query: The Great Buck Howard is a work.

pos: The Great Buck Howard The Great Buck Howard is a 2008 American comedy-drama film directed by Sean McGinly that stars Colin Hanks and John Malkovich . Tom Hanks also appears as the father of his real-life son 's character . The character Buck Howard is inspired by the mentalist The Amazing Kreskin , whose popularity was at its height in the 1970s . The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 18 , 2008 . It is the first Walden Media film to be distributed by Magnolia Pictures .

neg: Classical Hollywood cinema Classical Hollywood cinema , classical Hollywood narrative , and classical continuity are terms used in film criticism which designate both a narrative and visual style of film-making which developed in and characterized US American cinema between 1917 and the early 1960s and eventually became the most powerful and pervasive style of film-making worldwide .

neg: The Reivers The Reivers , published in 1962 , is the last novel by the American author William Faulkner . The bestselling novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1963 . Faulkner previously won this award for his book A Fable , making him one of only three authors to be awarded it more than once . Unlike many of his earlier works , it is a straightforward narration and eschews the complicated literary techniques of his more well known works . It is a picaresque novel , and as such may seem uncharacteristically lighthearted given its subject matter . For these reasons , The Reivers is often ignored by Faulkner scholars or dismissed as a lesser work . He previously had referred to writing a `` Golden Book of Yoknapatawpha County '' with which he would finish his literary career . It is likely that The Reivers was meant to be this `` Golden Book '' . The Reivers was adapted into a 1969 film directed by Mark Rydell and starring Steve McQueen as Boon Hogganbeck .

neg: Cal Howard Cal Howard ( March 24 , 1911 -- September 10 , 1993 ) was an American cartoon story artist , animator and director mostly remembered for his work at Walter Lantz and Warner Bros. '' . He was also the voice actor of Gabby Goat .

neg: Howard Sprague Howard Sprague is a fictional character on the CBS television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show ( TAGS ) , and its spin-off Mayberry R.F.D. . He was played by Jack Dodson from 1966-71 .   He was characterized by his milquetoast demeanor , moustache , bow ties , and a penchant for philosophy and culture . Howard was a repressed Mother 's boy who lived with his overbearing and manipulative mother , played by Mabel Albertson . ( TAGS , `` The County Clerk '' , episode # 185 ) . He appeared as the county clerk during the later color episodes of The Andy Griffith Show ( and continued onto Mayberry R.F.D. ) . While Jack Dodson made an earlier appearance as an insurance agent named Ed Jenkins ( TAGS , `` Lost and Found '' , episode 178 ) , he first appeared as Howard in the sixth season ( TAGS , `` The County Clerk '' , episode # 185 . ) This was not unusual on the show : other TAGS regulars were first introduced with different names : Hope Summers , who played Clara Edwards , first appeared as Bertha Johnson ; Goober Pyle was first called Goober Beasley ; and Arlene Golonka , who played Millie Swanson , was introduced as Millie Hutchins .   Due to his upbringing , Howard was socially stymied , especially when it came to dating . His mother even tried to thwart a double date he had with Sheriff Andy Taylor , Helen Crump , and a nurse , by feigning heart palpitations ( TAGS , `` The County Clerk '' , episode # 185 ) . Later , when Howard was about to join a men 's social club , his mother manipulated Goober Pyle with a sob story in an attempt to blackball his membership ( TAGS , `` The Lodge '' , episode # 192 ) . Opie once said Howard threw a baseball `` just like Aunt Bee '' .   When his mother remarried and moved to Mount Pilot , Howard sought to metamorphosize into a swinging hipster ( TAGS , `` The Wedding '' , episode # 246 ) . Wearing a smoking jacket and ascot , his plain home became a mod bachelor pad , with threshold-beads , and floor pillows . In the episode `` Howard 's New Life '' , he tried to recreate himself by moving to a Caribbean island ( St. Benedict 's ) to become a beachcomber . Bored , he soon returned to Mayberry and resumed his drab bureaucratic job .   Howard 's brief love interest/fiancee on The Andy Griffith Show was Millie Swanson ( Arlene Golonka ) , a character who later dated Sam Jones ( Ken Berry ) on the spin-off series Mayberry R.F.D. Millie and Howard soon realized their incompatibility and mutually agreed to dissolve the relationship right before they were to wed. .   Despite his awkwardness , Howard proved to be quite a sportsman . He caught `` Old Sam '' , the much coveted legendary fish in Tucker 's Lake , thus antagonizing the town 's seasoned anglers ( TAGS , `` Big Fish In A Small Town '' , episode # 198 ) . He also proved to be an excellent bowler , after joining Emmett Clark 's bowling team and astonishing everyone by scoring a perfect game ( TAGS , `` Howard The Bowler '' , episode # 224 ) . Howard even parachuted from an airplane to appease a thrill-seeking lady friend ( Mayberry RFD , `` Howard 's Hobby '' , episode # 18 ) .   Howard had two brushes with stardom . First he appeared on the `` Colonel Tims Talent Time '' television show performing his stand-up comedy act , which consisted of personal affronts to his neighbors and `` one-horse '' jokes about Mayberry , causing him to be temporarily snubbed by the townsfolk ( TAGS , `` Howard The Comedian '' , episode # 216 ) . Mayberry city council once sent him with Emmett Clark to a New York City TV station to promote traditional , small town values . Howard soon did a backspin and became an unabashed New Yorker , replete with a loud , paisley Nehru suit and hair bangs ( Mayberry RFD , `` The Panel '' , episode 6 ) .   In the 1986 television movie Return to Mayberry , Howard was revisited ( along with most of the surviving cast ) . In a funk about aging , the clerk was seen throughout the movie in various hues of hair color .   He appeared in character on It 's Garry Shandling 's Show in the 1990 episode ` The Day Howard Moved In ' .

neg: Space opera Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes space warfare , melodramatic adventure , interplanetary battles , as well as chivalric romance , and often risk-taking . Set mainly or entirely in outer space , it usually involves conflict between opponents possessing advanced abilities , futuristic weapons , and other sophisticated technology . The term has no relation to music but is instead a play on the terms `` soap opera '' and `` horse opera '' , the latter of which was coined during the 1930s to indicate clichéd and formulaic Western movies . Space operas emerged in the 1930s and they continue to be produced in literature , film , comics , and video games .   Notable space opera novels include the Foundation series ( 1942 -- 1999 ) by Isaac Asimov , the Lensman series ( 1948-1954 ) by E. E. Smith and the Ender 's Game series ( 1985 -- present ) by Orson Scott Card . An early notable space opera film was Flash Gordon ( 1936 -- present ) created by Alex Raymond . In the late 1970s , the Star Wars franchise ( 1977 -- present ) created by George Lucas brought a great deal of attention to the subgenre .

neg: William Gillette, America's Sherlock Holmes William Gillette , America 's Sherlock Holmes , by Henry Zecher , is the first full and in-depth biography of William Hooker Gillette ( 1853 -- 1937 ) , the American actor , playwright and stage-manager of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who is best remembered today for portraying Sherlock Holmes .   Gillette was among the first American playwrights to offer tightly-knit and well-constructed plays , Bronson Howard , Steele MacKaye and James Herne being the others , but his most significant contributions to the theater were in devising realistic stage settings and special sound and lighting effects , and , as an actor , in putting forth what he called The Illusion of the First Time . His portrayal of Holmes helped create the modern image of the detective . His use of the deerstalker cap ( which first appeared in some Strand Magazine illustrations by Sidney Paget ) and the curved pipe became synonymous with the character . And it was in his play , not in Arthur Conan Doyle 's stories , that Holmes first said `` This is elementary , my dear fellow , '' which subsequently became `` Elementary , my dear Watson '' . Gillette assumed the role onstage more than 1,300 times over thirty years , starred in a silent motion picture based on his Holmes play , and voiced the character twice on radio .   The author is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Journalism , Class of 1971 . He was an award-winning sports writer and sports editor of the Delaware State News in Dover , Delaware , before embarking on a career in Federal government human resources . He has worked as a free-lance writer for many years and published a number of magazine articles , two of them of historical importance . One was an evaluation of German Reformer Martin Luther 's impact on the English Bible , and the other was the first analysis from a biblical and historical point of view of the Ipuwer Papyrus , first claimed by Immanuel Velikovsky and subsequently by others to have been an Egyptian version of the plagues on Egypt described in the Old Testament Book of Exodus .   This is Zecher 's first book . It contains 585 pages of text and is profusely illustrated with more than ninety images , nearly all of them containing two to four and , in two cases , six individual photographs . It contains a bibliography of Gillette 's writings , a list of his plays subsequently made into motion pictures , a list of his patents , a list of audio/visual recordings of his voice , and 97 pages of Endnotes .

neg: Bang for the Buck Bang for the Buck is the third studio album by Long Beach hip hop group Ugly Duckling . The track `` Smack '' was featured in Tony Hawk 's Project 8 '' .

neg: List of local children's television series (United States) The following is a list of local children 's television shows in the United States . These were locally produced commercial television programming intended for the child audience with unique hosts and themes . This type of programming began in the late 1940s and continued into the late 1970s ; some shows continued into the 1990s . Author Tim Hollis documented about 1,400 local children 's shows in a 2002 book , Hi There , Boys and Girls !   The television programs typically aired in the weekday mornings before school or afternoons after school as well as on weekends ( to a lesser degree ) . There were different formats . Almost all shows had a colorful host who assumed a persona such as a cowboy/cowgirl , captain/skipper/commodore / admiral , jungle explorer , astronaut , king , princess , clown , sheriff/deputy/trooper , cop , firefighter , hobo/tramp , railroad engineer , magician , `` cousin '' , `` grandfather '' or `` uncle '' , whose role was not only to be the `` DJ '' for syndicated material ( typically cartoons , although westerns were more popular earlier on ) but also to entertain , often with a live television studio audience of kids , during breaks .   Early program fare included cartoon favorites such as Koko the Clown , Daffy Duck , Crusader Rabbit , Dick Tracy , Popeye , Bugs Bunny , Rocky and Bullwinkle , Casper the Friendly Ghost , Mighty Mouse , Porky Pig , Deputy Dawg , Tin Tin , Mel-O-Toons , Woody Woodpecker , The Funny Company , Mr. Magoo , Space Angel and Clutch Cargo as well as movie shorts such as Laurel and Hardy , Our Gang/The Little Rascals and The Three Stooges and animated versions of Laurel and Hardy , Abbott and Costello and The Three Stooges and live action shorts such as Diver Dan . Some included educational segments like the portraits of wildlife in Nature 's Window .

neg: Twentieth Century (film) Twentieth Century is a 1934 American pre-Code screwball comedy film . Much of the film is set on the 20th Century Limited train as it travels from Chicago to New York City . The film was directed by Howard Hawks , stars John Barrymore and Carole Lombard , and features Walter Connolly , Roscoe Karns and Edgar Kennedy . Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur adapted their Broadway play of the same name -- itself based on the unproduced play Napoleon of Broadway by Charles Bruce Millholland -- with uncredited contributions from Gene Fowler and Preston Sturges .   Along with Frank Capra 's It Happened One Night , also released in 1934 ( which amazingly has exactly the same music over the opening titles ) , Twentieth Century is considered to be a prototype for the screwball comedy . `` Howard Hawks ' rapid-fire romantic comedy established the essential ingredients of the screwball -- a dizzy dame , a charming but befuddled hero , dazzling dialogue and a dash of slapstick . '' Its success propelled Lombard into the front ranks of film comediennes . The film was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2011 .

neg: The Golden Time The Golden Time is a 1949 novel by the Canadian author Harold Standish . It tells the story of the McGibbon family of Chatham , Ontario as they struggle with various troubles , including alcoholism , domestic abuse , and their ultimate triumph as owners of a tobacco farm in the countryside near Chatham . The novel was first published by in Toronto by Macmillan in 1949 , and was later reprinted in several paperback editions . Like other novels of the period by such contemporaries of Standish as Morley Callaghan and Hugh Garner , The Golden Time uses terse , straightforward prose reminiscent of social realist genre . As a significant departure from realism , however , the novel uses a number of time-shift sequences to emphasize the connections between the different generations of the McGibbon family . In this sense , the novel can be regarded as a precursor to such modernist Canadian novels as Sheila Watson 's The Double Hook and Hugh MacLennan 's The Watch That Ends the Night ( both published in 1959 ) .   The Golden Time was Standish 's first novel . He published just one more novel , Blues for Loretta , in ( 1954 ) before giving up fiction to concentrate on poetry . In his biography of Standish , Douglas Scott quotes the legendary literary critic George Woodcock as saying that The Golden Time is `` a work that makes one wish Standish had turned his pen to fiction more often . ''

neg: Howard Brubeck Howard Rengstorff Brubeck ( 1916 -- 1993 ) was a composer and music educator and the older brother of jazz pianist Dave Brubeck . His best known work , Dialogues for Jazz Combo and Orchestra , premiered at Carnegie Hall December 10 , 1959 with the Dave Brubeck Quartet and Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic and was recorded on Bernstein Plays Brubeck Plays Bernstein in 1961 . His California Suite , also from the 1950s , was performed in San Francisco and in Brussels . According to the Grove Dictionary of Music , `` The influence of Milhaud -- and sometimes echoes of Copland -- can be heard in his music ; a flair for orchestral writing , secure craftsmanship and sophisticated wit are also in evidence . '' He wrote liner notes for many of his brother 's commercial recordings , and transcribed , edited , and arranged much of his brother 's music for publication .   Howard Brubeck was born July 11 , 1916 in Concord , California and died February 16 , 1993 in La Mesa , California . He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music from San Francisco State College in 1938 and a Master of Arts in Music from Mills College in 1941 , studying with Darius Milhaud , and Domenico Brescia . He taught high school briefly and then became Milhaud 's assistant at Mills College . At Mills Brubeck also wrote incidental music for various French plays produced by Milhaud 's wife Madeleine . In 1950 Brubeck was appointed composition instructor at San Diego State College . He was hired as Chairman of the music department of Palomar Junior College in San Marcos , California in 1953 and promoted to Dean of Humanities in 1966 . He retired in 1978 . The Brubeck Theater at Palomar College is named in his honor and work there .

neg: The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket Watch Conspiracy is a historical fiction novel written by Jacopo della Quercia . The plot follows President William Howard Taft , scientist and son of a former president Robert Todd Lincoln , Secret Service Chief John Wilkie , Captain ( later Major ) Archibald Butt and others as they slowly unravel a worldwide conspiracy over a decade in the making .   The book , which was della Quercia 's debut novel , was published in 2014 by St. Martin 's Griffin , an imprint of publishing company St. Martin 's Press . The author described the book 's genre not as singular distinct genre , but as an `` equal parts cocktail '' of adventure , historical fiction , science fiction , thriller and comedy . In 2015 , della Quercia released a spiritual sequel , License to Quill , of a similar nature that concerns the lives of Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare in Reformation-era Europe .   The book has many references to actual events ; some , such as the sinking of the RMS Titanic , are important plot points , while others , such as the destruction of the zeppelin Erbslöh , are passively mentioned as news or memories . The author also includes excerpts from real newspaper articles , which were used to provide exposition in the storyline . Similarly , all of the main characters in the book were real , relevant figures in the 20th century . The characters profiles were fictionalized to fit in with the book 's plot and atmosphere , but their names , positions , occupations and personalities are kept largely intact .

neg: Major film studio A major film studio is a production and film distributor that releases a substantial number of films annually and consistently commands a significant share of box office revenue in a given market . In the North American , Western , and global markets , the major film studios , often simply known as the majors , are commonly regarded as the six diversified media conglomerates whose various film production and distribution subsidiaries collectively command approximately 80 to 85 percent of U.S. and Canadian box office revenue . The term may also be applied more specifically to the primary motion picture business subsidiary of each respective conglomerate .   The `` Big Six '' majors , whose operations are based in or around the Los Angeles neighborhood of Hollywood , are all centered in film studios active during Hollywood 's Golden Age of the 1930s and 1940s . In three cases -- 20th Century Fox , Warner Bros. , and Paramount -- the studios were one of the `` Big Five '' majors during that era as well . In two cases -- Columbia and Universal -- the studios were also considered majors , but in the next tier down , part of the `` Little Three '' . In the sixth case , Walt Disney Studios was an independent production company during the Golden Age ; it was an important Hollywood entity , but not a major . Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer , United Artists , and RKO were majors .   Today , Disney is the only member of the Big Six whose parent entity is still located near Los Angeles ( actually , on Disney 's studio lot and in the same building ) . The five others report to conglomerates headquartered in New York City , Philadelphia , and Tokyo . Of the Big Six , Paramount is the only one still based in Hollywood , and Paramount and Fox are the only ones still located within the Los Angeles city limits , while Disney and Warner Bros. are located in Burbank , Columbia in Culver City , and Universal in the unincorporated area of Universal City .   Most of today 's Big Six control subsidiaries with their own distribution networks that concentrate on arthouse pictures ( e.g. Fox Searchlight Pictures ) or genre films ( e.g. Sony 's Screen Gems ) ; several of these specialty units were shut down or sold off between 2008 and 2010 . The six major studios are contrasted with smaller production and/or distribution companies , which are known as independents or `` indies '' . The leading independent producer/distributors -- Lionsgate Films , The Weinstein Company , and former major studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer -- are sometimes referred to as `` mini-majors '' . From 1998 through 2005 , DreamWorks SKG commanded a large enough market share to arguably qualify it as a seventh major , despite its relatively small output . In 2006 , DreamWorks was acquired by Viacom , Paramount 's corporate parent . In late 2008 , DreamWorks once again became an independent production company ; its films were distributed by Disney 's Touchstone Pictures until 2016 , at which point distribution switched to Universal .   The Big Six major studios are today primarily backers and distributors of films whose actual production is largely handled by independent companies -- either long-running entities or ones created for and dedicated to the making of a specific film . The specialty divisions often simply acquire distribution rights to pictures in which the studio has had no prior involvement . While the majors still do a modicum of true production , their activities are focused more in the areas of development , financing , marketing , and merchandising . Those business functions are still usually performed in or near Los Angeles , even though the runaway production phenomenon means that most films are now mostly or completely shot on location at places outside Los Angeles .   Since the dawn of filmmaking , the U.S. major film studios have dominated both American cinema and the global film industry . U.S. studios have benefited from a strong first-mover advantage in that they were the first to industrialize filmmaking and master the art of mass-producing and distributing high-quality films with broad cross-cultural appeal . Today , the Big Six majors routinely distribute hundreds of films every year into all significant international markets ( that is , where discretionary income is high enough for consumers to afford to watch films ) . It is very rare , if not impossible , for a film to reach a broad international audience on multiple continents and in multiple languages without first being picked up by one of the majors for distribution .

neg: Buck Griffin Albert C. `` Buck '' Griffin ( February 23 , 1923 -- February 14 , 2009 ) was an American country musician and songwriter . He was a popular performer live and on radio , though he never scored a hit on record , and was compared to Hank Williams and Conway Twitty .   Griffin was born in Corsicana , Texas and was raised in Oklahoma and Missouri . He began playing guitar at age 12 and sang lead in a high school dance band . After school Griffin took jobs as a ditch digger and oil driller in Kansas , where he played in local clubs . In the late 1940s he was offered a slot on Oklahoma City radio station WKY under the name Chuck Wyman .   Joe Leonard , owner of a Gainesville , Texas radio station , offered Griffin a contract on Lin Records in 1954 , and had him record his first single at the studios of Dallas 's WFAA . `` It Do n't Make No Nevermind '' b/w `` Meadowlark Boogie '' was his first release , but it went nowhere , and several more releases later in 1954 ( some of which featured members of Bob Wills 's band ) also failed to attract attention . Despite this , Griffin was a popular live performer , performing with Red Foley and Marty Robbins among others . Additionally , he did well as a songwriter ; his `` Goin ' Home All Alone '' was recorded by Wade Ray , and Janis Martin did a version of his failed single `` Let 's Elope , Baby '' . He appeared on ABC-TV 's Talent Varieties on August 2 , 1955 , singing `` Next to Mine '' .   In 1956 , Griffin contracted with the Dallas radio show Big D Jamboree , and MGM Records picked up his previous Lin Records releases for national distribution . Though MGM released 45s from Griffin into the early 1960s , he never scored a hit ; later releases on Holiday Inn Records fared no better .   In 1963 Griffin started Rotary Records and recorded several singles on that label as well as having a local television show on KCKT in Hoisington , Kansas .  From 1965 Griffin sold Bibles and worked as a Driller in the Kansas and Oklahoma oilfields as well as becoming a licensed pilot , owning several airplanes . He was a major force behind the building of an airstrip south of Hoisington , Kansas .  He still wrote and published songs and occasionally recorded . In the 1970s his chronic asthma became a barrier to performing . He died of complications to emphysema on February 14 , 2009 in Sayre , Oklahoma .

neg: William Hanna William Denby `` Bill '' Hanna ( July 14 , 1910 -- March 22 , 2001 ) was an American animator , director , producer , voice actor , and cartoon artist , whose film and television cartoon characters entertained millions of people for much of the 20th century .   After working odd jobs in the first months of the Depression , Hanna joined the Harman and Ising animation studio in 1930 . During the 1930s , Hanna steadily gained skill and prominence while working on cartoons such as Captain and the Kids . In 1937 , while working at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer ( MGM ) , Hanna met Joseph Barbera . The two men began a collaboration that was at first best known for producing Tom and Jerry and live action/animated hybrid films . In 1957 , they co-founded Hanna-Barbera , which became the most successful television animation studio in the business , producing programs such as The Flintstones , The Huckleberry Hound Show , The Jetsons , Scooby-Doo , The Smurfs , and Yogi Bear . In 1967 , Hanna-Barbera was sold to Taft Broadcasting for $ 12 million , but Hanna and Barbera remained heads of the company until 1991 . At that time , the studio was sold to Turner Broadcasting System , which in turn was merged with Time Warner in 1996 ; Hanna and Barbera stayed on as advisors .   Hanna and Barbera won seven Academy Awards and eight Emmy Awards . Their cartoons have become cultural icons , and their cartoon characters have appeared in other media such as films , books , and toys . Hanna-Barbera 's shows had a worldwide audience of over 300 million people in their 1960s heyday , and have been translated into more than 28 languages .

neg: Buckner & Garcia Buckner & Garcia was a musical duo consisting of Jerry Buckner and the late Gary Garcia from Akron , Ohio . Their first recording was made in 1972 , when they performed a novelty song called `` Got ta Hear the Beat '' , which they recorded as Animal Jack . Later , in 1980 , they wrote a novelty Christmas song titled `` Merry Christmas in the NFL '' , imagining Howard Cosell as Santa Claus . Performed under the pseudonym Willis the Guard & Vigorish , the song reached No. 82 on the Billboard charts despite limited airplay after Cosell found the song offensive . In 1981 , the duo wrote a sentimental country theme to back the poem `` Footprints in the Sand '' , performed by Edgel Groves . The duo also wrote the lyrics for extra verses of an extended version of the WKRP in Cincinnati theme song in 1982 .   However , the duo is best known for the song `` Pac-Man Fever '' , which became a large novelty hit in 1982 , peaking at No. 9 in the United States . It earned a million-selling Gold-certified 45 . Later the same year , after the song became a hit , the duo signed a record deal with Columbia/CBS Records . According to interviews , the duo never wanted to become a novelty act known for songs based on video games , but when it signed with the label , the company insisted on a full album of video-game songs , although the duo had intended to write a more varied collection of pop music . They complied despite their misgivings and released Pac-Man Fever , a full album consisting entirely of songs about arcade games .

neg: John Howard (author) John Howard is an English author , born in London in 1961 . His fiction has appeared in anthologies , magazines , and the collections The Silver Voices , Written by Daylight , and Cities and Thrones and Powers . The majority of Howard 's stories have central and eastern European settings ; many are set in the fictional Romanian town of Steaua de Munte . The Defeat of Grief is a novella set in Steaua de Munte and the real Black Sea resort of Balcic ; the novellas `` The Fatal Vision '' ( in Cities and Thrones and Powers ) and The Lustre of Time form part of an ongoing series with Steaua de Munte architect and academic Cristian Luca as protagonist . Numbered as Sand or the Stars attempts a ` secret history ' of Hungary between the World Wars .   Secret Europe is a collection jointly written with Mark Valentine comprising 25 short stories set in a variety of real and fictional European locations . Ten of the stories are by Howard and fifteen by Valentine . The expanded edition published in 2014 added an introduction and an extra story by Mark Valentine .   Howard contributed a story to Dreams of Ourselves , an anthology published in tribute to the Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa . Contributors and editor used Pessoa heteronyms , with the authors ' names only revealed in the sealed envelope supplied with each copy of the book .   Since 2003 John Howard has occasionally collaborated on short stories with Mark Valentine . Seven have featured Valentine 's long-running series character The Connoisseur , an occult detective whose real name is never revealed . All tales of The Connoisseur then extant , including the collaborations , were reprinted in The Collected Connoisseur ( Tartarus Press , 2010 ) .   John Howard has written essays for numerous magazines including Book and Magazine Collector , Supernatural Tales , Wormwood , Studies in Australian Weird Fiction , and All Hallows for the Ghost Story Society . He contributed essays to the Fritz Leiber special issue of Fantasy Commentator ( No. 57/58 , 2004 ) and to the books Black Prometheus : A Critical Study of Karl Edward Wagner ( Gothic Press , 2007 ) , Fritz Leiber : Critical Essays ( McFarlane , 2008 ) , and The Man Who Collected Psychos : Critical Essays on Robert Bloch ( McFarlane , 2009 ) , all edited by Benjamin Szumskyj . Most of these essays were included in Touchstones : Essays on the Fantastic ( 2014 ) , which was a British Fantasy Award nominee the following year . In 2013 Howard took over the review column Camera Obscura in Tartarus Press ' journal Wormwood .

neg: The 50 Greatest Cartoons The 50 Greatest Cartoons : As Selected by 1,000 Animation Professionals is a 1994 book by animation historian Jerry Beck . It consists of articles about 50 highly regarded animated short films made in North America and other notable cartoons , which are ranked according to a poll of 1,000 people working in the animation industry .   Each cartoon is under 30 minutes long and cel animated ( with the exception of Gertie the Dinosaur ) . Seventeen of the selected films were produced for Warner Bros. 's Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series , ten of which were directed by Chuck Jones . All of the selected cartoons were created and released prior to 1960 , except for the 1985 short The Big Snit ( # 25 ) , the 1988 short The Cat Came Back ( # 32 ) , the 1969 short Bambi Meets Godzilla ( # 38 ) , the 1987 short The Man Who Planted Trees ( # 44 ) , and the 1975 short Quasi at the Quackadero ( # 46 ) .   The book 's front and rear cover art , which showed a variety of famous cartoon stars seated in a nightclub , was also printed up as a full-sized promotional poster by Turner Publishing . The posters were not sold at retail , but were distributed to book stores as marketing materials for the book .

neg: Howard Smith (actor) Howard Irving Smith ( August 12 , 1893 in Attleboro , Massachusetts -- January 10 , 1968 in Hollywood , California ) was an American character actor with a 50-year career in vaudeville , theatre , radio , films and television . In 1938 he performed in Orson Welles 's short-lived stage production and once-lost film , Too Much Johnson , and in the celebrated radio production , `` The War of the Worlds '' . He portrayed Charley in the original Broadway production of Death of a Salesman and recreated the role in the 1951 film version . On television Smith portrayed the gruff Harvey Griffin in the situation comedy , Hazel .


query: Elvis was co-produced by Steve Binder.

pos: Elvis (1968 TV program) Elvis , starring Elvis Presley , is a United States television special that aired on December 3 , 1968 on the NBC television network . The special is commonly referred to as the 68 Comeback Special , because of subsequent developments in Presley 's career . It was directed by Steve Binder and produced by Binder and Bones Howe . Music from the special was released before the broadcast , on the album Elvis ( NBC TV Special ) .   Presley 's informal jamming in front of a small audience in the special is regarded as a forerunner of the `` unplugged '' concept , later popularized by MTV .

neg: Stan Kesler Stanley Augustus `` Stan '' Kesler ( born August 11 , 1928 ) is an American retired musician , record producer and songwriter , whose career began at the Sun Studio in Memphis , Tennessee . He co-wrote several of Elvis Presley 's early recordings including `` I 'm Left , You 're Right , She 's Gone '' and `` I Forgot to Remember to Forget '' , and played guitar and bass on hit records by Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis . As a producer , his successful records included `` Wooly Bully '' by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs .

neg: Goodbye Priscilla (Bye Bye Baby Blue) `` Goodbye Priscilla ( Bye Bye Baby Blue ) '' is a song written by Deanna Summers , David Saxton and Ben Shaw . It was published by Silicon Music , BMI in 1977 and first recorded by Gene Summers that same year . The song was initially released by Tear Drop Records as a one-sided , promotional , single and later re-issued with `` World Of Illusion '' as the flip side ( #TD 3405 ) .   `` Goodbye Priscilla '' was written as a tribute to Elvis and Priscilla Presley . The `` Goodbye Priscilla '' 45 is now a much-sought-after collectible and has been issued on several Elvis `` tribute '' compilation albums and CDs . When `` Goodbye Priscilla ( Bye Bye Baby Blue ) '' was first released there was a controversy about which Priscilla it was written for : Priscilla Presley , or Priscilla Davis , wife of T. Cullen Davis and central figure in the T. Cullen Davis murder trials . In his book Blood Will Tell : The Murder Trials Of Cullen Davis author Gary Cartwright credited the song ( page 199 ) as referring to Priscilla Davis .

neg: My Aim Is True My Aim Is True is the debut album by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello .   The album was recorded at Pathway Studios in Highbury , London Borough of Islington , over the course of 1976 during late-night studio sessions , in a total of approximately twenty-four hours . It was the first of five consecutive Costello albums produced by Nick Lowe and cost # 2,000 to record . The backing band was made up of members of Clover , but they were uncredited on the original release due to contractual difficulties ; some early publicity for the album identified the backing band as `` The Shamrocks '' .   In 1977 Rolling Stone magazine named the album one of the best of the year . In 2003 , the TV network VH1 named My Aim Is True the 80th greatest album of all time . In 2003 , the album was ranked number 168 on Rolling Stone magazine 's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . In 2004 , it was ranked 37 of the top 100 albums of the 1970s by Pitchfork which reported the album to be `` held by many as the most impressive debut in pop music history . '' In 2007 , the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame .

neg: Steve Azar Stephen Thomas `` Steve '' Azar ( born April 11 , 1964 , Greenville , Mississippi , United States ) is an American country music artist of Syrian and Lebanese descent . Azar is a modern-day Renaissance man , hit songwriter , recording artist , music producer , golfer and philanthropist . He likes to call his own breed of music `` Delta Soul , '' a mixture of country , rock and blues .   Azar 's hit single `` I Do n't Have To Be Me , Til Monday '' received three Million-Air awards from BMI and is one of the top five most played songs of the past decade on country radio .   Azar has been honored with `` Steve Azar day '' in the states of Mississippi ( on March 13th ) and South Dakota ( on August 10th ) . He is the co-founder of Ride Records and co-founder of the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival , dubbed `` A Southern Gem '' by the American Blues Scene magazine and included in Acoustic Guitar magazine 's 2014 Roadside Americana : 50 States 50 Must-Attend Events . The Mighty Mississippi Music Festival has also been featured in the third edition of 1,000 Places in the United States and Canada to See Before You Die .   Azar has also been recognized by the Mississippi Senate , and on Jan. 25 , 2017 , Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Azar as the Music and Culture Ambassador of Mississippi . Bryant is celebrating Mississippi as the birthplace of American Music in 2017 , and he was inspired by Azar 's latest album , Down at the Liquor Store , which was recorded with The Kings Men , musicians who played with B.B. King , as well as by the financial impact Azar has made on the State through various events .   `` I am delighted my longtime friend Steve Azar has agreed to serve as Music and Culture Ambassador for his home state of Mississippi , '' Bryant said . `` Steve has spent his entire career promoting Mississippi , and I know he 'll continue that good work in his new role . ''  Azar will be working closely with the State of Mississippi in his official role , and he is writing a song for the state 's bicentennial , which is being celebrated in 2017 .

neg: The Sun Sessions The Sun Sessions is a compilation of Elvis Presley recordings at Sun Studios in 1954 and 1955 . It was issued by RCA Records in 1976 , and had been issued and charted as The Sun Collection in the UK the previous year . It features liner notes by Roy Carr of the New Musical Express .

neg: Lester Sill Lester Sill ( January 13 , 1918 -- October 31 , 1994 ) was an American record label executive , best remembered as Phil Spector 's partner in Philles Records ( the name came from the first parts of their names , Phil and Les ) , and also as the head of both Colpix Records and the later Colgems Records . His three sons are music supervisors in the film and TV businesses : Joel Sill , Greg Sill and Lonnie Sill . His stepson Chuck Kaye is a longtime music publishing executive .   Sill was an omnipresent force in the development of West Coast R&B and rock & roll , shepherding the fledgling career of the influential songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller before teaming with the legendary producer Phil Spector to found Philles Records , the premier U.S. pop label of the early '60s . Born January 13 , 1918 , in Los Angeles , Sill first entered show business as a nightclub owner , but in 1945 joined the sales and promotion staff of the Bihari brothers ' Modern Records , later producing sessions for R&B acts including Charles Brown and Hadda Brooks . In 1950 Sill met Leiber in the L.A. record shop where the aspiring lyricist worked as a retail clerk and suggested he find a partner who could read and write music , spurring the beginning of Leiber 's collaboration with Mike Stoller . Sill also produced the 1951 Jimmy Witherspoon effort `` Real Ugly Woman , '' the first recorded Leiber and Stoller collaboration . That same year Sill and Federal Records producer/talent scout Ralph Bass formed a PR agency , Brisk Enterprises , and following the success of the duo 's Big Mama Thornton hit `` Hound Dog '' , he teamed with Leiber and Stoller in late 1953 to create Spark Records as well as their own publishing firm , Quintet Music , Inc. .   Spark enjoyed immediate success with The Robins ' R&B smash `` Riot in Cell Block # 9 '' . The group 's follow-up , `` Smokey Joe 's Café , '' proved an even bigger hit , in fact too big for the small label to handle . So in 1955 Spark sold its catalog to Atlantic Records , which in turn named Sill its national sales manager while giving Leiber and Stoller an independent production deal . While the deal prompted the breakup of The Robins , members Carl Gardner and Bobby Nunn continued on as The Coasters , with Sill serving as their manager . The Coasters would emerge as one of the most popular R&B acts of the late '50s , generating a series of wry Leiber and Stoller-penned hits including `` Down in Mexico '' , `` Yakety Yak '' , and `` Charlie Brown '' ; Sill also enjoyed chart success teaming with producer-songwriter Lee Hazlewood on 1958 's `` Rebel Rouser '' , the most notable of the 15 Top 40 instrumentals headlined by the renowned guitarist Duane Eddy and issued on the Dick Clark-owned Jamie label . In late 1959 , Sill and Hazlewood formed Trey Records , a Hollywood-based imprint distributed by Atlantic . The label 's signings included 18-year-old wunderkind Phil Spector , then fresh off the success of his group The Teddy Bears ' chart-topping pop classic `` To Know Him Is to Love Him . '' Spector produced several Trey sides . None were hits , but Kell Osborne 's 1960 release `` The Bells of St. Mary 's '' bears all the dramatic hallmarks that would later define his trademark Wall of Sound aesthetic .   At the end of 1961 , Sill and Hazlewood shut down Trey but quickly formed a new label , Gregmark , as a vehicle for The Paris Sisters , an Andrews Sisters-inspired sibling vocal trio with a series of little-heard Decca singles under its belt . Sill insisted on a top-to-bottom overhaul of their approach , prompting Spector to relegate Albeth and Sherrell Paris to the background while turning the spotlight on youngest sibling Priscilla , insisting she dial back her powerful voice to a dusky whisper . While the Paris Sisters ' Gregmark debut `` Be My Boy '' earned little notice , the follow-up , `` I Love How You Love Me , '' cracked the U.S. Top Five , galvanized by Priscilla 's intimate lead turn and Spector 's atypically restrained production . Spector then began work on a Paris Sisters LP , but as production costs began to skyrocket , Sill attempted to exert control of the project . Their skirmish ended disastrously when , according to Sill , one of his assistants accidentally discarded the master tapes , although rumors persist of a far more nefarious outcome . At the same time Sill 's partnership with the tempestuous Hazlewood collapsed , and despite their differences , in late 1961 Sill and Spector inaugurated their own label , Philles , immediately reaching the Top 20 with the company 's debut release , The Crystals ' `` There 's No Other ( Like My Baby ) . '' Its 1962 follow-up , `` Uptown , '' was Spector 's first true tour de force , capturing the Wall of Sound in full gallop .   By mid-1962 Philles was the most successful independent label in the U.S. , scoring a series of Spector-produced classics including the Crystals ' `` He 's a Rebel '' and `` Then He Kissed Me , '' Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans ' `` Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah '' and The Ronettes ' `` Be My Baby . '' But as Spector 's fame and renown grew , so did his notorious ego , and as he exerted more and more of his mercurial will over Philles ' business dealings , his relationship with Sill disintegrated . Spector eventually forced his mentor out of the company altogether , buying out Sill for a paltry $ 60,000 ( reportedly never even paid ) and decisively terminating their partnership with the never-released Crystals recording '' ( Let 's Dance ) The Screw . '' After over a year in seclusion , in 1964 Sill resurfaced as a consultant to Screen Gems-Columbia Music president Don Kirshner . Although the position was temporary , he ended up staying with the company for over two decades , eventually taking over Kirshner 's position . In 1985 Sill was named president and CEO of Jobete Music , the publishing arm of Berry Gordy , Jr. 's Motown empire . He remained with Jobete until his death in Los Angeles on October 31 , 1994 .

neg: Elvis (name) Elvis is a given name . It is an anglicisation of the Irish name of Saint Ailbe . However , Ailbe may itself be a gaelicisation of an Ancient British name such as Eilfyw or Eilfw , and the saint was also a popular figure in medieval Wales , where he was claimed to be of Ancient British descent .   The earlier meaning of Ailbe is uncertain ; it may have been understood in the Middle Ages to derive from Irish ail , ` rock ' , but this is unlikely to have been its historical meaning .   In internet sources , the name is widely claimed to derive from Old English Eall-wīs , meaning `` all-wise '' , but the development of w > v would be irregular and the name is not , in any case , attested in Anglo-Saxon sources ; it is possible that this claim is inspired by the existence of the Old Norse mythological name Alvíss . Other alternative etymologies have been proposed for the name , including that it is derived from the surname Elwes , and that it is related to the Welsh name Alwyn .

neg: Elvis (1973 album) Elvis is a 1973 album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley . It sold over 1 million copies worldwide despite being released soon after the much more successful Aloha from Hawaii album . It is sometimes called The Fool album after one of the songs included in it , to differentiate it from the 1956 album of the same title . `` Fool '' was issued as a single and reached number 15 in the UK , backed by a live version of `` Steamroller Blues '' .   `` Fool '' and `` Where Do I Go From Here '' were recorded in March 1972 . `` It 's Impossible '' is a live recording from the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas from February 1972 . Tracks 3 , 4 , 6 -- 10 were leftovers from the March and May 1971 recording sessions at RCA 's Studio B in Nashville . Three songs feature Presley on piano : `` It 's Still Here '' , `` I 'll Take You Home Again , Kathleen '' and `` I Will Be True '' . These three selections were all released together for a second time as part of the 1980 boxed set , Elvis Aron Presley . The song `` Fool '' was also released in this collection . Four other songs in this album were also reissued in other albums : `` It 's Impossible '' ( Pure Gold , 1975 ) , `` Padre '' ( He Walks Beside Me , 1978 ) , '' ( That 's What You Get ) For Lovin ' Me '' ( A Canadian Tribute , 1978 ) and `` Do n't Think Twice , It 's All Right '' ( Our Memories Of Elvis Volume 2 , 1979 ) .

neg: Elvis Presley's guitars Elvis Presley 's guitars were a major component of the iconic rock and roll image created by Elvis Presley that revolutionized popular culture in the 1950s and 1960s . It is impossible to gauge the impact of that image on millions of young people around the world who were inspired to learn to play guitar after watching Presley in performance , on television , or in films . Although not known for his abilities as a guitarist , Presley had a profound musical influence on some of the most important rock and roll artists to emerge since the 1950s , including Buddy Holly , John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison , Bob Dylan , and Bruce Springsteen . The extent of Presley 's impact on their lives and music is captured in John Lennon 's famous quote : `` Before Elvis , there was nothing . ''   According to his first lead guitarist , Scotty Moore , Presley was not `` an accomplished musician '' , yet he possessed `` an uncanny and amazing sense of timing and rhythm . '' In the early years of his career , Presley 's rhythm guitar accompaniment played a major role in the sound of his early performances and recordings . Moore noted that as Presley began to learn to move on stage and to work the audience with his physical performance , his guitar became more of a `` prop '' .   Presley was not known to treat his instruments in a gentle manner . His very aggressive strumming style would frequently break strings during his performances . The lack of a microphone on his guitar throughout those years contributed to the development of his `` aggressive style in attempt to be heard '' . As his career progressed , he became even more aggressive toward his instruments , frequently tossing his guitar to Charlie Hodge , who sometimes failed to catch it . The impact of the large belt buckles and jewelry he wore left their marks on most of his instruments .

neg: I'm Leavin' (Elvis Presley song) `` I 'm Leavin ' '' is a 1971 song by Elvis Presley . It was written by Sonny Charles and Michael Jarrett .   The song was originally released in 1971 as a single , with `` Heart of Rome '' ( from the album Love Letters from Elvis ) on the B-side . In the United States `` I 'm Leavin ' '' reached number 36 on Billboard Hot 100 for the week of August 21 , 1971 . In the UK Singles Chart , it reached number 23 for the week of October 2 , 1971 .   Later `` I 'm Leavin ' '' was included in the 1980 box set Elvis Aron Presley ( on the record 8 titled `` Lost Singles '' ) .

neg: Too Much (Elvis Presley song) `` Too Much '' is a # 1 song recorded in a hit version by Elvis Presley and published by Elvis Presley Music in 1956 . It was written by Bernard Weinman and Lee Rosenberg . It was first recorded in 1954 by Bernard Hardison on Republic Records . Elvis Presley recorded the song in September 1956 and first performed it on January 6 , 1957 on CBS-TV 's `` The Ed Sullivan Show . '' Released as a single , Presley 's `` Too Much '' reached number one on both the Cashbox and Billboard sales charts and went to number three on the R&B chart . The single peaked at number two on the then-named Top 100 chart , the main Billboard pop chart .

neg: Hearts & Flowers Hearts & Flowers was a Los Angeles folk rock club band , perhaps most significant as one of the groups that launched the career of Eagles ' founding member and guitarist-songwriter , Bernie Leadon . The lineup included Larry Murray ( vocals , guitar ) , Dave Dawson ( vocals , guitar , autoharp ) , and Rick Cunha ( vocals , guitar ) .   The individual members met at the ongoing Monday night jam sessions being held at The Troubador over which Murray presided . Cunha and Dawson , who played in a duo , were newcomers as recent transplants to the area from Hawaii . After a few informal picking sessions , the trio gelled and started performing .   `` We had a unique sound , a very strange sound , particularly because we found what we did best was old , traditional , country hillbilly music , Murray told John Einarson . `` That became the core of what we did , the three of us , and we took it from there . ''   The group 's sound was described as `` Merle Haggard-meets-Sgt . Pepper '' as a result of the wide-ranging influences each member brought to Hearts & Flowers . This included the aforementioned Haggard , plus Buck Owens , The Louvin and Everly brothers , The Country Gentlemen , The Beatles , and Bob Dylan . With such unorthodox influences -- plus the fact that the band featured autoharp -- , the group was torn about the direction it wanted to take . `` Had it been up to us , we would have gone way country , '' said Cunha . `` We wanted it to be commercial and fit into the pop market , but left to our own devices it would have been even more country . Production changed what we would have done . ''   Meanwhile , Hearts & Flowers was influencing local musicians who heard them in various folk clubs around the Los Angeles area . This included several people who would later be credited with developing the then-germinating Southern California country-rock sound . Jim Messina ( Buffalo Springfield , Poco , Loggins and Messina ) says , `` Those three guys were probably the closest thing to what we were all flowing into . They were the cutting edge of where the rest of us were going . They were the black that did n't quite have the edge sharped on it yet . I got my first Telecaster from Rick Cunha . ''   The group signed a deal with Capitol Records ' Folk World label in December 1966 . Once in the studio , the trio was filled out with studio musicians and steered into a more folk direction . On the road , the group would be augmented with an ever-changing series of musicians including Terry Paul ( Kris Kristofferson ) , Pete Carr ( The Hour Glass ) , and Karen Carpenter ( The Carpenters ) .   Tensions over the direction of the group eventually came to a head . Cunha left the group in Fall 1967 to write country music and produce .   Leadon replaced Cunha for the second album in 1968 . Leadon was well known to Murray as they had played in the Scottsville Squirrel Barkers , a San Diego bluegrass group responsible for launching both those members ' careers as well as those of Chris Hillman ( The Byrds , The Flying Burrito Brothers , Manassas ) and Kenny Wertz ( The Flying Burrito Brothers , Country Gazette ) .   Among venues they played during the mid-1960s , were Los Angeles clubs Ledbetter 's , Doug Weston 's Troubadour , The Whisky-a-Go-Go , and the Ash Grove , primarily as an opening act . Some of the groups with whom they shared a bill included The Doors , Bill Monroe , The Buffalo Springfield , and Blue Cheer . After recording two albums without major success , the group disbanded in 1968 .   Murray claims the group was `` in a rut '' and each member was working with other , different musicians . `` But for a simple twist of fate , we could have been huge . We had what it took , we had a lot of charisma , the personality of the group was amazing . But I do n't think we were focused business-wise . We tended to go with losers , because they were less high-pressure , and we dodged the real pressure people whose asses we should have been kissing . But you do what you do . Everything we did seemed like a good idea at the time . ''   The timing of the break-up could n't have been worse . It was just prior to the release of the seminal country-rock album by The Byrds , Sweetheart of the Rodeo , and the subsequent formation of The Flying Burrito Brothers , both of which are credited with popularizing the genre .

neg: Cultural impact of Elvis Presley Since the beginning of his career , Elvis Presley has had an extensive cultural impact . According to Rolling Stone , `` it was Elvis who made rock 'n' roll the international language of pop . '' Rolling Stone encyclopedia of Rock and Roll describes Presley as `` an American music giant of the 20th century who single-handedly changed the course of music and culture in the mid-1950s . '' His recordings , dance moves , attitude and clothing came to be seen as embodiments of rock and roll . His music was heavily influenced by African-American blues , Christian gospel , and Southern country . In a list of the greatest English language singers , as compiled by Q Magazine , Presley was ranked first , and second in the list of greatest singers of 20th century by BBC Radio .   Presley sang both hard driving rockabilly , rock and roll dance songs and ballads , laying a commercial foundation upon which other rock musicians would build their careers . African-American performers like Big Joe Turner , Wynonie Harris and Fats Domino came to national prominence after Presley 's acceptance among mass audiences of White American adults . Singers like Jerry Lee Lewis , the Everly Brothers , Chuck Berry , Bo Diddley , Little Richard , Buddy Holly , Johnny Cash , Roy Orbison and others immediately followed in his wake . John Lennon later observed , `` Before Elvis , there was nothing . ''   During the post-WWII economic boom of the 1950s , many parents were able to give their teenage children much higher weekly allowances , signaling a shift in the buying power and purchasing habits of American teens . During the 1940s bobby soxers had idolized Frank Sinatra , but the buyers of his records were mostly between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two . Presley triggered a lot of demand for his records by near-teens and early teens aged ten and up . Along with Presley 's `` ducktail '' haircut , the demand for black slacks and loose , open-necked shirts resulted in new lines of clothing for teenage boys whereas a girl might get a pink portable 45 rpm record player for her bedroom . Meanwhile , American teenagers began buying newly available portable transistor radios and listened to rock 'n' roll on them ( helping to propel that fledgling industry from an estimated 100,000 units sold in 1955 to 5,000,000 units by the end of 1958 ) . Teens were asserting more independence and Presley became a national symbol of their parents ' consternation .   Presley 's impact on the American youth consumer market was noted on the front page of The Wall Street Journal on December 31 , 1956 when business journalist Louis M. Kohlmeier wrote , `` Elvis Presley today is a business , '' and reported on the singer 's record and merchandise sales . Half a century later , historian Ian Brailsford ( University of Auckland , New Zealand ) commented , `` The phenomenal success of Elvis Presley in 1956 convinced many doubters of the financial opportunities existing in the youth market . ''

neg: Sun Studio Sun Studio is a recording studio opened by rock-and-roll pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis , Tennessee , on January 3 , 1950 . It was originally called Memphis Recording Service , sharing the same building with the Sun Records label business . Reputedly the first rock and roll single , Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats ' `` Rocket 88 '' was recorded there in 1951 with song composer Ike Turner on keyboards , leading the studio to claim status as the birthplace of rock & roll . Blues and R&B artists like Howlin ' Wolf , Junior Parker , Little Milton , B.B. King , James Cotton , Rufus Thomas , and Rosco Gordon recorded there in the early 1950s .   Rock and roll , country music , and rockabilly artists , including Johnny Cash , Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins , Roy Orbison , Charlie Feathers , Ray Harris , Warren Smith , Charlie Rich , and Jerry Lee Lewis , recorded there throughout the mid-to-late 1950s until the studio outgrew its Union Avenue location . Sam Phillips opened the larger Sam C. Phillips Recording Studio , better known as Phillips Recording , in 1959 to replace the older facility . Since Phillips had invested in the Holiday Inn Hotel chain earlier , he also recorded artists starting in 1963 on the label Holiday Inn Records for Kemmons Wilson . In 1957 , Bill Justis recorded his Grammy Hall of Fame song `` Raunchy '' for Sam Phillips and worked as a musical director at Sun Records .   In 1969 , Sam Phillips sold the label to Shelby Singleton , and there was no recording-related or label-related activity again in the building until the September 1985 Class of '55 recording sessions with Carl Perkins , Roy Orbison , Jerry Lee Lewis , and Johnny Cash , produced by Chips Moman .   In 1987 , the original building housing the Sun Records label and Memphis Recording Service was reopened by Gary Hardy as `` Sun Studio , '' a recording label and tourist attraction that has attracted many notable artists , such as U2 , Def Leppard , Bonnie Raitt , and Ringo Starr .   In 2005 , Brian Setzer ( of Stray Cats fame ) released his Rockabilly Riot Vol . 1 : A Tribute To Sun Records album . Although not recorded at Sun it did feature various Sun Records recordings including some hits and other more obscure songs . In 2007 , Canadian rockabilly band the Kingmakers recorded a selection of originals and classics such as Elvis Presley 's `` That 's All Right '' at Sun Studio , released as their first CD `` Live at SUN Studio '' . In May 2009 , Canadian blues artist JW-Jones recorded with blues legend Hubert Sumlin , Larry Taylor and Richard Innes for his 2010 release at the studio . In July 2009 , John Mellencamp recorded nine songs for his album No Better Than This at the studio . In 2011 , Chris Isaak released `` Beyond the Sun , '' a collection of songs recorded at Sun Studio , most of which are cover versions of songs originally released on Sun Records .

neg: When I Was Cruel When I Was Cruel is Elvis Costello 's 19th album , recorded in 2001 and 2002 and released in the US by Island Records on 23 April 2002 . The album includes the hits `` 45 '' and `` 15 Petals '' .   Although formally credited as solo Costello album , this was the first album to feature his new band , The Imposters . Their only difference from his previous band , The Attractions ( active 1978-87 , and 1994 -- 96 ) , was the replacement of bassist Bruce Thomas , with whom Costello had feuded , with Davey Faragher ( formerly of Cracker ) .

neg: Fred Wise (songwriter) Fred Wise ( May 27 , 1915 -- January 18 , 1966 ) was the co-writer of the lyrics to the 1948 song '' ` A ' -- You 're Adorable '' with Buddy Kaye . He subsequently wrote many of the songs sung by Elvis Presley in his movies .   Many of his songs were collaborations with Kay Twomey and Ben Weisman , sometimes with additional collaborators . ( see `` Wooden Heart '' and `` In the Beginning . '' )

neg: Radio Recorders Radio Recorders , Inc. located at 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard , was a recording studio based in Los Angeles , California .   Many notable musicians are reported to have been recorded in the studio include Billie Holiday , Charlie Parker , Jimmie Rodgers , Louis Armstrong , Mario Lanza , Elvis Presley , Jimi Hendrix , Frank Zappa , Paul Frees and The Carpenters among others . In its prime , the studio was known as the best recording facility in Los Angeles .   During the forties and fifties , Radio Recorders was responsible for recording countless radio shows , both network and local , for delayed broadcast , not always for California , but for many western states . Telephone lines ran to all the important stations and the networks . Studio C was the nerve center with at least six recording lathes and turntables and an `` on-the-air '' playback turntable protected by a railing so that it would not be bumped while it was playing a program onto the air . The recording lathes were shock mounted in sand to prevent rumble from the street cars on Santa Monica Boulevard . For much of that era , the recordings were made and played back on lacquer coated aluminum discs , before tape recording was introduced . The room could handle several programs at once , 24 hours a day , and quite often a single engineer on duty would have his hands full .   Most of the major labels used Radio Recorders well into the 1960s . Columbia , RCA Victor , Capitol , and Decca ultimately had their own facilities , but Radio Recorders was still the choice of many independent labels and both popular and classical artists , from Stravinsky to Elvis . In addition , most of the jingles were recorded there . In 1962 H.B. Barnum and Bill Aken chose the annex to record their big band version of ` Goody , Goody '' for Governor Goodwin J. ( Goodie ) Knight 's re-election campaign . Additionally in 1962 Bill Aken would record the classic ` Theme For Shock Theater , ' again with engineer Phil Yeend working the board . The main location at 7000 Santa Monica had two large studios and some smaller ones , as well as disc mastering facilities . In 1946 , the company remodeled a warehouse at 1032 North Sycamore Avenue and built a large studio , capable of handling approximately fifty musicians . This studio was known as Radio Recorders Annex , or , within the industry , just `` The Annex . '' The warehouse originally belonged to RCA Victor and `` the Annex '' was a legendary studio that Victor had built in their warehouse back in the ` 30 's .   In 1965 , Radio Recorders ' star engineer , Thorne Nogar , purchased The Annex and started his own independent Annex Studios , which attracted a distinguished clientele as a full service studio , including mastering . For many years , Lawrence Welk pre-recorded the music for his popular television show , becoming the most important client ; in addition , in the 1960s and 1970s Annex mastered for such labels as Uni Records , Dot Records and Ranwood Records , as well as cutting early pressings of Barbra Streisand 's hit single `` The Way We Were . '' The Annex 's location now houses The Record Plant Studios .   In the late 1980 's the studio was reopened as Studio 56 by Paul Shwartz . At that time bands such as Guns & Roses , Sugar Ray , Toni Braxton , Brandy , No Doubt and others recorded there . The documentary `` Standing in the Shadows of Motown '' was also partially filmed there . Kenneth Crouh , Keith Crouch and Leon Sylvers were all house producers there at that time .   In 2002 the studio gained two new partners Pride Hutchison and Michael Dumas . The studio was then brought back to business under its original name Radio Recorders , and they enlisted the help of longtime friends Jordan Winsen and Steve Loiacano as their staff second engineers . Tom O'Brien , who was working for Schwartz , was kept on as chief engineer . In 2004 the property was declared a historic attraction but never achieved official landmark status by the city of Los Angeles . From 2002 to 2008 the studio welcomed many great projects and clients including Natalie Cole , Dwight Yoakum , Lucinda Williams , Lil ' John , Exzihbit , Annie Lennox and many more ... The facility closed again in 2008 a midst a fraud dispute between Hutchison , Dumas and Shwartz , Silent owners seeking to save the building and real estate property flipper David Bennet . In the end the building was sold in bankruptcy court . Shwartz was left broke , betrayed and feeling blindly used . With lack of capital to fight and overturn the courts decision , the silent owners were left with no moves and the legendary Radio Recorders building was gutted and demolished from the inside . The story as it goes from the inside supposedly is :  Schwartz had a partner before Dumas and Hutchison who passed away and with him likely many of the studios strongest contracts .  Under Schwartz mismanagement the studio struggled and subsequently defaulted on all financial obligations . Hutchinson and Dumas than found Schwartz in a vulnerable position and for a total sum if 50-60k each ( 100k ) Schwartz agreed to partner with them . It is unclear whether they were ever added to the deed or if this money ever went to debts . Its also rumored that during the period of their partnership many raves were held in soundstage studio E ( dubbed so for Elvis ) and rampant drug abuse took place and continued among the partners . It is known that methamphetamine was found in the cupboards of the studio kitchen shortly after Schwartz and that his behavior was often erratic . What than takes place is a battle for property rights among all involved both the silent partner and David Bennet claiming they paid Schwartz a sum of money for his rights .  One side is that a late night meeting took place with notary a menial fee was given to Schwartz and he gave his rights . The other side is David Bennet provided compensation to both Dumas and Hutchison in excess of 50k each for their investment as well as 100k to Schwartz in return for all of their rights . The problem for Bennet being a flipper was that currently each studio was occupied by a tenant and this other silent partner was laying claim . He proceeded to systematically attempt to forge alliances under the false premises that all who helped would bennifit either from the sale / that he would n't sell the building and had no intention of gutting it but rather would maintain it as a studio/That he would sell the property atca fair price to a tenant if they helped him and could raise the capital in a small window . . Supposedly this stipulation was met and Bennet than backed out on his agreement . Hutchison and Dumas were the first to go followed by others . All gear by this point including the piano axel rose recorded November rain with was liquidated and only one studio operated in the building . When Bennet backed out of his deal ( or perhaps the money was never actually raised ) the fight for ownership intensified . Reportedly glass doors were shatterd having had the hinge pins pulled from them and orange Xs were spray painted on other wooden doors of vacant rooms when no one was around . While the silent partner and tenant had teamed up . The results were the same radio recorders studios shut its doors September 2009 . Sleepy Brown of Organized Noise would be the last artist to produce a record in the building . Despite Bennett 's best assurances the studios would all be gutted turned into accounting offices sadly only to become owned by a studio company againv . Schwartz sadly would take his own life.Today the space is used for art exhibits .   In 2010 the property was once again sold and is now part of the Siren Production Company .

neg: Trust (Elvis Costello album) Trust is an album by Elvis Costello and the Attractions . It is Costello 's fifth album , and fourth with the Attractions . It was also his fifth consecutive album produced by Nick Lowe , who handled production on all songs except `` Big Sister 's Clothes '' ( which the liner notes make clear by stating that Lowe was `` not to blame '' for it ) .

neg: Tony Visconti Anthony Edward `` Tony '' Visconti ( born April 24 , 1944 ) is an American record producer , musician and singer . Since the late 1960s , he has worked with an array of performers . His lengthiest involvement with any artist is with David Bowie : intermittently from Bowie 's second album in 1969 to the 2016 release Blackstar , Visconti produced and occasionally performed on many of Bowie 's albums .

neg: Rock-A-Hula Baby `` Rock-A-Hula Baby ( `` Twist '' Special ) '' is a song performed by Elvis Presley for the 1961 movie Blue Hawaii . Written by Ben Weisman , Fred Wise , and Dolores Fuller , it is a genre mix of Hawaiian folk and rock and roll . It was the first song published by Fuller , who would eventually co-write a dozen songs for Presley .   A double A-sided release with `` Ca n't Help Falling in Love '' , it peaked at No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1962 , and spent four weeks at the chart summit . The song has appeared on several compilation albums due to its chart success .   The title song of the 1992 movie Rock-a-Doodle parodied `` Rock-A-Hula Baby '' .


query: Iran has a rich cultural legacy.

pos: Iran Iran ( ɪ , also ɪ ) , formerly known as Persia , is a sovereign state in Western Asia . It is bordered to the northwest by Armenia , the de facto Republic of Artsakh and Azerbaijan ; to the north by the Caspian Sea ; to the northeast by Turkmenistan ; to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan ; to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; and to the west by Turkey and Iraq . Comprising a land area of 1648195 km2 , it is the second-largest country in the Middle East and the 18th-largest in the world . Officially with 79.93 million inhabitants ( Nov 2016 ) , Iran is the world 's 18th-most-populous country . It is the only country with both a Caspian Sea and an Indian Ocean coastline . The country 's central location in Eurasia and Western Asia , and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz , make it of great geostrategic importance . Iran has diverse landscapes and geographical conditions . Tehran is the country 's capital and largest city , as well as its leading economic and cultural center .   Iran is home to one of the world 's oldest civilizations , beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the 4th millennium BC . The area was first unified and dominated by the Iranian Medes in the 7th century BC . Iran reached its greatest extent during the Achaemenid Empire ( First Persian Empire ) founded by Cyrus the Great in 6th century BC , the largest empire the world had yet seen , stretching from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley . Persia fell to Alexander the Great in 4th century BC , but reemerged shortly after as the Parthian Empire . Under the Sassanians , Persia became a leading world power for the next four centuries .   In 7th century AD , Arabs conquered Persia and largely displaced the indigenous faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism with the new religion of Islam . Iranians became major contributors to the Islamic Golden Age that followed , producing many influential scientists , scholars , artists and thinkers . After two centuries , a period of various Iranian dynasties began , although these dynasties were later conquered by Turks and then the Mongols . An Iranian national identity was always reasserted however , developing a distinct cultural entity . The rise of the Safavids in 15th century led to the establishment of Twelver Shia Islam as the official religion , marking a turning point in Muslim history . In the 18th century , Iran arguably possessed briefly the most powerful military at the time under Nader Shah . Conflicts with the Russian Empire in 19th century led to significant territorial losses . Popular unrest culminated in the Persian Constitutional Revolution , which established a constitutional monarchy and the country 's first legislative body , the Majles . Following a coup d'état instigated by the UK and the US in 1953 , Iran gradually became closely aligned with the West and grew increasingly autocratic . Growing dissent against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic republic , a political system which combines elements of a parliamentary democracy with a theocracy governed by Islamic jurists under the concept of a `` Supreme Leadership '' . According to international observers , the current Iranian government is oppressive , with human rights abuses commonplace .   A multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups , most inhabitants of Iran are Shia Muslims and Persian is the official language . The largest ethnic groups in Iran are the Persians , Azeris , Kurds and Lurs .   Iran is a founding member of the UN , ECO , NAM , OIC , and OPEC . Iran is a major regional and middle power , and its large reserves of fossil fuels -- which include the largest natural gas supply in the world and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves -- exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy . Iran 's rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites , the third-largest number in Asia and 11th-largest in the world .

neg: Azeri style The `` Azerbaijani style '' or `` Azeri style '' is a style ( sabk ) of architecture when categorizing Iranian architecture development in Iranian Azerbaijan history . Landmarks of this style of architecture span from the late 13th century ( Ilkhanate ) to the appearance of the Safavid Dynasty in the 16th century CE .   Examples of this style are Dome of Soltaniyeh , Arg e Tabriz , Jameh Mosque of Varamin , Goharshad Mosque , Bibi Khanum mosque in Samarqand , tomb of Abdas-Samad , Gur-e Amir , Jameh mosque of Yazd and Jameh Mosque of Urmia .

neg: Muharram Museum Muharram museum is an anthropological museums in Tabriz , in the East Azerbaijan province , Iran . As it is known , anthropology is the study of people 's culture , hence Muharram ceremonies which are arisen from the heart of Shi'ite , involve the important fields of anthropological studies . Muharram ceremonies represent the quarrel of good and evil , oppressor and oppressed and the most important point they stand for Ashura . As a whole , it can be considered that the ceremonies held in Muharram all are symbolic .   What are displayed at Muharram museum symbolize all the ceremonies and traditions of Muharrem in East Azerbaijan province . All are the elements of culture that strengthen the culture of the society . The signs and symbols are representing something beyond themselves , they could be abstract or natural but the signs , that considered here , are cultural signs . Sometimes the signs signify religious and mythological aspects relevant to the culture and the history of man .   At Muharram museum symbols of Muharrem such as candles , lamps , cradles , various flags are displayed . The aim of establishing such a museum is displaying material attractions and symbols used on the month of Muharrem . Thebuilding of the museum is one of the old houses of Tabriz called Sehati 's house . The style of architecture shows that the building dates back to the end of Qajar era . The house covered an area of 409 sq. m in three floors . It has been registered under the number of 2336 in the list of national monuments of the country since 1999 .

neg: Khuzestan Plain The Khuzestan Plain is the relatively flat region of Iran where the Khuzestan province and the cities of Ahvaz , Susa and Abadan are located . It is the largest plain in Iran and one of the richest agricultural areas in the world . It is irrigated by several big rivers such as Karun and Karkheh . Khuzestan Plain borders Mesopotamia and is separated from it by the Shatt al-Arab ( known as Arvand Rud in Iran ) river .   Khuzestan was the center of the ancient Elamite culture of Iran .

neg: Sogdia Sogdia or Sogdiana was an ancient Iranian civilization that at different times included territory located in present-day Tajikistan and Uzbekistan such as : Samarkand , Bukhara , Khujand , Panjikent and Shahrisabz . Sogdiana was also a province of the Achaemenid Empire , eighteenth in the list on the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great ( i. 16 ) . In the Avesta , Sogdiana is listed as the second best land that the supreme deity Ahura Mazda had created . It comes second , after Airyanem Vaejah , `` homeland of the Aryans '' , in the Zoroastrian book of Vendidad , indicating the importance of this region from ancient times . Sogdiana was conquered by the Macedonian ruler Alexander the Great in 328 BC and later formed part of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and Sasanian Empire .   The Sogdian states , although never politically united , were centred on the main city of Samarkand . Sogdiana lay north of Bactria , east of Khwarezm , and southeast of Kangju between the Oxus ( Amu Darya ) and the Jaxartes ( Syr Darya ) , embracing the fertile valley of the Zeravshan ( ancient Polytimetus ) . Sogdian territory corresponds to the modern provinces of Samarkand and Bokhara in modern Uzbekistan as well as the Sughd province of modern Tajikistan . During the High Middle Ages , Sogdian cities included sites stretching towards Issyk Kul such as that at the archeological site of Suyab . Sogdian , an Eastern Iranian language , is no longer a spoken language , but its direct descendant , Yaghnobi , is still spoken by the Yaghnobis of Tajikistan . It was widely spoken in Central Asia as a lingua franca and even served as one of the Turkic Khaganate 's court languages for writing documents .   Sogdians also lived in Imperial China and rose to special prominence in the military and government of the Chinese Tang dynasty ( 618 -- 907 AD ) . Sogdian merchants and diplomats traveled as far west as the Byzantine Empire . They played an important part as middlemen in the trade route of the Silk Road . While originally following the faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism from Persia , Buddhism from India , and Nestorian Christianity from West Asia , the gradual conversion to Islam among the Sogdians and their descendants began with the Muslim conquest of Transoxiana in the 8th century . The Sogdian conversion to Islam was virtually complete by the end of the Samanid Empire in 999 , coinciding with the decline of the Sogdian language , as it was largely supplanted by Persian .

neg: Iran–United Arab Emirates relations Relations between the neighboring countries of Iran and the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) are deeply historic , dating back centuries prior to the establishment of the modern-day United Arab Emirates . They maintain diplomatic relations , with embassies in each other countries , and have close economic ties .   There is a significant community of Iranians in the United Arab Emirates , mostly residing in the emirate of Dubai . An Arabic-speaking native community lives in the southern provinces of Iran , some of whose members share historical ties with the southern shores of the Persian Gulf .

neg: Swedish Iranians Swedish Iranians consist of people of Iranian nationality who have settled in Sweden , as well as Swedish residents and citizens of Iranian heritage .   There are approximately 63,828 people born in Iran living in Sweden today , as well as 28,600 people born in Sweden with at least one parent born in Iran . They are one of Sweden 's largest minorities , accounting for nearly two percent of the population .   The very first wave of Iranian refugees consisted of 5,000 Iranian refugees who fled to Sweden in 1979-1980 most of them were middle-aged , middle-class socialists who were opposing the revolution . When the Iran-Iraq War broke out in 1980 , almost 20,000 Iranian citizens found asylum in Sweden . Second generation Iranian Swedes are well-represented in higher education and in some well paying professions like dentistry and engineering .   About 60 % percent of them go on to higher education -- more than the Swedish average ( 45 percent ) Iranian culture with its emphasis on education may be part of the reason for this . Becoming an engineer or a doctor is a mantra in many families . Abundantly represented minorities amongst the Swedish Iranians , like in other Iranian diaspora nations are Azerbaijanis , Kurds , Armenians and Assyrians .

neg: Alcohol in Iran Alcohol in Iran is prohibited for the majority of its citizens , due to laws against consumption of alcohol by Iranian Muslims who make up the great majority of the country . Following the Iranian Revolution of 1979 , strict laws against alcohol were enacted , and alcohol consumption is regulated under the Islamic legal term of hudud , `` crimes against God '' . Despite complete prohibition for Muslim citizens , there is still widespread alcohol use across Iran . Alcohol is the second most popular drug in Iran , after opiates .   Non-Muslim citizens are granted a limited permission to produce alcohol for consumption within their community . This exemption , however , also leads to a attitude towards them ( especially Armenians ) as alcohol dealers , and a segment of black market alcohol in Iran comes through the minority community .

neg: Islamic Azad University of Shiraz The Islamic Azad University , Shiraz Branch is a private university located in Shiraz , Iran . It is a part of private chain of universities in Iran called the Islamic Azad Universities .  The Islamic Azad University of Shiraz with over 290 faculty and academic staff , 82,000 square meters of educational space , 7,500 square meters of administration space , 15,200 square meters of sporting space , is the biggest private university in the southern region of Iran .   The headquarters of the Islamic Azad University is in Tehran , Iran . The Islamic Azad University was founded in 1982 and currently has an enrollment of 1.7 million students , 30,000 Alumni and 35,000 Administrators making it the world 's third largest . Over 3.5 million students have graduated from the Islamic Azad University since its establishment . Islamic Azad University has a total area of 16 million square meters and over 440 branches across Iran and also in other countries around the world . It has also international branches and universities in the U.A.E , United Kingdom , Tanzania , Lebanon , Afghanistan and Armenia and has plans to establish more branch campuses in Malaysia , Canada , and Tajikistan in the near future .   Over the years , the university has accumulated assets estimated to be worth between $ 20 and $ 25 billion . The total Area of the University is said to be 20 million square meters .  Some 4 million students have graduated from this university to this date , which has made it possible for a lot of people to get access to higher educations and better employment prospects .  In the recent years a lot of effort has been made to expand the graduate studies at the Islamic Azad University . The Islamic Azad University has about 200,000 Master 's Degree students and about 20,000 PhD level students .   The university system also operates a news agency similar to ANA , named `` Azad News Agency '' .  Islamic Azad University 's activities quickly expanded throughout the country , so that today thousands of students are enrolling every year . Not relying on government funding , it receives charitable donations and charges tuition fees .   The Islamic Azad University also operates some 617 schools throughout the country , these schools are known as SAMA .   The degrees and certificates issued by this university are recognized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education . Post-graduate degrees have been offered in many different branches of Islamic Azad University .

neg: Iranian Reformists The Iranian reformists ( -LSB- اصلاح طلبان , Eslâh-Talabân -RSB- ) are a political faction in Iran that support former President Mohammad Khatami 's plans to change the Iranian political system to include more freedom and democracy . Iran 's `` reform era '' is sometimes said to have lasted from 1997 to 2005 -- the length of Khatami 's two terms in office . The Council for Coordinating the Reforms Front is the main umbrella organization and coalition within the movement ; however , there are reformist groups not aligned with the council , such as the Reformists Front .

neg: Zayandeh River Culture Zayandeh River Culture ( تمدن زاینده رود , literally `` Zāyandé-Rūd Civilization '' ) is a hypothetical pre-historic culture that is theorized to have flourished around the Zayandeh River in Iran in the 6th millennium BC .   Archaeologists speculate that a possible early civilization existed along the banks of the Zayandeh River , developing at the same time as other ancient civilizations appeared alongside rivers in the region , such as the Sumerian civilization in Iraq and the Indus Valley civilization in ancient India .

neg: List of World Heritage Sites in Northern and Central Asia The UNESCO ( United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization ) has designated 19 World Heritage Sites in six countries ( also called `` state parties '' ) of Central and North Asia : Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Uzbekistan and the Asian part of Russia . The European part of Russia is included in Eastern Europe .   Russia is home to the most inscribed sites with 7 sites , one of which is a transborder property shared with Mongolia in Eastern Asia . The first site from the region was the Itchan Kala in Uzbekistan inscribed in 1990 . Each year , UNESCO 's World Heritage Committee may inscribe new sites on the list , or delist sites that no longer meet the criteria . Selection is based on ten criteria : six for cultural heritage ( i -- vi ) and four for natural heritage ( vii -- x ) . Some sites , designated `` mixed sites , '' represent both cultural and natural heritage . In Northern and Central Asia , there are 11 cultural , 8 natural , and no mixed sites . All of the Russian sites ( 7 ) are natural and with the exception of Sayarka , all of the sites in Central Asia are cultural .   The World Heritage Committee may also specify that a site is endangered , citing `` conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which a property was inscribed on the World Heritage List . '' None of the sites in this region has ever been listed as endangered , but possible danger listing has been considered by UNESCO in a number of cases .

neg: Women in Iran Women in Iran discusses the history , contribution , aspects , and roles of women in Iran . Women have always played fundamental , crucial , and representative roles in the long history of Iran .

neg: Tehran Bureau Tehran Bureau is an online news magazine covering politics , foreign affairs , culture and society in Iran and the Iranian Diaspora . It was founded by Iranian-born journalist Kelly Golnoush Niknejad in February 2008 , initially as a blog . In May 2009 , it was launched as a virtual news bureau , featuring a growing list of regular contributors and journalists knowledgeable about Iran and Iranian affairs . Tehran Bureau combines aspects of traditional journalism and new media , using trusted online social networks to complement conventional coverage . Starting out as an independent news organization , Tehran Bureau had no affiliation with and received no funding or support from any government , religious , or interest group . However in September 2009 it began a collaboration with the Public Broadcasting Service television series `` Frontline '' which will provide it with financing , host its Web site and provide editorial support . In return Tehran Bureau will help shape a coming `` Frontline '' program about Iran .   The British news website The Guardian hosted Tehran Bureau for a while . In an article revealing the new arrangement , The Guardian assured that the magazine would `` retain its independence under Niknejad ''   Its mission statement states , `` Tehran Bureau is a virtual bureau connecting journalists , Iran experts and readers all over the world . Our stories are written by Iranians in Iran and the Middle East , foreigners viewing or interacting with our culture for the first time , and hyphenated Iranians best suited to bridge the cultures . ''   Among its contributing journalists Muhammad Sahimi , Jason Rezaian , Gareth Smyth and many others writing without a byline since the crackdown on journalists after the June 12 presidential election of 2009 .

neg: Achaemenid Assyria Athura ( ð ð ° ð cents ð 1/4 ð Aθurā ) , also called Assyria Babylonia , was a geographical area within the Persian Achaemenid Empire held by the last nobility of Aššur ( Akkadian ) , known as Athura ( Neo-Aramaic ) or Atouria ( Greek ) , during the period of 539 BC to 330 BC as a military protectorate state of Persia under the rule of Cyrus the Great . Although sometimes regarded as a satrapy , Achaemenid royal inscriptions list it as a dahyu , a concept generally interpreted as meaning either a group of people or both a country and its people , without any administrati   It mostly incorporated the original Assyrian kingdom , corresponding with modern northern Iraq in the upper Tigris , the middle and upper Euphrates , modern-day north eastern Syria ( Eber-Nari ) and part of south-east Anatolia ( modern Turkey ) . The Neo-Assyrian Empire collapsed after a period of violent civil wars , followed by an invasion by a coalition of some of its former subject peoples , the Iranian peoples ( Medes , Persians and Scythians ) , Babylonians and Cimmerians in the late 7th century BC , culminating in the Battle of Nineveh , and Assyria had fallen completely by 605 BC . Between 605 and 559 BC , Assyria was divided between the Median Empire to the east and the Neo-Babylonian Empire to the west . Both parts were subsumed into the Achaemenid Empire in 539 BC , and it has been argued that they constituted the satrapies of Media and Athura , respectively . In Herodotus ' account the Ninth Tributary District comprised `` Babylonia and the rest of Assyria '' , and excluded Eber-Nari .   Despite a few rebellions , Assyria functioned as an important part of the Achaemenid Empire . The Assyrian people were given the right to govern themselves throughout Achaemenid rule , and the Assyrian ( Aramaic ) language was used diplomatically by the Persians . Known for their combat skills , Assyrian soldiers ( along with the Lydians ) constituted the main heavy infantry of the Achaemenid empire 's military . Due to the major destruction of Assyria during the fall of its empire , some early scholars described the area as an `` uninhabited wasteland . '' Other Assyriologists , however , such as John Curtis and Simo Parpola , have strongly disputed this claim , citing how Assyria would eventually become one of the wealthiest regions among the Achaemenid Empire . This wealth was due to the land 's great prosperity for agriculture that the Persians used effectively for almost 200 years . In contrast to the policy of the Assyrian Empire , the Achaemenid Persians did not intervene in the internal affairs of their ruling satrapies as long as they continued the flow of tribute and taxes back to Persia .

neg: Udvada Atash Behram The Udvada Atash Behram , also known as the Iran Shah , `` King of Iran '' , is a temple in Udvada , Gujarat on the west coast of India . It is one of the eight fire temples ( holy place of worship ) of the Zoroastrian religion in the country . The Atash Bahram , meaning `` Victorious Fire '' , is one of the oldest fire temples in India , dated to the eight century , and represents the historical cultural and religious links with Iran . The current temple was built in 1742 by Dinshaw Dorabjee Mistry from Bombay . The temple structure , built spaciously , is well decorated and contains the Dasturji Koyaji Mirza hall and a museum . The main hall of the temple is accessed through a two-stage staircase . The temple attracts Zoroastrian pilgrims from all parts of India , Pakistan and from around the world .

neg: Constitutionalization attempts in Iran The Persian Constitutional Revolution was a short-lived push for democratic rule in the form of a constitutional monarchy within a highly elitist yet decentralized society under the Qajars . The mounting disgust amidst the clergy , bazaaris , farmers , intellectuals , and other segments of the populace with respect to the Shah ( s ) ' policies during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century illustrates a classic example of an environment ripe for protest , as a wide array of people in society felt an increasing need to express their grievances with an oppressive and largely autocratic government .

neg: Geography of Iran Geographically , Iran is located in West Asia and borders the Caspian Sea , Persian Gulf , and Gulf of Oman . Its mountains have helped to shape both the political and the economic history of the country for several centuries . The mountains enclose several broad basins , on which major agricultural and urban settlements are located . Until the 20th century , when major highways and railroads were constructed through the mountains to connect the population centers , these basins tended to be relatively isolated from one another .   Typically , one major town dominated each basin , and there were complex economic relationships between the town and the hundreds of villages that surrounded it . In the higher elevations of the mountains rimming the basins , tribally organized groups practiced transhumance , moving with their herds of sheep and goats between traditionally established summer and winter pastures . There are no major river systems in the country , and historically transportation was by means of caravans that followed routes traversing gaps and passes in the mountains . The mountains also impeded easy access to the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea .   With an area of 1648000 km2 , Iran ranks eighteenth in size among the countries of the world . Iran shares its northern borders with three post-Soviet states : Armenia , Azerbaijan , and Turkmenistan . These borders extend for more than 2000 km , including nearly 650 km of water along the southern shore of the Caspian Sea . Iran 's western borders are with Turkey in the north and Iraq in the south , terminating at the Arvand Rud .   The Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman littorals form the entire 1770 km southern border . To the east lie Afghanistan on the north and Pakistan on the far south . Iran 's diagonal distance from Azerbaijan in the northwest to Sistan and Baluchestan Province in the southeast is approximately 2333 km .

neg: Iran–Mexico relations Iran -- Mexico relations refers to the bilateral relations between Iran and Mexico .

neg: History of Afghanistan The written history of Afghanistan , ( تاریخ افغانستان د افغانستان تاريخ can be traced back to around 500 BCE when the area was under the Achaemenid Empire , although evidence indicates that an advanced degree of urbanized culture has existed in the land since between 3000 and 2000 BCE . The Indus Valley Civilisation stretched up to large parts of Afghanistan in the north , with several sites being known . Alexander the Great and his Macedonian army arrived at what is now Afghanistan in 330 BCE after conquering Persia during the Battle of Gaugamela . Since then , many empires have established capitals inside Afghanistan , including the Greco-Bactrians , Mauryas , Kushans , Hindu Shahi , Saffarids , Samanids , Ghaznavids , Ghurids , Timurids , Mughals , Hotakis and Durranis .   Afghanistan ( meaning `` land of the Afghans '' ) has been a strategically important location throughout history . The land served as `` a gateway to India , impinging on the ancient Silk Road , which carried trade from the Mediterranean to China '' . Sitting on many trade and migration routes , Afghanistan may be called the ` Central Asian roundabout ' since routes converge from the Middle East , from the Indus Valley through the passes over the Hindu Kush , from the Far East via the Tarim Basin , and from the adjacent Eurasian Steppe .   The archaeological manifestation of the Indo-Iranians ( Aryans ) before their split into separate language groups is generally seen as the Andronovo culture to the north of present-day Afghanistan . The Iranian languages were developed by one branch of these people ; the Pashto language spoken today in Afghanistan is one of the Eastern Iranian languages . Elena E. Kuz ` mina argues that the tents of Iranian-speaking nomads of Afghanistan developed from the light surface houses of the Eurasian steppe belt in the Bronze Age .   The Arab invasions influenced the culture of Afghanistan , and its pre-Islamic period of Zoroastrian , Macedonian , Buddhist and Hindu past has long vanished . Turkic empire-builders such as the Ghaznavids and Timurids made the region now called Afghanistan of major importance .   Mirwais Hotak followed by Ahmad Shah Durrani unified Afghan tribes and founded the last Afghan Empire in the early 18th century CE . Afghanistan 's sovereignty has been held during the Anglo-Afghan Wars , the 1980s Soviet war , and the 2001-present war by the country 's many and diverse people : the Pashtuns , Tajiks , Hazaras , Uzbeks , Turkmen , Aimak , Baloch and others . The Pashtuns form the largest group , claiming to be descendants of ancient Israelites or Qais Abdur Rashid but scholars believe that they are a confederation of various peoples from the past who united under Pashtunwali .

neg: Intellectual movements in Iran Intellectual movements in Iran involve the Iranian experience of modernity and its associated art , science , literature , poetry , and political structures that have been changing since the 19th century .