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The Art of War (Chinese: 孫子兵法; pinyin: Sūnzĭ bīngfǎ) is an ancient Chinese military treatise attributed to Sun Tzu, a high-ranking military general, strategist and tactician. The text is composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare. It is commonly known to be the definitive work on military strategy and tactics of its time. It has been the most famous and influential of China's Seven Military Classics, and "for the last two thousand years it remained the most important military treatise in Asia, where even the common people knew it by name." It has had an influence on Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy and beyond.
The book was first translated into the French language in 1772 by French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot and a partial translation into English was attempted by British officer Everard Ferguson Calthrop in 1905. The first annotated English language translation was completed and published by Lionel Giles in 1910. Leaders as diverse as Mao Zedong, General Vo Nguyen Giap, General Douglas MacArthur and leaders of Imperial Japan have drawn inspiration from the work.
The book was first translated into the French language in 1772 by French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot and a partial translation into English was attempted by British officer Everard Ferguson Calthrop in 1905. The first annotated English language translation was completed and published by Lionel Giles in 1910. Leaders as diverse as Mao Zedong, General Vo Nguyen Giap, General Douglas MacArthur and leaders of Imperial Japan have drawn inspiration from the work.
The Art of War has been applied to many fields well outside of the military. Much of the text is about how to fight wars without actually having to do battle: it gives tips on how to outsmart one's opponent so that physical battle is not necessary. As such, it has found application as a training guide for many competitive endeavors that do not involve actual combat.
There are business books applying its lessons to office politics and corporate strategy. Many Japanese companies make the book required reading for their key executives. The book is also popular among Western business management, who have turned to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive business situations. It has also been applied to the field of education.
The Art of War has been the subject of law books and legal articles on the trial process, including negotiation tactics and trial strategy.
There are business books applying its lessons to office politics and corporate strategy. Many Japanese companies make the book required reading for their key executives. The book is also popular among Western business management, who have turned to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive business situations. It has also been applied to the field of education.
The Art of War has been the subject of law books and legal articles on the trial process, including negotiation tactics and trial strategy.
by The Centurion December 29, 2014
Get the The Art of War mug.A shared universe is a fictional universe in which multiple independently created works are set. One or more authors may contribute works to a shared universe. The works within the universe may share characters and other story elements, with or without continuity. Shared universes can be found in literature, comic books, films, television, anime and manga and are most commonly seen in fantasy and science fiction genres.
A good example of the shared universe in action is this after-end-credits scene from the film Iron Man (2008) where Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) cross paths for the very first time:
(after end credits)
Tony Stark: (arriving home) Evening, JARVIS!
Jarvis: (voice distorted) Welcome home, sir...
(Stark stops as he sees a figure in his living room)
Nick Fury: "I am Iron Man". You think you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet.
Tony Stark: Who the hell are you?
Nick Fury: Nick Fury. Director of SHIELD.
Tony Stark: Ah.
Nick Fury: I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.
(after end credits)
Tony Stark: (arriving home) Evening, JARVIS!
Jarvis: (voice distorted) Welcome home, sir...
(Stark stops as he sees a figure in his living room)
Nick Fury: "I am Iron Man". You think you're the only superhero in the world? Mr. Stark, you've become part of a bigger universe. You just don't know it yet.
Tony Stark: Who the hell are you?
Nick Fury: Nick Fury. Director of SHIELD.
Tony Stark: Ah.
Nick Fury: I'm here to talk to you about the Avenger Initiative.
by The Centurion December 28, 2014
Get the Shared universe mug.TV Tropes is a wiki that collects and expands descriptions and examples on various conventions and devices (tropes) found within creative works. Since its establishment in 2004, the site has gone from covering only television and film tropes to also covering those in a number of other media such as literature, comics, video games, and even things such as advertisements and toys. The nature of the site as commentary about pop culture and fiction has attracted attention and commentary from several web personalities and blogs.
The content was published as free content from April 2008, and changed its license over the years to one allowing noncommercial distribution.
The content was published as free content from April 2008, and changed its license over the years to one allowing noncommercial distribution.
TV Tropes initially focused on the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and has since increased its scope to include thousands of other series, films, novels, plays, professional wrestling, video games, anime, manga, comic strips and books, fan fiction, and many other subjects, including Internet works such as Wikipedia, which is referred to in-wiki as "The Other Wiki". It has also used its informal style to describe topics such as science, philosophy, politics, and history under its Useful Notes section. TV Tropes does not have notability standards for the works it covers.
by The Centurion December 28, 2014
Get the TV Tropes mug.Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American Academy Award-winning motion picture visual effects company that was founded in May 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company, Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when Lucas began production of the film Star Wars. ILM originated in Van Nuys, California, then later moved to San Rafael in 1978, and since 2005 it has been based at the Letterman Digital Arts Center in the Presidio of San Francisco. Lynwen Brennan, who joined the company in 1999, currently serves as ILM's President and General Manager. In 2012, The Walt Disney Company acquired ILM as part of its purchase of Lucasfilm.
Lucas wanted his 1977 film Star Wars to include visual effects that had never been seen on film before. After discovering that the in-house effects department at 20th Century Fox was no longer operational, Lucas approached Douglas Trumbull, famous for the effects on 2001: A Space Odyssey. Trumbull declined as he was already committed to working on Steven Spielberg's film Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but suggested his assistant John Dykstra to Lucas. Dykstra brought together a small team of college students, artists and engineers, and set them up in a warehouse in Van Nuys, California. Lucas named the group Industrial Light & Magic, who became the Special Visual Effects department on Star Wars. Alongside Dykstra, other leading members of the original ILM team were Ken Ralston, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Joe Johnston, Phil Tippett, Steve Gawley, Lorne Peterson and Paul Huston.
by The Centurion December 28, 2014
Get the Industrial Light & Magic mug.Super Power Beat Down is a live action web series focused on bringing two fighters from assorted media into battle against each other. The victors are decided by popular vote.
Machinima and Bat in the Sun's web series "Super Power Beat Down" takes two super-powered legends and makes them battle. Experts Marisha Ray, Jennifer Wegner, Damian Beurer and Andy Liegl battle with their sci-fi/fantasy knowledge and comic wit to determine who they think the winner will be - however, the fans have the final say.
by The Centurion December 27, 2014
Get the Super Power Beat Down mug.Thor is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character, based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name, is the Asgardian god of thunder and possesses the enchanted hammer Mjolnir, which grants him the ability of flight and weather manipulation amongst his other superhuman attributes.
Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (Aug. 1962) and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby. He has starred in several ongoing series and limited series, and is a founding member of the superhero team the Avengers, appearing in each volume of that series. The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series, clothing, toys, trading cards, video games, and movies.
The 2011 film Thor, based on the character and comic, was directed by Kenneth Branagh and starred Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Hemsworth reappears as Thor in The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Thor placed 14th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time in 2011.
Debuting in the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (Aug. 1962) and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby. He has starred in several ongoing series and limited series, and is a founding member of the superhero team the Avengers, appearing in each volume of that series. The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series, clothing, toys, trading cards, video games, and movies.
The 2011 film Thor, based on the character and comic, was directed by Kenneth Branagh and starred Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Hemsworth reappears as Thor in The Avengers and Thor: The Dark World as a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Thor placed 14th on IGN's Top 100 Comic Book Heroes of All Time in 2011.
Like all Asgardians, Thor is incredibly long-lived and relies upon periodic consumption of the Golden Apples of Idunn to sustain his extended lifespan, which to date has lasted many millennia. Being the son of Odin and the elder goddess Gaea, Thor is physically the strongest of the Asgardians. If pressed in battle, Thor is capable of entering into a state known as the "Warrior's Madness" ("berserkergang" in Norwegian), which will temporarily increase his strength and stamina tenfold, although in this state he attacks friend and foe alike.
by The Centurion December 26, 2014
Get the Thor mug.Loki is a fictional character, a supervillain and sometime anti-hero that appears in comic books by Marvel Comics. He is the adoptive brother and archenemy of Thor. He is based on the being of the same name from Norse mythology. The character first appeared historically in Venus No. 6 (August 1949) and in modern day in Journey into Mystery No. 85 (October 1962). The character was created by writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby.
Loki has appeared in several ongoing series, limited series and alternate reality series, including his own 4-issue series Loki (2004). He appeared in the new issues of Young Avengers in 2013. He will appear in his solo series Loki: Agent of Asgard in 2014. The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series, clothing, toys, video games, and movies.
In 2009, Loki was ranked as IGN's 8th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
Tom Hiddleston first portrayed Loki in the 2011 live action film Thor then again in The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
Loki has appeared in several ongoing series, limited series and alternate reality series, including his own 4-issue series Loki (2004). He appeared in the new issues of Young Avengers in 2013. He will appear in his solo series Loki: Agent of Asgard in 2014. The character has also appeared in associated Marvel merchandise including animated television series, clothing, toys, video games, and movies.
In 2009, Loki was ranked as IGN's 8th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.
Tom Hiddleston first portrayed Loki in the 2011 live action film Thor then again in The Avengers (2012), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
Many years ago, when Bor, ruler of Asgard, was battling frost giants, he followed a wounded giant to a powerful sorcerer that was waiting for him. The sorcerer caught him unaware, turning Bor into snow. Bor's son, Odin, found his father as he was blowing away; Bor begged Odin to find a sorcerer to free him, but Odin made no attempt to save his father. Bor cursed Odin saying that he would take in the son of a fallen king and raise it as his own. Not a week later, Odin himself led the Asgardians into battle against the Frost Giants and killed Laufey, who was the King, in personal combat. After slaying Laufey, Odin found a small Asgardian-sized child hidden within the primary stronghold of the Frost Giants. The child was Loki and Laufey had kept him hidden from his people due to his shame over his son's small size. Odin took the boy, out of a combination of pity, to appease his father, and because he was the son of a worthy adversary slain in honorable combat, and raised him as his son alongside his biological son Thor.
by The Centurion December 26, 2014
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