input: From the earlier part of the 15th century, Portuguese expeditions organized by Prince Henry the Navigator had been reaching down the African coastline, principally in search of west African riches (notably, gold). They had greatly extended Portuguese maritime knowledge, but had little profit to show for the effort. After Henry's death in 1460, the Portuguese Crown showed little interest in continuing this effort and, in 1469, sold off the neglected African enterprise to a private Lisbon merchant consortium led by Fernao Gomes. Within a few years, Gomes' captains expanded Portuguese knowledge across the Gulf of Guinea, doing business in gold dust, Melegueta pepper, ivory and sub-Saharan slaves. When Gomes' charter came up for renewal in 1474, Prince John (future John II), asked his father Afonso V of Portugal to pass the African charter to him.  Upon becoming king in 1481, John II of Portugal set out on many long reforms. To break the monarch's dependence on the feudal nobility, John II needed to build up the royal treasury; he considered royal commerce to be the key to achieving that. Under John II's watch, the gold and slave trade in west Africa was greatly expanded. He was eager to break into the highly profitable spice trade between Europe and Asia, which was conducted chiefly by land. At the time, this was virtually monopolized by the Republic of Venice, who operated overland routes via Levantine and Egyptian ports, through the Red Sea across to the spice markets of India. John II set a new objective for his captains: to find a sea route to Asia by sailing around the African continent.  By the time Vasco da Gama was in his 20s, the king's plans were coming to fruition. In 1487, John II dispatched two spies, Pero da Covilha and Afonso de Paiva, overland via Egypt to East Africa and India, to scout the details of the spice markets and trade routes. The breakthrough came soon after, when John II's captain Bartolomeu Dias returned from rounding the Cape of Good Hope in 1488, having explored as far as the Fish River (Rio do Infante) in modern-day South Africa and having verified that the unknown coast stretched away to the northeast.  An explorer was needed who could prove the link between the findings of Dias and those of da Covilha and de Paiva, and connect these separate segments into a potentially lucrative trade route across the Indian Ocean.

Answer this question "What happened after Henry's death?"
output: the Portuguese Crown showed little interest in continuing this effort and, in 1469, sold off the neglected African enterprise to a private Lisbon merchant

input: After winning Ang Bagong Kampeon, Velasquez was signed to OctoArts International (now PolyEast Records). She was introduced as 'Chona' Velasquez--her nickname--and recorded the single "Love Me Again", which was released in early 1986. However, the single was commercially unsuccessful. On February 16, 1986, at the behest of another OctoArts recording artist, Pops Fernandez, Velasquez was invited to appear on her live late night musical television show, The Penthouse Live!  While she was rehearsing for the live show, the producer and talent manager Ronnie Henares showed interest and signed her. At the suggestion of Fernandez's husband and the show's co-host, Martin Nievera, Velasquez adopted the stage name "Regine".  Under Henares' management, Velasquez was introduced to the head of VIVA Records, Vicente del Rosario Jr., who signed her and started production of her debut album. Del Rosario enlisted top songwriters, including Joaquin Francisco Sanchez, Vehnee Saturno and Christine Bendebel. He and Henares, who were both serving as executive producers, planned to market Velasquez as one of their main female pop artists, hoping to attain commercial success as they had done with Nora Aunor and Sharon Cuneta. After Velasquez completed her debut album, Regine, VIVA released the lead single "Kung Maibabalik Ko Lang" in 1987. Despite a weak start, the album gained mainstream appeal after Velasquez's promotional appearances on the ABS-CBN television variety shows Triple Treat and Teen Pan Alley. The album produced two more singles--"Urong Sulong" and "Isang Lahi".  Two years after the release of her debut album, Velasquez represented the Philippines in the 1989 Asia Pacific Singing Contest. She was initially apprehensive and skeptical of the idea of participating in another competition at that stage in her career. At Henares' urging she agreed to compete and won the contest in Hong Kong, performing the songs "You'll Never Walk Alone" from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the musical Dreamgirls.

Answer this question "What was Regine's first experience singing?"
output: After winning Ang Bagong Kampeon, Velasquez was signed to OctoArts International (now PolyEast Records).

input: White has been called "eccentric." He is known for creating mythology around his endeavors; examples include his claim that the Stripes began on Bastille Day, that he and Meg are the two youngest of ten siblings, and that Third Man Records used to be a candy factory. These assertions came into question or were disproven, such as when, in 2002, the Detroit Free Press produced copies of both a marriage license and divorce certificate for him and Meg, confirming their history as a married couple. Neither addresses the truth officially, and Jack continues to refer to Meg as his sister in interviews, including in the documentary Under Great White Northern Lights, filmed in 2007. In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, Jack alluded to this open secret, implying that it was intended to keep the focus on the music rather than the couple's relationship:  "When you see a band that is two pieces, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, you think, 'Oh, I see...' When they're brother and sister, you go, 'Oh, that's interesting.' You care more about the music, not the relationship--whether they're trying to save their relationship by being in a band."  He has an attachment to the number three, stemming from seeing three staples in the back of a Vladimir Kagan couch he helped to upholster as an apprentice. His business ventures frequently feature "three" in the title and he typically appends "III" to the end of his name. During the White Stripes 2005 tour in the UK, White began referring to himself as "Three Quid"--"quid" being British slang for pound sterling.  He maintains an aesthetic that he says challenges whether people will believe he is "real." He frequently color-codes his endeavors, such as the aforementioned Third Man Upholstery and The White Stripes, as well as Third Man Records, which is completely outfitted in yellow, black, red, and blue (including staff uniforms). As a taxidermy enthusiast--that correlates to his work as an upholsterer--he decorates his studio in preserved animals, including a peacock, giraffe, and Himalayan goat.

Answer this question "Did he have other eccentric behavior?"
output:
" He frequently color-codes his endeavors, such as the aforementioned Third Man Upholstery and The White Stripes,