McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast-food restaurants, primarily selling hamburgers, chicken, french fries, breakfasts and soft drink (more)

McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast-food restaurants, primarily selling hamburgers, chicken, french fries, breakfasts and soft drinks. More recently, it also offers salads, fruit, snack wraps, and carrot sticks. The business began in 1940, with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. Their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 established the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant. The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955, the ninth McDonald's restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and led its worldwide expansion.

With the successful expansion of McDonald's into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. Its prominence has also made it a frequent subject of public debates about obesity, corporate ethics and consumer responsibility. (less)

Human history has been punctuated frequently by epidemics, and occasionally by pandemics, that have shaped the rise and fall of civilizations and the victor (more)

Human history has been punctuated frequently by epidemics, and occasionally by pandemics, that have shaped the rise and fall of civilizations and the victories and defeats of warring armies. The outcome of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 B.C.E.) between Athens and Sparta—and the future course of Western civilization—might have been very different had it not been for the epidemic that decimated the Athenians at the beginning of the war.
Some epidemic diseases, such as the plague, smallpox, typhus, and influenza, have persisted throughout recorded history. Smallpox was eradicated worldwide by 1980. Cholera appeared along the world's major trade routes in several devastating epidemics beginning in the eighteenth century, and it still causes massive epidemics, most recently in South America in early 1990s.
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[Picture: Gandhi, India's "Father of the Nation”] Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, (October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948) was a major political and spiritual l (more)

[Picture: Gandhi, India's "Father of the Nation”]

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, (October 2, 1869–January 30, 1948) was a major political and spiritual leader of India and the Indian independence movement. He was the pioneer of Satyagraha—a philosophy that is largely concerned with truth and 'resistance to evil through active, non-violent resistance'—which led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi is commonly known in India and across the world as the Mahatma (Sanskrit: महात्मा mahātmā — "Great Soul" - an epithet given by Tagore) and as Bapu (Gujarati: બાપુ bāpu—"Father"). In India, he is officially accorded the honour of Father of the Nation and October 2, his birthday, is commemorated each year as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday. On 15 June 2007, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution declaring October 2 to be the "International Day of Non-Violence."

Gandhi first employed peaceful civil disobedience in the Indian community's struggle for civil rights in South Africa. Upon his return to India from Africa, he organized poor farmers and labourers to protest against oppressive taxation and widespread discrimination. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for the alleviation of poverty, for the liberation of women, for brotherhood amongst different religious and ethnic groups, for an end to untouchability and caste discrimination, and for the economic self-sufficiency of the nation, but above all for Swaraj—the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi famously led his nation in the disobedience of the British salt tax imposed in India with the 400 kilometre (248 miles) Dandi Salt March in 1930, and in an open call for the British to Quit India in 1942. He was imprisoned for many years on numerous occasions in both South Africa and India.

Gandhi practised and advocated non-violence and truth, in all situations. He lived simply, organizing an ashram that was self-sufficient in its needs. Making his own clothes—the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl woven with a charkha—he lived on a simple vegetarian, and later, fruitarian diet. He underwent long (at times over a month) fasts, for both self-purification and protest.
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The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom's counter-intelligence and security agency and is part (more)

The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom's counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of the intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6), Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) and the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS). All come under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC). The service has a statutory basis in the Security Service Act 1989 and the UK Intelligence Services Act of 1994. Its remit includes the protection of British parliamentary democracy and economic interests, counter-terrorism, counter-intelligence, and counter-espionage within the UK. While mainly concerned with internal security, it does have an overseas role in support of its mission.

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Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an American actress. She rose to fame with her role in 1998's The Horse Whisperer and subsequently gained cri (more)

Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an American actress. She rose to fame with her role in 1998's The Horse Whisperer and subsequently gained critical acclaim for her roles in Ghost World, Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring, the latter two earning her Golden Globe Award nominations in 2003. (less)

This is a history of Middle-Earth taken. The events are from the Third Age (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings). http://www.lordotrings.com/books/timelin (more)

This is a history of Middle-Earth taken. The events are from the Third Age (The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings).

http://www.lordotrings.com/books/timeline.asp

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/lotr-timeline4.html

http://www.lotrlibrary.com/MT/3ymt.html
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Charles Nesbitt "Charlie" Wilson (born June 1, 1933) is a former United States naval officer and former Democratic United States Representative fr (more)

Charles Nesbitt "Charlie" Wilson (born June 1, 1933) is a former United States naval officer and former Democratic United States Representative from the 2nd congressional district in Texas.
He is best known for leading Congress into supporting the largest ever CIA covert operation, which supplied the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan.

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[Photo: Tom Brokaw] Thomas John Brokaw is an American television journalist and author, and currently the interim moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. Brokaw (more)

[Photo: Tom Brokaw]

Thomas John Brokaw is an American television journalist and author, and currently the interim moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. Brokaw is best known as the former anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News. His last broadcast as anchor was on December 1, 2004, after which he was succeeded by Brian Williams in a carefully planned transition. In the latter part of Tom Brokaw's tenure, NBC Nightly News became the most watched cable or broadcast news program in the United States. Brokaw also hosted, wrote, and moderated special programs on a wide range of topics. Throughout his career, he has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors.

Brokaw serves on the Howard University School of Communications Board of Visitors and on the boards of trustees of the University of South Dakota, the Norton Simon Museum, the American Museum of Natural History and the International Rescue Committee. As well as his television journalism, he has written for periodicals and has authored books. He still works at NBC as a Special Correspondent and has worked on various documentaries for The History Channel and ESPN since his retirement as anchor.

He is the only person in NBC's history to host all three major NBC News programs in his long career: The Today Show in the '70s, NBC Nightly News in the '80s, '90s and '00s and as an interim replacement for Tim Russert on Meet the Press in 2008.
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New York City (officially The City of New York) is the largest city in the United States, with the New York metropolitan area ranking among the largest urba (more)

New York City (officially The City of New York) is the largest city in the United States, with the New York metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world. For more than a century, it has been one of the world's major centers of commerce and finance. New York City is rated as an alpha world city for its global influences in media, politics, education, entertainment and fashion. The city's cultural centers for arts are among the nation's most influential. The city is a major center for foreign affairs, hosting the headquarters of the United Nations. Residents of the city are known as New Yorkers. The current mayor of New York City is Michael Bloomberg. (less)