United States

Coordinates: 40°N 100°W / 40°N 100°W / 40; -100

The United States of America (USA), commonly referred to as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal district, five major territories and various possessions. The 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., are in central North America between Canada and Mexico. The state of Alaska is in the northwestern part of North America and the state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. At 3.8 million square miles (9.842 million km²) and with over 320 million people, the country is the world's third or fourth-largest by total area and the third most populous. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The geography and climate of the United States are also extremely diverse, and the country is home to a wide variety of wildlife.

North Korea

Coordinates: 40°00′N 127°00′E / 40.000°N 127.000°E / 40.000; 127.000

North Korea ( listen), officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK; Chosŏn'gŭl: 조선민주주의인민공화국; hancha: 朝鮮民主主義人民共和國; MR: Chosŏn Minjujuŭi Inmin Konghwaguk), is a country in East Asia, in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. The name Korea is derived from the Kingdom of Goguryeo, also spelled as Koryŏ. The capital and largest city is Pyongyang. North Korea shares a land border with China to the north and northwest, along the Amnok (Yalu) and Tumen rivers, and a small section of the Tumen River also forms a border with Russia to the northeast. The Korean Demilitarized Zone marks the boundary between North Korea and South Korea.

Korea was annexed by the Empire of Japan in 1910. After the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into two zones by the United States and the Soviet Union, with the north occupied by the Soviets and the south by the Americans. Negotiations on reunification failed, and in 1948 two separate governments were formed: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in the north, and the Republic of Korea in the south. An invasion initiated by North Korea led to the Korean War (1950–53). Although the Korean Armistice Agreement brought about a ceasefire, no official peace treaty was ever signed. Both states were accepted into the United Nations in 1991.

The U (film)

The U is a 2009 documentary film about the University of Miami football program. It was produced by Miami-based media studio Rakontur and directed by Billy Corben.

The film premiered December 12, 2009 after the Heisman Trophy presentation on ESPN as a part of their 30 for 30 documentary series. The U's premiere drew 2.3 million viewers, the most ever for a documentary on the sports cable network until the debut of Pony Excess, another college football documentary about the Southern Methodist University football scandal in the 1980s.

DVD release

This film was released on DVD in 2010, both separately and as part of the 30 for 30 box set. The DVD cover, depicting Michael Irvin, originally had the "U" logo on his helmet, but it was airbrushed from the cover after the University of Miami objected to the logo's appearance. Excerpts from Florida State University's "Seminole Rap" video that initially appeared in the documentary were also cut from the DVD release.

Sequel

In December 2014, ESPN released a second 30 for 30, titled The U Part 2. The film documents the second rise to glory of the Miami Hurricanes football team in the late 1990s and early 2000s followed by the eventual fall of the program, due largely to a scandal in which multiple top players accepted cash rewards from booster, Nevin Shapiro.

The Duo

The Duo (Hangul: 짝패; RR: Jjakpae) is a 2011 South Korean historical drama series, starring Chun Jung-myung, Lee Sang-yoon, Han Ji-hye and Seo Hyun-jin. It aired on MBC from February 7 to May 24, 2011 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 21:55 for 32 episodes.

Filmed at MBC Dramia in Gyeonggi Province, the series examines how class determines fate during the Joseon era through two men who swap lives. Switched at birth, Chun-doong and Gwi-dong grow up living each other's lives. Nobleman's son Chun-doong endures great hardships in the lowest caste of society, and becomes a vigilante who steals from the rich. Beggar's son Gwi-dong grows up in a wealthy noble family, and becomes a police chief. Living on opposite sides of the law, their paths cross again when they both fall for the same woman; played by Chun, Lee and Han respectively.

Plot

Around the time of late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) when hierarchy between nobles and slaves started to fall apart and riots were common among peasants, two men were born on the same day and at the same time. Gwi-dong who grew up in a beggar’s quarters (although born as a noble) with no knowledge of his parents, dreams of “making this world a better place” by taking part in the peasants’ riot while Chun Dung who was raised in a noble life (though he was born as a beggar), serves as a police official, fights against corruption within the government and speaks for the weak. Although both give their hearts to the same woman, they become the greatest duo ever in order to reform the problematic world.

Us The Duo

Us The Duo are an American folk pop duo consisting of husband-and-wife Michael and Carissa Alvarado. The duo met in Los Angeles, California in 2011 on the set of a music video. They married in 2012. In 2013, the duo started uploading six-second cover versions of popular songs to their Vine account, where they have amassed over 4.8 million followers as of August 2015. In March 2014, they were signed to Republic Records. They are widely regarded as the first musicians to have signed to a major record label due of their presence on Vine.

Career

Oprah Winfrey booked the duo for a tour in November 2014 after she saw the film The Book of Life, which featured the duo's song "No Matter Where You Are".

Members

Carissa Alvarado

Carissa Alvarado was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is a Filipino American. She started singing at the age of 5 at church choir. She has a fashion blog called Wear I Am.

Michael Alvarado

Michael Alvarado was born and raised in North Carolina. He is of Puerto Rican descent. He started piano lessons at the age of 7, and started singing when he was in a garage band in high school.