query: Elizabeth II is the female monarch of the United Kingdom.

pos: Elizabeth II Elizabeth II ( Elizabeth Alexandra Mary ; born 21 April 1926 ) has been Queen of the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand since 6 February 1952 . She is Head of the Commonwealth and Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession : Jamaica , Barbados , the Bahamas , Grenada , Papua New Guinea , Solomon Islands , Tuvalu , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Belize , Antigua and Barbuda , and Saint Kitts and Nevis .   Elizabeth was born in London as the elder child of the Duke and Duchess of York , later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth , and she was educated privately at home . Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936 , from which time she was the heir presumptive . She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War , serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In 1947 , she married Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , a former prince of Greece and Denmark , with whom she has four children : Charles , Prince of Wales ; Anne , Princess Royal ; Prince Andrew , Duke of York ; and Prince Edward , Earl of Wessex .   Elizabeth 's many historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland and visits to or from five popes . She has seen major constitutional changes , such as devolution in the United Kingdom , Canadian patriation , and the decolonisation of Africa . She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms . She is the world 's oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain 's longest-lived . In 2015 , she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother , Queen Victoria , to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant and female head of state in world history . In October 2016 , she became the longest currently reigning monarch and head of state following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand .   Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children , her coronation in 1953 , and the celebration of milestones such as her Silver , Golden , and Diamond Jubilees in 1977 , 2002 , and 2012 , respectively . In 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee . Moments of sadness for her include the death of her father in 1952 at age 56 ; the assassination of Prince Philip 's uncle Lord Mountbatten in 1979 ; the breakdown of her children 's marriages in 1992 ( her annus horribilis ) ; the death in 1997 of her son 's former wife , Diana , Princess of Wales ; and the deaths of her mother and sister in 2002 . Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the royal family ; however , support for the monarchy remains high , as does her personal popularity .

neg: List of heads of state of Uganda This is a list of the heads of state of Uganda , from the independence of Uganda in 1962 to the present day .   From 1962 to 1963 , the head of state under the Uganda Independence Act 1962 was the Queen of Uganda , Elizabeth II , who was also the monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms . The Queen was represented in Uganda by a governor-general . Uganda became a republic under the Constitution of 1963 , when the monarch and governor-general were replaced by an executive president .

neg: Kingdom of Great Britain The United Kingdom of Great Britain , officially Great Britain , was a sovereign state in western Europe from 1 May 1707 to 31 December 1800 . The state came into being following the Treaty of Union in 1706 , ratified by the Acts of Union 1707 , which united the kingdoms of England and Scotland to form a single kingdom encompassing the whole island of Great Britain and its outlying islands . It did not include Ireland , which remained a separate realm . The unitary state was governed by a single parliament and government that was based in Westminster . The former kingdoms had been in personal union since James VI , King of Scots , became King of England and King of Ireland in 1603 following the death of Queen Elizabeth I , bringing about a `` Union of the Crowns '' . Also after the accession of George I to the throne of Great Britain in 1714 , the kingdom was in a personal union with the Electorate of Hanover .   The early years of the unified kingdom were marked by Jacobite risings which ended in defeat for the Stuart cause at Culloden in 1746 . Later on in 1763 , victory in the Seven Years ' War led to the dominance of the British Empire , which was to become the foremost global power for over a century and later grew to become the largest empire in history .   On 1 January 1801 , the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland were merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . In 1922 , five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the United Kingdom and the state was renamed the `` United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland '' -- a title it has retained to date .

neg: Mauritius (Commonwealth realm) The Commonwealth realm of Mauritius , officially known as `` Mauritius '' , was a predecessor to the modern-day Republic of Mauritius and an independent state that existed between 1968 and 1992 .   When British rule ended in 1968 , the Mauritius Independence Act 1968 transformed the British Crown Colony of Mauritius into an independent sovereign Commonwealth realm . The British monarch , Elizabeth II , remained head of state . Mauritius shared the Sovereign with the other Commonwealth realms . The monarch 's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of Mauritius . The royal succession was governed by the English Act of Settlement of 1701 . During the Commonwealth realm phase , the following governors-general held office :   Sir John Shaw Rennie ( 12 March -- 27 August 1968 )  Sir Michel Rivalland ( 27 August -- 3 September 1968 )  Sir Leonard Williams ( 3 September 1968 -- 27 December 1972 )  Sir Raman Osman ( 27 December 1972 -- 31 October 1977 )  Sir Henry Garrioch ( 31 October 1977 -- 26 April 1979 )  Sir Dayendranath Burrenchobay ( 26 April 1979 -- 28 December 1983 )  Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam ( 28 December 1983 -- 15 December 1985 )  Sir Cassam Moollan ( 15 December 1985 -- 17 January 1986 ) ( acting )  Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo ( 17 January 1986 -- 12 March 1992 )   Seewoosagur Ramgoolam and then Sir Anerood Jugnauth held office as Prime Minister of Mauritius .   Elizabeth II visited Mauritius 24 -- 26 March 1972 in her capacity as Queen of Mauritius .   The Republic of Mauritius was proclaimed on 12 March 1992 . It is the most recent former Commonwealth realm to become a republic within the Commonwealth . Following the abolition of the monarchy , the last Governor General of Mauritius , Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo became the first President of Mauritius .

neg: Commonwealth realm A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state that is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares the same person , currently Elizabeth II , as its head of state and reigning constitutional monarch , but retains a crown legally distinct from the other realms . As of 2017 , there are 16 Commonwealth realms : Antigua and Barbuda , Australia , Barbados , Belize , Canada , Grenada , Jamaica , New Zealand , Papua New Guinea , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Solomon Islands , The Bahamas , Tuvalu and the United Kingdom .   The Statute of Westminster 1931 provided for the then Dominions -- named therein as Canada , Australia , New Zealand , the Union of South Africa , the Irish Free State , and Newfoundland -- to have full or nearly full legislative independence as equal members of the British Commonwealth of Nations , having , together with the United Kingdom , one person as the sovereign of each . Subsequently , India and Pakistan ( both in 1947 ) and Ceylon ( in 1948 ) became Dominions . By the early 1950s , in order to reflect the equality between the countries in that group , each ( including the United Kingdom , but not the former Irish Free State and India , which had by that time become republics ) came to be known as a realm . The word was formally used in Britain 's proclamation of Elizabeth II as queen in 1952 and was adopted for the modern royal styles and titles under the legislation enacted by the individual countries . The principle was applied to other countries as they became Commonwealth realms , having sovereign status granted directly . The phrase Commonwealth realm , though used officially , is not a statutory term .

neg: Politics of Wales Politics in Wales forms a distinctive polity in the wider politics of the United Kingdom , with Wales as one of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom ( UK ) .   Constitutionally , the United Kingdom is de jure a unitary state with one sovereign parliament and government . However , under a system of devolution ( or home rule ) adopted in the late 1990s three of the four constituent parts of the United Kingdom , Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland , voted for limited self-government , subject to the ability of the UK Parliament in Westminster , nominally at will , to amend , change , broaden or abolish the national governmental systems . As such the National Assembly for Wales ( Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru ) is not de jure sovereign .   Executive power in the United Kingdom is vested in the Queen-in-Council , while legislative power is vested in the Queen-in-Parliament ( the Crown and the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster in London ) . The Government of Wales Act 1998 established devolution in Wales , and certain executive and legislative powers have been constitutionally delegated to the National Assembly for Wales . The scope of these powers was further widened by the Government of Wales Act 2006 .

neg: Malawi (Commonwealth realm) Malawi was a predecessor to the modern-day Republic of Malawi . It existed between 1964 and 1966 . When British rule ended in 1964 , by the Malawi Independence Act 1964 , the Nyasaland Protectorate , formerly a constituent of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland , became an independent Commonwealth realm . The British monarch was head of state . Malawi shared the sovereign , Queen Elizabeth II , with the other Commonwealth realms . The monarch 's constitutional roles were mostly delegated to the Governor-General of Malawi , Sir Glyn Smallwood Jones ( 6 July 1964 -- 6 July 1966 ) .   The royal succession was governed by the same rules as the succession to the British throne . Elizabeth II did not reside in or visit Malawi in the 1960s but she did visit in 1979 ( 22 -- 25 July ) as Head of the Commonwealth .   Hastings Banda held office as prime minister ( and head of government ) of Malawi during this period . Following the abolition of the monarchy , the Republic of Malawi came into existence on 6 July 1966 and Banda became the first President of Malawi .

neg: 1952 Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Economic Conference The 1952 Commonwealth Prime Ministers ' Economic Conference was an emergency Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Nations . It was called by the British government of Sir Winston Churchill and held in the United Kingdom in December 1952 as a follow-up to a Commonwealth Finance Minister 's conference held in January 1952 . The conference was held in the context of British economic and military decline and the United States ' surging role in the world .   The principal topic of the conference was the convertibility and liquidity of Pound sterling into American dollars and British concerns that non-sterling Commonwealth countries were building up sterling balances for the purpose of conversion into American dollars , the future of the Pound sterling area , and the alleviation of Commonwealth trade restrictions and imperial preference , particularly in the light of the surging American economy and the desire of Commonwealth countries such as Australia for American investment in order for economic development to occur against British concerns that American economic dominance threatened Britain 's economic position . This discussion was necessary as the Commonwealth , with the exception of Canada , had a common pool of gold and dollar reserves . Little was accomplished in the economic discussion with the final communique being described as an `` agreement in platitudes '' .   British concerns at being excluded from the ANZUS military treaty between Australia , New Zealand and the United States were also a topic and were addressed by a communique issued by the prime ministers supporting Britain 's demand for a voice in ANZUS .   In addition , Commonwealth prime ministers , after months of discussion on whether the newly ascended Queen Elizabeth II should have a uniform Royal Styles and Titles throughout the Commonwealth or whether realms should adopt their own styles and titles , it was agreed that each member of the Commonwealth `` should use for its own purposes a form of the Royal Style and Titles which suits its own particular circumstances but retains a substantial element which is common to all '' and agreed to pass appropriate legislation in their respective parliaments . The prime ministers also agreed to proclaim the new Queen , Elizabeth II , Head of the Commonwealth in succession of her late father , George VI .

neg: Home Secretary Her Majesty 's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department , normally referred to as the Home Secretary , is a senior official as one of the Great Offices of State within Her Majesty 's Government and head of the Home Office . The office is a British Cabinet level position .   The Home Secretary is responsible for the internal affairs of England and Wales , and for immigration and citizenship for the United Kingdom . The remit of the Home Office also includes policing in England and Wales and matters of national security , as the Security Service , MI5 , is directly accountable to the Home Secretary . Formerly , the Home Secretary was the minister responsible for prisons and probation in England and Wales ; however , in 2005 those responsibilities were transferred to the newly created Ministry of Justice under the Lord Chancellor .   The current Home Secretary is Amber Rudd , appointed formally by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of her Prime Minister Theresa May on 13 July 2016 . Mrs. May had been the previous incumbent , appointed on 12 May 2010 by Prime Minister , David Cameron , to serve in the Conservative -- Liberal Democrat coalition government . May was reappointed by Cameron on 8 May 2015 to serve as Home Secretary in the Conservative government . She stood down from this role on 13 July 2016 upon assuming the office of Prime Minister , succeeding Cameron .

neg: List of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, 1980–99 This is a complete list of Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the years 1980 -- 1999 . Note that the first parliament of the United Kingdom was held in 1801 ; parliaments between 1707 and 1800 were either parliaments of Great Britain or of Ireland ) . For Acts passed up until 1707 see List of Acts of the Parliament of England and List of Acts of the Parliament of Scotland . For Acts passed from 1707 to 1800 see List of Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain . See also the List of Acts of the Parliament of Ireland .   For Acts of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in the United Kingdom , see the List of Acts of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 , the List of Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly , and the List of Acts and Measures of the National Assembly for Wales ; see also the List of Acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland .   The number shown after each Act 's title is its chapter number . Acts passed before 1963 are cited using this number , preceded by the year ( s ) of the reign during which the relevant parliamentary session was held ; thus the Union with Ireland Act 1800 is cited as `` 39 & 40 Geo . 3 c. 67 '' , meaning the 67th Act passed during the session that started in the 39th year of the reign of George III and which finished in the 40th year of that reign . Note that the modern convention is to use Arabic numerals in citations ( thus `` 41 Geo . 3 '' rather than `` 41 Geo . III '' ) . Note also that Acts of the last session of the Parliament of Great Britain and the first session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom are both cited as `` 41 Geo . 3 '' . Acts passed from 1963 onwards are simply cited by calendar year and chapter number .  __ NOTOC __

neg: Anne, Queen of Great Britain Anne ( 6 February 1665 -- 1 August 1714 ) became Queen of England , Scotland and Ireland on 8 March 1702 . On 1 May 1707 , under the Acts of Union , two of her realms , the kingdoms of England and Scotland , united as a single sovereign state known as Great Britain . She continued to reign as Queen of Great Britain and Ireland until her death .   Anne was born in the reign of her uncle Charles II , who had no legitimate children . Her father , James , was first in line to the throne . His suspected Roman Catholicism was unpopular in England , and on Charles 's instructions Anne was raised as an Anglican . Three years after he succeeded Charles , James was deposed in the `` Glorious Revolution '' of 1688 . Anne 's Dutch Protestant brother-in-law and cousin William III became joint monarch with his wife , Anne 's elder sister Mary II . Although the sisters had been close , disagreements over Anne 's finances , status and choice of acquaintances arose shortly after Mary 's accession and they became estranged . William and Mary had no children . After Mary 's death in 1694 , William continued as sole monarch until he was succeeded by Anne upon his death in 1702 .   As queen , Anne favoured moderate Tory politicians , who were more likely to share her Anglican religious views than their opponents , the Whigs . The Whigs grew more powerful during the course of the War of the Spanish Succession , until in 1710 Anne dismissed many of them from office . Her close friendship with Sarah Churchill , Duchess of Marlborough , turned sour as the result of political differences .   Anne was plagued by ill health throughout her life . From her thirties onwards , she grew increasingly lame and obese . Despite seventeen pregnancies by her husband , Prince George of Denmark , she died without any surviving children and was the last monarch of the House of Stuart . Under the terms of the Act of Settlement 1701 , she was succeeded by her second cousin George I of the House of Hanover , who was a descendant of the Stuarts through his maternal grandmother , Elizabeth , a daughter of James VI and I.

neg: Crown dependencies The Crown dependencies are the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea , and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel . They are independently administered jurisdictions , and do not form part of either the United Kingdom or the British Overseas Territories . They are self-governing possessions of the Crown ( defined uniquely in each jurisdiction ) . Internationally , the dependencies are considered `` territories for which the United Kingdom is responsible '' , rather than sovereign states . As a result , they are not member states of the Commonwealth of Nations . However , they do have relationships with the Commonwealth , the European Union , and other international organisations , and are members of the British -- Irish Council . They have their own teams in the Commonwealth Games . They are not part of the European Union ( EU ) , although they are within the EU 's customs area .   As the Crown dependencies are not sovereign states , the power to pass legislation affecting the islands ultimately rests with the government of the United Kingdom . However they each have their own legislative assemblies , with the power to legislate on many local matters with the assent of the Crown ( Privy Council , or in the case of the Isle of Man in certain circumstances the Lieutenant-Governor ) . In each case , the head of government is referred to as the Chief Minister .

neg: Absence of King William Act 1689 The Absence of King William Act 1689 ( 2 Will . & Mar. c. 6 ) was an Act of the Parliament of England which stated that Queen Mary II was to govern England whenever her husband , King William III , was absent from England . ( It did not apply to Scotland or Ireland . )   The Act was passed because , following the Glorious Revolution , the Bill of Rights had enacted that although William and Mary were to reign as joint monarchs ( with Mary as a queen regnant , not a mere consort ) , William alone was to exercise the actual power of government . However William intended to travel to Ireland , and so another Act was necessary to provide for the administration of the kingdom while he was abroad .   The Act declared that `` whensoever and as often as it shall happen that his said Majestie shall be absent or continue out of this Realme of England It shall and may be lawfull for the Queens Majestie to exercise and administer the Regall Power and Government of the Kingdome of England Dominion of Wales and Towne of Berwicke-upon-Tweede and the Plantations and Territories thereunto belonging in the Names of both their Majestyes for such time onely dureing their joynt Lives as his said Majestie shall be absent or continue out of this Realme of England any thing in the said Act -LSB- the Bill of Rights -RSB- to the contrary notwithstanding '' .

neg: Queen of Guyana Elizabeth II was Queen of Guyana from 1966 to 1970 , when Guyana was independent sovereign state with a constitutional monarchy . She was also the Sovereign of the other Commonwealth realms , including the United Kingdom . Her constitutional roles were delegated to the Governor-General of Guyana .   The Crown colony of British Guiana became an independent country called Guyana on 26 March 1966 . Its new constitution provided for the country to become a republic after 45 months by a majority vote in the House of Assembly . Exactly 45 months from independence , Guyana became a republic within the Commonwealth , with the President of Guyana as head of state .   The Queen visited the country twice : in 1966 shortly before independence ( 4 -- 5 February ) and in 1994 ( 19 -- 22 February ) . Both trips were part of a Caribbean tour .

neg: Queen of the Gambia Elizabeth II was Queen of the Gambia from 1965 to 1970 , when the Gambia was a constitutional monarchy within the Commonwealth of Nations . The Queen was also the monarch of the other Commonwealth realms , including the United Kingdom . Her constitutional roles in the Gambia were delegated to a Governor-General .   The Gambia was granted independence in 1965 under the Parliament of the United Kingdom 's Gambia Independence Act 1964 , which unified the Gambia Colony and Protectorate into an independent sovereign state .   After two referenda on constitutional amendments , the first unsuccessful because it did not pass by the necessary two-thirds majority and the second successful , the Gambia adopted a new constitution that abolished the monarchy on 24 April 1970 . The Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth , with the President of Gambia as head of state .   The Queen visited the Gambia on 3 -- 5 December 1961 .

neg: Culture of the United Kingdom The culture of the United Kingdom is influenced by the UK 's history as a developed island country , a liberal democracy and a major power ; its predominantly Christian religious life ; and its composition of four countries -- England , Wales , Scotland and Northern Ireland -- each of which has distinct customs , cultures and symbolism . The wider culture of Europe has also influenced British culture , and Humanism , Protestantism and representative democracy developed from broader Western culture .   British literature , music , cinema , art , theatre , comedy , media , television , philosophy , architecture and education are important aspects of British culture . The United Kingdom is also prominent in science and technology , producing world-leading scientists ( e.g. Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin ) and inventions . Sport is an important part of British culture ; numerous sports originated in the country , including football . The UK has been described as a `` cultural superpower '' , and London has been described as a world cultural capital .   The Industrial Revolution , which started in the UK , had a profound effect on the socio-economic and cultural conditions of the world . As a result of the British Empire , significant British influence can be observed in the language , law , culture and institutions of a geographically wide assortment of countries , including Australia , Canada , India , the Republic of Ireland , New Zealand , Nigeria , Pakistan , South Africa , the United States and English speaking Caribbean nations . These states are sometimes collectively known as the Anglosphere , and are among Britain 's closest allies . In turn the empire also influenced British culture , particularly British cuisine .   The cultures of England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland are diverse and have varying degrees of overlap and distinctiveness .

neg: Her Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition (United Kingdom) Her Majesty 's Most Loyal Opposition , or the Official Opposition , in the United Kingdom is led by the Leader of the Opposition . This is usually the political party with the second-largest number of seats in the House of Commons , as the largest party will usually form Her Majesty 's Government . Since May 2010 , the Official Opposition has been the Labour Party , currently led by Jeremy Corbyn .

neg: 2012 British cabinet reshuffle British prime minister David Cameron conducted the first major reshuffle of his coalition government on 4 September 2012 . The reshuffle , nearly two and a half years after the government was sworn in , was highly anticipated , and eschewed the trend of annual reshuffles which had become common under the governments of the 1990s and 2000s . As a result , many ministers had been in place not just since the government was elected in 2010 , but had covered the portfolio in Cameron 's shadow cabinet or even earlier ; Andrew Lansley had covered the health brief since 2004 , when Michael Howard led the Conservatives in opposition .   Despite this , Cameron 's room to manoeuvre was limited by his coalition agreement with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg 's Liberal Democrats , which guaranteed the minority party seats in government , and Clegg the right to select his ministers . Further , Cameron 's personal aversion to reshuffles and belief that ministers were most effective when given time at a department led to him viewing many cabinet members , including the holders of the Great Offices of State , as immovable .   The reshuffle , which was criticised by the opposition for resulting in a cabinet with only four female members out of twenty-two , ultimately shifted Cameron 's government significantly to the right on business , justice , and the environment , and rid the government of perceived weaknesses , while maintaining stability at the top . In an official statement , Number 10 stated that the impetus for the reshuffle was the fact that after more than two years , the government was `` at the delivery phase '' and that ministers had `` been appointed with that in mind '' .

neg: Crown Estate The Crown Estate is a collection of lands and holdings in the United Kingdom belonging to the British monarch as a corporation sole , making it the `` Sovereign 's public estate '' , which is neither government property nor part of the monarch 's private estate . As a result of this arrangement , the sovereign is not involved with the management or administration of the estate , exercising only very limited control of its affairs . Instead , the estate 's extensive portfolio is overseen by a semi-independent , incorporated public body headed by the Crown Estate Commissioners , who exercise `` the powers of ownership '' of the estate , although they are not `` owners in their own right '' . The revenues from these hereditary possessions have been placed by the monarch at the disposition of Her Majesty 's Government and thus proceed directly to Her Majesty 's Treasury for the benefit of the British nation . The Crown Estate is formally accountable to the Parliament of the United Kingdom , where it is legally mandated to make an annual report to the sovereign , a copy of which is forwarded to the House of Commons .   The Crown Estate is one of the largest property managers in the United Kingdom , overseeing property worth # 12 billion , with urban properties valued at # 9.1 billion representing the majority of the estate by value . These include a large number of properties in central London , but the estate also controls 792000 ha of agricultural land and forest , more than half of the UK 's foreshore , and retains various other traditional holdings and rights , including Ascot Racecourse and Windsor Great Park . Naturally occurring gold and silver in the UK , collectively known as `` Mines Royal '' , are managed by The Crown Estate and leased to mining operators .   Historically , Crown Estate properties were administered by the reigning monarch to help fund the business of governing the country . However , in 1760 , George III surrendered control over the Estate 's revenues to the treasury , thus relieving him of the responsibility of personally paying for the costs of the civil service , defence costs , the national debt , and his own personal debts . In return , he received an annual grant known as the Civil list . By tradition , each subsequent monarch agreed to this arrangement upon his or her accession . However , from 1 April 2012 , under the terms of the Sovereign Grant Act 2011 ( SSG ) , the Civil List was abolished and the monarch was thenceforth provided with a stable source of revenue indexed to a percentage of the Crown Estate 's annual net revenue ( currently set at 15 % ) . This was intended to provide a long-term solution and remove the politically sensitive issue of Parliament having to debate the Civil List allowance every ten years . Subsequently , the Sovereign Grant Act allows for all future monarchs to simply extend these provisions for their reigns by Order in Council . The act does not imply any legal change on the nature of the estate 's ownership , but is simply a benchmark by which the sovereign grant is set as a grant by Parliament .

neg: State funerals in the United Kingdom In the United Kingdom , a state funeral is usually reserved for a monarch . The last such funeral was held in 1952 for King George VI . In addition , very exceptionally , a state funeral may be held to honour a highly distinguished figure , with the approval of the monarch and with Parliament 's approval ( of the expenditure of public funds ) . This last happened in 1965 for Sir Winston Churchill .   Other funerals ( including those of senior members of the Royal Family and high-ranking public figures ) may share many of the characteristics of a state funeral without being gazetted as such ; for these , the term ` ceremonial funeral ' is used . In the 21st century , the funerals of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother ( 2002 ) and Baroness Thatcher ( 2013 ) have fallen into this category .   Along with the funeral service itself ( which will be a large-scale national occasion ) , these events tend to be characterized by the use of a gun carriage to transport the coffin between locations , accompanied by a procession of military bands and detachments along with mourners and other officials . They may also feature a lying in state and other associated ceremonies .

neg: Descent of Elizabeth II from William the Conqueror This list shows the most senior line of descent of Elizabeth II , the current British Sovereign , from William I. Each person on the list is the son or daughter of the person above him or her on the list . There are many other more junior lines of descent of the family , but the crown , in theory at least , only descends through the most senior line ( a major exception being the exclusion of the genealogically senior Jacobite succession by the Act of Settlement 1701 ) . Owing to extinct lines , large parts of entire royal houses ( Lancaster , Tudor , Stuart ) are bypassed in the current most senior line . The numbers can be used to calculate the number of generations between two individuals on this list .


query: War of the Worlds is an American science fiction film.

pos: War of the Worlds (2005 film) War of the Worlds is a 2005 American science fiction disaster film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Josh Friedman and David Koepp , loosely based on the novel of the same title by H. G. Wells . It stars Tom Cruise , Dakota Fanning , Justin Chatwin , Miranda Otto and Tim Robbins , with narration by Morgan Freeman . In the film , an American dock worker is forced to look after his children , from whom he lives separately , as he struggles to protect them and reunite them with their mother when extraterrestrials invade the Earth and devastate cities with towering war machines .   The film was shot in 73 days , using five different sound stages as well as locations in California , Connecticut , New Jersey , New York , and Virginia . The film was surrounded by a secrecy campaign so few details would be leaked before its release . Tie-in promotions were made with several companies , including Hitachi . The film was released in the United States on June 29 and in United Kingdom on July 1 . War of the Worlds was a box office success , and became 2005 's fourth most successful film both domestically , with $ 234 million in North America , and $ 591 million overall . At the time of release , it was the highest-grossing film starring Tom Cruise .

neg: World Film Company The World Film Company or World Film Corporation was an American film production and distribution company , organized in 1914 in Fort Lee , New Jersey .

neg: Men of war Men of war may refer to :   Man-of-war , a type of wooden warship  Men of War , a real-time tactics game for the PC released in 2009  Men of War ( series )  Men of War ( film ) , a 1994 film starring Dolph Lundgren  Men of War a 1993 novel by Jerry Pournelle  Men of War ( comics ) , a series of comic books published by DC Comics

neg: What Makes a Battle What Makes a Battle was a propaganda short produced by the US Army Pictoral Service in 1944 . It documents the taking of the Marshall Islands while also encouraging increased war production .   The film opens with the narrator asking `` What makes a battle ? '' while the camera is focusing on shipments of industrial transports , `` This is what it takes to make a battle . '' This statement sets up the dual nature of the entire film . War supplies are pouring in from every part of the country , from every type of American `` Republican and Democrat , white and colored . '' Industrial production is the backbone of war , according to the film , if it is destroyed , not made with quality , or not replaced in time , the battle can not happen .   Then the film abruptly changes direction , and presents a summary of the American battle plan for taking the Marshalls , how the outer islands were bombed to fool the enemy , and how a sneak attack was planned against the inner islands . But this could n't happen until all the supplies were ready . When the invasion does begin there is fierce fighting on the main islands . `` The German would have surrendered , but not the Jap ... Out of a garrison of 6000 , 230 surrender . '' Much time is spent on the Japanese POWs , and the film goes to great lengths to show how well they are treated , especially in comparison to how the Japanese treated their POWs .   Emphasis then turns again to materiel . Showing all the destroyed planes , artillery , and ammunition , all needing to be replaced by the American workforce . But at the very end , images of the dead and wounded American soldiers are shown . The narrator assures us they will never be forgotten .

neg: Alien (film) Alien is a 1979 British-American science-fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott , and starring Sigourney Weaver , Tom Skerritt , Veronica Cartwright , Harry Dean Stanton , John Hurt , Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto . The film 's title refers to a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature that stalks and kills the crew of a spaceship . Dan O'Bannon wrote the screenplay from a story he wrote with Ronald Shusett , drawing influence from previous works of science fiction and horror . The film was produced by Gordon Carroll , David Giler and Walter Hill through their Brandywine Productions and distributed by 20th Century Fox . Giler and Hill made revisions and additions to the script . Shusett was executive producer . The eponymous Alien and its accompanying elements were designed by Swiss artist H. R. Giger , while concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss designed the human aspects of the film . Alien launched the Alien franchise and is chronologically the first of the main series , with the prequel series set in an earlier timeframe .   Alien received both critical acclaim and box office success , receiving an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects , Saturn Awards for Best Science Fiction Film , Best Direction for Scott , and Best Supporting Actress for Cartwright , and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation , along with numerous other award nominations . It has remained highly praised in subsequent decades , being considered one of the greatest films of all time . In 2002 , the film was deemed `` culturally , historically or aesthetically significant '' by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry . In 2008 , it was ranked as the seventh-best film in the science fiction genre by the American Film Institute , and as the 33rd greatest film of all time by Empire magazine .   The success of Alien spawned a media franchise of novels , comic books , video games , and toys . It also launched Weaver 's acting career by providing her with her first lead role , and the story of her character Ellen Ripley 's encounters with the Alien creatures became the thematic thread that ran through the sequels Aliens ( 1986 ) , Alien 3 ( 1992 ) and Alien : Resurrection ( 1997 ) . , a crossover with the Predator franchise produced the Alien vs. Predator series , which includes Alien vs. Predator ( 2004 ) and Aliens vs. Predator : Requiem ( 2007 ) , and also a prequel series of films , which includes Prometheus ( 2012 ) and Alien : Covenant ( 2017 ) .

neg: The Worlds of Science The Worlds of Science is a series of science book paperbacks by various authors published by Pyramid Books in the 1960s . The series included both reprints of works originally published independently and new works written especially for the series . Prominent contributors included Isaac Asimov and L. Sprague de Camp , among others .   Books in the series include :  The Human Brain , by John Pfeifer  Maya , by Charles Gallenkamp  Nine Planets , by Alan E. Nourse  Living Earth , by Peter Farb  Chemistry Creates a New World , by Bernard Jaffe  The Road to Man , by Herbert Wendt  Giants of Science , by Philip Cane  Snakes of the World , by Raymond Ditmars  The ABC of Physics , by Jerome S. Meyer  Computers , by Stanley Englehardt  Man and Dolphin , by John C. Lilly  Kingdom of the Octopus , by Frank W. Lane  Dinosaurs , by Nicholas Hutton III  The Story of Weather , by Capt. David C. Holmes , USN  Fact and Fancy , by Isaac Asimov  Electronics , by Stanley L. Englehardt  Conquest of the Moon , by William Hines  Elephant , by L. Sprague de Camp   Category : Science books

neg: Art film An art film is typically a serious , independent film aimed at a niche market rather than a mass market audience . An art film is `` intended to be a serious artistic work , often experimental and not designed for mass appeal '' ; they are `` made primarily for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit '' , and they contain `` unconventional or highly symbolic content '' .   Film critics and film studies scholars typically define an art film as possessing `` formal qualities that mark them as different from mainstream Hollywood films '' , which can include , among other elements , a sense of social realism ; an emphasis on the authorial expressiveness of the director ; and a focus on the thoughts , dreams , or motivations of characters , as opposed to the unfolding of a clear , goal-driven story . Film scholar David Bordwell describes art cinema as `` a film genre , with its own distinct conventions '' .   Art film producers usually present their films at specialty theatres ( repertory cinemas , or , in the U.S. , `` arthouse cinemas '' ) and film festivals . The term art film is much more widely used in the United States , the UK and Australia than in Europe , where the term is more associated with `` auteur '' films and `` national cinema '' ( e.g. , German national cinema ) . Because they are aimed at small niche market audiences , they can rarely get the financial backing that will permit large production budgets , expensive special effects , costly celebrity actors , or huge advertising campaigns , as are used in widely released mainstream blockbuster films . Art film directors make up for these constraints by creating a different type of film , which typically uses lesser-known film actors ( or even amateur actors ) and modest sets to make films that focus much more on developing ideas or exploring new narrative techniques or film-making conventions .   A certain degree of experience and knowledge are required to fully understand or appreciate such films . One mid-1990s art film was called `` largely a cerebral experience '' that one enjoys `` because of what you know about film '' . This contrasts sharply with mainstream `` blockbuster '' films , which are geared more towards escapism and pure entertainment . For promotion , art films rely on the publicity generated from film critics ' reviews , discussion of their film by arts columnists , commentators and bloggers , and `` word-of-mouth '' promotion by audience members . Since art films have small initial investment costs , they only need to appeal to a small portion of the mainstream viewing audiences to become financially viable .

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: Mothra vs. Godzilla is a 1964 Japanese science fiction film directed by Ishiro Honda . It is the fourth film in the Godzilla film series and stars Akira Takarada , Kenji Sahara and Hiroshi Koizumi , and Haruo Nakajima as Godzilla .   The film had a 200 million yen budget , approximately twice that of the original Godzilla film . On its release in the United States , the film was re-titled Godzilla vs. the Thing with some small edits involving scenes being shortened and a scene involving the American military added .

neg: Military production during World War II Military production during World War II includes the arms , ammunitions , personnel and financing which were mobilized for the war . Military production , in this article , means everything produced by the belligerents from the occupation of Austria in early 1938 to the surrender and occupation of Japan in late 1945 .   The mobilization of funds , people , natural resources and matériel for the production and supply of military equipment and military forces during World War II was a critical component of the war effort . During the conflict , the Allies outpaced the Axis powers in most production categories . Access to the funding and industrial resources necessary to sustain the war effort was linked to their respective economic and political alliances . As formerly neutral powers ( such as the United States ) joined the escalating conflict , territory changed hands , combatants were defeated , the balance of power shifted in favour of the Allies ( as did the means to sustain the military production required to win the war ) .

neg: Prophets of Science Fiction Prophets of Science Fiction is an American documentary television series produced and hosted by Ridley Scott for the Science Channel . The program premiered on .   The series covers the life and work of leading science fiction authors of the last couple of centuries . It depicts how they predicted and , accordingly , influenced the development of scientific advancements by inspiring many readers to assist in transforming those futuristic visions into everyday reality . The stories are told through film clips , reenactments , illustrations and interviews .   The first episode received mixed reviews . Commentators appreciated the approach of combining coverage of contemporary scientific research and biographical exposition , but criticized the series as `` light on the substance and heavy on the exaggeration '' . The series ' attempts to link Mary Shelley 's Frankenstein to developments such as organ transplants , supercomputers and DNA research were described by one critic as far-fetched but by another as successful .

neg: Deadline (science fiction story) `` Deadline '' is a 1944 science fiction short story by American writer Cleve Cartmill , first published in Astounding Science Fiction . The story described the then-secret atomic bomb in some detail . At that time the bomb was still under development and top secret , which prompted a visit by the FBI .   In 1943 , Cartmill suggested to John W. Campbell , the then-editor of Astounding , that he could write a story about a futuristic super-bomb . Campbell liked the idea and supplied Cartmill with considerable background information gleaned from unclassified scientific journals , on the use of Uranium-235 to make a nuclear fission device . The resulting story appeared in the issue of Astounding dated March 1944 , which actually appeared early in February of that year .   By March 8 it had come to the attention of the Counterintelligence Corps , who saw many similarities between the technical details in the story and the research currently being undertaken in great secrecy at Los Alamos . Gregory Benford describes the incident as told him by Edward Teller in his autobiographical essay `` Old Legends '' :   Coming three years later in the same magazine , Cleve Cartmill 's `` Deadline '' provoked astonishment in the lunch table discussions at Los Alamos . It really did describe isotope separation and the bomb itself in detail , and raised as its principal plot pivot the issue the physicists were then debating among themselves : should the Allies use it ? To the physicists from many countries clustered in the high mountain strangeness of New Mexico , cut off from their familiar sources of humanist learning , it must have seemed particularly striking that Cartmill described an allied effort , a joint responsibility laid upon many nations .  Discussion of Cartmill 's `` Deadline '' was significant . The story 's detail was remarkable , its sentiments even more so . Did this rather obscure story hint at what the American public really thought about such a superweapon , or would think if they only knew ?  Talk attracts attention , Teller recalled a security officer who took a decided interest , making notes , saying little . In retrospect , it was easy to see what a wartime intelligence monitor would make of the physicists ' conversations . Who was this guy Cartmill , anyway ? Where did he get these details ? Who tipped him to the isotope separation problem ? `` and that is why Mr. Campbell received his visitors . ''   Fearing a security breach , the FBI began an investigation into Cartmill , Campbell , and some of their acquaintances ( including Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein ) . It appears that the authorities eventually accepted the explanation that the story 's material had been gleaned from unclassified sources , but as a precautionary measure they requested that Campbell should not publish any further stories about nuclear technology for the remainder of the war .   Campbell , in the meantime , had guessed from the number of Astounding subscribers who had suddenly moved to the Los Alamos area , that the US government probably had some sort of technical or scientific project ongoing there . He declined to volunteer this information to the FBI .

neg: Draconian (Doctor Who) The Draconians are an extraterrestrial race . They were featured in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who . Their only television appearance to date was in the 1973 serial Frontier in Space . Unlike many `` monster '' races in Doctor Who , the Draconians were articulate and portrayed as having a sophisticated and advanced culture like feudal Japan . In later interviews , Jon Pertwee cited the Draconians as his favourite of all the monsters he had encountered during his time as the Doctor .   The Draconian Empire was a vast spacefaring feudal civilisation of reptilian humanoids , centered on the planet Draconia , with a society stratifed along class and gender lines ( for example , females were not permitted to speak in the presence of the Emperor ) that was bound by a strong code of honour . The Draconian Empire dated back to at least the 21st century , when a space plague that afflicted their world was dealt with by the Doctor . For his services , the 15th Emperor made the Doctor a noble of Draconia .   The Earth Empire 's first contact with the Draconian Empire was in the year 2520 . The ship sent by the Draconians for the peace mission was a battlecruiser , as befitted a noble of Draconia , although ( as agreed ) its missile banks were empty and it was otherwise unarmed . However , both Draconian and Earth ships were caught in a neutron storm , damaging the Earth ship and destroying the Draconian ship 's communications systems . As a result , the Draconian ship was unable to respond to the Earth ship 's signals . The commander of the Earth ship saw what he perceived to be a battlecruiser bearing down on his crippled vessel and gave the order to attack , destroying the battlecruiser and triggering off a brief but bloody war in which millions of lives were lost . An uneasy peace was negotiated in the end , leading to two decades of cold war and the carving out of a frontier between the two empires .   In 2540 , several incidents involving attacks on cargo freighters along their respective borders nearly led to the war turning hot once more , with both sides accusing the other of piracy and violating the frontier . These attacks turned out to be the work of Ogron mercenaries under the orders of the renegade Time Lord known as the Master , who was using a sonic hypnosis device to make the Earth crews see the Ogrons as Draconians and vice versa . The Master had allied himself with the Daleks , who were launching another bid for galactic conquest and hoped to pick up the pieces after a new Earth-Draconia War . The plot was revealed by the Third Doctor , and instead of going to war against each other , the two empires united against the Daleks .

neg: Weapon of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction ( WMD ) is a nuclear , radiological , chemical , biological or other weapon that can kill and bring significant harm to a large number of humans or cause great damage to human-made structures ( e.g. , buildings ) , natural structures ( e.g. , mountains ) , or the biosphere . The scope and usage of the term has evolved and been disputed , often signifying more politically than technically . Originally coined in reference to aerial bombing with chemical explosives , since World War II it has come to refer to large-scale weaponry of other technologies , such as chemical , biological , radiological , or nuclear .

neg: Libertarian science fiction Libertarian science fiction is a subgenre of science fiction that focuses on the politics and social order implied by libertarian philosophies with an emphasis on individualism and private ownership of the means of production -- and in some cases , no state whatsoever .   As a category , libertarian fiction is unusual because the vast majority of its authors are self-identified as science fiction authors . This contrasts with the authors of much other social criticism who are largely academic or mainstream novelists who tend to dismiss any genre classification . The identification between libertarianism and science fiction is so strong that the U.S. Libertarian Party often has representatives at science fiction conventions and one of the highest profile authors currently in the subgenre of libertarian science fiction , L. Neil Smith , was the Arizona Libertarian Party 's 2000 candidate for the President of the United States .   As a genre , it can be seen as growing out of the 1930s and 1940s when the science-fiction pulp magazines were reaching their peak at the same time as fascism and communism . While this environment gave rise to dystopian novels such as George Orwell 's Nineteen Eighty-Four , in the pulps , this influence more often give rise to speculations about societies ( or sub-groups ) arising in direct opposition to `` totalitarianism . ''   Ayn Rand 's novel Atlas Shrugged is a strong ( perhaps the strongest ) influence with an anti-socialist attitude and an individualist ethic that echoes throughout the genre .  Of more direct relevance to the science fiction end of this genre is Robert A. Heinlein 's The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress , which is highly regarded even by non-libertarian science fiction readers . An award for libertarian science fiction , the Prometheus Award , is given out every year . Some winners of the award identify as libertarians ( e.g. , L. Neil Smith , Victor Koman , Brad Linaweaver ) , while others do not ( Terry Pratchett , Charles Stross ) .   Some other prominent libertarian science fiction authors include S. Andrew Swann and Michael Z. Williamson .

neg: Paraspace The term ` paraspace ' comes from Samuel R. Delany , a ` space ' existing parallel to normal or ordinary space . According to Delany , the para-space is an alternate space that ` exists parallel to the normal space of the diegesis -- a rhetorically heightened  `` other realm ''' ( Bukatman 1993 : 157 ) . Bukatman ( 1993 : 157 ) says `` Cyberspace is clearly a '' paraspace ' . '   `` Delany connects cyberpunk to the mysterious lunar artifact of Algis Budrys ' Rogue Moon and early evocations of outer space , all of which use inflated rhetoric to differentiate `` paraspace '' from mundane dimensions '' Samuel Review Essay .   Paraspace is defined by Barry Malzberg as `` the condition of hyperspace -LSB- that -RSB- is itself insane '' ( as cited by Bukatman , 1993 : 157 ) .   Michael Fisch ( 2004 : 371 , citing Murakami , 2002 : 157 ) comments `` While the para-space is often inaugurated through cognition it is always a ` materially manifested ' and ` linguistically intensified ' space in which ` conflicts that begin in ordinary space are resolved ' ''  ( Murakami 2002 : 157 ) .   Implications   Walter Benjamin ( 1936/1968 ) declare the end of storytelling because of its incapacity to relate traumatic experiences , such as warfare , shell shock in World War I . As work lost its spaces to practice not just storytelling , but storylistening , the skills of interpretation of experience atrophied .   Paraspace is the hyperspace gone insane ( Malzberg , The worker flesh-body is displaced by the corporate ad-inventions , set on the global stage of `` technoorganic reconstructions of the flesh '' ( Bukatman , 1993 : 19 ) .   Walter Benjamin ( 1936 ) declared that the art of storytelling is coming to an end . We can no longer tell a tale of trauma properly . We can no longer exchange our experiences of trauma of war ( PTSD ) , economic collapse sending millions into homelessness , including veterans of the recent wars , the ubiquitousness of sweatshops , and so on . Of relevance to paraspace , the lost art of storytelling has an accumulated effect ( Fisch , 2004 : p. 365 ) ; it gets worth with cyber-real . / When the ` real ' pokes through the cyberspace , it gets quickly displaced by obfuscation . Our ` real ' in hyperspace is not closer to Lacanian Real ( FIsch , p. 372 ) .   Paraspace is invisible , yet has material consequences ( Bukatman , 1992 ) .   Benjamin , W. ( 1936/1968 ) Illuminations , New York : Harcourt Brace & World .   Bukatman , S. ( 1992 ) . Amidst These Fields of Data : Allegory , Rhetoric , and the Paraspace . Critique : Studies in Contemporary Fiction , 33 ( 3 ) , 199-219 .   Bukatman , S. ( 1993 ) Terminal Identity : The Virtual Subject in Postmodern Science Fiction , Durham ,  NC : Duke University Press .   Delany , Samuel R. ( 1988 ) . Some real mothers : An interview with Samuel R. Delany by Takayuki Tatsumi . '' Science Fiction Eye , 1 , # 3 : 5-11 .   Fisch , M. ( 2004 , October ) . In search of the real : technology , shock and language in Murakami Haruki 's Sputnik Sweetheart . In Japan Forum ( Vol . 16 , No. 3 , pp. 361 -- 383 ) . Taylor & Francis .   Murakami , H. ( 2002 ) Sputnik Sweetheart , trans . P. Gabriel , New York : Vintage International .

neg: Threads Threads is a 1984 British television drama jointly produced by the BBC , Nine Network and Western-World Television Inc. . Written by Barry Hines and directed by Mick Jackson , it is a docudrama account of nuclear war and its effects on the city of Sheffield in Northern England . The plot centres on two families as a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union erupts . As the nuclear exchange between NATO and the Warsaw Pact begins , the film depicts the medical , economic , social and environmental consequences of nuclear war .   Shot on a budget of # 250,000 -- 350,000 , the film was the first of its kind to depict a nuclear winter . Certain reviewers nominated Threads as the `` film which comes closest to representing the full horror of nuclear war and its aftermath , as well as the catastrophic impact that the event would have on human culture '' . It has been compared to the earlier programme The War Game produced in Britain in the 1960s and its contemporary The Day After , a 1983 ABC television film depicting a similar scenario in the United States . It was nominated for seven BAFTA awards in 1985 and won for Best Single Drama , Best Design , Best Film Cameraman and Best Film Editor .

neg: Logic of Empire `` Logic of Empire '' is a science fiction novella by American writer Robert A. Heinlein . Part of his Future History series , it originally appeared in Astounding Science Fiction ( March 1941 ) , and was collected in The Green Hills of Earth ( and subsequently The Past Through Tomorrow ) .   Ostensibly a tale about a man in the wrong place at the wrong time , and his struggle to free himself from the oppressive circumstances in which he is plunged , this story also serves to explain how slavery develops in a new colony . Even in the future , the technology available to a new colony is always initially low . If a machine to do a necessary job is too expensive to import ( say a wheat harvester , a water pump , or even a washing machine ) , a human must do it instead . If too many jobs must be done by hand and there is a shortage of labor compared with independent resources that free labor could take up ( `` land '' , although this condition is not clear in the story ) , a market for slavery develops . Decades later , while there is still an abundance of land , this market remains because the colony itself has quotas to meet and debts to repay - they can not spare the resources to develop local industries to make the machines themselves and free labor does not have to bid its price down enough to out compete slave labor .   Throughout the story , Heinlein takes the view of the objective narrator when describing Venusian society . `` Logic of Empire '' places different rationales on the people who participate in slavery . There are no real villains ; everybody 's just doing their job , trying to maximize income in a capitalist system . Even the plantation owner who owns the hero is portrayed as a struggling -- and failing -- small businessman , whose main motivation is to secure a livelihood for his daughter .

neg: War for the Planet of the Apes War for the Planet of the Apes is an upcoming American science fiction film directed by Matt Reeves and written by Mark Bomback and Reeves . It is a sequel to the 2014 film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and the third installment in the Planet of the Apes reboot series . The film stars Andy Serkis , Woody Harrelson , Steve Zahn , Amiah Miller , Karin Konoval and Terry Notary . Principal photography began on October 14 , 2015 , in Vancouver .   The film is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 14 , 2017 .

neg: Alien language in science fiction A formal description of an alien language in science fiction may have been pioneered by Percy Greg 's Martian language ( he called it `` Martial '' ) in his 1880 novel Across the Zodiac , although already the 17th century book The Man in the Moone describes the language of the Lunars , consisting `` not so much of words and letters as tunes and strange sounds '' , which is in turn predated by other invented languages in fictional societies , e.g. , in Thomas More 's Utopia .   As the science fiction genre developed , so did the use of the literary trope of alien languages .   Some science-fiction works operate on the premise that alien languages can be easily learned if one has a competent understanding of the nature of languages in general . For example , the protagonist of C. S. Lewis 's novel Out of the Silent Planet is able to use his training in historical linguistics to decipher the language spoken on Mars .   Others work on the premise that languages with similarities can be partially understood by different species .   Stanislaw Lem 's novel His Master 's Voice describes an effort by scientists to decode , translate and understand an extraterrestrial transmission . The novel critically approaches humanity 's intelligence and intentions in deciphering and truly comprehending a message from outer space .  The 2014 novel Lamikorda by D. R. Merrill not only deals with differences in verbal communication , but gestures and other `` body language '' , pointing out the inextricability of language with cultural and social norms .   In some cases , authors avoid linguistic questions by introducing devices into their stories that seamlessly translate between languages , to the point that the concept of different languages can largely be excluded from a franchise . Notable examples include :  Douglas Adams 's babel fish  The TARDIS from Doctor Who  The translator microbes in Farscape  The universal translator from Star Trek   In other cases , the question of language is dealt with through the introduction of a universal language via which most , if not all , of the franchise 's species are able to communicate . In the Star Wars universe , for example , this language is known as Basic and is spoken by the majority of the characters , with a few notable exceptions . Other alien species take advantage of their unique physiology for communication purposes , an example being the Ithorians , who use their twin mouths , located on either side of their neck , to speak in stereo .   In some franchises this universal language is an intermediary language ; one that different species can easily translate to and from their own languages , thus allowing simple communication between races . Examples of this approach include Interlac from the Legion of Super-Heroes , Babylon 5 , and the Uplift Universe , where numerous sapient species use at least twelve `` Galactic '' languages ( each version is used in communication between species that can articulate it , and that find it useful in expressing their concepts ) .   Not all of these universal/intermediate languages take the form of spoken/written languages as is recognized in the human world . In the film and book Close Encounters of the Third Kind scientists use Solresol , a language based on musical tones , while in the film and book Contact , aliens send the instructions to build a machine to reach them using mathematics , which the main character calls `` the only universal language '' . Similarly , in Stargate SG-1 , the protagonists encounter a galactic meeting place where different races communicate with one another using a language based on atomic structures which is `` written '' in three dimensions rather than two .   A number of long-running franchises have taken the concept of an alien language beyond that of a scripting device and have developed languages of their own .  Examples include the Klingon language of the Star Trek universe ( a fully developed constructed language created by Marc Okrand )  The Zentradi language from the Macross Japanese science-fiction anime series  The DC Comics , Kryptonese ( for which there exists an alphabet and language glossary )  For his 2009 science fiction film Avatar , creator and director James Cameron constructed the fictional Na ` vi language ( with the aid of college professor Paul Frommer ) for his fictional alien Na ` vi race in the film   The existence of alien languages and the ease or difficulty of translation is used as a plot device or script element in a number of franchises , sometimes seriously , and sometimes for comedic value .  In Star Trek VI : The Undiscovered Country , the crew is forced to speak ( broken ) Klingon without the universal translator .  In the film Mars Attacks ! , the language spoken by the Martians appears to consist only of the words `` ack ! '' and `` rack ! '' spoken at different pitches and volume . The film 's universal translator consistently translates these as being offers of friendship despite the fact that the aliens ' actions are anything but friendly .  In one episode of Babylon 5 , Commander Susan Ivanova gives orders to a Minbari crew in their language , and exclaims `` Ah Hell ! '' in frustration , inadvertently giving the command `` continuous fire '' in Minbari . This is identical phonetically to `` ahel '' the Minbari translation of `` continuous fire '' .  In Dragon Ball Z , Bulma speaks in her usual language ( Japanese ) and thereby involuntarily activates some functions of an alien starship , as her words are identified by the ship 's computer as Namekkian orders .  C. J. Cherryh 's Chanur series of books relies heavily on linguistic and psychological problems of communication between various alien races . Some examples include usage of obscure languages and cultural references to conceal information from others , imperfections of computer translation , use of pidgin and linguistic barriers , psychological concepts which do not have matches in other races ' languages , and a race so alien that it can not be understood at all without a translation by another race which itself can barely be understood due to manifold meanings in each message . In the Foreigner universe , Cherryh explores the interface between humans and Atevi , whose language relies on numerical values , causing the main character , Bren Cameron , to constantly calculate as he speaks the Atevi language , Ragi .  Conversely , in The Simpsons , the fact that English is mutually understood by the show 's human and alien characters is noted as being `` an astonishing coincidence '' .  Some stories , however , have alien beings speak near-unpronounceable tongues . Clark Ashton Smith , in one tale , has the sorcerer Eibon struggle to articulate the name of an alien , Hziulquoigmnzhah .   Other works present detailed , concrete examples of the difficulty of learning alien languages due to linguistic relativity .  In Mary Doria Russell 's philosophical/sci-fi novel The Sparrow , a linguist who travels to an alien planet as part of a Jesuit mission discovers a language with unique and ( at first ) incomprehensible tenses and conjugations .  In Carl Sagan 's novel Contact ( and the subsequent film adaptation ) , a broadcast from an extraterrestrial source is discovered to contain multiple layers of encrypted messages .  Ted Chiang 's short story `` Story of Your Life '' describes attempts to communicate with a technologically advanced alien species that has no apparent understanding of basic mathematics and physics .   Other science fiction stories imagine communication through telepathy .  There is for example the Vulcan mind meld in Star Trek .  In the novel Ender 's Game , the `` Buggers '' are an alien species in which their queen can telepathically communicate with every member of her species , but no humans except Ender . The inability of the two species to effectively communicate serves as a critical element of the novel 's plot .  Sheila Finch published a collection of short stories about first contact and alien communication , The Guild of Xenolinguists , ( Golden Gryphon Press ) , in 2007 .  In 2008 , the game Dead Space introduced a form of alien language known as Unitology , for the religion that mainly uses it . Unitology is only shown to be written with no example or indication of a verbal dialect .  In Futurama , a language exists called Alienese , which originates from an unspecified extraterrestrial source . At least one character has achieved an academic degree in xenolinguistics , which gives her the apparently rare skill of knowing how to translate between English and Alienese .  In science-fiction movie Arrival scientists trying to understand aliens ' language and symbols  Various works from the Cthulhu mythos of H.P. Lovecraft present short sentences , excerpts and text fragments in the language of the Old Gods , referred to as `` R'lyehian '' or `` Cthuvian '' by the fan base . Lovecraft provided translations for some of the texts and denoted Cthuvian as a thick , guttural language , but he never published any details on pronunciation and grammar , so it is not possible to communicate in Cthuvian . Based on the limited text resources , only few grammatical rules and vocabulary could be worked out by fans , which are mostly guesswork . There is no evidence that Lovecraft even had a concept for the structure of the language when writing it .

neg: Strategic Defense Initiative The Strategic Defense Initiative ( SDI ) was a proposed missile defense system intended to protect the United States from attack by ballistic strategic nuclear weapons ( intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles ) . The system , which was to combine ground-based units and orbital deployment platforms , was first publicly announced by President Ronald Reagan on March 23 , 1983 . The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic offense doctrine of mutual assured destruction ( MAD ) . The Strategic Defense Initiative Organization ( SDIO ) was set up in 1984 within the United States Department of Defense to oversee the Strategic Defense Initiative .   Reagan was a vocal critic of MAD doctrine . SDI was an important part of his defense policy intended to end MAD as a nuclear deterrence strategy , as well as a strategic initiative to neutralize the military component of the Soviet Union 's nuclear defenses .   The ambitious initiative was criticized for allegedly threatening to destabilize the MAD-approach and to possibly re-ignite `` an offensive arms race '' . SDI was nicknamed largely in the mainstream media as `` Star Wars '' , after the popular 1977 film by George Lucas . In 1987 , the American Physical Society concluded that a global shield such as `` Star Wars '' was extremely ambitious and with existing technology not directly feasible for operational status , and that about ten more years of research was needed to learn about such a comprehensive and complex system to set up and make it fully operational .   Under the SDIO 's Innovative Sciences and Technology Office , headed by physicist and engineer Dr. James Ionson , the investment was predominantly made in basic research at national laboratories , universities , and in industry ; these programs have continued to be key sources of funding for top research scientists in the fields of high-energy physics , supercomputing/computation , advanced materials , and many other critical science and engineering disciplines -- funding which indirectly supports other research work by top scientists , and which was most politically viable to fund within the budget environment .   Laser research funded by the SDI office was disclosed at laser conferences that also included panel discussions on the subject with the participation of James Ionson , Edward Teller , and other prominent advocates of SDI .   During the administration of President Bill Clinton in 1993 , the SDIO 's name was changed to the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization ( BMDO ) and its focus shifted from national missile defense to theater missile defense ; and its scope from global to more regional coverage . It was never truly developed or deployed , though certain aspects of SDI research and technologies paved the way for some anti-ballistic missile systems of today . BMDO was renamed to the Missile Defense Agency in 2002 . This article covers defense efforts under the SDIO .   Today , the United States holds a significant advantage in the field of comprehensive advanced missile defense systems through years of extensive research and testing . The US and the UK also have both laser weapons and 360 degree laser shields in development , which are expected to be ready for military use as early as 2020 . Many of the obtained technological insights were transferred to subsequent programs and would find use in follow-up programs .