH DATE: January 07, 1964 (Age: 48)
• EDUCATION: American Conservatory Theatre, Beverly Hills High School
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Long Beach, California
• ZODIAC SIGN: Capricorn

Best Known For

Actor Nicolas Cage, star of such films as Moonstruck and The Rock, is known for his intense on- and off-screen personality and his passion for method acting.

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Synopsis

Born Nicolas Coppola on January 7, 1965, Nicolas Cage fell in love with acting during a summer class at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. He got his start in teenage comedies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and went on to play a wide variety of roles in such films as Raising Arizona, Moonstruck, and Con Air. He received an Academy Award for his role in 1995's Leaving Las Vegas.

Early Life

Actor. Born Nicolas Coppola on January 7, 1964, in Long Beach, California, to choreographer Joy Vogelsang and literature professor August Coppola. Cage has two older brothers, Marc and Christopher. He is the nephew of film director Francis Ford Coppola and, as a youth, visited his uncle often at his San Francisco home. At age 15, Cage fell in love with acting during a summer class at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco. He dropped out of Beverly Hills High School to pursue an acting career, making his debut on television in 1981. He changed his name to Nicolas Cage as a way to separate his identity from that of his famous uncle. He chose the name Cage as a tribute to comic-book superhero Luke Cage.
Cage is known for his edgy, intense personality both on and off the screen, as well as for his passion for method acting. He is said to have had two teeth pulled for his role in Birdy (1984), slashed his arm for Racing With the Moon (1984) and swallowed a live cockroach for Vampire's Kiss (1992). He is also alleged to have destroyed a street vendor's remote-controlled car in a fit of rage while preparing for his role as a mobster in The Cotton Club (1984).

Film Debut

Cage got his start in teenage comedies, with his debut in Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982, also featuring Sean Penn), followed by a leading role as a punk rocker in Valley Girl (1983). Francis Ford Coppola gave him a small role in his critically acclaimed Rumble Fish (1983). His first serious dramatic role was opposite Matthew Modine in Birdy (1984). This was followed by Coppola's Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), the Coen Brothers' comedy Raising Arizona (1987), Moonstruck (1987, starring Cher), David Lynch's bizarre Wild at Heart (1990), Vampire's Kiss (1992) and the comedy Honeymoon in Vegas (1992). By 1994, Cage was valued at about $4 million per picture, but agreed to star in Mike Figgis' Leaving Las Vegas (1995) for only $240,000 because of the strength of the role. It paid off- his portrayal of the alcoholic screenwriter earned him a Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

More Roles

Since 1995, Cage has made a series of action thrillers, including The Rock (1996), Con Air (1997), John Woo's Face/Off (1997, opposite John Travolta), and Brian De Palma's Snake Eyes (1998). In 1998, he starred in the romantic City of Angels with Meg Ryan. After returning to the action genre with the poorly-rated 8MM and headlining Martin Scorsese's dark Bringing Out the Dead in 1999, Cage reportedly received a $20 million paycheck for the action extravaganza Gone in 60 Seconds, costarring Angelina Jolie.
Cage played a more traditional romantic lead in his next two movies, the Christmas 2000 release The Family Man and the World War II-era epic Captain Corelli's Mandolin, starring the much-in-demand actress and Spanish import Penelope Cruz. In December 2002, Cage launched his directorial debut, the $5 million independent film
italic;">Sonny, about a male gigolo who struggles to free himself from his madam mother. Cage also starred in Adaptation, playing both ill-tempered screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and twin brother Donald. Upcoming projects include costarring with Chow Yun-Fat in director John Woo's action Western Land of Destiny and starring and co-producing Dead to Rights, a movie version of the hugely popular video game. The busy actor also starred in director Jon Turteltaub's 2004 holiday blockbuster National Treasure, playing an archaeologist-historian who believes a treasure map is hidden on the back of the Declaration of Independence.

Personal Life

Cage's relationship with Kristina Fulton, a model, lasted several years, producing a son, Weston Coppola Cage, born in 1992. Cage has been married three times: The first to actress Patricia Arquette in 1995; the second was a short-lived marriage to Lisa-Marie Presley, the only daughter of the late King of Rock and Roll, in August 2002- and most recently, he wed his girlfriend, 20-year-old former waitress Alice Kim, at a private ranch in Northern California in August 2004. The couple announced the birth of a son, Kal-el Coppola Cage, on October 3, 2005.

Biography of Gerard Butler

Gerard Bulter biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: Gerard Bulter
• OCCUPATION: Actor, Lawyer
• BIRTH DATE: November 13, 1969 (Age: 42)
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Paisley, Scotland, United Kingdom
• ZODIAC SIGN: Scorpio

Best Known For

Gerard Butler is best known for his role as King Leonidas of Sparta in 300.

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Synopsis

Born November 13, 1969 in Paisley, Scotland, Gerard Butler is an actor best known for his role as King Leonidas of Sparta in 300.

Profile

Born November 13, 1969 in Glasgow, Scotland, Gerard Butler grew up the youngest of three children in a devout Roman Catholic family. When he was six months old, his family relocated to Montreal, Canada, where his father tried a few business ventures but ultimately failed. A year and a half later, his parents divorced and his mother moved Gerard and his two older siblings back to her hometown of Paisley, Scotland. After the move, Butler was raised by his mother, with no further contact with his father until he was 16 years old. (Gerard Butler and his later father reconciled, and remained close until his father died of cancer when Butler was in his early twenties.) During his childhood, Butler was enthralled with movies and acting, and his mother took him to several auditions. He joined the Scottish Youth Theatre and in one of his first roles played a street urchin in its production of Oliver!
Despite his love for theater and film, Butler was anxious to please his family and believed that acting was not a realistic career choice for him. "I was a 16-year-old kid on the other side of the world from where they made movies," he later said. "Scottish actors never really got play. There was Sean Connery, and that was it." Though he claims he is "not the most academic of guys," Butler graduated near the top of his high school class and enrolled in the University of Glasgow, where he studied to become a lawyer and solicitor. During his time in university, Butler was also the president of the law society and graduated with honors. Like many other new graduates, Butler decided to take a year off to travel abroad, and his ventures soon landed him in Venice, California, where he indulged in the high life: "This is when things started to go a little crazy," he later said. "Something very compulsive and dark and lusty and pleasurable but damaging took over. It was suddenly knowing I could go out and have a life of traveling, craziness, adventure, partying, women, and all the other things that go with that — including a sense of abandonment."
After California, Butler returned to Scotland to begin a two-year traineeship at one of Edinburgh's top law firms, but soon found that he despised the job more and more, and he started slacking off and letting his depression show. A week before he was due to finish his traineeship, he went to the Edinburgh Film Festival and saw a stage production of Trainspotting, an experience that crystallized his disappointment with the law and his yearning to be an actor: "The guy playing the lead role was phenomenal. It was such an incredible atmosphere. And I'm dying inside. This is the life I wanted to live. I can do this. I know I can do this. But it's past now. It's gone. I'm 25. I missed that opportunity. A week later, they fire me."
Humiliated but determined to finally pursue his dream of acting
, Butler moved to London the next day and worked odd jobs while trying to get his career off the ground. While working as a casting assistant for the play Coriolanus, he ran into the play's director, Steven Berkoff, in a coffee shop and begged for a chance to read for the lead role. He says of the experience: "I gave it everything. Afterward, the casting director came up to me almost in tears. She said, 'You're the best he saw in two days!' Walking home was probably the happiest moment of my life, when there's an energy in you that can't be put down. I'd gone from handing out pages to getting the lead role." After a successful run in Coriolanus, Butler landed the lead in the exact same stage rendition of Trainspotting that had inspired him to try acting again, and he was really on his way as an actor.
Making the transition from the stage to the screen, in 1997 Butler starred with Judi Dench and Billy Connolly in Mrs. Brown and also scored a small part in the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies. During the film's shooting, he was picnicking with his mother near a river and heard screaming from a boy who was in trouble. He immediately dove into the river and saved the youth from drowning, winning a Certificate of Bravery from the Royal Humane Society as an example of his courage and caring. After acting in a series of largely forgettable films, in 2003 Butler finally got his break with the role of the Phantom in Joel Schumacher's on-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera. It was a demanding role that required the actor to sing most of his lines. Even though Butler had been the lead singer of a rock band during his time in law school, he was incredibly nervous about auditioning for the part: "I'd had maybe four singing lessons when I went to sing 'Music of the Night' for Andrew Lloyd Webber, which was perhaps the most nerve-wracking experience I ever went through. But I got the role. Some people thought I did a great job, but others thought it was sacrilegious."
Though Phantom did not hit blockbuster gold, it got Butler recognized in Hollywood, and four years later he landed the lead role, as King Leonidas, in 300, the testosterone-infused historical epic about a small legion of Spartan soldiers defeating the enormous Persian army. To look believable as a warrior king, Butler trained every day for four months in the most intense workout regimen of his life, giving him an incredible physique in time for the shoot: "You know that every bead of sweat falling off your head, every weight you've pumped—the history of that is all in your eyes," he said. "That was a great thing, to put on that cape and put on that helmet, and not have to think… 'I should have trained more.' Instead, I was standing there feeling like a lion." The role boosted Butler's career profile even higher. Since appearing in 300, he has starred in several romantic comedies such as P.S. I Love You with Hilary Swank and
The Ugly Truth with Katherine Heigl, along with appearing on many "world's hottest men" lists. His career is not showing any signs of slowing down.
In spite of all his success, Gerard Butler still retains the breezy attitude of a guy who rolls with the punches and has a down-to-earth sense of humor. Looking back, he is still slightly stunned at the twists his life has taken and reflects on what could have been: "I wasn't going to be an actor. I was going to be a lawyer… There was something else at work, something I didn't have control of. If I hadn't [messed] up that job, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I might be a very mediocre lawyer in some small town in the middle of Scotland."

Biography of George W. Bush

George W. Bush biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: George Walker Bush
• OCCUPATION: U.S. President, U.S. Governor
• BIRTH DATE: July 06, 1946 (Age: 65)
• EDUCATION: The Kinkaid School, Phillips Academy, Yale University, Harvard Business School
• PLACE OF BIRTH: New Haven, Connecticut
• ZODIAC SIGN: Cancer

Best Known For

George W. Bush was the 43rd president of the United States. He led his country's response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and initiated the Iraq War in 2003.

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Synopsis

Born July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, George W. Bush was the 43rd president of the United States. He narrowly won the Electoral College vote in 2000, in one of the closest and most controversial elections in American history. Bush led the United States' response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and initiated the Iraq War. Before his presidency, Bush was a businessman and served as governor of Texas.

Early Life

George Walker Bush was born on July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut. He is the eldest of six children of George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara Pierce Bush. The Bush family had been involved in business and politics since the 1950s. Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush, was a former Wall Street banker and progressive Republican senator from Connecticut, and his father was a businessman, diplomat, and vice president and president of the United States.
In 1948, George H.W. Bush moved the family to Midland, Texas, where he made his fortune in the oil business. Young George spent most of his childhood in Midland, attending school there until the seventh grade. The family moved to Houston in 1961, and George W. Bush was sent to Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. There he was an all-around athlete, playing baseball, basketball and football. He was a fair student and had a reputation for being an occasional troublemaker. Despite this, family connections helped him enter Yale University in 1964.
George W. Bush was a popular student at Yale, becoming president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and also playing rugby. For Bush, grades took a back seat to Yale’s social life. Despite his privileged background, he was comfortable with all kinds of people and had a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Like his father and grandfather before him, George W. Bush became a member of Yale’s secretive Skull and Bones society, an invitation-only club whose membership contains some of American’s most powerful and elite family members.
Two weeks before graduation, at the end of his draft deferment, George W. Bush enlisted in the Texas Air National Guard. It was 1968 and the Vietnam War was at its height. Though the Guard unit had a long waiting list, Bush was accepted through the unsolicited help of a family friend. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he earned his fighter pilot certification in June of 1970. Despite irregular attendance and questions about whether he had completely fulfilled his military obligation, Bush was honorably discharged from the Air Force Reserve on November 21, 1974.

Personal Life

After his Guard duty, George W. Bush continued his education, enrolling at Harvard Business School, where he earned a Masters of Business Administration degree in 1975. He then returned to Midland and entered the oil business, working for a family friend, and later started his own oil and gas firm. In 1977, at a backyard barbeque, Bush was introduced by friends to Laura Welch, a school teacher and librarian. After a quick three-month courtship, he proposed, and they were married on November 5, 1977. The couple settled in Midland, Texas, where Bush continued to build his business.
George W. Bush credits his wife for bringing his life in order. Prior to marriage, he had several embarrassing episodes with alcohol. Soon after marrying Laura, he joined the United Methodist Church and became
a born-again Christian. In 1981, the couple enjoyed the arrival of twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna. In 1986, Bush sold his struggling oil business to Harken Energy Corporation for stock and a seat on its board of directors. It was also at this time that he quit drinking and became deeply involved in his church.

Governor of Texas

In 1988, George W. Bush moved his family to Washington DC to work on his father’s bid for the White House, participating in campaign activities and meeting influential people. After his father’s victory, he returned to Texas, and in 1989 joined a group of investors purchasing the Texas Rangers baseball team. George W. Bush quickly emerged as the group’s leader and made some savvy trades. The team did well and Bush earned a reputation as a successful businessman. In 1998, Bush sold his share of the team for a reported 17 times his initial investment.
After his father’s 1992 reelection loss to Bill Clinton, George W. Bush decided to run for governor of Texas as a Republican. His affiliation with the Rangers and his family reputation helped him in the 1994 campaign against incumbent Democrat Ann Richards. His campaign focused on welfare and tort reform, crime reduction, and education improvement. The contest was contentious and bare knuckled, with accusations of financial impropriety on one side, and homosexuality on the other. Bush won the election with 53 percent of the vote and became the first child of a U.S. president to be elected a state governor. In 1998, Bush became the first Texas governor to be elected to consecutive four-year terms.
As governor, George W. Bush appealed to moderate Republicans and Christian conservatives in his own party and earned a reputation for bipartisan governing. He implemented the philosophy of "compassionate conservatism," which combined limited government with concern for the underprivileged and personal responsibility. The previous gubernatorial administration left the Texas treasury in a surplus, so Bush pushed for a tax cut and increased funding for education. He promoted educational reform, tying teachers’ salaries to student performance on standardized tests, and signed into law legislation lowering the age at which juveniles could be tried in adult courts.

First Term as President

In 1999, George W. Bush began his quest for the presidency, and after a contentious series of primary elections, he won the Republican presidential nomination. The 2000 presidential election pitting George W. Bush and Democratic candidate Al Gore was close and controversial. As Election Day unfolded, there was no clear winner. The late-night news declared one candidate the winner, then the other the winner. By early the next morning, Bush had 246 electoral votes and Gore had 255, with 270 needed to win. Florida’s 25 electoral votes were held in the balance where several counties reported problems with balloting. After more than a month of recounts and legal maneuvering, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the election, giving George Bush the victory. Though Gore lost the election in the Electoral College (271 to 266) he received over 543,000 more popular votes than Bush, a result that further complicated Bush’s victory.
In the first two years of his presidency
, George W. Bush enjoyed a political majority in both Congressional houses but faced a strongly divided government. At times, his political rhetoric fueled this divide. Taking a budget surplus left by the previous Democratic administration, Bush pushed through a $1.35 trillion tax cut to stimulate the economy, but critics contended it favored the wealthy. His administration prompted further controversy when he announced the U.S. would not abide by the Kyoto Protocol for reducing green-house gas emissions,

9/11 and Iraq War

On September 11, 2001, Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four U.S. commercial jetliners. Three of them hit their targets in New York and Washington DC. A fourth plane crashed into a farmer’s field in Pennsylvania. The war on terror had begun, and President George W. Bush promised the American people that he would do all he could to prevent another terrorist attack. A comprehensive strategy was formed with the creation of the Homeland Security Department, the USA PATRIOT ACT, and the authorization of intelligence gathering that, for at time, included monitoring international phone calls made by U.S. citizens. The Bush administration also built international coalitions to seek out and destroy Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan, where the ruling Taliban government was said to be harboring Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
As the conflict raged on, United States military forces in Afghanistan began transferring Taliban fighters and suspected Al Qaeda members to a special prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, a permanent U.S. naval base. Hundreds of prisoners were held there as enemy combatants, a classification given by the Bush administration that stated terror detainees were not protected by the Geneva Conventions. As a result, many were subject to enhanced interrogation techniques, which in the opinion of various international organizations, including the Red Cross, amounted to torture.
In September, 2002, the Bush administration announced that the United States would preemptively use military force if necessary to prevent threats to its national security by terrorists or "rogue states" especially any that possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Based on what would prove to be inaccurate intelligence reports, the Bush administration successfully obtained a UN Security Council resolution to return weapons inspectors to Iraq. Soon afterward, Bush declared that Iraq hadn’t complied with inspections, and on March 20, 2002, the United States launched a successful invasion of Iraq, quickly defeating the Iraqi military. Baghdad, the Iraqi capital, fell on April 9, and Bush personally declared an end to major combat operations on May 1, 2003. With a power vacuum in place, Iraq soon fell into a sectarian civil war.

Second Term as President

In 2004, George W. Bush ran for reelection. Though the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not going well, and his efforts in Social Security reform had met with great resistance, Bush's political core remained supportive, and he was able to win reelection over Democratic challenger Senator John Kerry in the November election. During his second term, Bush pushed for immigration reform, which received criticism from many conservatives, and eased environmental regulations, which received criticism from many liberals. The Bush administration's poor response to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans further pushed down his favorability
rating.
In 2008, as George W. Bush entered the final year of his presidency, the country faced enormous challenges. The United States was fighting two foreign wars, and the budget surplus left by the Clinton administration had transformed into a multi-trillion-dollar debt—the effects of military spending, tax cuts, and slow economic growth. In the early fall of 2008, the country was hit with a severe credit crisis that sent the stock market into free fall and led to massive layoffs. The Bush administration scrambled and encouraged Congress to enact a controversial $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act to bail out the housing and banking industries.

Life After the White House

George W. Bush left office in January, 2009, leaving behind much unfinished business and low approval ratings. The country remained politically divided. Critics laid much of the country’s misfortunes at his feet, while supporters defended him for his strong leadership during one of the country’s most dangerous periods. Bush and his wife settled in Dallas, Texas, where he participated in the building of his presidential library and wrote his memoir "Decision Points." At the request of President Barack Obama, Bush and former president Bill Clinton led private fundraising efforts in the United States for disaster relief, after the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
George W. Bush played up to his Texas roots through most of his political life. For both his supporters and detractors, it provided reasons for their support and criticism. For some, his folksy image and manner suggested he was "not ready for prime time," politically adept, but not a statesman at a time when the country need one. For others, he was perceived as a president of big ideas who eagerly embraced large visions and the risks involved. His supporters credit him with reestablishing America’s place as the world’s uncontested leader. Internationally, he has been maligned for his "cowboy diplomacy" in foreign affairs. Like many presidents before him, the George W. Bush presidency will find its place in history balanced against his successes and failures.

Biography of Warren Buffet

Warren Buffett biography

 

Quick Facts

• NAME: Warren Buffett
• OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur
• BIRTH DATE: August 30, 1930 (Age: 81)
• EDUCATION: Woodrow Wilson High School, University of Pennsylvania, University of Nebraska, Columbia University
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Omaha, Nebraska
• ZODIAC SIGN: Virgo

Best Known For

Known as the 'Oracle of Omaha,' Warren Buffett is an investment guru and one of the richest and most respected businessmen in the world.

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Synopsis

Businessman and investor Warren Buffett was born on August 30,1930, in Omaha, Nebraska. Investing by age 11, Buffett was running a small business at 13. Buffett later started the firm Buffett Partnership in Omaha, with huge success. In 2006, Buffett announced that he would give his entire fortune away to charity (est. $62 bil.), the largest act of charitable giving in United States history.

Quotes

"You are neither right nor wrong because the crowd disagrees with you. You are right because your data and reasoning are right."

– Warren Buffett

"Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago."

– Warren Buffett

Early Life

Businessman and investor. Born Warren Edward Buffett on August 30,1930, in Omaha, Nebraska. Buffett's father Howard worked as stockbroker and served as U.S. Congressman. His mother, Leila Stahl Buffett, was a homemaker. Buffett was the second of three children and the only boy.

Buffett demonstrated a knack for financial and business matters early on in his childhood. Friends and acquaintances have said the young boy was a mathematical prodigy, and was able to add large columns of numbers in his head-a talent he still occasionally shows off to friends and business associates.

Warren often visited his father's stockbrokerage shop as a child, and chalked in the stock prices on the blackboard in the office. At 11 years old he made his first investment; he bought three shares of Cities Service Preferred at $38 per share. The stock quickly dropped to only $27, but Buffett held on tenaciously until they reached $40. He sold his shares at a small profit, but regretted the decision when Cities Service shot up to nearly $200 a share. He later cited this experience as an early lesson in patience in investing.

First Entrepreneurial Venture

By the age of 13, Buffett was running his own businesses as a paperboy and selling his own horseracing tip sheet. That same year, he filed his first tax return, claiming his bike as a $35 tax deduction.

In 1942, Buffett's father was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and his family moved to Fredricksburg, Virginia, to be closer to the congressman's new post. Buffett attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., where he continued plotting new ways to make money. During his high school tenure, he and a friend purchased a used pinball machine for $25. They installed it in a Washington, D.C. barbershop and, within a few months, the profits of the machine allowed Buffett and his friend to buy other machines. Buffett owned three machines in three different locations before he sold the business to a War Veteran for $1,200.

Higher Education

Buffett enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania at the age of 16 to study business. He stayed two years, moved to the University of Nebraska to finish up his degree, and emerged from college at age 20 with nearly $10,000 from his childhood businesses.

Buffett attended Columbia University for his advanced degree and in 1956, shortly after graduation, he formed the firm Buffett Partnership in his hometown of Omaha. His investment successes, particularly in buying undervalued companies whose stocks shortly began to rise, made him extremely rich and gained him the sobriquet, "Oracle of Omaha." Other notable career succeses include helping rescue Salomon Brothers from corporate raiders (1987) and taking charge of the New York City house (1992) in the wake of an insider trading scandal.

Record-Breaking Donation

In June 2006, Buffett made an announcement that he would be giving his entire fortune away to charity, committing 85 percent of it to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This donation became the largest act of charitable giving in United States history.
The majority of Buffett's considerable fortune was amassed through Berkshire Hathaway, a company for which he is the largest shareholder and CEO. Once ranked as Forbes' wealthiest man in 2008, his net worth was estimated at roughly $44 billion in 2012.
Now in his eighties, Buffett recently announced that he is battling prostate cancer. He will begin treatment in July 2012 and expects to be able to fulfill his usual responsibilities at Berkshire Hathaway. "I feel great . . . and my energy level is 100 percent," Buffett said in a statement.

Biography of Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: Kobe Bryant
• OCCUPATION: Basketball Player
• BIRTH DATE: August 23, 1978 (Age: 33)
• EDUCATION: Lower Merion High School
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• ZODIAC SIGN: Leo

Best Known For

Kobe Bryant was the first NBA guard drafted out of high school and has had a storied career as on of the NBA's best with the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Synopsis

Kobe Bryant was selected directly out of high school with the 13th pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Hornets and then traded to the Lakers and is considered, along with Micheal Jordan, as one of the all time NBA greats in his position of shooting guard. A five time world champion and perennial all star, Bryant rebounded from a period of personal problems to once again become a fan favorite.

Profile

Basketball player. Born August 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Named after a Japanese steakhouse, Kobe is the son of former NBA player Joe "Jellybean" Bryant. In 1984, after ending his NBA career, the elder Bryant took the family to Italy where he played on the Italian League. Growing up in Italy alongside two athletic older sisters, Shaya and Sharia, Kobe was an avid player of both basketball and soccer. When the family returned to Philadelphia in 1991, Bryant joined the Lower Merion high school basketball team, leading it to the state championships four years in a row. With an eye on the NBA, he also started working out with the 76ers. Though he boasted good grades and high SAT scores, Bryant decided to go straight to the NBA from high school. In 1996, he was picked by Charlotte in the draft and was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. In his second season as guard he was voted a starter for the 1998 All-Star Game, becoming at 19 the youngest All-Star in NBA history. Bryant went on to help the team win three consecutive NBA championships and was voted first-team all-NBA in 2002 and 2003. He also inked multi-year endorsement deals with Adidas, Sprite and other top sponsors.
Bryant married 19-year-old Vanessa Laine in April 2001. In July 2003, he was charged with one count of sexual assault on a 19-year-old female hotel worker in Colorado. Bryant said he was guilty of adultery, but innocent of the rape charge. The case against Bryant was dismissed in 2004, and Laine's civil lawsuit against the star player was later settled out of court.
After a few lackluster seasons, Bryant helped his team make it to the 2008 NBA Finals. The team was defeated by the Boston Celtics, but they returned the following year. In the 2009 NBA finals, the Lakers beat the Orlando Magic to win the championship title.
Shortly after the NBA Finals, Bryant was part of the memorial service to honor friend and music superstar Michael Jackson. He also announced his decision to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers for several more years around this time.

Biography of Chris Brown

Chris Brown biography

1 photo

Quick Facts

• NAME: Chris Brown
• OCCUPATION: Dancer, Singer
• BIRTH DATE: May 05, 1989 (Age: 23)
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Tappahannock, Virginia
• ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus

Best Known For

Chris Brown's debut single "Run it!" topped the charts, making Brown the first male artist to have his debut single top the chart since Montell Jordan in 1995.

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Synopsis

Chris Brown (b. May 5, 1989) is an American recording artist. He made his recording debut in late 2005 with the self-titled album Chris Brown at the age of 16. The album featured the hit single "Run It!", which topped the Billboard Hot 100, making Brown the first male artist to have his debut single top the chart since Montell Jordan in 1995.

Young Star

Singer, songwriter, actor. Born on May 5, 1989, in Tappahannock, Virginia. Chris Brown is already on his way to music superstardom with his smooth voice, amazing dance moves, and boy-next-door charm. Growing up in a small town of roughly 2,000 people, he was a born entertainer. Brown enjoyed singing in his church choir and was inspired by such musical artists as Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson. He also showed off his dance prowess by imitating the dance moves of another one of his idols, Usher.

Brown was discovered by Tina Davis, who was working for Def Jam Recordings at the time. "The first thing that hit me was his unique voice," Davis told Billboard magazine. "I thought 'This kid is a star.'" Davis eventually became his manager and helped him land a deal with Jive Records, which had developed other young acts such as Britney Spears and 'N Sync and is home to other hip-hop and R & B stars such as R. Kelly, Usher, and Kanye West. At the time of deal, Brown was only 15 years old.
Brown's self-titled album was released in November 2005 and quickly found its way into the charts. Working with established producers and songwriters, he had a number one hit with "Run It!," which was co-written by Scott Storch and Sean Garrett. The track also featured a guest appearance by rapper Juelz Santana. More hits followed, including "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" and "Gimme That," which was written by Garrett and Storch. While many of the songs have a hip-hop influence, Brown's voice has a classic R&B sound. And just like many other teenagers, dating and girls figure prominently in his songs. He has sometimes been compared to Michael Jackson because of his dual talents as a singer and dancer.

The album brought Brown two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best R&B Contemporary Album. While he did not win, he showed the audience at the Grammy Awards just how talented he was by holding his own while performing with two R&B legends, Lionel Richie and Smokey Robinson. Brown went on to receive a number of other awards, including an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist. With a large following of young fans, it was no surprise when he won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Music Breakout Artist Male.
In 2006, Brown went out on the road for his Up Close & Personal tour. He played more than 30 concerts in cities across the country. While he enjoyed playing live, it was not without its hazards. "Once during a show, I reached out to touch these girls' hands, and they pulled me off the stage," Brown told

Acting Turn

Expanding his career as an entertainer, Brown has branched out into acting. He had a small role in the box office hit Stomp in the Yard (2007), which centered around a step dance competition. The film also featured another popular R&B performer, Ne-Yo. On the small screen, Brown played against type as a high school band geek on The O.C. for several episodes.

The final months of 2007 brought a wave of new projects for Brown. He released his second album, Exclusive, in November. On this latest project, Brown became more hands on behind the scenes. He helped write several tracks, including the hit single "Kiss Kiss" with T-Pain. In addition to T-Pain, Brown worked with Sean Garrett on "Wall to Wall" and will.i.am and Tank on "Picture Perfect" among others. He also came up the concepts for his music videos and served as co-director on them.

Around the same time, Brown returned to the big screen with a more substantial role in the holiday-themed dramatic comedy, This Christmas (2007). As Michael "Baby" Whitfield, he played a young man wanting to pursue a musical career despite opposition from his family. The film also featured Delroy Lindo, Loretta Devine, Regina King, and Mekhi Phifer. Next up for the budding actor is reportedly the lead role in the sports drama Phenom.

Domestic Abuse Scandal

In February 2009, the young performer made headlines after being arrested for allegedly assaulting then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna during an argument. "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," Brown said in a statement shortly after the incident. He was charged with two felony counts related to the incident.
In June, Brown pled guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 180 days of community labor and five years of probation. He was also ordered to stay away from Rihanna. The following month, Brown fully acknowledged and apologized for his actions, saying in a video statement that "I have told Rihanna countless times, and I am telling you today, that I am truly sorry and that I wasn't able to handle the situation both differently and better." At this point, it is unclear what impact his legal woes will have on his career.

Biography of Bobby Brown

Bobby Brown biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: Bobby Brown
• OCCUPATION: Singer
• BIRTH DATE: February 05, 1969 (Age: 43)
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Boston, Massachusetts
• Originally: Robert Brown
• ZODIAC SIGN: Aquarius

Best Known For

Singer Bobby Brown, known for hits including "Don't Be Cruel" and "Humpin' Around," is also famous for his troubled marriage to Whitney Houston.

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Synopsis

Born in Boston in 1969, singer Bobby Brown became famous in the 1980s and early 1990s for hits including "Don't Be Cruel" and "Humpin' Around." His musical fame, however, became eclipsed in the late 1990s by his troubled marriage to pop star Whitney Houston, who he eventually divorced in 2007.

Early Life

Robert Brown was born on February 5, 1969, in the hardscrabble Orchard Park projects in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. He was the second youngest of eight children born to Herbert Brown, a construction worker, and Carol Brown, an elementary school teacher. Brown endured a very rough childhood marred by poverty and gang violence. Knowing that his parents could not afford to buy him the various things he coveted as a child, Brown and his friends turned to stealing. "I didn't want to ask my mother or my father because they didn't have a lot of money," Brown remembered. "I'd just go to the store and take it. If I wanted a sweat suit or a pair of shoes, I'd just go pick them up." Brown also got caught up in Roxbury's gang wars. At the age of 10, he was shot in the knee when a skirmish broke out between rival gangs at a block party. A year later, Brown got into an altercation with an acquaintance who pulled a knife and slashed his shoulder. The turning point in Brown's childhood came shortly after, when his close friend James Flint was stabbed to death at a party at the age of 11. "When his friend passed, you could see Bobby taking his career, his schooling, his whole life more seriously," Brown's brother Tommy recalled. "As kids, everyone had their dreams, but his loss made him more determined."

Forming New Edition

Brown had dreamed of becoming a singer ever since he saw James Brown perform at the age of 3. He started out singing in church choir, where he distinguished himself with his beautiful and passionate voice. At the age of 12, he formed a group with his friends Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant and Ronnie DeVoe. Calling themselves New Edition, they rehearsed with a focus and discipline very rare for a group of pre-teen boys. After winning several talent shows, New Edition was discovered by producer and talent scout Maurice Starr, who landed them a recording contract with a small label called Streetwise in 1983. That year they released their debut album, Candy Girl, a sugary sweet collection of songs that made the group an overnight sensation. The title track, "Candy Girl," was highly reminiscent of The Jackson 5's "ABC."

In 1984, New Edition switched to MCA Records and released a self-titled follow-up album that eclipsed the success of Candy Girl with hit singles such as "Cool It Now" and "Mr. Telephone Man." However, despite the enormous success of their music, the members of New Edition still only received the small salary stipulated in their exploitative contract with MCA. "The most I saw for all the tours and all of the records we sold was $500 and a VCR," Brown said. Believing that they were being treated "like little slaves by people who were only interested in money and power, and not the welfare of New Edition," Brown left the group in

Solo Career

In December 1986, Brown released his first solo album, King of Stage. While the album sold modestly and scored one major hit with the ballad "Girlfriend," it failed to generate the level of excitement and acclaim for which Brown had hoped. Seeking to reinvent himself as an adult artist, Brown spent the next two years working closely with the acclaimed R&B songwriters and producers Teddy Riley, L.A. Reid and Babyface. The result of their collaboration, released in the summer of 1988, was a radically new R&B album called Don't Be Cruel that took the music world by storm, selling seven million copies on the way to becoming the bestselling album of the year. Brown's high-powered, sexually charged music and live performances earned him comparisons to his childhood idol Michael Jackson. In 1990, Brown recorded "On Our Own," the smash-hit theme song for the movie Ghostbusters II, and in 1992 he released his third album, Bobby, featuring the singles "Humpin' Around" and "Good Enough."

Personal Life

However, just as Brown reached the summit of his popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, his personal life began to spiral out of control. Tabloids reported obsessively on Brown's hard-partying lifestyle—his heavy drinking, womanizing and drug abuse. In the summer of 1992, Brown married fellow pop star Whitney Houston in one of the most highly publicized celebrity weddings in history. However, theirs was a tumultuous relationship from the start. They both drank heavily and became addicted to marijuana and cocaine. Brown was arrested several times throughout the 1990s for drug use and drunk driving, and rumors of marital infidelity and domestic violence became a ubiquitous presence in the tabloids for years on end. During his 15 years of marriage to Houston, Brown produced only one album, 1997's Forever, which was preformed poorly commercially, and eventually Brown became more famous as Whitney Houston's abusive husband than as an artist in his own right. Brown and Houston divorced in 2007. Soon after, Brown began dating a woman named Alicia Etheridge. They have been engaged since 2010, and they have a child together, a son named Cassius.
In many respects, Bobby Brown's life reads like a classic cautionary tale about the perils of fame and fortune. For several years from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, he was one of the most popular entertainers alive, a young man many hailed as the second coming of Michael Jackson. Nevertheless, today Brown's name may be more closely associated with drugs and his troubled relationship with Whitney Houston than with his music. Brown's life may yet become a tale of redemption, however; drug-free after years of therapy, he released a single, "Get Out the Way," in early 2011. "I'm doing wonderful," Brown said. "I'm just moving
forward with my life and trying to stay positive at all times."
That summer, Brown reunited with the other members of New Edition to play the Essence Music Festival. He also performed solo at the Gathering of Juggalos, a music festival organized by the band Insane Clown Posse. Brown, however, soon faced some personal challenges. That December,
he lost his father after a battle with cancer. Brown was also reportedly deeply upset by the death of his ex-wife Whitney Houston in February 2012.

Biography of Adele

Adele's biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: Adele Laurie Blue Adkins
• OCCUPATION: Singer
• BIRTH DATE: May 05, 1988 (Age: 24)
• EDUCATION: BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology
• PLACE OF BIRTH: London, United Kingdom
• ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus

Best Known For

Singer Adele is a Grammy award-winning artist whose throwback, soulful sound has made her an international success.

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Synopsis

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born in north London, England, on May 5, 1988. A huge fan of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald as a child, Adele was a music fiend beginning at the age of three. She attended the BRIT School, a free school for the performing arts. Her first two albums, 19 and 21,

Quotes

I like having my hair and face done, but I'm not going to lose weight because someone tells me to. I make music to be a musician not to be on the cover of Playboy.

– Adele

earned her critical success and a level of commercial viability on par with the Beatles and Bob Marley.

Early Years

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born on May 5, 1988, in north London, England. She was the only child of Penny Adkins, an "arty mom" who was just 18 at the time of her birth, and a Welsh father, Mark, who left the family when Adele was only 4 years old.
Mark, who never married Penny, remained in contact with his daughter up until her teen years, when his problems with alcohol, and increasing estrangement from his daughter, caused their relationship to deteriorate. By contrast, Adele grew close to her mom, who encouraged her young daughter "to explore, and not to stick with one thing."
Early on, Adele developed a passion for music. She gravitated toward the songs of Lauren Hill, Destiny's Child and Mary J. Blige. But her true, eye-opening moment came when she was 15, and she happened upon a collection of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald records at a local junk shop. "There was no musical heritage in our family," Adele told The Telegraph in a 2008 interview. "Chart music was all I ever knew. So when I listened to the Ettas and the Ellas, it sounds so cheesy, but it was like an awakening. I was like, oh, right, some people have proper longevity and are legends. I was so inspired that as a 15-year-old I was listening to music that had been made in the 40s."
While clearly bright, Adele wasn't a match for regular classroom work. Instead, her mother enrolled her in the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology, which counts Amy Winehouse as an alum.
While at school, Adele cut a three-track demo for a class project, which was eventually posted on her MySpace page. When executives at XL Recordings heard the tracks, they contacted the singer and, in November 2006, just four months after Adele had graduated school, signed her to a record deal.

Commercial Success

Adele's debut album, 19, which is named for the singer's age when she began recording it, hit record stores in early 2008. Led by two popular lead singles, "Hometown Glory" and "Chasing Pavement," the record rocketed Adele to fame.
Released in the United States through Columbia Records, 19 resonated with American audiences, much like it had with British music listeners. Adele cemented her commercial success with an appearance in October 2008 on Saturday Night Live. At the taping of the show, the album was ranked No. 40 on iTunes. Less than 24 hours later, it was No. 1.
At the 2009 Grammy awards, Adele took home Best New Artist. In addition, the album earned the singer the distinction of being named the "Sound of 2008" by the BBC. That same year, she earned the Critics' Choice prize at the BRIT Awards.
Her much anticipated follow-up album, 21, again named for her age when she recorded it, did not disappoint upon its release in early 2011. Tapping even deeper into Adele's appreciation for classic American R&B and
jazz, the record was a monster hit, selling 352,000 copies within its first week.
Anchored by hits like "Rolling in the Deep" and "Someone Like You," 21 placed Adele in ramified air. In February 2011, she found herself with two top-five singles and a pair of top-five albums in the same week,
the first artist since the Beatles in 1964 to achieve that milestone. Adele also broke the solo female artist record for staying at No. 1 for 11 weeks. In 2012, she swept the Grammy Awards, taking home six wins, including Album of the Year. "This record is inspired by something that is really normal and everyone's been through it—just a rubbish relationship," she said at the Grammy ceremony.
Coupled with the success is Adele's own maturity, and ability to avoid the same kind of fame-induced pitfalls that plagued the late Amy Winehouse. Adele, whose larger, curvier body bucks the trend of most Top 40 celebs, is also supremely confident not just in her talent, but also in her looks. "I've seen people where it rules their lives, you know, who want to be thinner or have bigger boobs, and how it wears them down," she told Vogue magazine in 2011. "And I just don't want that in my life."

Biography of Usain Bolt (Athlete)

 

Usain Bolt biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: Usain Bolt
• OCCUPATION: Track and Field Athlete
• BIRTH DATE: August 21, 1986 (Age: 25)
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Trelawny, Jamaica
• ZODIAC SIGN: Leo

Best Known For

Professional athlete, sprinter. Usain Bolt became the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100-meter and 200-meter races in world record times.

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Synopsis

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is arguably the fastest man in the world, winning three gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and becoming the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100-meter and 200-meter races in record times.

Quotes

When I was young, I didn’t really think about anything other than sports

– Usain Bolt

Early Life

Usain Bolt was born in Jamaica on August 21, 1986. Both a standout cricket player and a sprinter early on, Bolt’s natural speed was noticed by coaches at school, and he began to focus solely on sprinting under the tutelage of Pablo McNeil, a former Olympic sprint athlete. As early as age 14, Bolt was wowing fans of sprinting with his lightning speed, and he won his first high school championships medal in 2001, taking the silver in the 200-meter race.
At the age of 15, Bolt took his first shot at success on the world stage at the 2002 World Junior Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, where he won the 200-meter dash, making him the youngest world-junior gold medalist ever. Bolt’s feats impressed the athletics world, and he received the International Association of Athletics Foundation’s Rising Star Award that year and soon was given the apt nickname “Lightning Bolt.”

Professional Career

Despite a nagging hamstring injury, Bolt was chosen for the Jamaican Olympic squad for the 2004 Athens Olympics. He was eliminated in the first round of the 200-meter, though, again hampered by injury.
In 2005, Usain Bolt made a serious change, replacing long-time coach Pablo McNeil with Glenn Mills. He then reached the world Top 5 rankings in 2005 and 2006. Unfortunately, injuries continued to plague the sprinter, preventing him from completing a full professional season.
The year 2007 proved to be a breakthrough one for Bolt, as he broke the national 200-meter record held for over 30 years by Donald Quarrie, and earned two silver medals at the World Championship in Osaka, Japan. These medals boosted Bolt's desire to run, and he took a more serious stance toward his career.

Olympic Gold

Bolt announced that he would run the 100-meter and 200-meter events at the Beijing Summer Olympics. In the 100-meter final, Bolt broke the world record, winning in 9.69 seconds. Not only was the record set without a favorable wind, but he also visibly slowed down to celebrate before he finished (and his shoelace was untied), an act that aroused much controversy later on.
Bolt's achievements in sprinting have earned him numerous awards, including the IAAF World Athlete of the Year (twice), Track & Field Athlete of the Year, and Laureus Sportsman of the Year.

Biography of Tony Blair

Tony Blair biography

 

Quick Facts

• NAME: Tony Blair
• OCCUPATION: Prime Minister
• BIRTH DATE: May 06, 1953 (Age: 59)
• EDUCATION: Fettes College, St. John's College of the University of Oxford
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Edinburgh, Scotland
• Originally: Anthony Charles Lynton
• ZODIAC SIGN: Taurus

Best Known For

Tony Blair is a British politician known as both the youngest prime minister since 1812 and second longest-running in 150 years.

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Profile

In 1997, Tony Blair began his first term as prime minister of the UK. Blair enjoyed a good relationship with U.S. president George W. Bush and allied the UK with the U.S. in the “war against terrorism.” History could judge his premiership kindly in the future, but at the time he stepped down, Blair was viewed as a lucky politician with exceptional talents that enabled him to be successful.

Biography of Sheikh Mohammed Binn Rashid Al Maktoum

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum biography

 

Quick Facts

• NAME: Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
• OCCUPATION: Prime Minister
• BIRTH DATE: July 22, 1949 (Age: 62)
• EDUCATION: Bell School of Languages at Cambridge University
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• ZODIAC SIGN: Cancer

Best Known For

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, the monarch of Dubai.

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Synopsis

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai. In 1995, Sheikh Mohammed was appointed Crown Prince of Dubai, with a chief objective transforming his country into the world’s most luxurious resort and business destination. After the death of his brother in 2006, he took his current positions. He has 16 children.

Profile

Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Dubai. Born in 1949, Sheikh Mohammed is the third of four sons. He was privately tutored before beginning his formal education, eventually attending the Bell School of Languages at Cambridge University in 1966.
In 1995, Sheikh Mohammed was appointed Crown Prince of Dubai, with a chief objective of overseeing the transformation of this small patch of desert into the world??s most luxurious resort and business destination. To that end, he helped develop the Palm Islands, the Burj al-Arab hotel, the Burj Dubai skyscraper, the Dubai World Cup and the Godolphin Stables. After the death of his elder brother in 2006, Sheikh Mohammed was named Ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE.
Known to be avid horse and camel racing enthusiasts, Al Maktoum and his brother Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum were sued in September 2006 for the enslavement of 30,000 boys for use as jockeys for camel racing. The suit was filed in Miami because the defendants own property in Florida. In late September, the UAE sent all the child jockeys back home to such countries as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sudan.
Sheikh Mohammed, known to many expats as Sheikh Mo, married his senior wife, Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, in 1979. His junior wife is Princess Haya bint Al-Hussein, daughter of Hussein of Jordan. Sheikh Mohammed has 16 children.

Biography of Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden biography

Quick Facts

• NAME: Osama bin Laden
• OCCUPATION: Terrorist
• BIRTH DATE: March 10, 1957
• DEATH DATE: May 02, 2011
• EDUCATION: King Abdul Aziz University
• PLACE OF BIRTH: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• PLACE OF DEATH: Abbottabad, Pakistan

Best Known For

Osama Bin Laden is a terrorist extremist who planned the attacks on the World Trade Center and is intent on driving Western influence from the Muslim world.

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Synopsis

Osama bin Laden was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 1957. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, bin Laden joined the Afghan resistance. After the Soviet withdrawal, bin Laden formed the al-Qaeda network which carried out global strikes against Western interests, culminating in the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Early Life

Jihadist leader. Born Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden on March 10, 1957, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to construction billionaire Mohammed Awad bin Laden and Mohammed's 10th wife, Syrian-born Alia Ghanem. Osama was the seventh of 50 children born to Muhammad bin Laden, but the only child from his father's marriage to Alia Ghanem.
Osama's father started his professional life in the 1930s in relative poverty, working as a porter in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. During his time as a young laborer, Mohammed impressed the royal family with his work on their palaces, which he built at a much lower cost than any of his competitors could, and with a much greater attention to detail. By the 1960s, he had managed to land several large government contracts to build extensions on the Mecca, Medina and Al-Aqsa mosques. He became a highly influential figure in Jeddah; when the city fell on hard financial times, Mohammed used his wealth to pay all civil servants' wages for the entire kingdom for a six-month period. As a result, Mohammed bin Laden became well respected in his community.
As a father, he was very strict, insisting that all his children live under one roof and observe a rigid religious and moral code. He dealt with his children, especially his sons, as if they were adults, and demanded they become confident and self-sufficient at an early age.
Osama, however, barely came to know his father before his parents divorced. After his family split, Osama's mother took him to live with her new husband, Muhammad al-Attas. The couple had four children together, and Osama spent most of his childhood living with his step-siblings, and attending Al Thagher Model School—at the time the most prestigious high school in Jedda. His biological father would go on to marry two more times, until his death in a charter plane crash in September 1967.
At the age of 14, Osama was recognized as an outstanding, if somewhat shy, student at Al Thagher. As a result, he received a personal invitation to join a small Islamic study group with the promise of earning extra credit. Osama, along with the sons of several prominent Jedda families, were told the group would memorize the entire Koran, a prestigious accomplishment, by the time they graduated from the institution. But the group soon lost its original focus, and during this time Osama received the beginnings of an education in some of the principles of violent jihad.
The teacher who educated the children, influenced in part by a sect of Islam called The Brotherhood, began instructing his pupils in the importance of instituting a
pure, Islamic law around the Arab world. Using parables with often-violent endings, their teacher explained that the most loyal observers of Islam would institute the holy word—even if it meant supporting death and destruction. By the second year of their studies, Osama and his friends had openly adopted the attitude and styles of teen Islamic activists. They preached the importance of instituting a pure Islamic law at Al Thagher; grew untrimmed beards; and wore shorter pants and wrinkled shirts in imitation of the Prophet's dress.
Osama was pushed to grow up rather quickly during his time at Al Thagher. At the age of 18 he married his first cousin, 14-year-old Najwa Ghanem, who had been promised to him. Osama graduated from Al Thager in 1976, the same year his first child, a son named Abdullah, was born. He then headed to King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, where some say he received a degree in public administration in 1981. Others claim he received a degree in civil engineering, in an effort to join the family business.

From Hero to Exile

But Osama would have little chance to use his degree. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Osama joined the Afghan resistance, believing it was his duty as a Muslim to fight the occupation. He relocated to Peshawar, Afghanistan, and using aid from the United States under the CIA program Operation Cyclone, he began training a mujahideen, a group of Islamic jihadists. After the Soviets withdrew from the country in 1989, Osama returned to Saudi Arabia as a hero, and the United States referred to him and his soldiers as "Freedom Fighters."
Yet Osama was quickly disappointed with what he believed was a corrupt Saudi government, and his frustration with the U.S. occupation of Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War led to a growing rift between Osama and his country's leaders. Bin Laden spoke publicly against the Saudi government's reliance on American troops, believing their presence profaned sacred soil. After several attempts to silence Osama, the Saudis banished the former hero. He lived in exile in Sudan beginning in 1992.

Formation of al Qaeda

By 1993, Osama had formed a secret network known as al Qaeda (Arabic for "the Base"), comprised of militant Muslims he had met while serving in Afghanistan. Soldiers were recruited for their ability to listen, their good manners, obedience, and their pledge to follow their superiors. Their goal was to take up the jihadist cause around the world, righting perceived wrongs under the accordance of pure, Islamic law. Under Osama's leadership, the group funded and began organizing global attacks worldwide. By 1994, after continued advocacy of extremist jihad, the Saudi government forced Osama to relinquish his Saudi citizenship, and confiscated his passport. His family also disowned him, cutting off his $7 million yearly stipend.
Undeterred, Osama began executing his violent plans, with the goal of drawing the United States into war. His hope was that Muslims, unified by the battle, would create a single, true Islamic state. In 1996, to forward his goal, al Qaeda detonated truck bombs against U.S. occupied forces in Saudi Arabia. The next year, they claimed responsibility for killing tourists in Egypt, and in 1998 they bombed the U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Tanzania, killing nearly 300 people in the process.
Osama's actions abroad did not go unnoticed by the Sudanese government, and he was exiled from their country in 1996. Not able to return to Saudi Arabia, Osama took refuge in Afghanistan, where he received protection from the country's ruling Taliban militia. While under the protection of the Taliban, Osama issued a series of fatwas, religious statements, which declared a holy war against the United States. Among the accusations reared at the offending country were the pillaging of natural resources in the Muslim world, and assisting the enemies of Islam.

September 11th and Final Days

By 2001, Osama had attempted, and often successfully executed attacks on several countries using the help of Al Qaeda trained terrorists and his seemingly bottomless financial resources. On September 11, 2001, Osama would deliver his most devastating blow to the United States. A small group of Osama's Al Qaeda jihadists hijacked four commercial passenger aircraft in the United States, two of which collided into the World Trade Center towers. Another aircraft crashed into The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. A fourth plane was successfully retaken, and crashed in Pennsylvania. The intended target of the final aircraft was believed to be the United States Capitol. In all, the attack killed nearly 3,000 civilians.
Following the September 11 attacks on the United States, the government under President formed a coalition that sucecssfully overthrew the Taliban. Osama went into hiding and, for more than 10 years, he was hunted along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. In 2004, shortly before President Bush's reelection, Osama bin Laden released a videotaped message claiming responsibility for the September 11 attacks.George W. Bush Then , on May 1, 2011, President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed in a terrorist compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. In an 8-month plan enacted by the president, and led by CIA director Leon Panetta and American special forces, Osama was shot several times. His body was taken as evidence of his death, and DNA tests revealed that the body was, in fact, his. "For over two decades,
bin Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and our allies," President Obama said in a late-night address to the nation on the eve of Osama's death. "The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda." He added that "his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity."