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Fortune

Fortune is an American business magazine founded in 1930 by Henry Luce, co-founder of Time Inc., with the aim of providing distinguished coverage of commerce, industry, and finance for an elite readership. Headquartered in New York City and published by Fortune Media Group Holdings, it has established itself as a key source for empirical analysis of corporate performance, including its annual Fortune 500 list, which ranks the largest U.S. companies by total revenue and has influenced perceptions of economic power since its inception in 1955. The magazine's early issues, launched amid the , emphasized lavish production and data-driven reporting to appeal to business elites, achieving profitability despite economic turmoil through targeted advertising from major firms. Over decades, Fortune has documented pivotal shifts in global , profiling innovators and critiquing corporate strategies with a focus on measurable outcomes rather than ideological narratives. Its editorial approach prioritizes factual sourcing and industry metrics, earning high marks for reliability from independent evaluators, though its pro-business orientation reflects a center-right tilt in coverage of markets and policy. Notable achievements include shaping public discourse on executive leadership and economic rankings, with the Fortune 500 serving as a benchmark for investor decisions and policy analysis based on verifiable revenue data. While controversies have been limited, occasional critiques highlight selective emphasis on corporate success stories, potentially underplaying systemic risks like financial overleveraging, as seen in pre-2008 coverage. In recent years, Fortune has adapted to digital shifts, reporting sustained profitability amid media declines, underscoring its resilience through subscription models and events tied to empirical business insights.

General Concepts

Fortune as Chance, Luck, and Fate

The concept of fortune as encompasses unpredictable events or outcomes that affect , often perceived as operating independently of deliberate . Etymologically, the English word "fortune" entered usage around 1300 from fortune, denoting "lot" or "good or bad ," derived from Latin fortuna, which signified "" or "what happens by ," linked to fors ("" or "," literally "that which falls") and the verb cadere ("to fall"). This root emphasizes fortune's association with rather than inevitability, distinguishing it from or . , a related term emerging around 1500 from Middle Dutch luc ("" or "good fortune"), similarly captures favorable or adverse , while fate implies a more structured predetermination, such as an immutable cosmic order. In , fortune as contrasted with fate's . Stoics, including and , viewed the universe as governed by a rational where apparent events were illusions within a fated whole; true derived from , rendering one indifferent to fortune's fluctuations, as external goods like health or status were beyond control. and Epicureans, however, posited as a genuine causal force via the atomic "swerve" (), introducing indeterminacy to counter strict , enabling and rejecting fate's total dominance while dismissing fortune as a divine or overpowering entity in favor of rational pursuit of modest pleasures. These views highlight causal realism: Stoic acceptance aligned outcomes with observable natural laws, whereas Epicurean preserved against , though both prioritized empirical observation over . Cross-culturally, fortune's randomness has been symbolized in motifs like the Roman goddess Fortuna's wheel, representing life's capricious turns from to ruin, a concept echoed in medieval and thought but critiqued for anthropomorphizing chance. In contrast to fate's purported inevitability—often tied to divine or natal in or Chinese cosmology—fortune as admits variability, as seen in probabilistic models where outcomes follow statistical distributions rather than fixed scripts. From a modern scientific standpoint, chance manifests empirically in ' inherent probabilities, such as rates defying classical predictability, underscoring fortune's basis in physical indeterminacy rather than mystical forces. , however, lacks causal efficacy; psychological studies frame it as a , where "lucky" individuals exhibit to opportunities and , amplifying exposure to rare events without altering underlying probabilities—preparation intersecting with , not intervention. Claims of fate or controllable persist in popular belief, but lack empirical support, often reflecting or post-hoc rationalization amid complex causal chains. Thus, fortune as aligns with verifiable mechanisms of probability and contingency, privileging evidence over deterministic or providential narratives.

Fortune as Wealth and Prosperity

In English usage, "fortune" refers to a large accumulation of , encompassing substantial sums of , assets, or material possessions that confer financial security or influence. This sense derives from the Latin fortūna, originally denoting or fate, with its plural fortūnae signifying possessions or , evolving to imply as a tangible outcome of favorable circumstances. The term distinguishes such from mere , emphasizing a stock of resources often inherited, amassed through , or preserved across generations. Historically, fortunes have denoted estates large enough to enable lifestyles independent of wage labor, as seen in pre-modern societies where elite families maintained holdings in land, trade goods, or bullion. In ancient contexts, such as circa 594 B.C., extreme disparities in fortunes—between oligarchic landowners and the broader populace—drove legislative reforms under to redistribute burdens and avert unrest, highlighting how concentrated wealth fueled social tensions. By the , industrial fortunes, built via or resource extraction, exemplified this: the Du Pont family's enterprise, starting in 1803, yielded vast riches amplified during the , establishing a multi-generational endowment. These accumulations often reflected causal factors like and market timing rather than uniform moral failings, countering aphorisms like Honoré de Balzac's claim that "behind every great fortune lies a great crime," which, while evocative, overlooks empirically observed paths via and exchange. In contemporary financial contexts, a fortune typically implies exceeding thresholds for upper-class status, such as multimillion-dollar portfolios enabling , , or legacy planning without principal . Economic analyses trace such to factors including capital —where reinvested returns grow exponentially—and , with studies showing about one-third of modern European fortunes originating before through sustained business continuity. Unlike transient , enduring fortunes correlate with structural advantages like access to and networks, though they remain vulnerable to taxation, market , or dissipation, as historical cycles of rise and fall demonstrate recurring concentrations followed by redistribution via or upheaval. This usage underscores fortune not as static entitlement but as a dynamic outcome of economic within institutional frameworks.

Personifications and Symbolism in Philosophy and Mythology

In , personified fortune, chance, and the prosperity of cities as their , often depicted as a dispenser of both favorable and adverse outcomes, sometimes accompanied by to balance excess. Her Roman equivalent, , embodied luck, fate, and dual aspects of good and ill fortune, frequently portrayed holding a symbolizing abundance, a representing control over destiny's course, and a illustrating the cyclical rise and fall of human affairs. These attributes underscored fortune's capricious nature, independent of human merit, as seen in Roman coinage where appeared with the to denote life's unpredictable turns. Philosophically, distinguished tyche (fortune) from deliberate causation in his , treating it as an incidental cause of events beyond rational prediction, affecting external goods but not the cultivation of , which relies on deliberate choice. Stoics like , while critiquing aspects of their , echoed this by asserting virtue's sufficiency for eudaimonia (flourishing), rendering one indifferent to fortune's vicissitudes, as externals such as wealth or misfortune hold no intrinsic value absent rational judgment. In , in The Consolation of Philosophy (c. 524 ) symbolized fortune through the rotating , arguing its mutability exposes the illusion of stability in worldly goods; true felicity resides in the unchanging divine order, where fortune serves providential ends rather than arbitrary chaos. This imagery reinforced causal realism: observable patterns of reversal—empires rising and crumbling—evince fortune's mechanical turnover, not moral desert, privileging inner resilience over external dependence.

Fortune-Telling Practices and Scientific Skepticism

Fortune-telling practices involve diverse methods claimed to foresee future events or disclose concealed information, such as , which interprets planetary positions to influence human affairs; , analyzing hand lines and shapes; card readings, drawing and interpreting symbolic cards; and , deriving meanings from numbers associated with names or dates. Other techniques include , gazing into reflective surfaces like crystal balls for visions, and tea leaf reading, interpreting patterns left by tea sediments. These approaches often depend on the practitioner's subjective rather than standardized protocols, with in ancient traditions but no demonstrated causal linking symbols or patterns to actual outcomes. Scientific scrutiny reveals fortune-telling lacks empirical validation, performing no better than random in controlled tests of predictive accuracy. A study of 303 participants found that familiarity with scientific methods—such as testing and —correlated negatively with belief in fortune-telling, while rote scientific facts showed no such association, suggesting methodological understanding erodes . Inconsistent results across methods, where one practice's prediction contradicts another's, further discredits claims of reliable foresight, as mutual incompatibility implies none capture objective reality. Apparent successes in readings stem from psychological techniques like , where practitioners issue broad, high-probability statements (e.g., "You have experienced a significant loss") and refine them based on subtle client reactions such as nods or hesitations, creating an illusion of specificity without prior knowledge. This exploits , the tendency to recall hits while ignoring misses, fostering belief despite overall inaccuracy. The amplifies this, as vague descriptions applicable to most people (e.g., "You are sometimes introverted but outgoing in trusted company") are perceived as uniquely personal, sustaining adherence even absent evidence. Skeptics, including organizations like the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, attribute persistence to cognitive vulnerabilities rather than supernatural efficacy, noting that no fortune-telling method has withstood rigorous, replicable experimentation under double-blind conditions. Peer-reviewed analyses consistently classify these practices as pseudoscience, reliant on unfalsifiable assertions and post-hoc rationalizations rather than causal evidence. While cultural and emotional appeals may drive demand—evidenced by the global psychic services industry exceeding $2 billion annually in 2023—absence of predictive power underscores their role as entertainment or placebo, not truth-revealing tools.

Arts and Entertainment

Film and Television Productions

The Fortune (1975), directed by , is a starring and as a pair of con artists in the who scheme to marry off a wealthy but dim heiress, played by , to claim her inheritance through the loophole. The production, with a screenplay by , satirizes greed and deception in pursuit of sudden wealth but received mixed reviews and underperformed commercially upon release. Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023), an directed by , centers on special agent Orson Fortune, portrayed by , who assembles a team including a movie star to infiltrate and halt the black-market sale of advanced weaponry brokered by a arms dealer. The film emphasizes high-stakes intertwined with opportunistic gains from global threats, grossing over $50 million worldwide despite critical reception faulting its formulaic plot. Good Fortune (2025), written, directed by, and starring , follows a down-on-his-luck whose life is upended by interventions from an inept angel, (), alongside characters played by and , exploring themes of and intervention in economic hardship. Scheduled for theatrical release on October 17, 2025, by , the comedy draws from real-world struggles to contrast random chance with deliberate aid. In television, , an enduring American syndicated created by , has broadcast since its daytime premiere on January 6, 1975, with contestants spinning a wheel to guess letters in word puzzles for cash, prizes, and bonuses representing accumulated fortune through skill and luck. Hosted primarily by and since 1982, it holds records as the longest-running syndicated series, awarding millions in prizes annually and symbolizing probabilistic reward systems. Outrageous Fortune (2005–2010), a comedy-drama series produced by South Pacific Pictures, spans six seasons and 58 episodes on TV3, depicting the West family—a of habitual criminals led by matriarch ()—as they attempt legitimate living after patriarch Wolfgang's imprisonment, frequently reverting to schemes for financial gain amid moral and legal pitfalls. Praised for its character depth and cultural resonance, the show achieved peak viewership of over 500,000 per episode and spawned spin-offs like Westside. Fortune Hunter (1994), a short-lived action-adventure series created by Steve Aspis, features as Carlton Dial, a suave ex-British intelligence operative who freelances for a recovery agency retrieving stolen artifacts and treasures, blending with hunts for valuable "fortunes" across 13 produced episodes, though only nine aired. The program, noted for its tongue-in-cheek parody style, ended prematurely due to low ratings despite continuations in some markets.

Music Albums, Songs, and Artists

Jimmy Fortune (born March 11, 1955) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist who served as the tenor vocalist for The Statler Brothers for over two decades, initially joining as a temporary replacement before becoming a permanent member and contributing to their performances and recordings. His solo career, beginning around 2005, features a blend of country and Christian music emphasizing themes of love, family, and faith, delivered through his expressive tenor voice. Fortune is also the name of an American melodic rock and AOR band formed in the 1970s by brothers, who released a self-titled debut album in 1978 on Warner Bros. Records, followed by lineup changes around 1982 and subsequent studio albums including II on April 26, 2019. Notable albums titled Fortune include American singer Chris Brown's fifth studio release, issued July 3, 2012, through RCA Records as his first project with the label. The rock band Fortune issued a self-titled album in 1985, recognized within AOR and pomp rock circles for its melodic style. Songs bearing the title "Fortune" encompass tracks like progressive metal band Soen's composition from their 2021 album , noted for its epic structure and lyrical depth exploring illusion and modesty. Japanese artist Nami Tamaki's "Fortune," her seventh single released January 26, 2005, in limited and regular editions, aligns with her output. More broadly, songs incorporating "fortune" in the title include Deep Purple's "" from their 1974 album , a reflecting on life's wanderings.

Literature, Theater, and Mythological References

In , was the goddess embodying chance, luck, and the unpredictable turns of fate, often portrayed as a veiled figure holding a or to signify abundance and direction, or turning a to illustrate life's reversals. She paralleled the Greek , goddess of prosperity and fortune, who was honored as a of and sometimes depicted crowning cities or individuals with favor, as referenced in ancient texts by authors like and . 's cult emphasized her dual role in granting or withholding success, with temples dedicated to her in dating back to the 3rd century BCE, influencing later literary depictions of destiny as an autonomous yet capricious power. The mythological , symbolizing cyclical rises and falls under Fortuna's influence, permeated medieval and , as seen in ' Consolation of Philosophy (c. 524 ), where Fortune explains her mutability as a test of human virtue rather than blind randomness. In Dante Alighieri's (c. 1320), Fortune serves as a divine agent distributing worldly goods according to God's will, distinct from pagan , thereby reconciling pagan mythology with Christian in a structured cosmic . Niccolò Machiavelli, in (1532), reconceptualized as a force akin to a "raging river" that humans must counter with (skill and preparation), drawing on her mythological unpredictability to argue for pragmatic rule over fatalistic submission. Shakespeare's works extensively invoke Fortune as a personified antagonist or ally, reflecting Elizabethan views of her as a strumpet-like deity dispensing favors arbitrarily. In Hamlet (c. 1600), the protagonist laments "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" in his soliloquy, portraying it as an external adversary to human agency. Similarly, in Romeo and Juliet (c. 1597), Romeo declares himself "fortune's fool" after slaying Tybalt, underscoring the goddess's role in thwarting personal control amid Verona's feuds. The wheel motif recurs in history plays like Henry V (c. 1599), where Fortune's shifts drive monarchical fortunes, as analyzed in studies of Shakespeare's medieval inheritance. In theater, Fortune's mythological informed Elizabethan , with the 1600 opening of London's —built by Philip Henslowe and —evoking the goddess's emblematic wheel in its polygonal design, hosting plays by the Admiral's Men that often explored themes of rise and ruin. Shakespeare's tragedies, performed in such venues, dramatized Fortune's interventions, as in (c. 1603), where the goddess transitions from blind arbiter to a disruptive force unbound by divine order, mirroring evolving toward classical . These references highlight Fortune not as mere but as a causal mechanism testing resolve, with empirical outcomes in plots hinging on characters' responses to her whims rather than predestined inevitability.

Sports Teams, Games, and Competitions

Fortune FC, a professional club based in Farato, , competes in the GFF Top Division league and is recognized for developing players who advance to national and professional levels. Established on December 7, 2012, the club achieved its first major title by winning the Football Federation League championship in 2021, defeating on goal difference with 57 points from 30 matches. As of the 2024-2025 season, the squad consists of 15 players with an average age of 24.8 years, maintaining a balanced transfer record without significant net spending. The team has participated in continental qualifiers, such as the 2022 preliminary rounds, where it advanced past AS Kaloum Star of before elimination by of . In , Fortune FC operates as a community-oriented in , emphasizing youth development and local upliftment through sports participation rather than professional leagues. The club fields teams in regional competitions, focusing on talent identification and social impact initiatives in underserved areas. Video games incorporating sports elements under the "Fortune" title include Dead or Alive Xtreme 3: Fortune (2016), a simulation title featuring and other athletic mini-games alongside character interactions; developed by for platforms, it emphasizes competitive sports mechanics within a setting, with multiplayer modes for up to eight players in tournaments. No major international sports competitions or board games directly titled "Fortune" with verifiable athletic focus have gained prominence, though niche events like matches involving teams or players named Fortune occur in circuits such as the Dodgeball National Championships.

Businesses and Brands

Fortune Magazine and Associated Rankings

Fortune is a global business magazine founded by , co-founder of , with its first issue published in February 1930 amid the onset of the . The publication targets executives and professionals, emphasizing in-depth reporting on corporations, markets, leadership, and economic trends through data-driven analysis and . Its editorial approach prioritizes empirical metrics of business performance, such as revenue and profitability, over subjective narratives. The magazine's influence stems largely from its proprietary rankings, which aggregate verifiable financial data to benchmark corporate scale and reputation. These lists, updated annually, draw from public filings, surveys, and proprietary methodologies to entities objectively, though they reflect a pro-business that values and . Central to Fortune's output is the Fortune 500, an annual of the 500 largest U.S. companies by from their respective fiscal years. Introduced in 1955 by editor Edgar P. Smith, the list initially featured firms like at the top and has since expanded to include metrics on and profits. Eligibility requires U.S. incorporation and primary domestic operations, with rankings derived solely from audited figures, excluding private companies lacking public disclosure. In 2024, the top three were ($648.1 billion), ($574.8 billion), and ($371.6 billion), collectively representing over $18 trillion in across the full list. Complementing the domestic focus, the Fortune Global 500 extends the model internationally, ranking the world's 500 largest corporations by revenue regardless of headquarters. Launched in , it incorporates multinational data, with 2024's list totaling $41 trillion in aggregate revenue, led by , , and . Methodology mirrors the U.S. version but includes foreign entities with significant global operations, emphasizing scale over national boundaries. Additional rankings assess non-revenue dimensions, such as workplace quality and reputational capital. The 100 Best Companies to Work For, produced in partnership with Great Place to Work since 1998, evaluates employee surveys on trust, culture, and retention, alongside demographic representation; 2025's top spots went to , Synchrony, and . The World's Most Admired Companies, co-developed with since 1997, polls executives, directors, and analysts on attributes like , quality, and from a candidate pool of top-revenue firms; Apple's perennial in 2025 underscores its scoring on tangible metrics over advocacy-driven criteria. Other lists include the Fastest-Growing Companies, which since 1986 has tracked three-year , , and growth among firms, and the Future 50, focusing on innovative disruptors via trajectory and potential. These rankings maintain methodological transparency, relying on quantifiable data to mitigate subjective , though critics note an inherent favoritism toward established capitalist structures. Fortune's data-centric approach has sustained its credibility in , with high factual accuracy in reporting despite occasional editorial leans toward and freedoms.

Other Commercial Enterprises and Products

, Inc. (NYSE: FBIN) is a multinational corporation headquartered in , specializing in home products such as , plumbing fixtures, door hardware, and solutions including locks and safes. The company traces its roots to the 2011 from the original conglomerate and underwent a in October 2022 to emphasize its innovation-driven portfolio across brands like , Moen, and Aristokraft. In fiscal year 2023, it reported net sales of approximately $4.4 billion. Fortune is a prominent of edible oils and consumer food products in , marketed by Limited, a between and established in 1999. The brand's portfolio includes refined (Fortune Sunlite), , , , and groundnut oil, with Fortune Sunlite positioned as a light, digestible option rich in and suitable for everyday cooking. Launched in the early , it has achieved leading market positions in multiple oil categories, supported by extensive distribution networks across urban and rural . Fortune cookies consist of crisp, folded wafers enclosing slips with prophetic or motivational messages, typically served as a novelty in Chinese-American restaurants. Their origins lie in early 20th-century adaptations of baked goods like by immigrants in , with the modern form emerging around the in San Francisco's Japanese Tea Garden before wider commercialization in Chinese eateries during the mid-20th century. By the post-World War II era, they had become a standardized product, mass-produced via automated machinery and distributed nationwide, often customized for promotional use by corporations.

People

Historical and Contemporary Individuals

Amos Fortune (c. 1710–1801), born in Africa and enslaved upon arrival in Boston around 1730, purchased his freedom in 1769 after working as a tanner and accumulating savings despite legal barriers for enslaved people. He relocated to Jaffrey, New Hampshire, in 1779, where he established a tannery, bought property, and freed his wife Violet in 1781; upon her death, he manumitted another wife, funded local church rebuilding after a 1792 fire, and willed assets including land and money to support education and public works, amassing an estate valued at over $300 in 1801. Timothy Thomas Fortune (October 3, 1856–June 2, 1928), born enslaved in , self-educated after emancipation and studied at before launching a career in . He founded and edited newspapers including The New York Globe (1881) and The New York Freeman (1884, later ), coining the term "Afro-American" and promoting self-reliance, anti-lynching campaigns, and alliances with labor movements; Fortune advised on speeches and publications, influencing early formation through his Afro-American League (1887–1890). Robert Fortune (September 16, 1812–April 13, 1880), a self-taught Scottish gardener from , joined the Royal Horticultural Society in 1842 and conducted four expeditions to (1843–1850s), disguising himself to access forbidden imperial gardens and smuggling tea seeds, , and cultivation knowledge to British , which catalyzed large-scale production there by 1850. He introduced approximately 250 ornamental and useful to Europe, including fortune's yellow, variegated , and , authoring books like Three Years' Wanderings in the Northern Provinces of China (1847) detailing his methods. Among contemporary figures, (born July 1, 1980), raised in , began as a writer and roundtable regular on (2006–2014) before starring as nurse Tamra in (2012–2017) and appearing in films like (2016) and Netflix's FUBAR (2023); she released stand-up specials including Sweet & Salty (2020) and tours emphasizing personal anecdotes on family, fitness, and relationships.

Fictional Characters and Personas

In American comic books, is an adventurer and mercenary character published by , originating as Duvid "Davey" Fortunov, a tough operative from Prohibition-era who gained a reputation as the meanest figure on the by the early . A subsequent iteration, introduced in such as Dominic Fortune (2009), portrays him as a 1930s troubleshooter hired to protect unruly celebrities amid and murder plots involving Nazis. In British detective fiction, Reggie Fortune—often styled Mr. Fortune—is a consulting and amateur sleuth created by H.C. Bailey, who aids in unraveling complex crimes through medical insight and eccentric deduction, debuting in short stories from the 1920s such as those in Call Mr. Fortune (1926). Characterized as a rotund, lethargic yet ruthlessly perceptive with a penchant for childlike mannerisms, Fortune features prominently in over 80 tales across novels and collections, emphasizing underdog cases in suburban settings. Sarah Fortune, known as Miss Fortune, is a fictional and in the League of Legends universe, hailing from the of Bilgewater where she rose to infamy through ruthless ambition following her mother's murder, wielding dual pistols in high-seas skirmishes against hardened criminals. As a playable since the game's launch, she embodies themes of vengeance and opportunism, with her backstory involving arms manufacturing ties and a stark contrast between alluring appearance and lethal precision. Orson Fortune serves as the protagonist in the 2023 Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre, directed by , depicted as an elite private spy recruited to infiltrate and disrupt a black-market arms deal for advanced weaponry, employing gadgets, combat prowess, and celebrity alliances. Portrayed by , the character navigates international intrigue with a team including a and , highlighting high-stakes amid billionaire brokers.

Places

Geographical Settlements and Regions

is a located on the northwestern tip of the in , , near the mouth of Fortune Bay on the south coast. Incorporated as a town in 1945, it serves as a hub for and , with a population of approximately 1,400 residents as of 2016. The area features rugged coastal terrain, including Fortune Head, a cape 1.6 kilometers west of the town that hosts an ecological reserve established to protect fossils and unique geological formations marking the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary. Fortune Bay, adjacent to the town, is a large natural bay in the spanning the south coast of Newfoundland, historically significant for its role in the region's fishery industry since European settlement in the . Pointe-Fortune is a in southwestern , , situated on the within the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Regional County Municipality, known for its rural landscape and proximity to the border. In the Philippines, Fortune Island is a 27-hectare resort island off the coast of Nasugbu in Batangas province, approximately 14 kilometers from the mainland, developed in 1995 as a private luxury destination featuring Greek-inspired architecture before falling into partial abandonment.

Other Named Locations

Fortune Bay constitutes a prominent natural inlet along the southern coastline of Newfoundland, Canada, within Newfoundland and Labrador province, extending into the Gulf of St. Lawrence and measuring roughly 80 kilometers in length with depths reaching up to 300 meters in places. Historically vital for inshore fisheries, particularly cod and lobster, the bay's fjord-like arms and rugged shores have shaped local economies since European settlement, though overfishing led to moratoria in the 1990s impacting adjacent communities. Fortune Island, a 27-hectare landmass off in Province, , lies approximately 14 kilometers from the mainland in the . Established in 1995 as a private luxury resort by former governor José Antonio Leviste, it incorporated Greek Revival elements such as marble columns and a temple replica atop cliffs overlooking white-sand beaches and coral reefs. Abandonment followed Leviste's 2009 conviction for , resulting in dilapidated structures that attract divers and explorers amid environmental concerns over and . Fortune Point denotes a specific on the North American Pacific coast in British Columbia's Range 5 Coast Land District, positioned at 54° 31′ 19″ N and 130° 28′ 10″ W near the . As a minor amid fjords and forested terrain, it serves navigational reference for maritime traffic in the , with geological composition tied to regional metamorphic rocks from ancient zones.

Ships and Transportation

Historical Vessels and Maritime Uses

The ship , a vessel of approximately 55 tons, departed in the summer of 1621 under Captain Thomas Barton and arrived at on November 9, 1621, before reaching later that month with 35 passengers, including religious agent Robert Cushman, his son Thomas, and families such as the Hiltons and Palmers. These bolstered the colony's population but arrived without provisions or trade goods, straining resources in the weeks following the colony's first harvest celebration. Primary accounts, such as those in Governor William Bradford's , record the Fortune as facilitating early transatlantic migration and reinforcing communal ties with backers. The Fortune departed on December 13, 1621, laden with planks and beaver pelts valued at around £500—equivalent to a significant portion of the colony's debts to investors—and reached the before being seized by French privateers near , resulting in the loss of its cargo and the detention of passengers until ransomed. This incident highlighted the perils of early colonial trade routes, where merchant vessels like the Fortune balanced passenger transport with commodity export to fund settlement expansion. The name Fortune also appeared in Royal Navy service from the early , with at least 22 warships bearing it by the , often as sloops or destroyers for escort duties, anti-submarine patrols, and fleet actions. Early examples include a 12-gun vessel captured during the in 1644 and repurposed, while later ones like the Swan-class sloop HMS Fortune (launched 1778) conducted surveys and in the until broken up in 1789. These ships exemplified uses in warfare and , with the name's recurrence reflecting naval traditions of invoking prosperity amid uncertain seas. In , Welsh captain operated multiple vessels renamed Royal Fortune during 1720–1722, including a 40-gun captured from British slavers off , which he used for high-seas raids yielding prizes worth over £1 million in contemporary value before his defeat at Cape Lopez. These adaptations of captured hulls for predatory underscored the era's fluid economies, where Fortune-named ships shifted from legitimate to illicit enterprise.

Modern or Miscellaneous Vehicles

HMCS Fortune (MCB 151) was a Bay-class minesweeper constructed for the Royal Canadian Navy by Victoria Machinery Depot in Victoria, British Columbia. Launched on 14 April 1953 and initially named Belle Isle before renaming, the vessel displaced 396 tons, measured 152 feet in length with a 28-foot beam, and was commissioned on 3 November 1954. Designed for mine countermeasures with mechanical sweep equipment, it primarily operated on Canada's West Coast, conducting training and patrol duties until decommissioning in 1958. Following naval service, Fortune was sold to Greenpeace in 1984 for use in anti-whaling campaigns and later repurposed as a floating museum ship, preserving its role in post-World War II maritime defense. The is a mid-size body-on-frame sport utility vehicle produced by Motor Corporation, derived from the Hilux pickup platform for rugged off-road capability. Introduced in 2004 for markets in and subsequently expanded to , , , and , it features ladder-frame construction, available and engines up to 2.8 liters, and seating for seven passengers. The name "Fortuner" draws from the English word "fortune," symbolizing , success, and prosperity, aligning with Toyota's branding for durable, family-oriented vehicles in emerging economies. By 2025, multiple generations have incorporated advanced features like turbocharged engines, all-wheel drive, and enhanced systems, maintaining annual production volumes exceeding 100,000 units globally.

Other Uses

Miscellaneous References and Events

, a thin folded enclosing a slip of paper with a predictive or motivational message, originated in the United States among immigrants rather than in , contrary to widespread belief. It evolved from omikuji senbei, rice crackers baked around fortune papers used in shrines since the 19th century. Early American adaptations appeared in , with one documented instance in 1914 when Makoto Hagiwara, a landscape designer, served them with fortunes at the San Francisco Tea Garden to boost attendance during financial hardship. A competing claim attributes to David Jung, founder of the Hong Kong Noodle Company in , who in 1918 reportedly distributed cookies containing biblical encouragements to unemployed workers amid economic distress. The cookie's association with Chinese restaurants intensified after , as Japanese-American producers faced internment and displacement, allowing Chinese-American businesses to adopt and mass-produce the item, embedding the misconception of Chinese origins despite no historical evidence from . By the mid-20th century, over 250 million fortune cookies were produced annually in the U.S., primarily by a few manufacturers like Wonton Food Inc., which supplies 80% of the market. In publishing, Fortune magazine launched its inaugural issue on February 1, 1930, founded by Henry Luce to chronicle American business amid the Great Depression, featuring in-depth reporting on industry with high production values including custom artwork. The magazine's Fortune 500 list debuted in May 1955, compiled by editor Edgar P. Smith to rank the 500 largest U.S. industrial firms by revenue, topped by General Motors with $9.9 billion; it expanded in 1994 to include service companies, reflecting economic shifts toward non-manufacturing sectors. This annual ranking has endured as a key metric for corporate scale, though criticized for emphasizing revenue over profitability or innovation. The American game show premiered on January 6, 1975, on NBC daytime television, created by as a puzzle-solving contest where players spun a wheel for cash and prizes to guess letters in phrases. Hosted initially by , it transitioned to in 1983 under , achieving peak viewership of 12 million households by the 1990s and syndicating internationally, with over 8,000 episodes aired by 2025. The format's success stemmed from simple mechanics evoking chance and skill, though it faced minor controversies like prize disputes.