title: Indian Army during World War I

text: With the withdrawal of the infantry divisions, the only Indian Army units on the Western Front were the two cavalry divisions. In November 1916, the two Indian cavalry divisions were renumbered from 1st and 2nd to the 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions. Serving alongside British cavalry divisions they were held behind the front line awaiting the hoped for breakthrough. At times during the war they served in the trenches as infantry, each cavalry brigade when dismounted formed a dismounted regiment. This meant that when the divisions went into the front line, they could only cover a brigade area. Before being themselves withdrawn to Egypt in March 1918, they took part in the Battle of the Somme, the Battle of Bazentin, the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, the advance to the Hindenburg Line and finally the Battle of Cambrai.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: In 1914, the Governor of British East Africa requested assistance to deal with the German forces in German East Africa and the problem was handed to the India Office, which assembled two forces and shipped them to his aid. Indian Expeditionary Force B consisted of the 27th (Bangalore) Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Richard Wapshare, from the 9th (Secunderabad) Division, and an Imperial Service Infantry Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Michael Tighe, together with a pioneer battalion, a mountain artillery battery and engineers. It was shipped across the Indian Ocean to invade German East Africa.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The force under the command of Major General Arthur Aitken landed at Tanga on 2–3 November 1914. In the following Battle of Tanga, Aitken's 9,000 men were badly beaten by the 1,000 men under their German commander Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. The force re-embarked on 5 November 1914, having suffered 4,240 casualties and the loss of several hundred rifles, 16 machine guns and 600,000 rounds of ammunition.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: Indian Expeditionary Force C was the second force assembled for service in British East Africa in 1914. This force was formed from the Indian Army's 29th Punjabis, together with half battalions from the Princely states of Jind, Bharatpur, Kapurthala and Rampur, a volunteer 15 pounder artillery battery, 22nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force), a volunteer maxim gun battery and a Field Ambulance. It was planned that the force was to be a defensive one (unlike force B) and be primarily used to guard the railway to Uganda and to support the King's African Rifles in communications protection duties. After arriving in Mombasa, Force C was broken up and its units subsequently served separately. The one action they were involved in was the Battle of Kilimanjaro, in October 1914. Force C with 4,000 men gathered near the border of British and German East Africa, commanded by Brigadier General J. M. Stewart. Flawed intelligence reports estimated the German military presence in the region at 200 men; however, there were 600 askaris in three companies plus the colonial volunteers, 86 young Germans on horseback. On 3 November 1914, some 1,500 Punjabis of the British force advanced up the slope at night near Longido were caught in the crossfire of a strong German defensive position as they advanced in the morning fog. The large force of Indian infantry effectively resisted counterattacks, however, during the day the British attackers made no headway and suffered substantial casualties. By mid-morning, a German mounted patrol ambushed a supply column and roughly 100 mules carrying water for the troops were stampeded away by the Germans. The British officers, with their now widely scattered troops, waited until darkness and having determined their situation to be untenable, withdrew down the mountain and marched back to British East Africa having accomplished nothing.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The largest Indian Army force to serve abroad was the Indian Expeditionary Force D in Mesopotamia, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir John Nixon. The first unit sent in November 1914, was the 6th (Poona) Division and they were tasked with guarding British oil installations in and around Basra. As part of the Mesopotamian campaign they served under the command of Major General Barrett and then under Major General Townshend. After a string of early successes, the campaign was delivered a setback at the Battle of Ctesiphon in November 1915 due to logistical constraints. Following this engagement, the Poona Division withdrew back to Kut, where Townshend made the decision to hold the city and the Siege of Kut began.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: Between January and March 1916, Townshend launched several attacks in an attempt to lift the siege. In sequence, the attacks took place at the Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad, the Battle of the Wadi, the Battle of Hanna, and the Battle of Dujaila Redoubt. These attempts to break through the encirclement did not succeed and the cost was heavy with both sides suffering high casualties. In February food, and hopes were running out for Townshend in Kut-al-Amara. Disease spread rapidly and could not be contained or cured and Townshend surrendered in April 1916. In December 1916, the 3rd and 7th Divisions arrived from the Western Front.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: In 1917, the British force, under Frederick Stanley Maude, which now included one cavalry and seven infantry divisions from the Indian Army, in the III Corps (India) advanced towards Baghdad which was captured in March. The advance continued in 1918, and after the Battle of Sharqat in October, the Turkish forces surrendered and the Armistice of Mudros was signed. The Mesopotamian campaign was largely an Indian Army campaign as the only British formations involved were the 13th (Western) Division and British battalions assigned to Indian brigades. In the campaign, 11,012 were killed, 3,985 died of wounds, 12,678 died of disease, 13,492 were either missing or prisoners (including the 9,000 prisoners from Kut), and 51,836 were wounded.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: Indian Expeditionary Force E consisted of the 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade sent to Egypt in October 1914. The designation was retained for all subsequent forces sent there.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: Two Indian cavalry divisions (4th Cavalry Division and 5th Cavalry Division) transferred from France in 1918, for service in Palestine. They were joined by the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, a unit formed by three regiments of Lancers from the princely states of Mysore, Hyderabad, and Jodhpur. The 3rd (Lahore) Division and the 7th (Meerut) Division were transferred from Mesopotamia. At the same time 36 Indian army battalions were sent to reinforce the British 10th (Irish), 53rd (Welsh), 60th (2/2nd London) and 75th Divisions, which were reformed on Indian division lines with one British and three Indian battalions per brigade.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: Indian Expeditionary Force F consisted of the 10th Indian Division and the 11th Indian Division both of which were formed in Egypt in 1914, to defend the Suez canal. Other formations attached were the regular 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade from the 8th Lucknow Division without their British battalions and an Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The 10th Division was disbanded in 1916, and its brigades assigned to other formations. The 28th Indian Brigade was assigned to the 7th (Meerut) Division in 1915; the 29th Indian Brigade served as an independent brigade in the Gallipoli campaign, and then disbanded in June 1917; and the 30th Indian Brigade was first assigned to the 12th Indian Division in April 1915, then transferred to the 6th (Poona) Division in September 1915 and was captured in the fall of Kut.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The 11th Division was disbanded earlier in 1915, but its brigades did not survive much longer. The 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade was broken up in January 1916; the 31st Indian Brigade joined the 10th Division in January 1916, but was disbanded a month later; and the 32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade was disbanded in January 1916.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: In April 1915, Indian Expeditionary Force G was sent to reinforce the Gallipoli Campaign. It consisted of the 29th Brigade, serving away from its parent 10th Indian Division. Consisting of three battalions of Gurkhas and one of Sikhs, the brigade was dispatched from Egypt and attached to the British 29th Division which had been decimated in the earlier battles. Held in reserve for the Second Battle of Krithia they played a major part in the Third Battle of Krithia. Advancing on the left the Brigade was quickly halted except along the Aegean shore where the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles managed to advance. The 14th Ferozepore Sikhs, advancing along the floor of Gully Ravine, were almost wiped out, losing 380 men out of 514 and 80% of their officers. The Brigade was next involved in the Battle of Gully Ravine and here the 2/10th Gurkha Rifles managed to advance half a mile. The Brigade next took part in the Battle of Sari Bair, under cover of a naval bombardment the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles assaulted and captured the hill, which was then shelled by the Royal Navy. With their casualties mounting and under command of the battalion medical officer they were forced to withdraw to their starting positions. With the failure of the assault at Sari Bair the brigade was withdrawn to Egypt. Over the duration of the campaign the 29th Brigade had suffered 1,358 dead and 3,421 wounded. Peter Stanley's book "Die in Battle, Do not Despair: the Indian on Gallipoli, 1915" (Helion & Co. Solihul, 2015) shows that a total of 16,000 troops passed through Force G, and that it suffered about 1623 fatal casualties, listed in his book by name.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: One Indian Army battalion that was part of the Garrison of Tianjin in China, the 36th Sikhs took part in the Siege of Tsingtao. Tsingtao was a German controlled port in China. The British Government and the other Allied European powers were concerned about Japanese intentions in the region and decided to send a small symbolic British contingent from Tianjin in an effort to allay their fears. The 1,500-man contingent was commanded by Brigadier-General Nathaniel Walter Barnardiston and consisted of 1,000 soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers who were later followed by 500 soldiers of the 36th Sikhs. The Japanese led force laid siege to the port between 31 October–7 November 1914. At the end of the siege, Japanese army casualties numbered 236 killed and 1,282 wounded; the British / Indians had 12 killed and 53 wounded. The German defenders suffered 199 dead and 504 wounded.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The 1915 Singapore Mutiny involved up to half of the 850 sepoys comprising the 5th Light Infantry against the British in Singapore during the War, part of the 1915 Ghadar Conspiracy.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The 5th Light Infantry had arrived in Singapore from Madras in October 1914. They had been sent to replace the Yorkshire Light Infantry, which had been ordered to France. The 5th Light Infantry consisted of roughly equal numbers of Punjabi Muslims and Pathans serving in separate companies. Their morale was constantly low, being affected by poor communication, slack discipline and a weak leadership. The regiment had been employed to guard the captured crew from the German ship, SMS Emden and reportedly attempts were made to fan the discontent amongst the sepoys. The regiment was under orders to embark for further garrison duty in Hong Kong, however rumours started that they were going to be sent to fight in the Middle East against fellow Muslims from the Ottoman Empire.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: On 16 February 1915, while preparations for departure were under way, the four companies of Punjabi Muslims mutinied while the Pathan sepoys of the remaining four companies scattered in confusion. Two of the British officers at the Tanglin barracks were killed and the mutineers then moved on the German prisoner of war camp where they killed thirteen camp guards and other military personnel. The Germans however refused to join them. The mutineers then roamed the streets of Singapore, killing European civilians that they encountered. The mutiny continued for nearly five days and was suppressed by local volunteer and British regular units plus naval detachments from allied warships, and with assistance from the Sultan of Johor.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: Following immediate courts-martial a total of 47 mutineers were executed, while 64 were transported for life and another 73 imprisoned for varying terms. Later in 1915 the 5th Light Infantry saw service in the Kamerun Campaign and was subsequently sent to East Africa and Aden.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: 500 men of the 19th Punjabis were deployed by General Wilfrid Malleson in Transcaspia in support of the Ashkhabad Committee, and known as the Malleson Mission. The Ashkhabad Committee was a revolutionary organisation led by Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries who were in an armed conflict with the Bolshevik Tashkent Soviet.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: Indian soldiers had not been eligible for the Victoria Cross until 1911, instead they received the Indian Order of Merit, an older decoration originally set up in the days of East India Company rule in India. The honour of being the first Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC) in any conflict went to Khudadad Khan, 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis. On 31 October 1914, at Hollebeke, Belgium, during a German attack, the British officer in charge of the detachment having been wounded, and the other machinegun put out of action by a shell, Sepoy Khudadad, though wounded, remained working his machinegun until all the other five men of the gun detachment had been killed.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: In 1919, the Indian Army could call upon 491,000 men, but there was a shortage of experienced officers, most of the officers having been killed or wounded in the war. In 1921, the Indian government started a review of their military requirements with the protection of the North West Frontier and internal security their priority. By 1925, the Army in India had been reduced to 197,000 troops, 140,000 of them Indian. Battalions were now allocated one of three roles: The field army of four infantry divisions and five cavalry brigades; covering troops, 12 infantry brigades and supporting arms to act as a reserve force in case of invasion; and finally internal security troops, 43 infantry battalions to aid the civil power and support the field army when required. The number of cavalry regiments was reduced from 39 to 21. The infantry regiments were converted into 20 large regiments with four or five battalions in each regiment plus a training battalion, always numbered the 10th, also included were ten Gurkha regiments. Nine single battalion regiments were disbanded by 1922. Two of the large regiments were later disbanded, the 3rd Madras Regiment for economic reasons, and the 20th Burma Rifles when Burma ceased to be governed by India.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The end of World War I did not see the end of fighting for the Indian Army—they were involved in the Third Afghan War in 1919, and then the Waziristan Campaign in 1919–1920 and again in 1920–1924. Operations against the Afridis in 1930–1931, the Mohmands in 1933 and again in 1935 and finally just before the outbreak of World War II operations in Waziristan again in 1936–1939.


title: Indian Army during World War I

text: The India Gate in New Delhi, built in 1931, commemorates the Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting in World War I.


title: Arthur P. Becker

text: Arthur P. Becker (born 1949/1950) is an American investor and real estate developer. He is best known as the former CEO of NaviSite and Zinio. Becker was married to Vera Wang for 23 years and was an advisor on growing her business into a global brand. He graduated from Bennington College in 1972 and earned his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.


title: Arthur P. Becker

text: In 1986, Becker started his business career as a stockbroker at Bear Stearns & Co. Inc., later becoming a director at the company. He developed several business ventures including Bnox, a sports binoculars company, and an investment in a macadamia nut farm in Hawaii.


title: Arthur P. Becker

text: By the early 2000s, Becker began buying technology companies through ClearBlue Technologies and its parent investment fund, Atlantic Investors. In 2002, Becker purchased a controlling stake in NaviSite, a web hosting company. He was the company's chief executive officer until 2010 after which NaviSite was sold to Time Warner Cable for $230 million. In 2012, Becker joined the digital magazine newsstand platform Zinio as the company's chairman and chief executive officer until moving into the real estate business.


title: Arthur P. Becker

text: Becker purchased 465 Washington Street in Tribeca and invested in 10 Sullivan Street Soho, New York in 2012. By 2016, he had acquired 30, 40 and 50 Sullivan Street as well as 111 West 57th Street with JDS Development Group and Property Markets Group, and other real estate development projects in New York and Miami. By March 2017, Becker announced a redesign of the eight-unit apartment building on 465 Washington Street in Tribeca.


title: Arthur P. Becker

text: In 1989, Becker married Vera Wang in an interfaith Baptist and Jewish ceremony. They resided in Manhattan with their two adopted daughters: Cecilia (born 1990) and Josephine (born 1993). In July 2012, Vera Wang Co. announced that the couple have separated. The separation was amicable.


title: Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

text: Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (; also spelled Meshal, Mishaal or Meshaal; born 27 September 1940) is the Crown Prince of Kuwait.


title: Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

text: Mishal is a son of Kuwaiti Emir Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and paternal half-brother of Emir Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. He studied at the Hendon Police College and graduated in 1960. He later served as the head of State Security from 1967 to 1980. Afterwards, he worked in the Ministry of Interior until he became the deputy chief of the National Guard with the rank of acting minister (by protocol designation) in 2004. He was nominated Crown Prince of Kuwait on 7 October 2020. On 8 October, he officially became the crown prince of Kuwait.


title: Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

text: On 19 September 2022, Mishal attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey, London.


title: Enheduanna

text: Enheduanna (, also transliterated as , , or variants) was the priestess of the moon god Nanna (Sīn) in the Sumerian city-state of Ur in the reign of her father, Sargon of Akkad. She was likely appointed by her father as the leader of the religious cult at Ur to cement ties between the Akkadian religion of her father and the native Sumerian religion.


title: Enheduanna

text: Enheduanna has been celebrated as the earliest known named author in world history, as a number of works in Sumerian literature, such as the "Exaltation of Inanna" feature her as the first person narrator, and other works, such as the "Sumerian Temple Hymns" may identify her as their author. However, there is considerable debate among modern Assyriologists based on linguistic and archaeological grounds as to whether or not she actually wrote or composed any of the rediscovered works that have been attributed to her. Additionally, the only manuscripts of the works attributed to her were written by scribes in the First Babylonian Empire six centuries after she lived, written in a more recent dialect of the Sumerian language than she would have spoken. These scribes may have attributed these works to her as part of the legendary narratives of the dynasty of Sargon of Akkad in later Babylonian traditions.


title: Enheduanna

text: The cultural memory of Enheduanna and the works attributed to her were lost some time after the end of the First Babylonian Empire. Enheduanna's existence was first rediscovered by modern archaeology in 1927, when Sir Leonard Wooley excavated the "Giparu" in the ancient city of Ur and found an alabaster disk with her name, association with Sargon of Akkad, and occupation inscribed on the reverse. References to her name were then later discovered in excavated works of Sumerian literature, which initiated investigation into her potential authorship of those works. Enheduanna's archaeological rediscovery has attracted a considerable amount of attention and scholarly debate in modern times related to her potential attribution as the first known named author. She has also received considerable attention in feminism, and the works attributed to her have also been studied as an early progenitor of classical rhetoric. English translations of her works have also inspired a number of literary adaptations and representations.


title: Enheduanna

text: Enheduanna's father was Sargon of Akkad, founder of the Akkadian Empire. In a surviving inscription Sargon styles himself "Sargon, king of Akkad, overseer ("mashkim") of Inanna, king of Kish, anointed ("guda") of Anu, king of the land [Mesopotamia], governor ("ensi") of Enlil". The inscription celebrates the conquest of Uruk and the defeat of Lugalzagesi, whom Sargon brought "in a collar to the gate of Enlil": "Sargon, king of Akkad, overseer of Inanna, king of Kish, anointed of Anu, king of the land, governor of Enlil: he defeated the city of Uruk and tore down its walls, in the battle of Uruk he won, took Lugalzagesi king of Uruk in the course of the battle, and led him in a collar to the gate of Enlil." Sargon then conquered Ur and "laid waste" the territory from Lagash to the sea, ultimately conquering at least 34 cities in total.


title: Enheduanna

text: Having conquered Ur, Irene J. Winter states that Sargon likely sought to "consolidate the Akkadian dynasty's links with the traditional Sumerian past in the important cult and political center of Ur" by appointing Enheduanna to an important position in the native Sumerian moon god cult. Winter states that is likely that the position she was appointed to already existed beforehand, and that her appointment to this role, and the attribution to Nanna would have helped her forge a syncreticism between the Sumerian religion and the Semitic religion. After Enheduanna, the role of high priestess continued to be held by members of the royal family. Joan Goodnick Westenholz suggests that the role of high priestess appears to have held a similar level of honor to that of a king; as the high priestess of Nanna, Enheduanna would have served as the embodiment of Ningal, spouse of Nanna, which would have given her actions divine authority. However, although the Giparu in Ur where the en priestess of Nanna worshipped has been extensively studied by archaeologists, we have no definitive information about what their duties were.


title: Enheduanna

text: Toward the end of the reign of Sargon's grandson Narām-Sîn, numerous former city-states rebelled against the Akkadian central power. From hints in the song "Nin me šara" ("the Exaltation of Inana"), the events can be reconstructed from the point of view of Enheduanna: A certain Lugal-Ane came to power in the city of Ur, who as the new ruler invoked the legitimacy of the city god Nanna. Lugal-Ane is probably identical with a Lugal-An-na or Lugal-An-né, who is mentioned in ancient Babylonian literary texts about the war as king of Ur. Apparently Lugal-Ane demanded that the high priestess and consort of the moon god Enheduanna had to confirm his assumption of power. En-ḫedu-anna, as representative of the Sargonid dynasty, refused, whereupon she was suspended from her office and expelled from the city. The mention of the temple E-ešdam-ku indicates that she then found refuge in the city of Ĝirsu. In this exile, she composed the song "Nin me šara", the performance of which was intended to persuade the goddess Inanna (as Ištar the patron goddess of her dynasty) to intervene on behalf of the Akkadian empire.


title: Enheduanna

text: At least, King Narām-Sîn succeeded in putting down the rebellion of Lugal-Ane and other kings and restored the Akkadian central authority for the remaining years of his reign. Probably Enheduanna then returned to her office in the city of Ur.


title: Enheduanna

text: In 1927, as part of excavations at Ur, British archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley discovered an alabaster disk shattered into several pieces, which has since been reconstructed. The reverse side of the disk identifies Enheduanna as the wife of Nanna and daughter of Sargon of Akkad. The front side shows the high priestess standing in worship as what has been interpreted as a nude male figure pours a libation. Irene Winter states that "given the placement and attention to detail" of the central figure, "she has been identified as Enheduanna" Two seals bearing her name, belonging to her servants and dating to the Sargonic period, have been excavated at the Giparu at Ur.


title: Enheduanna

text: Two of the works attributed to Enheduanna, "The Exaltation of Inanna" and "Inanna and Ebih" have survived in numerous manuscripts due to their presence in the Decad, an advanced scribal curriculum in the First Babylonian Empire of the 18th and 17th centuries BCE. Black et al. suggest that "perhaps Enheduanna has survived in scribal literature... due to the "continuing fascination with the dynasty of her father Sargon of Akkad".


title: Enheduanna

text: The first person to connect the disk and seals with literary works excavated in Nippur was Adam Falkenstein, who observed that the "Temple Hymns" and two hymns to Inanna: "The Exaltation of Inanna" and another "Hymn to Inanna" (at the time not yet reconstructed) contained references to Enheduanna. Falkenstein suggested that this might be evidence of Enheduanna's authorship, but acknowledged that the hymns are only known from the later Old Babylonian period and that more work would need to be done constructing and analyzing the received texts before any conclusions could be made. In 1989, Westenholz suggested that "Inanna and Ebih" and two other hymns, to Nanna at Ur, might also have been written by her.


title: Enheduanna

text: These hymns have been reconstructed from 37 tablets from Ur and Nippur, most of which date to the Ur III and Old Babylonian periods. Each hymn is dedicated to a particular deity from the Sumerian pantheon and a city with which the deity was associated, and may have helped to create syncreticism between the native Sumerian religion and the Semitic religion of the Akkadian empire. However, some of these poems, such as hymn 9, addressed to the temple of the deified king Sulgi from the later Third Dynasty of Ur, cannot have been written by Enheduanna or anyone in the Akkadian empire, showing that the collection may have gained additional poems over time.


title: Enheduanna

text: The first translation of the collection into English was by Åke W. Sjöberg, who also argued that the mention of a "subscript" or colophon of two lines near the end of the composition appear to credit her with composition of the preceding text. However, Black shows that in the majority of manuscripts, the line following this colophon, which contains the line count for the 42nd and final hymn, demonstrates that the preceding two lines are part of the 42nd hymn. Black concludes that: "At most... it might be reasonable to accept a claim for (Enheduanna)'s authorship or editorship" for only Hymn 42, the final hymn in the collection.


title: Enheduanna

text: This hymn (incipit "nin-me-šar-ra") has been analyzed by Black et al. as consisting of two main parts: The first part (lines 1–65) is a dedication to Inanna, who is not mentioned by name but identified (lines 1–12) by the references to "mes" or "divine power" which are associated with her, which stresses her violent and vengeful nature (lines 13–59). The second part (lines 66-138) is a prayer for forgiveness and revenge narrated by Enheduanna (lines 66–73) speaking in the first person, where she requests intercession from Inanna (lines 74–80) regarding the king Lugal-ane (lines 81–90). Enheduanna prays for revenge (lines 91–108) and also requests (lines 109–138) that Inanna and Nanna relent from their punishment. In the short concluding section (lines 139–154) the tone shifts to a time when the prayer has been answered - Enheduanna has been forgiven and restored.


title: Enheduanna

text: The work refers to the rebellion of Lugal-Ane and Enheduanna's banishment. Probably composed in exile in Ĝirsu, the song is intended to persuade the goddess Inana to intervene in the conflict in favor of Enheduanna and the Sargonian dynasty. Inana should institute a divine trial with the god-king An, obtain a condemnation of Lugal-Ane, and destroy him along with the city of Ur. The text thus represents a mighty ritual which was considered having direct affect on the outcoming ot the war between Naram-Sin and Lugal-Ane. In lines 67 and 81, En-ḫedu-anna names herself as author and speaker, referring to her own fate.


title: Enheduanna

text: Hallo and Van Dijk published the first translations and book-length discussion of Enheduanna's work in 1968. Anothing edition including the analysis of the historical backround and the divine trial was published by Annette Zgoll in 1997.


title: Enheduanna

text: This hymn (incipit "in-nin ša-gur-ra") which is only partially preserved in a fragmentary form, is outlined by Black et al. as containing three parts: an introductory section (lines 1-90) emphasizing Inanna's "martial abilities"; a long, middle section (lines 91-218) that serves as a direct address to Inanna, listing her many positive and negative powers, and asserting her superiority over other deities, and a concluding section (219–274) narrated by Enheduanna that exists in a very fragmentary form.


title: Enheduanna

text: Black et al. surmise that the fragmentary nature of the concluding section makes it unclear whether Enheduanna composed the hymn, the concluding section was a later addition, or that her name was added to the poem later in the Old Babylonian period from "a desire to attribute it to her". They also note that the concluding section also appears to reference "some historical events which cannot be elucidated." This poem also contains a potential reference to the events described in "Inanna and Ebih", which has led some assyriologists, including Westenholz to suggest that that poem may have been written by Enheduanna as well.


title: Enheduanna

text: This hymn (incipit "in-nin me-huš-a") is characterized by Black et al. as "Inanna in warrior mode." The poem starts with a hymn to Inanna as "lady of battle" (lines 1–24) then shifts to a narration by Innana herself in the first person (lines 25–52), where she describes the revenge she wants to take on the mountains of Ebih for their refusal to bow to her.


title: Enheduanna

text: Inanna then visits the sky god An and requests his assistance (lines 53–111), but An doubts Inanna's ability to take revenge (lines 112–130). This causes Inanna to fly into a rage and attack Ebih (lines 131–159). Inanna then recounts how she overthrew Ebih (lines 160–181) and the poem ends with a praise of Inanna (lines 182–184).


title: Enheduanna

text: The "rebel lands" of Ebih that are overthrown in the poem have been identified with the Jebel Hamrin mountain range in modern Iraq. Black et al. describe these lands as "home to the nomadic, barbarian tribes who loom large in Sumerian literature as forces of destruction and chaos" that sometimes need to be "brought under divine control".


title: Enheduanna

text: These two hymns, labeled by Westenholz as "Hymn of Praise to Ekisnugal and Nanna on [the] Assumption of En-ship" (incipit "e ugim e-a") and "Hymn of Praise of Enheduanna" (incipit lost). The second hymn is very fragmentary.


title: Enheduanna

text: The question of Enheduanna's authorship of poems has been subject to significant debate. While Hallo and Åke Sjoberg were the first to definitively assert Enheduanna's authorship of the works attributed to her, other Assyriologists including Miguel Civil and Jeremy Black have put forth arguments rejecting or doubting Enheduanna's authorship. Civil has raised the possibility that "Enheduanna" refers not to the name, but instead the station of EN priestess that the daughter of Sargon of Akkad held.


title: Enheduanna

text: This would imply that the poems were not all written by the same "Enheduanna" but that they were each narrated as if spoken by the high priestess. Black stresses that "whether this claim itself dates back to the Agade Period is, of course, a quite separate question" noting that the same phrasing that attributes the authorship of Hymn 42 to Enheduanna is used in the late Babylonian poem "Erra and Ishum" to attribute that work to the god Erra.


title: Enheduanna

text: For the Inanna and Nanna poems, Black et al. argue that at best, all of the manuscript sources date from at least six centuries after when she would have lived, and they were found in scribal settings, not ritual ones, and that "surviving sources show no traces of Old Sumerian... making it impossible to posit what that putative original might have looked like."


title: Enheduanna

text: Despite these concerns, Hallo says that there is still little reason to doubt Enheduanna's authorship of these works. Hallo, responding to Miguel Civil, not only still maintains Enheduanna's authorship of all of the works attributed to her, but rejects "excess skepticism" in Assyriology as a whole, and noting that "rather than limit the inferences they draw from it" other scholars should consider that "the abundant textual documentation from Mesopotamia... provides a precious resource for tracing the origins and evolution of countless facets of civilization."


title: Enheduanna

text: Summarizing the debate, Paul A. Delnero, professor of Assyriology at Johns Hopkins University, remarks that "the attribution is exceptional, and against the practice of anonymous authorship during the period; it almost certainly served to invest these compositions with an even greater authority and importance than they would have had otherwise, rather than to document historical reality".


title: Enheduanna

text: Enheduanna has received substantial attention in feminism. In a BBC Radio 4 interview, Assyriologist Eleanor Robson credits this to the feminist movement of the 1970s, when, two years after attending a lecture by Cyrus H. Gordon in 1976, American anthropologist Marta Weigle introduced Enheduanna to an audience of feminist scholars as "the first known author in world literature" with her introductory essay "Women as Verbal Artists: Reclaiming the Sisters of Enheduanna". Robson says that after this publication, the "feminist image of Enheduanna... as a wish fulfillment figure" really took off. Rather than as a "pioneer poetess" of feminism, Robson states that the picture of Enheduanna from the surviving works of the 18th century BCE is instead one of her as "her father's political and religious instrument". Robson also stresses that we have neither "access to what Enheduanna thought or did" or "evidence that (Enheduanna) was able to write", but that as the high priestess and daughter of Sargon of Akkad, Enheduanna was "probably the most privileged woman of her time" who likely could have had other people write poetry on her behalf.


title: Enheduanna

text: Enheduanna has also been analyzed as an early rhetorical theorist. Roberta Binkley finds evidence in "The Exaltation of Inanna" of invention and classical modes of persuasion. Hallo, building on the work of Binkley, compares the sequence of the "Hymn to Inanna", "Inanna and Ebih", and the "Exaltation of Inanna" to the biblical Book of Amos, and considers these both evidence of "the birth of rhetoric in Mesopotamia."


title: Azazil

text: In many Islamic and Islam-related traditions, Azazil (Arabic: عزازيل "ʿAzāzīl", also known as Arabic: حارث "Ḥārith") is the legendary prototype of the devil in Islamic culture. Azazil was considered to be among the nearest to God's throne, but because he sinned through pride, he became a devil.


title: Azazil

text: In Islamic tradition, "Azazil" is usually seen as the original name of Iblis, before he was expelled from heaven. Although Azazil is mostly portrayed as an archangel, who was already created when God made the jinn, in some reports Azazil is considered created as a jinni first but elevated to the rank of the angels.


title: Azazil

text: In some mystical interpretations of Islam, like Sufism, Ismailism and Alevism, Azazil's fall happened before the creation of the world and therefore, becomes the originator of sin in this world.


title: Azazil

text: The name is derived from Azazel, a fallen angel in the Apocalypse of Abraham. Here, Azazel is said to have lost his former glory as a servant of God to humans.


title: Azazil

text: Islamic philologists construct his name to the words "aziz" and "il" ("God's dear"), depicting him as God's once favorite angel.


title: Azazil

text: According to many Arabic scholars, Azazil was the personal name of Satan (Iblis). Ibn Manzur (June–July 1233 – December 1311/January 1312) writes in his dictionary of the Arabic language:


title: Azazil

text: According to many Classical scholars, based on the reports of the Sahaba, before Iblis was expelled from heaven, he was called Azazil. Quranic exegesis offers two different depictions of Iblis. One with Azazil beginning as a noble angel who later loses his position, while the other counts him as an ignoble jinn, who works his way up to heaven. According to whose interpretations legitimated by the authority of Ibn Abbas, Azazil was the leader of angels and sent by God to terminate the jinn, who lived on earth before humanity. After his victory, he grew arrogant and declined God's command to prostrate himself before Adam. Arguing that he was superior to humans, God expelled him from heaven and he became an "accursed shaitan" (Shaitan Rajim). When the Quran refers to Iblis as one of the jinn, this tradition states it does not refer to Azazil being one of the jinn who lived on earth, but to a group of angels who were entrusted with the task to guard the entrance to Jannah. Therefore, it is their relation to Jannah the term refers to Satan as a "jinn" in Quran.


title: Azazil

text: Another tradition, by Ubay ibn Ka'b, who claimed to have found it in the Torah, states the jinn were angelic creatures, who descended to earth and became endowed with sexual desires. They stayed pious for a while, but started to murder, drink wine, and cause injustice on earth. Azazil parted from his community and committed his life to the worship of God in isolated places. Soon, Azazil was chosen to send messengers to the jinn community, but every time Azazil sent one, the jinn killed the messenger. When God sent down an army of angels under the command of Azazil to defeat their corrupted fellows. In yet another tradition, asserted by the Brethren of Purity, Azazil used to be a jinni from earth, but was taken captive by the angels during war. Among the angels, Azazil impressed the angels by his piety and joined them in worship and service, but loses his angelic state after he disobeys God.


title: Azazil

text: In Sufism Azazil is one of the worst tempters. The fallen angel is the devil who leads the saints astray, however, fails against the prophets.


title: Azazil

text: Al-Hallaj mentioned Azazil in his collection Tawasin. Here, Azazil's disobedience to refuse God's command is a way to hallow His name. Chapter Six is dedicated to the self-defence of Azazil, and in one section Hallaj explains how each of the letters of Azazil's name relate to his personality. Unlike many other Sufi writers, Hallaj declined that Azazil will be restored to God's grace, thus after the Day of Judgment, he will still be damned. Since Azazil originated from fire, fire will be his final destiny.


title: Azazil

text: Azazil is also mentioned three times in Rumis Masnavi, emphasizing the importance of discipline and humility:


title: Azazil

text: According to Al-Jili God created, out of the light of Muhammad the good angels, reflecting God's attributes of beauty, light and guidance. Azazil and his angels were created as reflecting God's names of majesty, darkness and misleading. Azazil worshipped God for thousands of years before the creation of the world and it was forbidden to him to worship anything else. As an angel of single-minded devotion, Azazil fails to realize that bowing before Adam in accordance with God's command, is equal as bowing to God himself. After getting rebuked by God, Azazil does not repent but accepts his punishment as part if his unchanging nature of fire and becomes the principle of evil.


title: Azazil

text: In Umm al-Kitab, an 8th-century Ismaili work, Azazil is the first creation of God, the "High King". God gave him the power of creation, but Azazil boasted with his loaned power, claiming divinity for himself, describing himself as another God beside the High King. To prove that Azazil's creation only depends on the power of his own creator, God makes a new creation, opposed by Azazil. Every time, Azazil again claims to be like God, he and his fellow angels lose colour, becoming darker and inferior and are thrown into lower celestial spheres until they end up on earth, which is made out of the essence of Azazil's creations. As with the Gnostic Demiurge, Azazil traps the life-forces of the heavenly realm and captures them in the material realm.


title: Azazil

text: Umm al-Kitab's depiction of Azazil might be a reaction to religious dualism. By claiming divinity for himself, but getting rebuked by God and presenting Azazil merely as an angel inferior to God, belief in two eternal principles is rejected. In one instance, Ahriman, the Zorastrian creator of evil, appears namely as a later incarnation of Azazil.


title: Azazil

text: Azazil features as one of the first angels in an Alevi oral tradition, there he is informed by the archangel Cebrail (Gabriel), about their creator. Along with the other archangels, Cebrail leads Azazil to a lamp with seven doors. They shall serve here for 1001 days, so the door will open. After the archangels entered the lamp, they saw two lights forming one body. The archangels were commanded to prostrate before the light. All followed the order but Azazil, who refused to prostrate himself, since the light, as something that was created, could not be the creator, so he turned back to the door to stay in the former service of God. This narration explains that Azazil stood at God's service, but he despised that he saw when the door opened and decided to move into the "Ego World", causing the later enmity between Satan and humanity.


title: Eighth grade

text: Eighth grade (or grade eight in some regions) is the eighth post-kindergarten year of formal education in the US. The eighth grade is the ninth school year, the second, third, fourth, or final year of middle school, or the second and/or final year of junior high school, and comes after 7th grade. Usually, students are 13–14 years old in this stage of education. Different terms and numbers are used in other parts of the world.


title: Eighth grade

text: Grade 8 typically forms a part of elementary or middle schools in Canada. In some parts of Canada (such as Newfoundland), and much of British Columbia, grade 8 is the first year of secondary school. Students are usually 12–13 years old. In Quebec, grade 8 is equivalent to "Secondary II" (French: "2 Secondaire" ("2")) or "Secondary Cycle 1, Year 2".


title: Eighth grade

text: The grade 8 mathematics curriculum in Canada usually includes either Pre-algebra or Algebra I. Occasionally, Geometry, or Algebra II are also taught in very advanced schools. In some schools, especially the ones that are witnessing the required Basic Standards Test, basic everyday "real world" mathematical skills such as check writing, money management, and geometry are taught as well.


title: Eighth grade

text: In the United States, Eighth Grade is usually a child's eighth year of education, aside from Kindergarten and Preschool. It is often the final year of middle school. Some students take English 1 and or Algebra 1 which are high school classes.


title: Eighth grade

text: In cultural and language curriculum, many students may opt to take a foreign language course, either for a semester or the full school year.


title: Eighth grade

text: In the United States, American history is often the primary focus in eighth grade social studies. Other schools may also focus on other subject areas such as geography and world history.


title: Eighth grade

text: In Mathematics, Kids Learn about Scientific Notation, Geometry and Angles, Linear Equations, Measurement, Functions, and Exponents .


title: Eighth grade

text: In Science, kids are in Physical Science and learn about Forces and Motion, Energy, Electromagnetic Spectrum, And Chemical Reactions.


title: Eighth grade

text: imagery, figurative language, Textual Evidence, analyzing sources, different types of essays and compare and contrast.


title: Eighth grade

text: In the United States 41 states have implemented Common Core curriculum standards for English/Language Arts and Mathematics in 8th grade.


title: Run (American TV series)

text: Run is an American comedy thriller television series created by Vicky Jones that premiered on April 12, 2020 on HBO. It stars Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson, and one of its executive producers is Jones' frequent collaborator, Phoebe Waller-Bridge. "Run"s pilot episode was directed by Kate Dennis.


title: Run (American TV series)

text: The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an 84% approval rating with an average rating of 7.04/10, based on 38 reviews. The website's critical consensus states, "Though it can't always sustain its frenetic pace, "Run" sharp subversions of romcom clichés are never less than entertaining thanks to Merritt Wever and Domhnall Gleeson's electrifying performances." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Alan Sepinwall of "Rolling Stone" praised the two central performances, with Wever in particular garnering critical acclaim. He wrote that "the heat between them is palpable enough to carry this oddball mix of sexual farce and Alfred Hitchcock thriller".


title: John Amaechi

text: John Uzoma Ekwugha Amaechi, OBE (; born 26 November 1970) is a British-American psychologist, consultant and former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Vanderbilt and Penn State, and professional basketball in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Amaechi also played in France, Greece, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Since retiring from basketball, Amaechi has worked as a psychologist and consultant, establishing his company Amaechi Performance Systems.


title: John Amaechi

text: In February 2007, Amaechi became the first former NBA player to publicly come out as gay after doing so in his memoir "Man in the Middle". Since then, he has been regarded as "one of the world's most high-profile gay athletes".


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi was born in Boston in the United States, to an English mother and a Nigerian Igbo father. He and his two younger sisters were raised by their mother in the affluent Heaton Moor suburb of Stockport, England, with him attending the Ofsted rated 'outstanding' Tithe Barn Primary School before moving on to the Stockport Grammar School, the second oldest grammar school in the north of England. He first played basketball at the age of 17, coached by Joe Forber, whom he has described as a father figure.


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi moved to the United States to play high school basketball at St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo, Ohio. He began playing college basketball at Vanderbilt but transferred to Penn State, where he was a two-time First Team Academic All-American selection. While at Penn State, Amaechi became a motivational public speaker and a mentor for area youth.


title: John Amaechi

text: The , center was undrafted and then signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1995. Amaechi became the first undrafted player to start in his first NBA game as the Cavaliers' starting center, Michael Cage, did not play in the season opener due to injury. Amaechi played 28 games for the Cavaliers during the 1995–96 season, then played for two years in Europe – for Cholet and Limoges in France, for Virtus Bologna in Italy, Panathinaikos in Greece and Sheffield Sharks in the United Kingdom. In September 1996, he won the FIBA Intercontinental Cup with Panathinaikos, being the highest scorer (alongside Fragiskos Alvertis) in the team with 59 points in three games of the tournament. In the 1997–98 season he played with Virtus Bologna but left mid-season.


title: John Amaechi

text: He returned to the NBA, signing with the Orlando Magic in 1999. In the 1999–2000 season he averaged 10.5 points in 21.1 minutes per game. Amaechi was known for turning down a $17 million contract offer from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000, opting to remain in Orlando for $600,000 per year. Amaechi went on to play for the Utah Jazz from 2001 to 2003.


title: John Amaechi

text: He was traded to the Houston Rockets before the 2003–04 season in exchange for Glen Rice, and, though he was an active player, he did not participate in any games for them. The Rockets later traded him and Moochie Norris to the New York Knicks for Clarence Weatherspoon before the Knicks bought him out of his contract and he eventually retired from playing the sport altogether.


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi came out of retirement to represent England during the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, helping the England team win the bronze medal. In all, Amaechi appeared in 18 games for England.


title: John Amaechi

text: He has worked in the media, particularly as a commentator on basketball for British TV shows covering the NBA, and for the BBC during Olympic games. In addition, Amaechi was a judge on the BBC Series "The Speaker" in 2009. He has also been a regular guest host of the BBC Radio Manchester Business show with Steven Saul and has appeared on "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz" on ESPN Radio as a guest and guest co-host.


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi owns Amaechi Performance Systems, which is a consultancy working with numerous companies to improve leadership and communication skills and organisational diversity.


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi is a member of the American Psychological Association, the British Psychological Society (BPS), the BPS Division of Organisational Psychology and the BPS Psychological Testing Centre. Amaechi also became a Senior Fellow at the centre for Emotional Literacy and Personal Development at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) in the United Kingdom.


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi is also involved with the ABC Foundation in Manchester, which encourages children to become involved in sports and their communities by building youth sports centres throughout the United Kingdom. The first such facility, the Amaechi Basketball Centre, was built in Manchester, not far from Amaechi's childhood home of Stockport. The venue is also home to the English Basketball League's Manchester Magic (men) and Manchester Mystics (women), both of which are owned by Amaechi.


title: John Amaechi

text: In a radio interview, Amaechi said that he was returning to school to get a PhD in psychology. "I want to do something more meaningful in my life," he said. Amaechi also explained why he played for Orlando in 2000 for much less than the $17 million offered to him by the Lakers; his answer was that Orlando had signed him in 1999 when no other team would. "There are many people who are asked what their word is worth, and when people ask me that I can say, 'At least $17 million.'"


title: John Amaechi

text: In February 2007, Amaechi spoke about his sexuality on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" program. He also released a book, "Man in the Middle", published by ESPN Books, which discusses his career and life as a closeted professional athlete. Amaechi is the first National Basketball Association (NBA) player to speak publicly about being gay.


title: John Amaechi

text: Few male team sports players in the United States have come out as gay. Former Major League Baseball player Billy Bean wrote an op-ed in support of Amaechi's decision.


title: John Amaechi

text: Cyd Zeigler, the co-founder of Outsports.com, a website dedicated to the gay contribution to sports, said, "I don't think (Amaechi's declaration) will have any effect on his ability to do that," referring to Amaechi's businesses and charitable work. "You will have some people who will raise an eyebrow," Zeigler added.


title: John Amaechi

text: In a 2002 interview with "Scotland on Sunday", Amaechi had previously spoken about gays in the NBA: "If you look at our league, minorities aren't very well represented. There's hardly any Hispanic players, no Asian-Americans, so that there's no openly gay players is no real surprise. It would be like an alien dropping down from space. There'd be fear, then panic: they just wouldn't know how to handle it."


title: John Amaechi

text: In May 2007, a few months after coming out, Amaechi said he had "underestimated America", adding that he had expected the "wrath of a nation" but it never materialised. He made these statements despite having been the subject of death threats a few months earlier.


title: John Amaechi

text: In August 2008, Amaechi was sent to Beijing to do Olympic Men's and Women's Basketball broadcasts and reporting for the BBC. There, he wrote a blog with fellow activist and photographer Jeff Sheng in partnership with Amnesty International. He used Sheng's knowledge of Mandarin and experience in Beijing to get behind the scenes and gather candid interviews with locals and Olympic athletes alike.


title: John Amaechi

text: In 2008, Amaechi made several appearances on "Shirts & Skins", a reality series on LOGO Television. He acted as team "mentor" and "psychologist" to the San Francisco Rockdogs, a gay basketball team, and shared his experiences on basketball, life, and coming out. In 2010, Amaechi made public that he had been denied entry to a gay bar in Manchester, allegedly because the doorman felt he was "big, black and could be trouble". He said he was considering legal action.


title: John Amaechi

text: One widely publicised response to Amaechi's announcement came from former NBA player Tim Hardaway, who stated that he would demand that a gay player be removed from his team: "First of all I wouldn't want him on my team. Second of all, if he was on my team I would really distance myself from him because I don't think that's right and I don't think he should be in the locker room when we're in the locker room. Something has to give. If you have 12 other ball players in your locker room that's upset and can't concentrate and always worried about him in the locker room or on the court or whatever, it's going to be hard for your teammates to win and accept him as a teammate." Hardaway later apologised for his remarks.


title: John Amaechi

text: Some players gave Amaechi public support: former Magic teammate Grant Hill said: "the fact that John has done this, maybe it will give others the comfort or confidence to come out as well, whether they are playing or retiring." Shaquille O'Neal told the New York "Daily News", "If he was on my team, I guess I would have to protect him from the outsiders, I'm not homophobic or anything. I'm not the type who judges people, I wish him well." Charles Barkley said: "It shouldn't be a big deal to anybody. I know I've played with gay players and against gay players and it just shouldn't surprise anybody or be any issue."


title: John Amaechi

text: However, the prevailing public statements from NBA players tended toward an expression of mixed feelings on the matter. Steven Hunter said that he would accept an openly gay teammate "as long as he [didn't] make any advances toward me. As long as he came to play basketball like a man and conducted himself like a good person, I'd be fine with it." That sentiment was echoed, though less tactfully, by Shavlik Randolph, who said that "as long as you don't bring your gayness on me I'm fine. As far as business-wise, I'm sure I could play with him. But I think it would create a little awkwardness in the locker room." Pat Garrity warned that an openly gay player could expect to face both acceptance and hostility from his teammates. He said that "they would have teammates that would accept them for being a good person and a good teammate, and there would be people who would give him a hard time about it. I think that's true if you're playing basketball or in an office job. That's just how the world is right now." LeBron James said, "With teammates you have to be trustworthy, and if you're gay and you're not admitting that you are, then you are not trustworthy. So that's like the No. 1 thing as teammates – we all trust each other... It's a trust factor, honestly. A big trust factor."


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science by Manchester Metropolitan University on 19 July 2007 in recognition of his achievements not only as an athlete and broadcaster, but also for his charitable work with the National Literacy Trust, the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and the establishment of the ABC Foundation to encourage children to become involved in sport and their community.


title: John Amaechi

text: Amaechi was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to sport and the voluntary sector. He was also conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Arts by the University of East London.


title: Jane Withers

text: Jane Withers (April 12, 1926 – August 7, 2021) was an American actress and children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films ranking in the top ten list for box-office gross in 1937 and 1938.


title: Jane Withers

text: She began her entertainment career at the age of three and, during the Golden Age of Radio, hosted her own children's radio program in her home city of Atlanta, Georgia. In 1932, she and her mother moved to Hollywood, where she appeared as an extra in many films until landing her breakthrough role as the spoiled, obnoxious Joy Smythe opposite Shirley Temple's angelic orphan Shirley Blake in the 1934 film "Bright Eyes". She made 38 films before retiring at age 21 in 1947. She returned to film and television as a character actor in the 1950s. From 1963 to 1974, she portrayed the character Josephine the Plumber in a series of television commercials for Comet cleanser. In the 1990s and early 2000s, she did voice work for Disney animated films. She was interviewed in numerous documentary retrospectives of the Golden Age of Hollywood. She was also known for her philanthropy and her extensive doll collection.


title: Jane Withers

text: Jane Withers was born on April 12, 1926, in Atlanta, Georgia, the only child of Walter Edward Withers and Lavinia Ruth (née Elble) Withers. Ruth had had her own aspirations to be an actress nixed by her parents. She determined before Jane was born that she would have one daughter who would go into show business, and chose the name Jane so that "even with a long last name like Withers, it would fit on a marquee". Ruth taught Sunday school and Walter taught Bible classes in their local Presbyterian church. The family recited blessings at mealtime and devoted themselves to charitable works, which stood with Jane her entire life. Both in Atlanta and in Hollywood, the family would invite "six busloads of orphan children" to come to their home after church and Sunday school for lunch and afternoon entertainment.


title: Jane Withers

text: When Jane was two, Ruth enrolled her in a tap dance school, and also taught her to sing. Jane launched her entertainment career at the age of three after winning a local amateur contest called "Dixie's Dainty Dewdrop". She was cast on "Aunt Sally's Kiddie Revue", a Saturday-morning children's program broadcast on WGST radio in Atlanta, in which she sang, danced, and did impersonations of film stars such as W. C. Fields, ZaSu Pitts, Maurice Chevalier, Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, and Greta Garbo. At age 3½ she had her own radio show called "Dixie's Dainty Dewdrop", where she also interviewed celebrities who were visiting Atlanta.


title: Jane Withers

text: After two years of her radio work, Ruth took Jane to Hollywood before her sixth birthday in 1932 to explore opportunities in film. Walter remained in Atlanta, sending them $100 a month on which to live. In Los Angeles, Jane performed on children's shows on KFWB radio, did cartoon voice-overs, and also modeled. She got her first film role as an extra when their neighbor invited her to come along for her daughter's interview for "Handle with Care" (1932). Withers stood to the side while the other children interviewed with director David Butler. The assistant director came over and asked her why she was not standing with the others. "Sir, I was not invited to the interview. I came with our friends", she replied. The assistant director told her that Butler had seen her and wanted her to interview as well. "Handle with Care" was Withers's first film appearance, though she and all the children were photographed with their backs to the camera.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers subsequently appeared in many films as an uncredited extra, though occasionally she had a line of dialogue. She stood out from the other girls at auditions because of her appearance: she had a Dutchboy bob and preferred tailored clothes to frilly dresses. "Every interview I ever went on I was the only one with a tailored dress, with straight bangs and straight haircut, and no curls and no frills", she recalled. Butler was the first to notice this about her. He told her, "You're different than any other kid that I've ever seen in Hollywood. You've got a special quality and someday you are going to be a famous little star".


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers was working as an extra on "It's a Gift" (1934), when W. C. Fields selected her from a group of juvenile extras to do a pantomime hopscotch scene with him. Afterwards, he praised her timing and called over her mother to compliment her on Jane's talent and predict that she would go far.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers's big break came after two years when she landed a supporting role in the Shirley Temple film "Bright Eyes" (also 1934), also directed by Butler. On her interview, Butler asked her if she could imitate a machine gun, and she gave it a try. She also charmed the casting director with her impersonations. Her character, Joy Smythe, is spoiled and obnoxious, a perfect foil for Temple's sweet personality. Withers was concerned that filmgoers would hate her for being so mean to Temple, but the film was a box-office hit. Withers said that director Butler confided to her, "You stole the picture".


title: Jane Withers

text: After filming wrapped, Withers signed a seven-year contract with Fox Film Corporation. Included in her contract was the right to choose the crew members who would work on her productions. Her crew, dubbed the "Withers Family", worked on all her subsequent films.


title: Jane Withers

text: After Withers signed her contract with Fox, her mother invested $10,000 into developing additional skills to improve her versatility as an actress, with the intention of spending $20,000 over an eight-year period. This included "ice skating lessons, voice training, horsemanship, dancing, French, Spanish, and swimming lessons".


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers began filming her first starring vehicle, "Ginger" (1935), on her ninth birthday. She received two baskets of flowers on the set that day—one from Fields, to whom she had written about her casting in "Bright Eyes", and one from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had seen her impersonate him on a newsreel. The same year, she appeared in a brief role in "The Farmer Takes a Wife" and then starred in "This Is the Life". Her day of filming in "The Farmer Takes a Wife" coincided with Henry Fonda's screen debut, and noticing his nervousness, she encouraged him and offered a prayer for his success.


title: Jane Withers

text: Throughout the remainder of the 1930s, Withers appeared in three to five films per year. In 1936, she starred in "Paddy O'Day", "Gentle Julia", "Little Miss Nobody", and "Pepper". In 1937, she performed in comedies, dramas, and a Western with lead roles in "The Holy Terror", "Angel's Holiday", "Wild and Woolly", "Can This Be Dixie?", "45 Fathers", and "Checkers". In 1938, she filmed three comedies for Fox: "Rascals", "Keep Smiling", and "Always in Trouble". In 1939 she appeared in four more comedy roles: "The Arizona Wildcat", "Boy Friend", "Chicken Wagon Family", and "Pack Up Your Troubles". Withers often received top billing even over other established stars.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers did not memorize her lines verbatim, but tried to think about them and draw out the "sense" from them; she often ad-libbed when she lost her way in a scene. A natural mimic, she did impersonations of film celebrities both on and off the set. Twentieth Century Fox studio head Darryl Zanuck reportedly forbade her from doing her Shirley Temple impersonation in public.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers freely gave her input to screenwriters and directors. From a young age, she sat in on writers' conferences to suggest changes in dialogue that would be more appropriate for a child to say. She also suggested the casting of other actors for her films, including Jackie Searl, whom she had met at auditions, and 16-year-old Rita Cansino (later renamed Rita Hayworth), whom she had observed dancing on an adjoining sound stage and recommended for a supporting role in "Paddy O'Day". At age 13, she took the initiative to make a film with Gene Autry by acting as a go-between between 20th Century Fox studio head Joseph M. Schenck and Republic Pictures head Herbert J. Yates. Though neither studio was willing to loan their star player to the other, Withers suggested that Fox send three other contract players to Republic Pictures in exchange for Autry, who was paid $25,000 to co-star with Withers in "Shooting High" (1940).


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers was the only child star to complete a seven-year contract. Studio contracts generally included a series of six-month option periods when the studio could terminate the agreement should the actor's films stop making money. Since all but one of her films were low-budget B movies, the studio held Withers to a lower standard than an A-movie actor whose films would cost the studio much more money. Additionally, the lower rental fees for Withers's B movies allowed her films to be screened in many more small theaters, expanding Withers's popularity. In 1937 and 1938, Withers's films made the top 10 list in box-office gross receipts. In addition to her studio contract, Withers made personal appearance tours for which she received $5,000 a week.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 1938–1939, Withers shed her childhood pudginess through healthy eating and stretching exercises, slimming down to and a size-12 dress. She had her first screen kiss in the 1939 film "Boy Friend". In 1940 she filmed "Shooting High" with co-star Gene Autry, and starred in the teen films "High School", "The Girl from Avenue A", and "Youth Will Be Served". But she and her fans grew dissatisfied with the juvenile roles being offered her as she matured. Under the pseudonym Jerrie Walters, Withers wrote the screenplay for "Small Town Deb" (1941), in which she also starred. Withers explained in a 2003 interview that "her own experiences of not being allowed by the studio to grow up were translated into the story of a teenage girl whose 'mother isn't allowing her to grow up, to be herself and to find herself'". As payment for the script, Withers requested that the studio provide fifteen $1,500 scholarships for children to study music and acting, and two upright pianos, for her Sunday school groups.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 1941, Withers signed her second seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. She was set to earn $2,750 a week in the first year of the contract and $3,000 per week in the second year. Her other films this year for 20th Century Fox were comedies: "Golden Hoofs" and "A Very Young Lady". Her last films for Fox were the war drama "Young America" and the comedy film "The Mad Martindales", both in 1942. She also made "Her First Beau" (1941) for Columbia Pictures.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 1942, Withers signed a three-year, $225,000 contract with Republic Pictures. Her Republic films were "Johnny Doughboy" (1942), "My Best Gal" and "Faces in the Fog" (both 1944), and "Affairs of Geraldine" (1946). Her other films in the 1940s were "The North Star" (1943) for RKO Pictures and "Danger Street" (1947) for Paramount Pictures.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers and Shirley Temple were the two most popular child stars signed to 20th Century Fox in the 1930s. In contrast to Temple's cute and charming characters, Withers was usually cast as a mischievous little girl or "a tomboy rascal", leading to her being described as "America's favorite problem child". Zierold noted that Withers's characters are "often in trouble, or 'fixes', and prone to brawls". Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons described Withers as "a natural clown". As a child, Withers's "stocky and sturdy" build and straight black hair also contrasted with Temple's "pudgy but delicate" figure and blonde ringlets. Both Withers and Temple usually played orphans and had a transformative effect on those around them. But while Temple was cared for by father figures, Withers was usually under the protection of uncles, both real and imaginary; according to Pamela Wojcik, author of "Fantasies of Neglect: Imagining the Urban Child in American Film and Fiction", this introduced the narrative of queerness through alternative family structures.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers's bratty screen persona continued into her teens. According to Farley Granger, Withers was "cast as the obnoxious, smart-aleck teen as opposed to Deanna Durbin's or Judy Garland's plucky and adorable adolescent".


title: Jane Withers

text: While Withers typically played a brat onscreen, off-screen she was said to be "one of Hollywood's most charming and well-behaved juveniles". Her parents closely supervised her upbringing to make sure she did not grow up spoiled or entitled. In a 1942 newspaper article, Ruth described how she and her husband encouraged Jane to develop a generous personality and avoid the egoism and self-centeredness that a child star might accrue as the object of adoring fans and studio "sycophants".


title: Jane Withers

text: For example, as Withers began to receive gifts of dolls from fans to add to her collection, her parents insisted that for every two dolls she received, she give away one to a needy child. When she began to purchase dolls to build the collection further, her parents mandated that she should use her allowance money to buy duplicate dolls for less fortunate children. Her earnings from film roles were invested in trust funds and annuities; Withers had to use her allowance money to buy things she wanted for herself, which often meant saving up for weeks. In 1938, her allowance was reported as $5 a week; this was raised to $10 a week in 1941.


title: Jane Withers

text: To ease the pressured life of a child star, Withers's parents made sure she also had fun, but kept her activities supervised and close to home. Withers joined the Girl Scouts and her parents hosted the meeting in their home. The Withers' home, a model home at 10731 Sunset Boulevard they bought in 1936, was equipped with a swimming pool, badminton court, and a -long playroom that saw frequent use by Withers and her fellow Hollywood child actors. Her afternoon swim parties continued into her teens and were the subject of many a fan magazine. When she became a teenager, her parents built a second-floor addition that included a beauty salon and soda fountain where Withers could entertain her friends. As a child, she also accumulated a menagerie of two horses, three kittens, "eight turtles, three baby alligators, 24 white Leghorn chickens, 12 turkeys, 2 Chinese hens", a rooster, six bantams, two ducks, seven frogs, and six dogs. At the family's cabin in Lake Arrowhead, where they vacationed on weekends and holidays, Withers had two motorbikes and a boat.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers's birthday parties, described as "the social event of the season for movietown's small fry", were annually covered by the media. For her twelfth birthday, her parents hired a 21-seat cargo plane for $18,000 to give party guests a low-altitude ride. Withers's thirteenth birthday party saw 60 young guests come in costume and participate in a balloon dance and jitterbug contest; this party earned a two-page pictorial spread in "Life" magazine. Withers's "sweet sixteen" party in 1942, with 150 invited guests and a hayride and barn dance on the program, was filmed by Paramount Pictures for the "Hedda Hopper's Hollywood" series. The short was transferred to 16 mm film for viewing by U.S. troops overseas during World War II. Withers had her eighteenth birthday party at Madison Square Garden with a circus theme and invited U.S. servicemen and their dates to be her guests. Her twenty-first birthday party was planned for a nightclub with 200 guests, but after she came down with the flu, Withers instead served cake and ice cream and watched movies in her personal suite at home with 12 close friends.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers was allowed to go on chaperoned dates with boys of her age in her early teens; by age 16 she was permitted to go on solo dates. After a 1936 kidnapping threat, she was always accompanied by round-the-clock bodyguards.


title: Jane Withers

text: During Withers's first 15 years in film, Ruth "handled all negotiations with producers, supervised publicity, [and] completely managed Jane's off-screen life". However, Ruth was not a typical stage mother. She was usually present on the sound stage but did not watch Jane film her scenes; nor did she ever issue instructions or objections to studio personnel. Walter Withers did not involve himself in the movie business at all, but worked as a representative for a California wholesale furniture company.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers's parents licensed her name and image to numerous product lines. As early as 1936, her name was affixed to a line of "Jane Withers Dresses" for girls, and girls' handbags and jewelry were also branded with her name. She was the star of best-selling paper doll books issued by Whitman Publishing, Saalfield Publishing, and Dell in the late 1930s and 1940s, which later became popular collectables. She was also featured in several Big Little Books published by Whitman Publishing. Numerous dolls were made in her likeness, including four Madame Alexander dolls in 1937 ranging in height from .


title: Jane Withers

text: In the 1940s, Withers was featured as the heroine of three mystery novels published by Whitman Publishing, which produced 16 authorized editions featuring notable film actresses of that era. The books "Jane Withers and the Hidden Room" (1942) by Eleanor Packer and "Jane Withers and the Phantom Violin" (1943) by Roy J. Snell "featured a character who looked like Jane Withers and was named Jane Withers but was not Jane Withers". "Jane Withers and the Swamp Wizard" (1944) by Kathryn Heisenfelt was said to "star some version of the real Jane Withers". The books were reprinted by Literary Licensing in the 21st century.


title: Jane Withers

text: In the early 1940s, Hollywood's child-star genre that had catapulted Withers to fame was on the decline. Her popularity in comedy films also hindered her acceptance as a dramatic actress in films such as "The North Star" (1943). Withers retired from film at age 21 in 1947, shortly after completing "Danger Street" and nine days before her marriage to William Moss, a Texas entrepreneur and film producer. She had starred in 38 films.


title: Jane Withers

text: A month after Jane's twenty-first birthday, her mother Ruth appeared in a California Superior Court and listed her daughter's assets as $40,401.85 (). The judge turned the property over to Jane's control. The same month, her parents turned over to her the deed to their home, valued at $250,000 (), and other real estate worth $75,000, plus annuities totaling $10,000, all purchased from Withers's earnings.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 1955, a year after her divorce, Withers returned to Los Angeles and enrolled in the University of Southern California film school with the intention of becoming a director. She returned to the screen when George Stevens asked her to take a supporting role in his 1956 film "Giant". In 2006, Withers participated in a 50th-anniversary screening of the film for 700 attendees in Marfa, Texas, where location shooting had taken place.


title: Jane Withers

text: Her performance in "Giant" led to more work as a character actor in both film and television. She appeared in television episodes of "Pete and Gladys"; "General Electric Theater"; "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour"; "The Love Boat"; and "Murder, She Wrote". Though she received "dozens of offers" to do television series as well as stage musicals such as "Mame"; "Hello, Dolly!"; and "No, No, Nanette", Withers was financially comfortable and chose to spend most of her time raising her children.


title: Jane Withers

text: In the mid-1960s, Withers gained new popularity as Josephine the Plumber, a character in a series of television commercials for Comet cleanser. The commercials, featuring Withers dressed in white work overalls and in the proximity of a sink, had her touting Comet's stain-removing ability compared to other cleansers. The one-minute spot, which ran from 1963 to 1974, involved Withers in up to 30 storylines per year.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers invested much of her own personality into the character of Josephine, making her friendly, caring, and helpful. She also selected the type of work clothes a woman plumber would wear based on what she herself wore at home. She took a course in plumbing to play her part realistically. Her earnings from the long-running commercial helped her pay for a college education for all five of her children.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers retired as Josephine after her mother Ruth was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She cared for her mother for eight years until Ruth's death in 1983. The character of Josephine was described by the "Los Angeles Times" as being "one of the longest-running continuing characters in TV." Before retiring, Withers filmed two installments of the commercial introducing a young girl who had learned everything she knew about plumbing from "my aunt Josephine".


title: Jane Withers

text: In late 1944, Withers made her stage debut in the musical comedy "Glad To See You" directed by Busby Berkeley. The show, intended for Broadway, closed after seven weeks of tryouts in Philadelphia and Boston. Withers sang the Jule Styne-Sammy Cahn torch song "Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out to Dry" written for the play; this was soon after covered by Frank Sinatra and Kate Smith and became a jazz and pop standard.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 1971, Withers co-starred in the Broadway musical comedy "Sure, Sure, Shirley" which also brought Shirley Temple Black out of retirement. The performance, which featured a tap dancing sequence with 50 chorus dancers, was staged as an opening-night benefit for diabetics.


title: Jane Withers

text: In the 1990s, Withers did voice acting for Disney animated films. In 1995, she was asked to record several lines of dialogue in imitation of the vocal patterns of Mary Wickes, who had recorded the voice of Laverne the gargoyle in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1996) and had died during post-production. Withers reprised the role in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame II" (2002).


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers narrated audiobooks, including a reading of "Why Not Try God?" by Mary Pickford which was distributed through a Southern California religious organization.


title: Jane Withers

text: In the 1990s, she was interviewed on numerous television documentary retrospectives of the Golden Age of Hollywood. She herself was profiled in a 45-minute A&E Biography which aired in 2003.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 1990, Withers began experiencing symptoms of lupus. She suffered from the disease over a period of ten years, after which she went into remission. She began experiencing vertigo in 2007.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers began collecting dolls as a young child in Atlanta. The collection, enlarged by contributions from her fans, grew into one of the largest in the world. By the early 1940s, the collection was estimated at 3,500 dolls. By the 1980s, the collection numbered more than 8,000 dolls and 2,500 teddy bears. Withers purchased some of the dolls herself and received presents from fans; President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent her one of his teddy bears and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt contributed a French doll she had received as a child.


title: Jane Withers

text: In the 1980s, Withers announced plans to build a $1 million museum in Burbank, California, to display her collection, then stored in a warehouse. But the plans fell through and the dolls, along with crates of Hollywood film memorabilia that Withers had also collected during her film career or purchased at auction, continued to be warehoused. In 2004, the "Los Angeles Times" reported Withers had distributed more than 42,000 items for safekeeping among friends. A small part of the doll collection was sold at auction, and Withers participated in tours of her collection held in conjunction with these auctions. In 2013, she donated 6,000 of her dolls to a history museum in California.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers engaged in philanthropy throughout her life. As a child star, she visited orphanages and hospitals to perform for other children. In 1937, she created 400 dolls using scraps she had recovered from the 20th Century Fox wardrobe department and gave them to needy children at Christmas. During World War II, she participated in more than 100 war bond drives and soldiers' camp tours in the United States. She also sent her personal doll collection—then numbering some 3,500 dolls—on a two-year tour which raised $2.5 million in funds for the U.S. war effort through 10-cent war savings stamp admissions. She involved President Roosevelt in this initiative, requesting from him the loan of a train on which she had the dolls arranged in museum-like displays to be seen by children across the country.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers donated 800 books from her personal library to start the Jane Withers Collection at the Thousand Oaks Library in Thousand Oaks, California.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers was active in dozens of charities. She served as a board member of the local branch of the American Cancer Society and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and was instrumental in the development of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.


title: Jane Withers

text: On November 6, 1939, Withers was invited to place her handprints and signature in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. On February 8, 1960, she was recognized for her contribution to film with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at 6119 Hollywood Boulevard.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 1979, Withers was the first recipient of the Young Artist Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1st Youth in Film Awards ceremony.


title: Jane Withers

text: In 2003, she was the recipient of a Living Legacy Award from the Women's International Center, a non-profit education and service organization.


title: Jane Withers

text: In May 1947, Withers announced her engagement to William (Bill) Moss, a Texas entrepreneur and film producer, after a two-year courtship. They married on September 20, 1947. The couple lived on ranches in Midland, Texas, and New Mexico with their three children. They separated in April 1953 and Withers was granted a divorce in July 1954, citing her husband's "excessive drinking and gambling". She received a $1 million property settlement, including monthly alimony and child support, trust fund and insurance fund for the children, and a half-interest in Texas oil fields owned by Moss, as well as full custody of the children. Suffering from emotional strain over the impending divorce, Withers was hospitalized for five months in 1953 with severe rheumatoid arthritis and developed complete paralysis. She recovered with no lasting effects.


title: Jane Withers

text: In October 1955, Withers remarried, to singer Kenneth Errair of The Four Freshmen, with whom she had two more children. In June 1968, Errair died in a plane crash near Bass Lake, California. One of Withers's sons later died of cancer.


title: Jane Withers

text: Withers was a devout Christian. Like her parents, she belonged to the Presbyterian Church. She taught Sunday school at the Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church together with the actresses Eleanor Powell and Gloria Hatrick McLean. She was a trustee of the Church of Religious Science in Los Angeles.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: LaShawn Maurkice Pouncey (born July 24, 1989) is a former American football center who played 11 seasons for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida, where he was a member of a BCS National Championship team, recognized as a consensus All-American, and won the 2009 Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best college football center. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Pouncey was a nine-time Pro Bowler and named to five All-Pro teams, and was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. He is the twin brother of former NFL center Mike Pouncey.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Pouncey was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He attended Lakeland High School in Lakeland, Florida, where he was a standout lineman for the Lakeland Dreadnaughts high school football team. As a senior in 2006, he helped lead Lakeland High to its third consecutive Florida Class 5A state championship and second straight "USA Today" national championship.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com, Pouncey was listed as the No. 15 offensive guard in the nation in 2007. He chose Florida over offers from Florida State, Clemson, Miami, and Michigan.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Pouncey accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football team from 2007 to 2009.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Pouncey began attending the University of Florida early in 2007. His twin brother Mike would also join the Gators, playing defensive line his first season to help an injury-riddled defense. Pouncey saw action at right guard and center his freshman year. He started the season at right guard for the season opener against Western Kentucky, becoming only the seventh true freshman in team history to do so. In a week 6 loss to No. 6 LSU, he would have a grade of 86%. The next week he would have a grade of 85% while the Gators would upset the No. 8 Kentucky. On November 3, 2007, he would again get a champion grade of 83% in a win over Vanderbilt. He finished the season starting 11 games at right guard and playing in all 13. Rivals and "College Football News" selected him as a freshman first-team All-American and he would also be voted to the Freshman All-SEC team by the coaches and "Sporting News".


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Beginning in 2008, Pouncey became the full-time starting center for Florida next to his twin brother Mike at right guard. He compiled six games with a grade of 90% or better. The first came in week 3 against Tennessee, where he would have a grade of 93%. In week 6 he was recognized as the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance against Arkansas. Pouncey would have a season-high grade of 97% against LSU and then 98% the next game against Kentucky. While playing South Carolina he would have a grade of 90, his last above that mark for the season. The Gators would go on to win the SEC Championship and then defeat Oklahoma to win the FedEx BCS National Championship.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: In the season opener against Charleston Southern, he began 2009 with a grade of 98% and had two knockdowns in the game. The next week, he would again post a grade of 98% in a victory over Troy. In the first SEC game of the year, Pouncey would play 61 snaps and receive a grade of 93% for the game. During the week 4 match-up against Kentucky, he would end with a grade of 90% and receive Champion Club Honors. On October 10, Florida traveled to Death Valley to face No. 4 LSU. He would have a season-high grade of 99% in the 13–3 victory over the Tigers. His 28th consecutive start would also be his last game at the Swamp. The Gators would go on to defeat Florida State, 37–10. After going undefeated the entire regular season, the Gators would lose to No. 2 Alabama in the SEC Championship. His last game would be the 2010 AllState Sugar Bowl against No. 4 Cincinnati and he would finish his season with an average grade of 91.5% and 30 knockdowns. Pouncey won the Rimington Award, becoming Florida's first player to do so. He was also voted a first-team All-American by CBSsports.com, Sporting News, Football Weekly, and Walter Camp.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: He finished his career with 39 starts in 41 games played. After his junior season, he entered the NFL Draft.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Pouncey entered the 2010 NFL Draft as the consensus No. 1 center available, ahead of Matt Tennant, J. D. Walton, and Eric Olsen.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: The Pittsburgh Steelers chose Pouncey in the first round (18th pick overall). He was the highest selected center since Damien Woody.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: On July 30, 2010, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Pouncey to a five-year, $14.80 million contract with $7.94 million guaranteed.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: In his rookie year, he started in all 16 games played at the center position, and was selected to the Pro Bowl. Additionally, in accordance with his exceptional play as a center during his rookie year, he received 2 votes (out of 50) for the National Football League Rookie of the Year Award. In the AFC championship game during Pouncey's rookie year, Pouncey injured his ankle during the win and was not able to play in the Super Bowl. The Steelers would go on to lose the Super Bowl to the Green Bay Packers.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Pouncey played 14 games in 2011 then 15 games in 2012. Both those years, he was a Pro Bowl selection.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: In Week 1 of the 2013 season, Pouncey tore his right ACL and MCL after Steelers guard David DeCastro accidentally dove into Pouncey's right leg while trying to assist Pouncey in blocking Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Sammie Lee Hill. He was subsequently placed on injured reserve, ending his season.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: On June 12, 2014, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Pouncey to a five-year, $44.12 million contract extension with a $13 million signing bonus. This extension made him, at that time, the highest paid center in the National Football League. After a successful recovery from knee surgery, Pouncey started all 16 games in 2014 and was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth time of his career.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: On August 23, 2015, during the Steelers' first preseason game, Pouncey suffered a broken fibula when Green Bay Packers safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix rolled onto the back of Pouncey's ankle. His recovery was delayed further after he developed an infection that required a second surgery. Pouncey ultimately missed the entire 2015 season.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: On December 19, 2017, Pouncey was named to his sixth Pro Bowl along with fellow Steeler offensive linemen Alejandro Villanueva and David DeCastro.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: On March 7, 2019, Pouncey signed a three-year, $33 million contract extension with the Steelers through the 2021 season, making him the highest-paid center in the NFL. On November 14, 2019, during Thursday Night Football against the Cleveland Browns in Week 11, Pouncey was involved in a brawl with Myles Garrett. Pouncey threw punches and kicked Garrett, resulting in the two getting ejected. The next day, the NFL suspended Pouncey three games for fighting. This was then shortened to a two game suspension following a successful appeal by Pouncey. Pouncey was reinstated from suspension on December 2, 2019, and activated on December 4, returning for the Steelers' 23–17 win at the Arizona Cardinals.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Pouncey was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Steelers on December 2, 2020, and activated on December 11.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: On February 12, 2021, Pouncey announced his retirement, alongside his brother, after an 11-season career. He was placed on the reserve/retired list by the team on March 1, 2021.


title: Maurkice Pouncey

text: Pouncey's identical twin brother Mike Pouncey was selected 15th overall by the Miami Dolphins in the 2011 NFL Draft. Maurkice is one minute younger than Mike. Pouncey has two daughters, Jayda (born October 10, 2011) and Marley.


title: Anita Pointer

text: Anita Marie Pointer (born January 23, 1948) is an American singer–songwriter, best known as a founding member of the vocal group the Pointer Sisters.


title: Anita Pointer

text: Pointer was born in Oakland, California, United States, the fourth of six children to Sarah Elizabeth (née Silas; 1924–2000) and Reverend Elton Pointer (1901–1979). Though she was born in California, Pointer's parents were natives of Arkansas. As a result, her family traveled by car almost yearly from California to Arkansas to visit Pointer's grandparents who lived in Prescott. During that time, her mother allowed her to stay with her grandparents to attend fifth grade at McRae Elementary, seventh grade at McRae Jr. High, and tenth grade at McRae High School. While in Prescott, she played alto sax as a member of the McRae High School band. In 1969, Pointer quit her job as a secretary to join her younger sisters Bonnie and June to form The Pointer Sisters.


title: Anita Pointer

text: She and her sisters found fame in 1973, when the Anita-led "Yes We Can Can" reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1974, Pointer's writing talents helped the group make music history when "Fairytale" became a hit on the country music charts and enabled The Pointer Sisters to become the first black female group to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. "Fairytale" won the group its first Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group, and a Grammy Nomination for the Best Country Song of the year in 1975.


title: Anita Pointer

text: In the late 1970s and early 1980s, The Pointer Sisters rose to higher levels of success with "Fire" (1978), "He's So Shy" (1980), "Slow Hand" (1981) and "I'm So Excited" (1982). In 1983, the trio's album "Break Out" reached multi-platinum status and won the group two more Grammy Awards. In 1986, Pointer found chart success with country superstar Earl Thomas Conley on the song "Too Many Times", which reached no. 2 on the country chart and in 1987, she released her first solo album "Love for What It Is". Her album's first single "Overnight Success" reached no. 41 on the "Billboard" R&B chart.


title: Anita Pointer

text: A second single from the album, "More Than a Memory," also charted, reaching No. 73 R&B in 1988. In 1994, Pointer and her sisters received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 1998, Pointer was singularly inducted into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. In 2015, Pointer retired from The Pointer Sisters due to her ill health.


title: Anita Pointer

text: In February 2020, Anita released the book, "Fairytale: The Pointer Sisters' Family Story" which was co-written with her brother, Fritz Pointer. The book chronicles the Pointer family origins and history as well as finding themselves as young black women in the San Francisco Bay Area during the Civil Rights and Black Power movement of the late 1960s. As well, it describes the difficulties and successes they encountered throughout their career and shares their chart history, discography and other surprises along the way. Throughout the book, family members also share their memories of the Pointer family history including Bonnie who passed in June 2020. The book earned positive reviews upon release.


title: Anita Pointer

text: Pointer has been married several times and had one child. In December 1965, at age 17, Pointer married David Harper and together they had a daughter, Jada Rashawn Pointer (b. April 9, 1966). They divorced later in 1966. Jada died of cancer in June 2003, aged 37. Her daughter inspired one of the Pointer Sisters' most popular songs, "Jada," written by the group and released on their debut album. In October 1981, Pointer married Richard Gonzalez. Pointer and Gonzalez have since divorced. Pointer's older brother, Aaron Pointer, was an MLB player and later NFL referee. Her cousin, Paul Silas, was an NBA player and head coach.


title: Anita Pointer

text: In October 2021, Pointer was supposed to be a contestant on season 6 of "The Masked Singer", as part of a duet with her sister Ruth, who revealed that Pointer had not performed because she was dealing with an illness.


title: Murder of Elyse Pahler

text: Elyse Marie Pahler (April 24, 1980 – July 22, 1995) was an American murder victim whose parents attempted to sue the thrash metal band Slayer, claiming that the band's music contributed to their daughter's death. Pahler was murdered in the summer of 1995.