Passage 1:NarathihapateNarathihapate (Burmese: , pronounced [na θìhapt]; also Sithu IV of Pagan; 23 April 1238 – 1 July 1287) was the last king of the Pagan Empire who reigned from 1256 to 1287. The king is known in Burmese history as the "Taruk-Pyay Min" ("the King who fled from the Taruks") for his flight from Pagan (Bagan) to Lower Burma in 1285 during the first Mongol invasion (1277–87) of the kingdom. He eventually submitted to Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan dynasty in January 1287 in exchange for a Mongol withdrawal from northern Burma. But when the king was assassinated six months later by his son Thihathu, the Viceroy of Prome, the 250-year-old Pagan Empire broke apart into multiple petty states. The political fragmentation of the Irrawaddy valley and its periphery would last for another 250 years until the mid-16th century.The king is unkindly remembered in the royal chronicles, which in addition to calling a cowardly king who fled from the invaders, also call him "an ogre" and "glutton" who was "great in wrath, haughtiness and envy, exceeding covetous and ambitious." According to scholarship, he was certainly an ineffective ruler but unfairly scapegoated by the chronicles for the fall of the empire, whose decline predated his reign, and in fact had been "more prolonged and agonized".Early lifeThe future king was born to Crown Prince Uzana and a commoner concubine from Myittha on 23 April 1238. For much of his early years, he was known at the palace as Min Khwe-Chi (lit. "Prince Dog's Dung") as a harmless royal. Even when his father became king in 1251, Khwe-Chi was not in line for the throne; the position belonged to his half-brother Thihathu, the eldest son of the chief queen Thonlula.ReignRise to powerBut fate came calling. In early May 1256, Uzana died from a hunting accident, and Thihathu claimed the throne. The court led by the powerful chief minister Yazathingyan did not accept a head-strong Thihathu, and placed their preferred candidate, Khwe Chi, whom they believed they could control, on the throne on 6 May 1256. Thihathu was arrested and executed. Narathihapate held the coronation ceremony in November 1256. He assumed the regnal name "Śrī Tribhuvanādityapavara Dhammarāja" ().Governing styleThe young king turned out be quick-tempered, arrogant, and ruthless. Soon after his accession, he sent Yazathingyan, the man who put him on the throne, into exile. But he soon had to recall Yazathingyan to quell the rebellions in Martaban (Mottama) (1258–1259) and Arakan (1258–1260). Yazathingyan put down the rebellions but died on the return journey. With the old minister's death removed the only person that could have controlled the ruthless, inexperienced king.Narathihapate was incompetent in both domestic and foreign affairs. Like his father and grandfather before him, he too failed to fix the depleted royal treasury, which had been deteriorating for years because the continued growth of tax-free religious landholdings. But unlike his grandfather Kyaswa, who would rather build a small temple than to resort to forced labor, Narathihapate built a lavish temple, the Mingalazedi Pagoda with forced labor. The people, sinking under his rule, whispered: "When the pagoda is finished, the king shall die".Mongol invasionsBorder war (1277–78)The existential threat to the Burmese kingdom came from the north. The Mongols, who conquered the Dali Kingdom (later renamed as Yunnan in 1274) in 1253–57, first demanded tribute from Pagan in 1271–72. When the Burmese king refused, Emperor Kublai Khan himself sent a mission in 1273 to demand tribute once again. The king refused again. The Mongol army of the Yuan dynasty in 1275–76 consolidated the Pagan–Yunnan borderlands as part of their drive to close off escape routes of the Song refugees, and in the process went on to occupy a Burmese vassal state in present-day Dehong Prefecture). Narathihapate sent the army to reclaim the region but the army was driven back in April 1277 at the battle of Ngasaunggyan (modern Yingjiang). The Mongol troops reached as far south as Kaungsin, which guarded the Bhamo Pass, the gateway into the Irrawaddy, before retreating in 1278 due to excessive heat. Later in 1278, the army reestablished its forts at Kaungsin and Ngasaunggyan.Invasion (1283–85)Narathihapate's troubles were not over. In 1281, the Mongol emperor again demanded tribute. When the king refused, the emperor ordered an invasion of northern Burma. In September 1283, the Mongol forces again attacked the Burmese fort at Ngasaunggyan, which fell on 3 December 1283. Kaungsin fell six days later, and the Mongols took Tagaung on 5 February 1284. But the Mongols found the heat excessive and retreated from Tagaung. The Burmese forces retook Tagaung on 10 May 1284. The Mongol resumed their drive southward in the following dry season (1284–85), and reached as far south as Hanlin by February 1285. Although the Mongols did not have the order to attack Pagan, the king nonetheless fled south to Lower Burma.Exile in Lower Burma (1285–87)At Lower Burma, Narathihapate found himself isolated. Although his three sons controlled three key ports (Bassein (Pathein), Dala and Prome (Pyay)) there, he could not gain their support. He did not trust them in any case, and settled at Hlegya, west of Prome, at the border between Central Burma and Lower Burma. The presence of the king and his small army impressed no one. Pegu (Bago) revolted soon after, and drove back the king's small army twice. With Martaban (Mottama) also in rebellion, the breakaway of Pegu meant the entire eastern half of Lower Burma was now in revolt. His three sons remained in control of the western half of Lower Burma but he could not count on them for their support. At Hlegya, the king was literally at the periphery of Lower Burma.Mongol vassal (1287)He decided to return to central Burma even if it meant making peace with the Mongols. In December 1285, he sent the chief minister and general Ananda Pyissi and Gen. Maha Bo to negotiate a ceasefire. The Mongol commanders at Hanlin, who had organized northern Burma as a protectorate named Zhengmian (Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: Cheng-Mien) agreed to a ceasefire but insisted on a full submission. They repeated their 1281 demand that the Burmese king send a formal delegation to the emperor. A tentative agreement was reached among the negotiators on 3 March 1286; Central Burma would now be organized as a sub-province of Mianzhong (Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: Mien-Chung), and the Burmese king would send a formal embassy to the emperor. After a long deliberation, in June 1286, the Burmese king decided to agree to the terms, and sent an embassy led by Shin Ditha Pamauk, the chief primate, to the emperor's court.In January 1287, the embassy arrived at Beijing, and was received by the emperor. The Burmese delegation formally acknowledged Mongol suzerainty of their kingdom, and agreed to pay annual tribute tied to the agricultural output of the country. Northern Burma would continue to be organized as Zhengmian (Cheng-Mien) while central Burma would be organized as Mianzhong (Mien-Chung). In exchange, the emperor agreed to withdraw his troops. The Burmese embassy arrived back at Hlegya in May 1287, and reported the terms to the king.DeathAbout a month later, the king and his small retinue left Hlegya for Pagan. But he was captured en route by his son Thihathu, the Viceroy of Prome. On 1 July 1287, the king was forced to take poison. To refuse would have meant death by the sword, and with a prayer on his lips that in all his future existences "may no male-child be ever born to him again", the king swallowed the poison and died.AftermathNarathihapate's death was promptly followed by the breakup of the kingdom. Nearly 250 years of Pagan's rule over the Irrawaddy basin and its periphery was over. In Lower Burma, the Hanthawaddy Kingdom of the Mons emerged in 1287. In the west, Arakan was now de jure independent. In the north, the Shans who came down with the Mongols came to dominate Kachin hills and Shan hills, and went on dominate much of western and central mainland Southeast Asia.The Mongols deemed the treaty void and invaded south toward Pagan. But the invaders suffered heavy casualties, and retreated back to Tagaung. It would be nearly two years until 30 May 1289 when one of his sons Kyawswa emerged as the king of Pagan. By then, the Pagan Empire had ceased to exist. The Mongols had occupied down to Tagaung, and the occupation would last until April 1303. Even in central Burma, Kyawswa controlled only around the capital. The real power now rested with the three brothers from Myinsaing who would later found the Myinsaing Kingdom in 1297, replacing over four centuries of Pagan Kingdom.LegacyThe king is unkindly remembered in Burmese history as the " Taruk-Pyay Min" ("the King who Fled from the Taruk [Chinese]") for his flight to the south, instead of defending the country. The royal chronicles paint an especially harsh description of the king, portraying him as "an ogre" and "glutton" who was "great in wrath, haughtiness and envy, exceeding covetous and ambitious." According to scholarship, he was certainly an ineffective ruler but unfairly scapegoated by the chronicles for the fall of the empire, whose descent predated his reign and in fact had been "more prolonged and agonized."HistoriographyVarious royal chronicles report different dates about his life.NotesPassage 2:AnacyndaraxesAnacyndaraxes (Greek: νακυνδαράξης) was the father of Sardanapalus, king of Assyria.Notes This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Anacyndaraxes". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. p. 157-158.Passage 3:Arthur BeauchampArthur Beauchamp (1827 – 28 April 1910) was a Member of Parliament from New Zealand. He is remembered as the father of Harold Beauchamp, who rose to fame as chairman of the Bank of New Zealand and was the father of writer Katherine Mansfield.BiographyBeauchamp came to Nelson from Australia on the Lalla Rookh, arriving on 23 February 1861.He lived much of his life in a number of locations around the top of the South Island, also Whanganui when Harold was 11 for seven years and then to the capital (Wellington). Then south to Christchurch and finally Picton and the Sounds. He had business failures and was bankrupted twice, in 1879 and 1884. He married Mary Stanley on the Victorian goldfields in 1854; Arthur and Mary lived in 18 locations over half a century, and are buried in Picton. Six of their ten children born between 1855 and 1893 died, including the first two sons born before Harold.Beauchamp represented the Picton electorate from 1866 to 1867, when he resigned.  He had the energy and sociability required for politics, but not the private income then required to be a parliamentarian. He supported the working man and the subdivision of big estates, opposed the confiscation of Māori land and was later recognised as a founding Liberal, the party that Harold supported and was a "fixer" for. Yska calls their life an extended chronicle of rootlessness, business failure and almost ceaseless family tragedy and Harold called his father a rolling stone by instinct. Arthur also served on the council of Marlborough


Passage 1:Rolf Olsen (actor)Rolf Olsen (26 December 1919 – 3 April 1998) was an Austrian actor, screenwriter and film director. He appeared in 60 films between 1949 and 1990. He also wrote for 51 films and directed a further 33 between 1947 and 1990. He was born in Vienna, Austria and died in Munich, Germany.Selected filmographyPassage 2:Our Crazy Aunts in the South SeasOur Crazy Aunts in the South Seas (German: Unsere tollen Tanten in der Südsee) is a 1964 Austrian comedy film directed by Rolf Olsen and starring Gunther Philipp, Gus Backus, and Udo Jürgens. It was the final part in a trilogy of films that also included Our Crazy Aunts and Our Crazy Nieces. Barbara Frey was cast in the role that had been played by Vivi Bach in the two previous films.The film's sets were designed by the art director Leo Metzenbauer. Location shooting took place in the Canary Islands.CastPassage 3:Wale AdebanwiWale Adebanwi (born 1969) is a Nigerian-born first Black Rhodes Professor at St Antony's College, Oxford where he was, until June 2021, a Professor of Race Relations, and the Director of the African Studies Centre, School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies, and a Governing Board Fellow. He is currently a Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Adebanwi's research focuses on a range of topics in the areas of social change, nationalism and ethnicity, race relations, identity politics, elites and cultural politics, democratic process, newspaper press and spatial politics in Africa.Education backgroundWale Adebanwi graduated with a first degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, and later earned his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Ibadan. He also has an MPhil. and a Ph.D. in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge.CareerAdebanwi worked as a freelance reporter, writer, journalist and editor for many newspapers and magazines before he joined the University of Ibadan's Department of Political Science as a lecturer and researcher. He was later appointed as an assistant professor in the African American and African Studies Department of the University of California, Davis, USA. He became a full professor at UC Davis in 2016.Adebanwi is the co-editor of Africa: Journal of the International African Institute and the Journal of Contemporary African Studies.WorksHis published works include:Nation as Grand Narrative: The Nigerian Press and the Politics of Meaning (University of Rochester Press, 2016)Yoruba Elites and Ethnic Politics in Nigeria: Obafemi Awolowo and Corporate Agency (Cambridge University Press, 2014)Authority Stealing: Anti-corruption War and Democratic Politics in Post-Military Nigeria (Carolina Academic Press, 2012)In addition, he is the editor and co-editor of other books, including.The Political Economy of Everyday Life in Africa: Beyond the Margins (James Currey Publishers, 2017)Writers and Social Thought in Africa (Routledge, 2016)(co-edited with Ebenezer Obadare) Governance and the Crisis of Rule in Contemporary Africa (Palgrave Macmillan, 2016)(co-edited with Ebenezer Obadare) Democracy and Prebendalism in Nigeria: Critical Interpretations (Palgrave Macmillan, 2013).(co-edited with Ebenezer Obadare) Nigeria at Fifty: The Nation in Narration (Routledge, 2012)(co-edited with Ebenezer Obadare) Encountering the Nigerian State (Palgrave Macmillan, 2010).AwardsRhodes Professorship in Race Relations awarded by Oxford University to Faculty of African and Interdisciplinary Area Studies.Passage 4:Hassan ZeeHassan "Doctor" Zee is a Pakistani-American film director who was born in Chakwal, Pakistan.Early lifeDoctor Zee grew up in Chakwal, a small village in Punjab, Pakistan. as one of seven brothers and sisters  His father was in the military and this fact required the family to move often to different cities. As a child Zee was forbidden from watching cinema because his father believed movies were a bad influence on children.At age 13, Doctor Zee got his start in the world of entertainment at Radio Pakistan where he wrote and produced radio dramas and musical programs.  It was then that he realized his passion for storytelling At the age of 26, Doctor Zee earned his medical doctorate degree and did his residency in a burn unit at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. He cared for women who were victims of  "Bride Burning," the archaic practice used as a form of punishment against women who fail to provide sufficient dowry to their in-laws after marriage or fail to provide offspring.  He also witnessed how his country’s transgender and intersex people, called “hijras”, were banned from having jobs and forced to beg to survive. These experiences inspired Doctor Zee to tackle the issues of women’s empowerment and gender inequality in his films.In 1999, he came to San Francisco to pursue his dream of filmmaking and made San Francisco his homeEducationHe received his early education from Jinnah Public School, Chakwal. He got his medical doctor degree at Rawalpindi Medical College, Pakistan.Film careerDoctor Zee's first film titled Night of Henna was released in 2005. The theme of the film dealt with "the conflict between Old World immigrant customs and modern Western ways..." Night of Henna focused on the problems of Pakistani expatriates who found it hard to adjust in American culture. Many often landed themselves in trouble when it came to marrying off their children.His second film Bicycle Bride came out in 2010, which was about "the clash between the bonds of family and the weight of tradition." His third film House of Temptation that came out in 2014 was about a family which struggles against the temptations of the Devil. His fourth film “Good Morning Pakistan”, concerned a young American’s journey back to Pakistan where he confronts the contradictory nature of a beautiful and ancient culture that's marred by economic, educational and gender inequality His upcoming fifth film, "Ghost in San Francisco" is a supernatural thriller starring Felissa Rose, Dave Sheridan, and Kyle Lowder where a soldier comes home from Afghanistan to discover that his wife is having an affair with his best friend. While battling with his inner ghosts and demons, he meets a mysterious woman in San Francisco who promises him a ritual for his cure.Passage 5:Dearest (2014 film)Dearest is a 2014 Chinese-language film directed by Peter Chan on kidnapping in China, based on a true story, starring Zhao Wei, Huang Bo, Tong Dawei, Hao Lei, Zhang Yi and Zhang Yuqi. It was screened in the Special Presentations section of the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival.PlotFollowing years of unrelenting search, Tian Wenjun (Huang Bo) and ex-wife Lu Xiaojuan (Hao Lei) finally locate their abducted son in a remote village. After the boy is violently taken away from the village, the abductor's widow Li Hongqin (Zhao Wei) — the boy's foster mother — also loses her foster daughter to a state-owned orphanage in Shenzhen. Heartbroken, Li goes on a lone but determined journey to get her daughter back.Theme songs"Qin'ai de Xiaohai" (; "Dear Child") sung by cast members Huang, Tong, Zhao, Zhang Yi and Hao. It was originally sung by Su Rui as the theme song of the 1985 film The Unwritten Law."Mei Yi Ci" (; "Every Time") sung by Huang. It was originally sung by Zhang Hongsheng as an insert song in the 1990 TV series Kewang."Yinxing de Chibang" (; "Invisible Wings") sung by Huang and parents of missing children. It was originally sung by Angela Chang in her 2006 album Pandora.CastZhao WeiHuang BoTong DaweiHao LeiZhang YiZhang YuqiZhang GuoqiangZhu DongxuYi QingWang ZhifeiProductionPrincipal photography for Dearest took place in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengde. It began from January 2014 and concluded on 18 April 2014.Portraying a rural mother, Zhao Wei spoke the Lower Yangtze Mandarin dialect (the predominant dialect in her hometown of Wuhu) rather than Standard Mandarin in the film.AccoladesSee alsoLost and Love – another film dealing with child kidnapping in ChinaPassage 6:Peter ChanPeter Ho-sun Chan (born 28 November 1962) is a film director and producer.Early lifeChan was born in British Hong Kong to Chinese parents. He and his family moved to Thailand when he was 11, where he grew up amongst the international Chinese community in Bangkok. He speaks Thai as fluently as a Thai person.He later studied in the United States where he attended film school at UCLA, with a minor in accountancy. He returned to Hong Kong in 1983 for a summer internship in the film industry. Chan never returned to UCLA to complete his studies.CareerHe served as second assistant director, translator, and producer on John Woo's Heroes Shed No Tears (1986), which was set in Thailand. He then was a location manager on three Jackie Chan films, Wheels on Meals (1984), The Protector (1985) and Armour of God (1986), all of which were shot overseas.He joined Impact Films as a producer in 1989, guiding projects such as Curry and Pepper (1990) to completion.His directorial debut, Alan and Eric: Between Hello and Goodbye, was crowned best film at the Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild in 1991. It also won best actor at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Eric Tsang, who would become a frequent collaborator with Chan.Chan was a co-founder of United Filmmakers Organization (UFO) in the early 1990s, which produced a number of box-office and critical hits in Hong Kong, including his own: He Ain't Heavy, He's My Father.  Other critical and commercial successes followed, including Tom, Dick and Hairy, He's a Woman, She's a Man and Comrades, Almost a Love Story.In the late 1990s, Chan worked in Hollywood, directing The Love Letter, which starred Kate Capshaw, Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Selleck.In 2000, Chan co-founded Applause Pictures with Teddy Chen and Allan Fung.  The company's focus was on fostering ties with pan-Asian filmmakers, producing such films as Jan Dara by Thailand's Nonzee Nimibutr, One Fine Spring Day South Korea's Hur Jin-ho, Samsara by China's Huang Jianxin, The Eye by Danny and Oxide Pang and cinematographer Christopher Doyle.Chan's 2005 film, the musical Perhaps Love closed the 2005 Venice Film Festival and was Hong Kong's entry for an Academy Awards nomination in the best foreign film category.  Perhaps Love became one of the year's top-grossing films in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and received a record 29 awards. Chan next directed The Warlords (2007) and produced Derek Yee's Protégé (2007). The two films were the two highest grossing Hong Kong-China co-productions of 2007. The Warlords grossed a record RMB220 million in China and over US$40 million across Asia, and garnered 8 Hong Kong Film Awards and 3 Golden Horse Awards, including Best Director and Best Feature Film.In 2009, Chan produced Teddy Chen's Bodyguards and Assassins, which has garnered RMB300 million in China box office alone, accumulating over US$50 million Asia-wide. It has scored 8 awards in the Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film. It also won Best Actor awards for Wang Xueqi in the Asian Film Awards and the HK Film Critics Society Awards, adding up to 146 awards out of 231 nominations for Chan's awards track record.In a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council during the 2010 Hong Kong Filmart, Chan was voted "the most valuable filmmaker", which was strongly backed by his box-office track records.Personal lifeChan dated Kathleen Poh for a brief period in 1993


Passage 1:Helperich von Plötzkau, Margrave of the NordmarkHelperich (Helferich) (d. 1118), Count of Plötzkau and Walbeck, and Margrave of the Nordmark, sonof Dietrich, Count of Plötzkau, and Mathilde von Walbeck, daughter of Conrad, Count of Walbeck, and Adelheid of Bavaria.  The count's sister Irmgard wasmarried to Lothair Udo III, Margrave of the Nordmark, and was the mother of Helperich's successor in ruling the margraviate, Henry II.Helperich inherited thetitle Count of Plötzkau upon his father’s death and the title Count of Walbeck from his mother, although this title was mostly ceremonial at this point.  In 1112,Emperor Henry V deposed Rudolf I as Margrave of the Nordmark because of conspiracy against the crown in his alliance with Lothair of Supplinburg, then Duke ofSaxony (and later Holy Roman Emperor).  The margraviate was given to Helperich as an interim measure until Henry II, nephew of Rudolf and heir to the title,was of age.In 1106, Helperich married Adele, daughter of Kuno of Northeim and Kunigunde of Weimar-Orlamünde, widow of Dietrich III, Count ofKatlenburg.  Helperich and Adele had four children:Bernhard (d. 1147), Count of PlötzkauConrad, Margrave of the NordmarkIrmgard, Abbess ofHecklingenMathilde.Halperich died in 1118 and was buried at the Hecklingen Monastery.  Upon his death, he was succeeded as Count of Plötzkau by his sonBernhard.  Henry II assumed the role of Margrave of the Nordmark in 1114.SourcesHucke, Richard G., Die Grafen von Stade. 900–1144. Genealogie, politischeStellung, Comitat und Allodialbesitz der sächsischen Udonen. Stade 1956Passage 2:Lothair Udo III, Margrave of the NordmarkLothair Udo III (1070-1106),Margrave of the Nordmark and Count of Stade (as Lothair Udo IV), son of Lothair Udo II, Margrave of the Nordmark, and Oda of Werl, daughter of Herman III,Count of Werl, and Richenza of Swabia.  Brother of his predecessor Henry I the Long.Lothair Udo was betrothed to Eilika of Saxony, daughter of Magnus, Duke ofSaxony, and Sophia of Hungary. However, his attention was diverted to the House of Helperich, towards Count Helperich's enticing sister Ermengardam.  Hemarried this woman, the count's sister Irmgard, daughter of Dietrich, Count of Plötzkau, and Mathilde von Walbeck, daughter of Conrad, Count of Walbeck.  Eilikamoved on and married Otto the Rich, Count of Ballenstedt, and was mother to Albert the Bear, the last Margrave of the Nordmark and first Margrave ofBrandenburg.  This provides an interesting twist in the history of the county of Stade.Lothair Udo and Irmgard had four children:Henry II, Margrave of theNordmark, also Count of Stade (as Henry IV)A daughter whose name is not knownIrmgard von Stade, married Poppo IV, Count of HennebergAdelheid von Stade,married Henry II, Margrave of Meissen.Lothair Udo was succeeded by his brother Rudolf as margrave and count upon his death.SourcesHucke, Richard G., DieGrafen von Stade. 900–1144. Genealogie, politische Stellung, Comitat und Allodial- besitz der sächsischen Udonen, Selbstverlag des Stader Geschichts undHeimatvereins, Stade, 1956Raffensperger, Christian, Reimagining Europe, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2012Passage 3:Albert II, Margrave ofBrandenburgAlbert II (c. 1177 – 25 February 1220) was a member of the House of Ascania who ruled as the margrave of Brandenburg from 1205 until his deathin 1220.LifeAlbert II was the youngest son of Otto I and his second wife Ada of Holland. His father Otto I promoted and directed the foundation of Germansettlement in the area, which had been Slavic until the 10th century.Count of ArneburgAlbert II was, from 1184 onwards, Count of Arneburg in the Altmark.  TheAltmark belonged to Brandenburg, and his older brother Otto II claimed that this implied that the Ascanians owned Arneburg.When Henry of Gardeleggen died in1192, he left his domains to Albert II. But that caused a conflict between himself and his brother. He was temporarily imprisoned in 1194 by Otto.In 1197, hejoined the German Crusade of 1197. He was present at the inaugural meeting of the Teutonic Knights in 1198 in Acre.Margrave of BrandenburgAlbert II inheritedthe Margraviate in 1205, after the death of his eldest brother Otto II.In the dispute about the imperial crown between the Houses of Hohenstaufen and Guelph inthe early 13th century, Albert initially supported the Hohenstaufen King Philip of Swabia, like Otto before him.  After Philip's assassination in 1208, however, hechanged sides, because Emperor Otto IV had assisted him in securing the Margraviate against the Danes, and had confirmed Ascanian ownership of Brandenburgin a deed in 1212.During this period, Albert II had a lengthy dispute with Archbishop Albert I of Magdeburg. He also played an important rôle in the Brandenburgtithe dispute.Albert II definitively secured the regions of Teltow, Prignitz and parts of the Uckermark for the Margraviate of Brandenburg, but lost Pomerania tothe House of Griffins.Death and successionAlbert II died in 1220.  At the time, his two sons were still minors.  Initially, archbishop Albert I of Magdeburg acted asregent.  In 1221, however, Albert's widow, Countess Matilda, took up the regency.  After her death in 1225, the brothers were declared legal adults and beganruling the Margraviate jointly.LegacyStephan Warnatsch describes Otto I's children as follows:[They] continued the territorialisation drive that had been initiated[by their father] and, from the end of the 12th Century, as the influx of settlers grew stronger, and, consequently, more people were available to develop theterritory, started to expand into the areas of Ruppin, and in particular, Barnim and Teltow.  Moreover, the Oder region and the southern Uckermark were alsotargets of the Ascanian expansion.  In all these areas, the Ascanians ran into opposition from competing local princes.Marriage and issueIn 1205, Albert marriedMatilda of Groitzsch (1185–1225), daughter of the Count Conrad II of Lusatia, a member of the House of Wettin, and wife Elizabeth, from the Polish Piastdynasty.  They had four children:John I (born: c. 1213; died: 4 April 1266)Otto III "the Pious" (born: 1215; died: 9 October 1267)Matilda (died: 10 June 1261),married in 1228 Duke Otto I "the Child" of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1204–1252), a member of the House of GuelphElizabeth (born: 1207; died: 19 November 1231),married in 1228 Landgrave Henry Raspe of Thuringia (1201–1247)Passage 4:Henry II, Margrave of Baden-HachbergHenry II, Margrave of Baden-Hachberg(before 1231 – c. 1297/1298) was the ruling Margrave of Baden-Hachberg from 1231 to 1289.LifeHenry II was the eldest son of Margrave Henry I ofBaden-Hachberg and his wife, Agnes, a daughter of Count Egino IV of Urach.  In 1231, he succeeded his father as Margrave of Baden-Hachberg.  Since he was aminor at the time, he initially stood under the guardianship of his mother.  He was the first in his line of the House of Zähringen to style himself Margrave ofHachberg.  In 1232, he purchased the Lordship of Sausenburg from St. Blaise Abbey.  Soon afterwards, he built Sausenburg Castle, which was first mentioned in1246.He had disputes with the spiritual rulers in the area and with the Counts of Freiburg about the entangled rights and privileges they had (or claimed to have)on each other's possessions.  In 1250, some imperial and Hohenstaufen possessions became available for the taking after Emperor Frederick II had died.  HenryII grabbed some of these land and managed round off his territory.For several years, he supported Count Rudolph of Habsburg in his disputes against the bishopsof Basel and Strasbourg.  In 1273, he supported Rudolph in his bid to become King of the Romans.  He also supported Rudolph in his dispute against the mainline of the Margraves of Baden.  During the war against Bohemia, Henry II fought on the imperial side in the decisive Battle on the Marchfeld.He was a patron ofthe monasteries Tennenbach and Adelhausen.Henry II abdicated in 1289, and joined the Teutonic Knights.Marriage and issueHenry II was married to Anne, adaughter of Count Rudolph II of Üsingen-Ketzingen.  They had the following children:Henry III, his successor as Margrave of Baden-HachbergRudolf I, the firstMargrave of Hachberg-SausenbergFrederick, who also joined the Teutonic KnightsVerena, married Egino I, Count of FürstenbergHerman I, joined the KnightsHospitallerKunigunde, a nun at AdelhausenAgnes, married Walter of ReichenbergElisabeth, also a nun at AdelhausenPassage 5:Henry II, Margrave of theNordmarkHenry II (1102 – 4 December 1128), Margrave of the Nordmark, also Count of Stade (as Henry IV), son of Lothair Udo III, Margrave of the Nordmark,and  Irmgard, daughter of Dietrich, Count of Plötzkau, and Mathilde von Walbeck.Henry assumed the title of Margrave of the Nordmark in 1114 from Helperich ofPlötzkau, who was appointed margrave until Henry came of age. The previous margrave in this dynasty was Henry’s uncle Rudolf I, who was also hisguardian.  Rudolf was deposed by Emperor Henry V because of conspiracy against the crown, and was replaced by Helperich as an interim measure.  Henryassumed the titles of Count of Stade and Margrave of the Nordmark in 1114.Henry was married to Adelaide of Ballenstedt, a daughter of Otto, Count ofBallenstedt, and Eilika of Saxony.  Adelaide was therefore the sister of Albert the Bear. There are no known children as a result of this union.  Henry wassucceeded as margrave by the son of Helperich, Conrad of Plötzkau.SourcesKrause, Karl Ernst Hermann, Lothar Udo II. und das Stader Grafenhaus. In:Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie. Band 19, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig, 1884== External links ==Passage 6:Henry II, Margrave of MeissenHenry II (1103–1123)was the Margrave of Meissen and the Saxon Ostmark (as Lusizensis marchio: margrave of Lusatia) from his birth until his death. He was the posthumous son ofMargrave Henry I and Gertrude of Brunswick, daughter of Egbert I of Meissen. He was by inheritance also Count of Eilenburg. He was the second Meissenermargrave of the House of Wettin.He was initially under the regency of first his mother and after her death in 1117 under his great uncle Thimo. He died youngand without children in 1123. His lands were inherited by his half-sister Richenza of Northeim. He left a widow, Adelaide, daughter of Lothair Udo III, Margrave ofthe Nordmark. The succession to the marches was disputed after his death.Passage 7:Rudolf II, Margrave of the NordmarkRudolf II (died 14 March 1144),Margrave of the Nordmark, and Count of Stade, Dithmarschen and Freckleben, son of Rudolf I, Margrave of the Nordmark, and Richardis, daughter of Hermannvon Sponheim, Burgrave of Magdeburg.Rudolf, the traditional heir to the margraviate assumed the title upon the death of his predecessor Conrad von Plötzkau.Achronicle of the 15th century reported that Rudolf resided in Burg, Dithmarschen (Bökelnburg). He ruled with a heavy hand and demanded his grain tithe evenafter several years of drought. The Dithmarscher farmers used a ruse to get rid of their unpopular regent. Hidden in sacks of corn were weapons.  As agreed, theyopened the bags at the sound of the battle cry "Röhret de Hann, snidet de sac spell!" (Shall ye touch hands, cuts the bag volumes). They set the castle on fire,


Passage 1:Carmen on IceCarmen on Ice is a 1990 dance film with a choreography for figure skaters made in Germany. The music is based on the opera Carmenby Georges Bizet in an orchestral version arranged especially for this film. In contrast to figure skating movies of former times, Carmen on Ice is a film withoutspoken dialogue, which is an innovation in the history of figure skating.PlotThe story of Carmen on Ice is very similar to the opera Carmen. Analogous to thefour-act opera libretto the screenplay has four parts:A Square in Sevilla in front of a cigarette factory: Micaela, a village maiden, brings a letter to the Corporal ofDragoons Don José, which was written by his mother. The cigarette girls emerge from the factory, among them the attractive Carmen, who starts to flirt with themen standing on the square. The only man who does not show interest in Carmen is Don José, who is reading his mother's letter. Finally, however, Carmenmanages to attract also his attention by dancing for him and giving him a rose. The other young women are jealous, and one of them attacks Carmen. Carmenslashes her face with a knife. Others involve and start a street fighting, which is stopped by Zuniga, the Lieutenant of Dragoons. Everybody accuses Carmen ofhaving started the fight. Zuniga asks Carmen if she has anything to say and also starts to flirt with her. Carmen, however, is not interested in him. Zunigainstructs José to guard Carmen. José ties up her hands with a rope. To escape, Carmen seduces José in a dance with this rope. The corporal unties her hands, andCarmen can run away. The angry Zuniga instructs his dragoons to guard José.Evening at Lillas Pastia's inn: Carmen is waiting impatiently for Don José, who hasbeen released from prison. To drive away her boredom, she starts to dance. The toreador Escamillo enters the inn and is welcomed by the other guests. He showsa virtuoso solo dance and attracts Carmen's attention. While Escamillo leaves the inn with his friends, Don José comes in and is welcomed by Carmen, who showsa solo, which leads in a pair dance with her new lover. Suddenly the sound of bugles is heard calling the soldiers back to barracks. When José wants to leave,Carmen gets angry.  José affirms his love to her in a solo with the rose she has given to him at their first meeting. Zuniga suddenly interrupts the two lovers andflirts with Carmen, which makes José so jealous, that he attacks the lieutenant, and leaves the service and joins Carmen and her friends.A wild and desertedrocky place at night: Carmen has grown tired of José, her new favorite is the toreador Escamillo. She sits at a campfire and tries to tell fortunes by the shapesmade by molten lead dropped into cold water. The shape which she holds in her hand is a skull. Carmen is scared and dances nervously around the campfire.Escamillo comes to the place and makes José jealous by showing him Carmen's fan. The two rivals start fighting. Escamillo emerges victorious and retires withCarmen.A square in front of the arena in Seville: The square is full of people who cheer to procession as the bullfighting team with Escamillo arrives. Carmenwelcomes the toreador and dreams of a wedding dance with him. After the bullfighting team has entered the arena, Carmen is grabbed by Don José and pulledinto an outbuilding. José begs her to return his love, but is rejected by Carmen. Don José loses control of himself and stabs Carmen to death.BackgroundCarmenon Ice was filmed in Spain and Germany, citizens of Sevilla and Berlin played bit parts. In 1988 Katarina Witt, who played the title role, had won her secondolympic gold medal at the winter games in Calgary with a free skating to Carmen. Brian Boitano, who played the part of Don José, became Olympic champion inthe same year followed by Brian Orser, the Olympic silver medallist of 1988 and actor playing Escamillo. So, it was obvious to cast the film with these stars.Carmen on Ice was first presented in public on February 8, 1990. and won the Emmy-Award for Outstanding Performance in a Classical Music or Dance Programin 1990. The award was shared by the film's three stars, Boitano, Orser and Witt. The choreography by Sandra Bezic and Michael Seibert (figure skater) wasinfluenced by elements of classical ballet and flamenco as well. During the rehearsals the skaters were also coached by flamenco dancer CristinaHoyos.BibliographyArt music in figure skating, synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics/Kunstmusik in Eiskunstlauf, Synchronschwimmen undrhythmischer Gymnastik. PhD thesis by Johanna Beisteiner, Vienna 2005, (German). The PhD thesis contains an extensive description and analysis of Carmen onIce (Chapter II/2, pages 105-162). Article about the PhD thesis of Johanna Beisteiner in the catalogue of the Austrian Library Network. 2005. (German andEnglish)Passage 2:Mehdi AbrishamchiMehdi Abrishamchi (Persian:   born in 1947 in Tehran) is a high-ranking member of the People'sMujahedin of Iran (MEK).Early lifeAbrishamchi came from a well-known anti-Shah bazaari family in Tehran, and participated in June 5, 1963, demonstrations inIran. He became a member of Hojjatieh, and left it to join the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) in 1969. In 1972 he was imprisoned for being a MEK member,and spent time in jail until 1979.CareerShortly after Iranian Revolution, he became one of the senior members of the MEK. He is now an official in the NationalCouncil of Resistance of Iran.Electoral historyPersonal lifeAbrishamchi was married to Maryam Rajavi from 1980 to 1985. Shortly after, he married MousaKhiabani's younger sister Azar.LegacyAbrishamchi credited Massoud Rajavi for saving the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran after the "greatschism".Passage 3:Georges BizetGeorges Bizet (né Alexandre César Léopold Bizet; 25 October 1838 – 3 June 1875) was a French composer of the Romantic era.Best known for his operas in a career cut short by his early death, Bizet achieved few successes before his final work, Carmen, which has become one of the mostpopular and frequently performed works in the entire opera repertoire.During a brilliant student career at the Conservatoire de Paris, Bizet won many prizes,including the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1857. He was recognised as an outstanding pianist, though he chose not to capitalise on this skill and rarely performedin public. Returning to Paris after almost three years in Italy, he found that the main Parisian opera theatres preferred the established classical repertoire to theworks of newcomers. His keyboard and orchestral compositions were likewise largely ignored; as a result, his career stalled, and he earned his living mainly byarranging and transcribing the music of others. Restless for success, he began many theatrical projects during the 1860s, most of which were abandoned. Neitherof his two operas that reached the stage in this time—Les pêcheurs de perles and La jolie fille de Perth—were immediately successful.After the Franco-PrussianWar of 1870–1871, during which Bizet served in the National Guard, he had little success with his one-act opera Djamileh, though an orchestral suite derivedfrom his incidental music to Alphonse Daudet's play L'Arlésienne was instantly popular. The production of his final opera, Carmen, was delayed because of fearsthat its themes of betrayal and murder would offend audiences. After its premiere on 3 March 1875, Bizet was convinced that the work was a failure; he died of aheart attack three months later, unaware that it would prove a spectacular and enduring success.Bizet's marriage to Geneviève Halévy was intermittently happyand produced one son. After his death, his work, apart from Carmen, was generally neglected. Manuscripts were given away or lost, and published versions of hisworks were frequently revised and adapted by other hands. He founded no school and had no obvious disciples or successors. After years of neglect, his worksbegan to be performed more frequently in the 20th century. Later commentators have acclaimed him as a composer of brilliance and originality whose prematuredeath was a significant loss to French musical theatre.LifeEarly yearsFamily background and childhoodGeorges Bizet was born in Paris on 25 October 1838. Hewas registered as Alexandre César Léopold, but baptised as "Georges" on 16 March 1840, and was known by this name for the rest of his life. His father, AdolpheBizet, had been a hairdresser and wigmaker before becoming a singing teacher despite his lack of formal training. He also composed a few works, including atleast one published song. In 1837, Adolphe married Aimée Delsarte, against the wishes of her family who considered him a poor prospect; the Delsartes, thoughimpoverished, were a cultured and highly musical family. Aimée was an accomplished pianist, while her brother François Delsarte was a distinguished singer andteacher who performed at the courts of both Louis Philippe and Napoleon III. François Delsarte's wife Rosine, a musical prodigy, had been an assistant professorof solfège at the Conservatoire de Paris at the age of 13. At least one author has suggested that his mother was from a Jewish family but this is not substantiatedin any of his official biographies.Georges, an only child, showed early aptitude for music and quickly picked up the basics of musical notation from his mother, whoprobably gave him his first piano lessons. By listening at the door of the room where Adolphe conducted his classes, Georges learned to sing difficult songsaccurately from memory and developed an ability to identify and analyse complex chordal structures. This precocity convinced his ambitious parents that he wasready to begin studying at the Conservatoire even though he was still only nine years old (the minimum entry age was 10). Georges was interviewed by JosephMeifred, the horn virtuoso who was a member of the Conservatoire's Committee of Studies. Meifred was so struck by the boy's demonstration of his skills that hewaived the age rule and offered to take him as soon as a place became available.ConservatoireBizet was admitted to the Conservatoire on 9 October 1848, twoweeks before his 10th birthday. He made an early impression; within six months he had won first prize in solfège, a feat that impressed Pierre-Joseph-GuillaumeZimmerman, the Conservatoire's former professor of piano. Zimmerman gave Bizet private lessons in counterpoint and fugue, which continued until the old man'sdeath in 1853. Through these classes, Bizet met Zimmerman's son-in-law, the composer Charles Gounod, who became a lasting influence on the young pupil'smusical style—although their relationship was often strained in later years. He also met another of Gounod's young students, the 13-year-old CamilleSaint-Saëns, who remained a firm friend of Bizet's. Under the tuition of Antoine François Marmontel, the Conservatoire's professor of piano, Bizet's pianismdeveloped rapidly; he won the Conservatoire's second prize for piano in 1851, and first prize the following year. Bizet would later write to Marmontel: "In yourclass one learns something besides the piano; one becomes a musician".Bizet's first preserved compositions, two wordless songs for soprano, date from around1850. In 1853, he joined Fromental Halévy's composition class and began to produce works of increasing sophistication and quality. Two of his songs, "Petite


Passage 1:Vera MiletićVera Miletić (Serbian Cyrillic: Вера Милетић; 8 March 1920 – 7 September 1944) was a Serbian student and soldier. She was notable for being the mother of Mira Marković, posthumously making her the mother-in-law of Serbian president Slobodan Milošević.Personal lifeHer cousin was Davorjanka Paunović who was the personal secretary of Communist Party of Yugoslavia leader Josip Broz Tito.Passage 2:Doria RaglandDoria Loyce Ragland (born September 2, 1956) is an American social worker, and former makeup artist and yoga instructor. She is the mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.Early lifeDoria Ragland was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to nurse Jeanette Arnold (1929–2000) and her second husband Alvin Azell Ragland (1929–2011), an antiques dealer who sold items at flea markets. Ragland's maternal grandparents, James and Nettie Arnold, respectively worked as a bellhop and an elevator operator at the Hotel St. Regis on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland. Her parents moved to Los Angeles when Ragland was a baby and later divorced. In 1983, her father married kindergarten teacher Ava Burrow, who is near to Ragland's age; the two remained close after that marriage also ended in divorce. Ragland has two older maternal half-siblings, Joseph (known as "JJ"; 1949–2021) and Saundra Johnson (born 1952), and a younger paternal half-brother, Alvin Joffrey Ragland. According to inferred conclusions and information passed down (much of it verbally) from earlier generations, the Ragland family descend from Richard Ragland, born into slavery c.1792 in Chatham County, North Carolina; his son, Stephen Ragland (1848-1926) of Jonesboro in Georgia, lived long enough to experience the abolition of slavery in 1865. Ragland's surname came from slave-owner William Ragland, a Methodist planter and land speculator who had emigrated during the eighteenth century from Cornwall, England, to North America.Career and educationAfter leaving Fairfax High School, Ragland worked as a temp assistant makeup artist and met her future husband, Thomas Markle, while employed on the set of the television show General Hospital. Later on, their daughter Meghan stayed with Thomas Markle as Ragland pursued a career. She later worked as a travel agent and owned a small business before filing for bankruptcy in the mid-2000s. Ragland completed a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. In 2011, she earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. After passing California's licensing exam in 2015, she was a social worker for three years at the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services clinic in Culver City. Ragland has also worked as a yoga instructor. In 2020, it was reported that she would teach a jewelry making course at Santa Monica College. In the same year, Ragland became CEO, CFO and secretary of a care home firm in Beverly Hills, called Loving Kindness Senior Care Management.Personal lifeRagland married lighting director Thomas Markle Sr. on December 23, 1979, at Hollywood's Paramahansa Yogananda Self-Realization Fellowship Temple in a ceremony performed by Brother Bhaktananda. Their daughter, Meghan, was born in 1981. The couple separated when their daughter was two years old. They divorced in 1987. Both parents contributed to raising Meghan until, at the age of 6, she began living with Thomas Markle full-time while Ragland pursued a career.Ragland resides in View Park–Windsor Hills, California, in a house inherited from her father in 2011. She has accompanied Meghan to public events and attended her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry in Berkshire. Ragland became a grandmother on May 6, 2019. She flew to the United Kingdom to see her grandson, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, and his parents. In July, she attended Mountbatten-Windsor's christening at the private chapel at Windsor Castle. Her granddaughter, Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, was born on June 4, 2021, in Santa Barbara, California.See also"(Almost) Straight Outta Compton", a 2016 tabloid article headline about Meghan Markle and her mother's backgroundNotesPassage 3:Maria ThinsMaria Thins (c. 1593 – 27 December 1680) was the mother-in-law of Johannes Vermeer and a member of the Gouda Thins family. She was raised in a devout Dutch Catholic family with two sisters and a brother. Outliving her parents and siblings, she received inheritances over the years, making her a wealthy woman. She married a prosperous brickmaker, Reynier Bolnes, in 1622. They had three children together, Catharina, Willem, and Cornelia. By 1635, Bolnes verbally and physically abused his wife and daughters. Thins moved to Delft with her daughters. Her son Willem stayed with his father. Thins was a wealthy woman due to the separation settlement of her husband in 1649 and the estates she inherited from her family. Her daughter Catharina married Johannes Vermeer, an artist, art dealer, and operator of the family's inn in Delft. Vermeer and Catharina lived at Thins house by 1660. The couple had fifteen children, four of whom died in infancy. Raising nearly a dozen children strained Vermeer financially. He relied on the support from his mother-in-law. During the Franco-Dutch War (1672–1674), Vermeer became impoverished. Thins reduced the money she provided to Catharina and her husband due to the loss of income during that period. Vermeer died in 1675, and Thins died five years later. Catharina was the only one of Thins' children to survive her. Thins drew up her will to maximize what she could provide for her grandchildren and their education, while limiting how much might be taken by Catharina's creditors. Catharina died in 1687.Early lifeMaria was born c. 1593 in Gouda to a prominent Dutch Catholic family, Catharina van Hensbeeck (d. 1633) and William Thin (d. 1601). They lived in the house named De Trapjes (The Little Steps) in Gouda. Maria had three siblings, none of whom were married. Her sister Elisabeth became a nun. She also had a sister Cornelia and a brother Jan. Since none of her siblings married, Thins ultimately inherited a large estate. The family conducted mass in their home, while at the time it was illegal for a group of Roman Catholics to assemble in Gouda. The local sheriffs broke up a religious meeting at their house in 1619.Garrit Camerling (d. 1627) of Delft became her stepfather in 1605 when he married Catharina van Hensbeeck. She was related to Abraham Bloemaert (1566–1651) through her cousin Jan Geensz Thins. Before her marriage, Thins lived in Delft with a prosperous young woman who was her friend.Marriage and childrenIn 1622, Maria Thins married Reynier Bolnes (ca. 1593–1676), a prominent and prosperous brickmaker. Thins was an heiress when she married, and she collected art, including several in the style of Utrecht Caravaggists.ChildrenThins had three children, the youngest of whom was Catharina Bolnes (c. 1631–1688), nicknamed Trijntge. She also had a son Willem, and a daughter Cornelia. Around 1635, Reynier became verbally and physically abusive with her and her children. At the age of nine, Catharina ran to neighbors because she thought that Reynier's abuse of Cornelia could kill her. Reynier confessed that he physically abused Cornelia and would do it again if Thins beat their son Willem. Reynier and Willem began eating separately from the female members of the family, and the father encouraged his son to be abusive and noncompliant with Thins.Divided familyThins moved to Delft in 1642 to get away from her abusive husband. Jan Geensz Thins, who was her guardian and cousin, purchased a home for her there the prior year. Jan became Thin's guardian following the early death of her father. Thins attained custody of her daughters in 1641 and moved with them to Delft. William stayed with his father, whose business began to fail. Thins lived on Oude Langendijk next to the Jesuit Catholic Church in the Catholic section of Delft called paepenhoek (the Papists' Corner).Thins received half of her husband's assets, a substantial amount, in 1649. By 1653, Reynier Bolnes was bankrupt. Thins derived income from annuities, interest income, and property rentals, including farmland. She also lived off of the capital of her investments. Thins and her sister Cornelia Thins (d. 1661) received a sizeable inheritance from their brother Jan Willemsz Thins following his death in 1651. Thins attained a comfortable standard of living of 15,000 or more guilders a year in the 1660s.Cornelia died in 1649. In 1664, Thin's son Willem, a jobless bachelor, was locked up in an institution after an argument with his mother, and for attacking Catharina, his pregnant sister, with a stick. In 1665, Maria Thins was entrusted with her son's property. She wrote a will, which limited Willem's share to the legal minimum of one sixth of her estate. She mentioned that he had been calling her names since his youth. Willem died in 1676.The VermeersThin's daughter, Catharina, came to know Johannes Vermeer and wished to marry him. Her mother disapproved of the marriage because he was not Catholic, and also likely because he was of a lower artisan class. By 1652, Vermeer helped his mother run the family's inn and was an art dealer, taking over his deceased father's business. Before they married, Thins stated that although she did not approve, she would not prevent Catharina and Vermeer from marrying. Vermeer likely converted from Reformed Protestant to Catholicism by the time of their union. Catharina and Vermeer married in Schipluy (present-day Schipluiden) on 20 April 1653. By December 1660, the Vermeers lived in the large house of his wealthy mother-in-law Maria Thins, described as a "strong-willed" woman. It was unusual at the time for married men and women to settle into the houses of their parents. Vermeer relied on Thin's residence and financial support to take care of his family.Vermeer painted in the artist's studio and sold art from the house. His works portray subjects with clothing and furnishings more luxurious than his own. Biographer Anthony Bailey claims that since Vermeer used models from his household, it is likely that he made a painting of his wife. He asserts that Catharina is depicted in A Lady Writing a Letter due to her "fond expression" and "concentrated gaze of the unseen painter."Thins played an essential role in their life. She was a devotee of the Jesuit order in the nearby Catholic Church, and this seems to have influenced Johannes and Catharina.They had eleven children at the time of Vermeer's death, four of their children died young between 1660 and 1673. Most of their children were born at Thin's house. Their third son was called Ignatius, after the founder of the Jesuit Order. Catharina inherited the Ben Repas estate following her Aunt Cornelia's death in February 1661.Thins hired Vermeer to manage financial issues for her in 1667 and 1675. He collected monies owed her, and he handled her investments. The Rampjaar (disaster year) following the outbreak of the Franco-Dutch War (1672–1674) was particularly hard on Vermeer's ability to make money as an artist and an art dealer. He had to take a loss on sales of works of art and was unable to sell his own works. His mother-in-law was financially strained during this period due to the loss of rental income from farmland due to the war. In one instance, she rented out land near Schoonhoven that was flooded to prevent the French army from crossing the Dutch Water Line. The farmland was not arable for a time. Thins reduced the money that she spent to support the Vermeers. In


Passage 1:Scotty FoxScott Fox is a pornographic film director who is a member of the AVN Hall of Fame.Awards1992 AVN Award – Best Director, Video (TheCockateer)1995 AVN Hall of Fame inducteePassage 2:Elliot SilversteinElliot Silverstein (born August 3, 1927) is a retired American film and television director. Hedirected the Academy Award-winning western comedy Cat Ballou (1965), and other films including The Happening (1967), A Man Called Horse (1970), NightmareHoneymoon (1974), and The Car (1977). His television work includes four episodes of The Twilight Zone (1961–1964).CareerElliot Silverstein was the director ofsix feature films in the mid-twentieth century. The most famous of these by far is Cat Ballou, a comedy-western starring Jane Fonda and Lee Marvin.The otherSilverstein films, in chronological order, are The Happening, A Man Called Horse,  Nightmare Honeymoon, The Car, and Flashfire.Other work included directing forthe television shows The Twilight Zone, The Nurses, Picket Fences, and Tales from the Crypt.While Silverstein was not a prolific director, his films were oftendecorated. Cat Ballou, for instance, earned one Oscar and was nominated for four more. His high quality work was rewarded in 1990 with a Lifetime AchievementAward by the Directors Guild of America.AwardsIn 1965, at the 15th Berlin International Film Festival, he won the Youth Film Award – Honorable Mention, in thecategory of Best Feature Film Suitable for Young People for Cat Ballou.He was also nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear.In 1966, he was nominated for the DGAAward in the category for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Cat Ballou).In 1971, he won the Bronze Wrangler award at the WesternHeritage Awards in the category of Theatrical Motion Picture for A Man Called Horse, along with producer Sandy Howard, writer Jack DeWitt, and actors JudithAnderson, Jean Gascon, Corinna Tsopei and Richard Harris.In 1985, he won the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award from the Directors Guild of America.In1990, he was awarded the DGA Honorary Life Member Award.Personal lifeSilverstein has been married three times, each ending in divorce. His first marriage wasto Evelyn Ward in 1962; the couple divorced in 1968. His second marriage was to Alana King. During his first marriage, he was the step-father of DavidCassidy.He currently lives in North Hollywood, Los Angeles. Actively retired, Silverstein has taught film at USC and continues to work on screen plays and otherprojects.FilmographyTales from the Crypt (TV Series) (1991–94)Picket Fences (TV Series) (1993)Rich Men, Single Women (TV Movie) (1990)Fight for Life (TVMovie) (1987)Night of Courage (TV Movie) (1987)Betrayed by Innocence (TV Movie) (1986)The Firm (TV Series) (1982–1983)The Car (1977)NightmareHoneymoon (1974)A Man Called Horse (1970)The Happening (1967)Cat Ballou (1965)Kraft Suspense Theatre (TV Series) (1963–64)The Defenders (TV Series)(1962–64)Arrest and Trial (TV Series) (1964)The Doctors and the Nurses (TV Series) (1962–64)Twilight Zone (TV Series) (1961–64)Breaking Point (TV Series)(1963)Dr. Kildare (TV Series) (1961–63)The Dick Powell Theatre (TV Series) (1962)Belle Sommers (TV Movie) (1962)Naked City (TV Series) (1961–62)Have Gun- Will Travel (TV Series) (1961)Route 66 (TV Series) (1960–61)Checkmate (TV Series) (1961)The Westerner (TV Series) (1960)Assignment: Underwater (TVSeries) (1960)Black Saddle (TV Series) (1960)Suspicion (TV Series) (1958)Omnibus (TV Series) (1954–56)Passage 3:Robert G. VignolaRobert G. Vignola (bornRocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared inmany motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later moved to directing, becoming one of the silent screen's most prolific directors. He directed a handfulof films in the early years of talkies but his career essentially ended in the silent era.Early lifeVignola was born in August 7, 1882 in Trivigno, a village in theprovince of Potenza, Basilicata, to Donato Gaetano Vignola, a stone mason, and Anna Rosa Rago.  It is unsure why he used August 5th as his birthday in America.He had two brothers and three sisters, his oldest sister having died at the age of 19 months in Italy. Travelling with his mother and siblings, he left Italy in May1886, at the age of three. He was raised in Albany, New York. Because of his Christian name of Rocco he was nicknamed "Rocky" on the family’s first census inNew York. His name Rocco was later changed to Robert. Trained as a barber in his youth, Vignola by age 14 became interested in the circus, practicing contortionand slackwire. Three years later, in 1899, he found his true vocation—acting—and the following year in Albany he established a small performance company thathe named "The Empire Dramatic Club".Acting careerIn 1901 he started acting on stage professionally and joined the "American Stock Company" in New York. Hemade his stage debut in "Romeo and Juliet", performing with Eleanor Robson Belmont and Kyrle Bellew. In the following years he played leads and became acharacter actor. Vignola's motion picture career began in 1906 with the short film The Black Hand, directed by Wallace McCutcheon and produced by BiographCompany, generally considered the film that launched the mafia genre.In 1907 he joined Kalem Studios, starring in numerous movies directed by his long-timefriend Sidney Olcott often dealing with Irish culture such as The Lad from Old Ireland (1910), The Colleen Bawn (1911), and Arrah-na-Pogue (1911). Olcott wouldlater promote him to assistant director. The Kalem Company traveled across Europe and Middle East, where Vignola did one of his most notable roles as JudasIscariot in From the Manger to the Cross (1912), among the most acclaimed films of the silent years. According to Moving Picture World, he was the first actorwho was placed upon a permanent salary by Kalem.Directing careerVignola directed 110 pictures from 1911 to 1937. His debut as a film director was Rory O'More(1911), co-directed with Olcott. The Vampire (1913), starring Alice Hollister, was well-received by critics and is sometimes cited as the earliest surviving "vamp"movie (another title with the same name produced by William Nicholas Selig in 1910 is considered lost). He returned to the theme with The Vampire's Trail(1914), featuring Alice Joyce, Tom Moore and Hollister in a secondary role. He had a long association directing the early movies of Pauline Frederick such asAudrey (1916), Double Crossed (1917), and The Love That Lives (1917).Vignola is best known for directing Marion Davies in several romantic comedies includingEnchantment (1921), Beauty's Worth (1922), and the big-budget epic When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922), which achieved critical and commercial acclaimand established Davies as a movie star. In 1920, he was offered the role of director-general for the Kinkikan Cinematograph Company in Japan and was honoredas "outstanding director of the year" by Frederick James Smith of the Motion Picture Classic in 1921. The Woman God Changed (1921) and Adam and Eva (1923)were praised for the "innovative" use of shadows and lighting effects.With the arrival of the sound era, he directed Broken Dreams (1933), in competition for theBest Foreign Film at the 2nd Venice International Film Festival, and The Scarlet Letter (1934), the last film of Colleen Moore. His sound films were not successfuland Vignola retired. His final film work was The Girl from Scotland Yard (1937).  Later that year he directed The Pilgrimage Play (live play in Los Angeles, not therelated movie.).  Vignola was associated with the play at least to 1944.DeathVignola died in Hollywood, California in 1953. He was buried in St. Agnes Cemetery,Menands, New York.Personal lifeHe lived in a mansion at Whitley Heights owned by William Randolph Hearst. According to legend, Hearst's mistress MarionDavies was allowed to stay without him at Vignola's mansion, worried that she was having affairs and considering Vignola a trusted companion for her as he washomosexual. Sidney Olcott, alone after the passing of his wife Valentine Grant, spent his later life at Vignola's home, where he died in 1949.Vignola was describedby Delight Evans as "the sanest and least temperamental of all celluloid creators. He has infinite patience. He has one quality which makes actors want to work forhim: consideration." He once said: "Before a director can learn to control thousands of people and big stars and big scenes, he must first learn to control himself."He identified himself as a Republican, although he was not much interested in politics. Vignola visited his birthplace Trivigno with his family, provided money tobuild the town's war monument and maintained correspondence with some of his relatives.Partial filmographyActorDirectorPassage 4:She Wants MeShe Wants Meis a 2012 comedy film written and directed by Rob Margolies and starring Josh Gad and Kristen Ruhlin.PlotSam is a writer working on a feature film. His girlfriendSammy has been promised the lead role, but the producers want a famous actress. After some problems and the return of Sammy’s ex-boyfriend John, therelationship get complicated and they break up. Sam needs to deal with John, who becomes his friend and roommate, his lack of inspiration to write the film, hisnew single life and a new girlfriend who has had sex with many men, though all he really wants is Sammy back.CastCastingMargolies originally penned the role ofSam Baum for Jonah Hill, and intended Elliot Page to play Sammy Kingston. Kate Bosworth was originally attached to play the role of Kim Powers, but due toscheduling conflicts with another film, was unable to participate. Hilary Duff replaced her in October 2010.The cameo role of Charlie Sheen was penned originallyfor Jeff Goldblum, but when the producers of the film mentioned an option to have Sheen participate, Margolies jumped at the chance to work with him. Sheeneventually became one of the executive producers of the film.Passage 5:Dan MilneDan Milne is a British actor/director who is possibly best known for his role inEastEnders.CareerHe started his career in 1996 and made an appearance in Murder Most Horrid and as a pub poet in In a Land of Plenty. He then appeared inEastEnders as David Collins, Jane Beale's dying husband.As a member of the Young Vic, he collaborated with Tim Supple to originate  Grimm Tales, which touredinternationally, culminating in a Broadway run at the New Victory Theater. Since that time he has collaborated on more than seven major new works, includingTwo Men Talking, which has run for the past six years in various cities across the world. In 2013, he replaced Ken Barrie as the voice of the Reverend Timms inthe children's show, Postman Pat.Passage 6:Rob MargoliesRob Margolies (born February 28, 1983) is an American film producer and director.Margolies grew up inRumson, New Jersey and graduated from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in the class of 2001  before going on to study filmmaking at the New York FilmAcademy.In 2005, he produced We All Fall Down, a short subject about the Great Plague of 1666. In 2008 he directed Wherever You Are. He directed the 2010movie Life-ers which stars Kevin Ryan, from the  Barry Levinson BBC TV show Copper. He directed the film She Wants Me (2012) starring Josh Gad, Hilary Duff


Passage 1:Adib KheirAdib Kheir (Arabic:  ) was a leading Syrian nationalist of the 1920s. He was the owner of the Librairie Universelle inDamascus. His granddaughter is the spouse of Manaf Tlass.Passage 2:Marie-Louise CoidavidQueen Marie Louise Coidavid (1778 – 11 March 1851) was the Queenof the Kingdom of Haiti 1811–20 as the spouse of Henri Christophe.Early lifeMarie-Louise was born into a free black family; her father was the owner of Hotel dela Couronne, Cap-Haïtien. Henri Christophe was a slave purchased by her father. Supposedly, he earned enough money in tips from his duties at the hotel that hewas able to purchase his freedom before the Haitian Revolution. They married in Cap-Haïtien in 1793, having had a relationship with him from the year prior.They had four children: François Ferdinand (born 1794), Françoise-Améthyste (d. 1831), Athénaïs (d. 1839) and Victor-Henri.At her spouse's new position in1798, she moved to the Sans-Souci Palace. During the French invasion, she and her children lived underground until 1803.QueenIn 1811, Marie-Louise was giventhe title of queen upon the creation of the Kingdom of Haiti. Her new status gave her ceremonial tasks to perform, ladies-in-waiting, a secretary and her owncourt. She took her position seriously, and stated that the title "given to her by the nation" also gave her responsibilities and duties to perform. She served as thehostess of the ceremonial royal court life performed at the Sans-Souci Palace. She did not involve herself in the affairs of state. She was given the position ofRegent should her son succeed her spouse while still being a minor.  However, as her son became of age before the death of his father, this was never tomaterialize.After the death of the king in 1820, she remained with her daughters Améthyste and Athénaïs at the palace until they were escorted from it by hisfollowers together with his corpse; after their departure, the palace was attacked and plundered. Marie-Louise and her daughters were given the propertyLambert outside Cap. She was visited by president Jean Pierre Boyer, who offered her his protection; he denied the spurs of gold she gave him, stating that hewas the leader of poor people. They were allowed to settle in Port-au-Prince. Marie-Louise was described as calm and resigned, but her daughters, especiallyAthénaïs, were described as vengeful.ExileThe Queen was in exile for 30 years. In August 1821, the former queen left Haiti with her daughters under theprotection of the British admiral Sir Home Popham, and travelled to London. There were rumours that she was searching for the money, three million, depositedby her spouse in Europe. Whatever the case, she did live the rest of her life without economic difficulties. The English climate and pollution during the IndustrialRevolution was determintal to Améthyste's health, and eventually they decided to leave.In 1824, Marie-Louise and her daughters moved in Pisa in Italy, wherethey lived for the rest of their lives, Améthyste dying shortly after their arrival and Athénaïs in 1839. They lived discreetly for the most part, but were occasionallybothered by fortune hunters and throne claimers who wanted their fortune. Shortly before her death, she wrote to Haiti for permission to return. She never did,however, before she died in Italy. She is buried in the church of San Donnino. A historical marker was installed in front of the church on April 23, 2023 tocommemorate the Queen, her daughter and her sister.See alsoMarie-Claire Heureuse FélicitéAdélina LévêquePassage 3:Mehdi AbrishamchiMehdi Abrishamchi(Persian:   born in 1947 in Tehran) is a high-ranking member of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK).Early lifeAbrishamchi came from awell-known anti-Shah bazaari family in Tehran, and participated in June 5, 1963, demonstrations in Iran. He became a member of Hojjatieh, and left it to join thePeople's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) in 1969. In 1972 he was imprisoned for being a MEK member, and spent time in jail until 1979.CareerShortly after IranianRevolution, he became one of the senior members of the MEK. He is now an official in the National Council of Resistance of Iran.Electoral historyPersonallifeAbrishamchi was married to Maryam Rajavi from 1980 to 1985. Shortly after, he married Mousa Khiabani's younger sister Azar.LegacyAbrishamchi creditedMassoud Rajavi for saving the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran after the "great schism".Passage 4:Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of LuxembourgMariaTeresa (born María Teresa Mestre y Batista; 22 March 1956) is the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg as the wife of Grand Duke Henri, who acceded to the throne in2000.Early life and educationMaria Teresa was born on 22 March 1956 in Marianao, Havana, Cuba, to José Antonio Mestre y Álvarez (1926–1993) and wife  MaríaTeresa Batista y Falla de Mestre (1928–1988), both from bourgeois families of Spanish descent. She is also the granddaughter of Agustín Batista y González deMendoza, who was the founder of the Trust Company of Cuba, the most powerful Cuban bank prior to the Cuban Revolution.In October 1959, at the time of theCuban Revolution, Maria Teresa Mestre’s parents left Cuba with their children, because the new government headed by Fidel Castro confiscated their properties.The family settled in New York City,  where as a young girl she was a pupil at Marymount School. From 1961 she carried on her studies at the Lycée Français deNew York. In her childhood, Maria Teresa Mestre took ballet and singing courses. She practices skiing, ice-skating and water sports. She later lived in Santander,Spain, and in Geneva, Switzerland, where she became a Swiss citizen.In 1980, Maria Teresa graduated from the Graduate Institute of International andDevelopment Studies in Geneva with a degree in political sciences. While studying there, she met her future husband Henri of Luxembourg.Social andhumanitarian interestsSoon after her marriage, Maria Teresa and the then Hereditary Grand Duke Henri established The Prince Henri and Princess Maria TeresaFoundation to help those with special needs integrate fully into society. In 2001, she and her husband created The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Foundation,launched upon the accession of the couple as the new Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg. In 2004, the Grand Duke Henri and the Grand Duchess MariaTeresa Foundation was created after the merging of the two previous foundations.In 1997, Maria Teresa was made a special ambassador for UNESCO, working toexpand education for young girls and women and help to fight poverty.Since 2005, Maria Teresa has been the chairwoman of the international jury of theEuropean Microfinance Award, which annually awards holders of microfinance and inclusive finance initiatives in developing countries. Also, since 2006, MariaTeresa has been honorary president of the LuxFLAG (Luxembourg Fund Labeling Agency), the first agency to label responsible microfinance investment fundsaround the world.On 19 April 2007, the Grand Duchess was appointed UNICEF Eminent Advocate for Children, in which role she has visited Brazil (2007), China(2008), and Burundi (2009).She is a member of the Honorary Board of the International Paralympic Committee and a patron of the Ligue Luxembourgeoise dePrévention et d’Action medico-sociales and SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde. The Grand Duchess and her husband Grand Duke Henri are the members of the MentorFoundation (London), created under the patronage of the World Health Organization. She is also the president of the Luxembourg Red Cross and the CancerFoundation. In 2016, she organized the first international forum on learning disabilities in Luxembourg.The Grand Duchess supports the UNESCO “Breaking thePoverty Cycle of Women” project in Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. The purpose of this project is to improve the living conditions of girls, women andtheir families. As honorary president of her own foundation, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa set up a project called Projet de la Main Tendue after visiting theBujumbura prison in 2009 in Burundi. The purpose of this project is to liberate minor people from prison and to give them new opportunities for their future.InOctober 2016, Maria Teresa accepted an invitation to join the eminent international Council of Patrons of the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong,Bangladesh. The university, which is the product of east-west foundational partnerships (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Open Society Foundation, IKEAFoundation, etc.) and regional cooperation, serves extraordinarily talented women from 15 countries across Asia and the Middle East.In 2019, Maria Teresapresented her initiative "Stand Speak Rise Up!" to end sexual violence in fragile environments, launched in cooperation with the Women’s Forum and with thesupport of the Luxembourg government. The conference is in partnership with the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation and We Are Not Weapons of War.In 2020 thePrime Minister of Luxembourg commissioned a report into the Cour le Grand Ducal following concerns over its working. The report found that up to 1/3 ofemployees had left since 2015 and that "The most important decisions in the field of personnel management, whether at the level of recruitment, assignment tothe various departments or even at the dismissal level are taken by HRH the Grand Duchess.” Several newspaper reports at the time highlighted a 'culture of fear'around the Grand Duchess and "that no-one bar the Prime Minister dared confront her". The report also raised concerns about the use of public funds to pay forthe Grand Duchess' personal website and that this had been prioritised over the Cour's own official website. There were also allegations that staff at the Court hasbeen subject to physical abuse and these reports were investigated by the Luxembourg judicial police.In February 2023 it was reported by several Luxembourgbased media that the Grand Duchess had once again been accused of treating staff poorly during an outfit fitting in October 22. The incident even involved thePrime Minister of Luxembourg having to speak to the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess about the treatment of the staff and commissioning a report intoit.FamilyMaria Teresa married Prince Henri of Luxembourg in a civil ceremony on 4 February 1981 and a religious ceremony on 14 February 1981, sinceValentine's Day was their favourite holiday. The consent of the Grand Duke had been previously given on 7 November 1980. She received a bouquet of red rosesand a sugarcane as a wedding gift from Cuban leader, Fidel Castro. The couple has five children: Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Prince Félixof Luxembourg, Prince Louis of Luxembourg, Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, and Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg, They were born at Maternity Hospital inLuxembourg City.HonoursNationalLuxembourg: Knight of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe ofNassauForeignAustria: Grand Star  of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold I Brazil:Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant Finland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland


Passage 1:Matan CohenMatan Cohen (born February 8, 1982) is an Israeli musician best known for his work as the guitarist for successful groove/metalcore bandBetzefer and the recently reunited melodic death metal band Nail Within. Cohen is also a frequent collaborator of comedy punk rock act Bo La'Bar featuring hisNail Within co-members Evil Haim, and Useless ID members Ishay Berger and Jonathan Harpak.Musical careerBetzefer (1998–present)Matan Cohen formedBetzefer along with vocalist Avital Tamir and drummer Roey Berman as a one-off band for a high school gig in 1998.What started as a high school gig became abig part of the lives of the band members and since then the band started working, first as a cover band (Metallica, etc.) and later they started recording theirown material, releasing Pitz Aachbar in 2000, Some Tits, But No Bush in 2001 and New Hate in 2003.In 2005, the band released its first full-length album DownLow and currently is working on its second.Matan (who is also known as Tim Young outside Israel) appeared on all of the band's releases and is a part of the bandfrom its formation until today. He is also noted for always using a custom black Gibson SG guitar.Nail Within (2001-2003, 2007)In 2001, Matan joined formerAzazel and Betrayer members to form a new melodic death metal project by the name of Nail Within. Cohen served as a second guitarist in the band and while onhiatus from Betzefer, he left to Germany to record the band's first self-titled album.He was a member of the band through all of its short-lived first incarnationand even suggested Betzefer vocalist Avital Tamir as vocalist after vocalist Yishay Swearts left. Tamir performed with the band for one show.Recently rejoined theband as all of its members reunited in November 2007 for a one-off reunion show along with plans to record a new album in the future. Cohen will work with theband on its next album when he will finish prior commitments with Betzefer.DiscographyBetzeferPitz Aachbar (2000)Some Tits, But No Bush (2001)New Hate(2003)Down Low (2005)Freedom to The Slave Makers (2011)Nail WithinNail Within (2003)See alsoList of guitaristsPassage 2:Hartley LobbanHartley W Lobban (9May 1926 – 15 October 2004) was a Jamaican-born first-class cricketer who played 17 matches for Worcestershire in the early 1950s.Life and careerLobbanplayed little cricket in Jamaica. He went to England at the end of World War II as a member of the Royal Air Force, and settled in Kidderminster in Worcestershirein 1947, where he worked as a civilian lorry driver for the RAF. He began playing for Kidderminster Cricket Club in the Birmingham League, and at the start of the1952 season, opening the bowling for the club's senior team, he had figures of 7 for 9 and 7 for 37.Worcestershire invited him to play for them, and he made hisfirst-class debut against Sussex in July 1952. He took five wickets in the match (his maiden victim being Ken Suttle) and then held on for 4 not out with PeterRichardson (20 not out) to add the 12 runs needed for a one-wicket victory after his county had collapsed from 192 for 2 to 238 for 9. A week later he claimedfour wickets against Warwickshire, then a few days later still he managed 6 for 52 (five of his victims bowled) in what was otherwise a disastrous innings defeat toDerbyshire. In the last match of the season he took a career-best 6 for 51 against Glamorgan; he and Reg Perks (4 for 59) bowled unchanged throughout the firstinnings. Worcestershire won the game and Lobban finished the season with 23 wickets at 23.69.He took 23 wickets again in 1953, but at a considerably worseaverage of 34.43, and had only two really successful games: against Oxford University in June, when he took 5 for 70, and then against Sussex in July. On thisoccasion Lobban claimed eight wickets, his most in a match, including 6 for 103 in the first innings. He also made his highest score with the bat, 18, but Sussexwon by five wickets.In 1954 Lobban made only two first-class appearances, and managed only the single wicket of Gloucestershire tail-ender Bomber Wells. In hisfinal game, against Warwickshire at Dudley, his nine first-innings overs cost 51. He bowled just two overs in the second innings as Warwickshire completed aneasy ten-wicket win. Lobban played one more Second XI game, against Glamorgan II at Cardiff Arms Park; in this he picked up five wickets.He was also aprofessional boxer and played rugby union for Kidderminster.He later moved to Canada, where he worked as a teacher in Burnaby, British Columbia. He and hiswife Celia had a son and two daughters.Passage 3:Wesley BarresiWesley Barresi (born 3 May 1984) is a South African born first-class and Netherlandsinternational cricketer. He is a right-handed wicket keeper-batsman and also bowls right-arm offbreak. In February 2021, Barresi announced his retirement fromall forms of cricket, but returned to the national team in August 2022.CareerWesley became the 100th victim to Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh, when he wasdismissed in the 2011 World Cup game against India.In July 2018, he was named in the Netherlands' One Day International (ODI) squad, for their series againstNepal. Ahead of the ODI matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named him as the key player for the Netherlands.In July 2019, he was selected to playfor the Amsterdam Knights in the inaugural edition of the Euro T20 Slam cricket tournament. However, the following month, the tournament wascancelled.Passage 4:Greg A. Hill (artist)Greg A. Hill is a Canadian-born First Nations artist and curator. He is Kanyen'kehà:ka Mohawk, from Six Nations of theGrand River Territory, Ontario.Early lifeHill was born and raised in Fort Erie, Ontario.Art careerHis work as a multidisciplinary artist focuses primarily oninstallation, performance and digital imaging and explores issues of his Mohawk and French-Canadian identity through the prism of colonialism, nationalism andconcepts of place and community.Hill has been exhibiting his work since 1989, with solo exhibitions and performance works across Canada as well as groupexhibitions in North America and abroad. His work can be found in the collections of the Canada Council, the Indian Art Centre, Indian and Northern AffairsCanada, the Canadian Native Arts Foundation (now Indspire), the Woodland Cultural Center, the City of Ottawa, the Ottawa Art Gallery and the InternationalMuseum of Electrography.Curatorial careerHill serves as the Audain Senior Curator of Indigenous Art at the National Gallery of Canada.Awards and honoursIn2018, Hill received the Indspire Award for Arts.Passage 5:Damien HétuDamien Hétu (October 24, 1926 – February 15, 2010) was a Canadian politician. Hétuserved as mayor of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec on two separate occasions and was a Liberal member of the National Assembly of Quebec from 1985 to1989.Early life and careerHétu was born in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts and received his early education in the town. He trained as an electrician andradio/television technician, and in 1952 he began working as an electrician and entrepreneur in his home community. He successfully campaigned for a localsports center, which was opened in the 1970s.Hétu was a municipal councillor in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts from 1959 to 1965 and was the community's mayorfrom 1970 to 1974. In the same period, he was an organizer for both the Liberal Party of Canada and the Quebec Liberal Party. He ran for the Quebec legislaturein the 1981 provincial election and lost to incumbent Parti Québécois cabinet minister Jacques Léonard in Labelle.LegislatorHétu was elected to the nationalassembly on his second attempt in the 1985 provincial election. The Liberal Party won a majority government in this election under Robert Bourassa's leadership,and Hétu served for the next four years as a government backbencher. A 1988 newspaper report indicates that he had one of the best attendance records in thelegislature, missing fewer than one per cent of recorded votes.He was defeated by Léonard a second time when seeking re-election in 1989.Return to municipalpoliticsHétu was re-elected as mayor of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts in 1990 and served until 1994. He presided over a water boil advisory for the community in1992, due to concerns about contamination from lead pipes.DeathHétu died in February 2010, after an extended illness.Electoral recordPassage 6:Henry Moore(cricketer)Henry Walter Moore (1849 – 20 August 1916) was an English-born first-class cricketer who spent most of his life in New Zealand.Life and familyHenryMoore was born in Cranbrook, Kent, in 1849. He was the son of the Reverend Edward Moore and Lady Harriet Janet Sarah Montagu-Scott, who was one of thedaughters of the 4th Duke of Buccleuch. One of his brothers, Arthur, became an admiral and was knighted. Their great grandfather was John Moore, Archbishopof Canterbury from 1783 to 1805. One of their sisters was a maid of honour to Queen Victoria.Moore went to New Zealand in the 1870s and lived in Geraldine andChristchurch. He married Henrietta Lysaght of Hāwera in November 1879, and they had one son. In May 1884 she died a few days after giving birth to adaughter, who also died.In 1886 Moore became a Justice of the Peace in Geraldine. In 1897 he married Alice Fish of Geraldine. They moved to England four yearsbefore his death in 1916.Cricket careerMoore was a right-handed middle-order batsman. In consecutive seasons, 1876–77 and 1877–78, playing for Canterbury,he made the highest score in the short New Zealand first-class season: 76 and 75 respectively. His 76 came in his first match for Canterbury, against Otago. Hewent to the wicket early on the first day with the score at 7 for 2 and put on 99 for the third wicket with Charles Corfe before he was out with the score at 106 for3 after a "very fine exhibition of free hitting, combined with good defence". Canterbury were all out for 133, but went on to win the match. His 75 came in thenext season's match against Otago, when he took the score from 22 for 2 to 136 for 6. The New Zealand cricket historian Tom Reese said, "Right from thebeginning he smote the bowling hip and thigh, going out of his ground to indulge in some forceful driving." Canterbury won again.Moore led the batting averagesin the Canterbury Cricket Association in 1877–78 with 379 runs at an average of 34.4. Also in 1877–78, he was a member of the Canterbury team that inflictedthe only defeat on the touring Australians. In 1896–97, at the age of 47, he top-scored in each innings for a South Canterbury XVIII against the touringQueensland cricket team.Passage 7:Wale AdebanwiWale Adebanwi (born 1969) is a Nigerian-born first Black Rhodes Professor at St Antony's College, Oxfordwhere he was, until June 2021, a Professor of Race Relations, and the Director of the African Studies Centre, School of Interdisciplinary Area Studies, and aGoverning Board Fellow. He is currently a Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. Adebanwi's research focuseson a range of topics in the areas of social change, nationalism and ethnicity, race relations, identity politics, elites and cultural politics, democratic process,newspaper press and spatial politics in Africa.Education backgroundWale Adebanwi graduated with a first degree in Mass Communication from the University of