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Macau

2005-04-05T17:43:00.000-07:00

Also spelled Macao , Chinese (Pinyin romanization) Aomen or (Wade-Giles romanization) Ao-men special administrative region (Pinyin tebie xingzhengqu; Wade-Giles t'e-pieh hsing-cheng-ch'ü) of China, on the country's southern coast. Macau is located on the western side of the Pearl River (Chu Chiang) estuary (at the head of which is the port of Canton) and stands about 40 miles (64 km) opposite the special administrative region of Hong Kong, which is on the eastern side of the

Lévesque, René

2005-04-05T01:06:00.000-07:00

Lévesque went to school in Gaspésie and afterward to Laval University, Quebec. Already a part-time journalist while still a student, he broke off his law studies to serve in Europe (1944–45) as a reporter and

Germanic Peoples

2005-04-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

No trace of autocracy can be found among the Germans whom Caesar describes. The leading men of the pagi (kindred groups) would try to patch up disputes as they arose, but they acted only in those disputes that broke out between members of their own pagus. There appears to have been no mediatory body at this date. In fact, in peacetime there appears to have been no central

Topiary

2005-04-03T03:31:00.000-07:00

The training of living trees and shrubs into artificial, decorative shapes. Thickly leaved evergreen shrubs are used in topiary; the best subjects are box, cypress, and yew, although others—such as rosemary, holly, and box honeysuckle—are used with success. Topiary is said to have been invented by a friend of the ancient Roman emperor Augustus and is known to have been

Beja

2005-04-02T22:53:00.000-08:00

Arabic Bujah, nomadic people grouped into tribes and occupying mountain country between the Red Sea and the Nile and 'Atbarah rivers from the latitude of Aswan southeastward to the Eritrean Plateau—that is, from southeastern Egypt through The Sudan and into Eritrea. Numbering about 1,900,000 in the late 20th century, the Beja are descended from peoples who have lived in the area since 4000 BC or

Strangford Treaty

2005-04-02T16:58:00.000-08:00

(1810), agreement between the Portuguese government, then in exile in its Brazilian colony, and Great Britain, represented by its ambassador, Lord Strangford. The treaty provided for the importation of British manufactures into Brazil and the exportation of Brazilian agricultural produce to Great Britain; also, British naval vessels were allowed to be resupplied in

A Moving Habitat:

2005-04-01T20:54:00.000-08:00

About once a week the three-toed sloth of Central and South America (Bradypus variegatus) descends from the trees, where it lives among the branches. For this slow-moving mammal, the journey is a dangerous and laborious undertaking, but it is one of great importance to members of the community among and aboard the sloth. Once the sloth has reached

Guchkov, Aleksandr Ivanovich

2005-03-31T17:42:00.000-08:00

The son of a wealthy Moscow merchant, Guchkov studied at the universities of Moscow and Berlin, traveled widely, fought against the British in the South African (Boer) War (1899–1902), and headed the Russian Red Cross during the Russo-Japanese

Carrick On Suir

2005-03-31T11:31:00.000-08:00

Irish Carraig Na Siúire town, County Tipperary, Ireland, on the River Suir. Located beside the foothills of the Comeraghs and having steep, narrow streets, it is connected with its southern suburb Carrickbeg, in County Waterford, by two bridges across the Suir. Ormonde Castle, begun in 1309, was the seat of the Butlers, the dukes of Ormonde. Anne Boleyn, mother of Elizabeth I of England, is said to have

Strangles

2005-03-30T22:09:00.000-08:00

Horse disease caused by Streptococcus equi, a bacterium that invades nasal and throat passages and forms abscesses in lymph nodes and other parts of the body. It is one of a group of diseases called distemper of horses. Young horses are most susceptible to it, and outbreaks of the disease usually occur where a number of horses are stabled. Mortality is low. Treatment

Myanmar (burma)

2005-03-30T00:40:00.000-08:00

Myanmar's ruling junta met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sept. 20, 1994; it was their

Albany Congress

2005-03-29T22:05:00.000-08:00

Conference in U.S. colonial history (June 19–July 11, 1754) at Albany, N.Y., which advocated a union of the British colonies in North America for their security and defense against the French, foreshadowing their later unification. The conference was convened by the British Board of Trade to help cement the loyalty of the Iroquois Confederacy, wavering between the French and the

Zanardelli, Giuseppe

2005-03-28T22:41:00.000-08:00

A combatant in the volunteer corps during the war of 1848, he returned to Brescia

Arts, Islamic, The new style

2005-03-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

The new approach to poetry that developed during the 9th century was first accorded scholarly discussion in the Kitab al-badi ' (“Book of the Novel and Strange”) by Ibn al-Mu'tazz (died 908), caliph for one day, who laid down rules for the use of metaphors, similes, and verbal puns. The ideal of these “modern” poets was the richest possible embellishment of verses by the use of tropes, brilliant

Biblical Literature, Biblical literature in the liturgy of Judaism

2005-03-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

Because the synagogue arose in a land separated from the Jerusalem Temple with its sacrificial

Indonesia, The French and British in Java, 180615

2005-03-26T07:06:00.000-08:00

The fall of the Netherlands to France during the Revolutionary Wars and the dissolution of the company led in due course to significant changes in the administration of the Indies. Under Napoleon's “Kingdom of Holland,” one of his marshals, Herman Willem Daendels, was appointed as governor-general. Daendels strengthened Javanese defenses, raised new forces, built

Tiffin

2005-03-26T01:16:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1824) of Seneca county, north-central Ohio, U.S., on the Sandusky River, 45 miles (72 km) southeast of Toledo. Fort Ball, a military depot of the War of 1812, occupied a site on the river's north bank (marked by a bronze statue, “The Indian Maiden”), where the settlement of Oakley (after 1824, Fort Ball) sprang up. In 1820 Josiah Hedges founded a settlement on the south bank and named it for Edward Tiffin,

Ambergris

2005-03-25T13:16:00.000-08:00

A solid waxy substance originating in the intestine of the sperm whale (Physeter catodon). In Eastern cultures ambergris is used for medicines and potions and as a spice; in the West it was used to stabilize the scent of fine perfumes. Ambergris floats and washes ashore most frequently on the coasts of China, Japan, Africa, and the Americas and on tropical islands such

Seven Against Thebes

2005-03-24T15:43:00.000-08:00

In Greek mythology, the seven champions who were killed fighting against Thebes after the fall of Oedipus, the king of that city. The twins Eteocles and Polyneices, who had been cursed by their father, Oedipus, failed to agree on which of them was to succeed to the Theban throne and decided to rule in alternate years. As Eteocles' turn came first, Polyneices withdrew to

China

2005-03-24T14:12:00.000-08:00

Despite China's size, the wealth of its resources, and the fact that more than 20 percent of the world's population lives within its borders, its role in the world economy traditionally has been relatively small. Since the late 1970s, however, when China decided to increase its interaction with the international economy, its role in world trade has steadily grown and its importance

Lithuania

2005-03-23T22:19:00.000-08:00

In the second round of voting in the presidential elections on Jan. 5, 2003, Rolandas Paksas (see Biographies), the leader of Lithuania's new populist Liberal Democratic Party, emerged the victor. The young and aggressive Paksas received 54.7% of votes, defeating the much more experienced centre-right incumbent, Pres. Valdas Adamkus, with 45.3%. Voter turnout was 52.6%. Late in the year, though,

Acuña, Rosario De

2005-03-23T03:24:00.000-08:00

Little is known of Acuña's early life. One of Spain's few women playwrights, she was considered radical for her willingness to address such issues as religious fanaticism, atheism, illegitimacy, civil marriage (and the possibility of divorce, anathema

Aquaculture: Fulfilling Its Promise

2005-03-22T06:49:00.000-08:00

The earliest-known documentation of fish farming is a Chinese book entitled Fish Culture Classic, written in 460 BC. The Chinese raised their fish, mainly carp, in small ponds to supplement other farm crops. Through experimentation, farmers discovered they could raise several species of fish together in one pond. This system, known as polyculture, proved highly productive

Pachmann, Vladimir Von

2005-03-22T00:01:00.000-08:00

Also called Vladimir de Pachman Russian pianist known for his performances of the music of Frédéric Chopin. Pachmann studied in Vienna and made his debut in 1869 in Odessa. Though his early concerts were successful, he was extremely self-critical and withdrew for long periods of study. He later toured widely in Europe and the United States. Pachmann's

Netherlands, The, Plant and animal life

2005-03-21T22:45:00.000-08:00

Most wild Dutch plant species are of the Atlantic district within the Euro-Siberian phytogeographic region. Gradients of salt and winter temperature variations cause relatively minor zonal differences in both wild and garden plants from the coast to more continental regions. The effects of altitude are negligible. Vegetation from coastal sand dunes, muddy

Scheelite

2005-03-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

Calcium tungstate mineral, CaWO4, that is an important ore of tungsten. It acquired commercial value in the 20th century when tungsten became used in alloy steels and electric-light filaments. The mineral is named in honour of the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele, who obtained tungstic acid from it in 1781. Scheelite commonly occurs as compact or granular masses in contact

Oberon

2005-03-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Outermost of the five major satellites of Uranus. It was discovered in 1787 by the English astronomer Sir William Herschel, who had found Uranus in 1781. The mean distance of the satellite from the centre of Uranus is about 583,520 kilometres (361,780 miles), and its orbital period is 13.46 days. Oberon's estimated diameter is 1,630 km (1,010 mi), and its mass is about 6.9 ´ 10-5 that of Uranus. The satellite is thought to consist

Noric Alps

2005-03-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

German Norische Alpen, segment of the Eastern Alps extending across southern Austria between the Hohe Tauern range and Katschberg Pass (west) and the city of Graz on the Mur River (east). With the Drava River to the south and the upper Mur River to the north, the mountains rise to Eisenhut (8,008 feet [2,441 m]) and consist of several subranges, the highest of which are the Gurkthaler Alpen in the west. Summer

Antietam, Battle Of

2005-03-19T01:49:00.000-08:00

Also called Battle of Sharpsburg (September 17, 1862), a decisive engagement in the American Civil War (1861–65) that halted the Confederate advance on Maryland for the purpose of gaining military supplies. The advance was also regarded as one of the greatest Confederate threats to Washington, D.C. The battle took its name from Antietam Creek, which flows south from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to the Potomac River near

Bulgarian Orthodox Church

2005-03-18T17:12:00.000-08:00

Christianity was introduced to Bulgaria in 864 by Khan (Tsar) Boris I with an archbishop appointed from Constantinople. In Macedonia, the city of Ohrid became an active mission centre. St. Clement of Ohrid, a disciple of the missionary saints Cyril and Methodius, trained a large number of Slavs for the ministry,

Gomberg, Moses

2005-03-18T16:18:00.000-08:00

At age 18 Gomberg migrated with his family to the United States because his father's antitsarist activities made them unwelcome in Russia.

Shensi, Southern Shensi

2005-03-18T00:08:00.000-08:00

The history of the southern part of the province has been considerably more placid than that of the north. Until the late 17th century the area was very sparsely peopled, and much of it, apart from the Han-chung basin, is still virgin forest. In the period after about 1680 the introduction of corn (maize) and sweet potatoes, followed in the 18th century by the introduction of the Irish

Catechetical School

2005-03-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

In early Christianity, a type of educational institution with a curriculum directed toward inquirers (especially those trained in the Greek paideia, or educational system) whose aim was to gain a greater knowledge of Christianity and eventually, perhaps, baptism into the Christian community. Located in such centres as Alexandria, the catechetical schools became

Beiderbecke, Bix

2005-03-16T05:05:00.000-08:00

As a boy Beiderbecke was expelled from Lake Forest Academy in suburban Chicago. In 1923 he joined the Wolverines, a youthful group with whom

Theatrical Production

2005-03-16T02:01:00.000-08:00

While dramatic productions

Arctolepis

2005-03-15T16:59:00.000-08:00

Extinct genus of Early Devonian fishlike animals (408 to 387 million years ago), considered to be an early and primitive member of a group known as the arthrodires, or jointed-neck fishes. Arctolepis had a bony head and trunk shield but was unarmoured behind the trunk region; the body tapered to a pointed tail; a tail fin was developed only on the lower margin of the

Strasser, Gregor; And Strasser, Otto

2005-03-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

The brothers were born into a Bavarian middle-class family.

Marrucini

2005-03-13T23:01:00.000-08:00

Ancient tribe that occupied a small area around Teate (modern Chieti) on the east coast of Italy. The Marrucini, though Samnite kinsmen, were probably not members of the Samnite league; they did, however, come into conflict with the Romans during the Second Samnite War, at the end of which they entered the Roman alliance (304 BC). They revolted in 91 BC and were thereafter enrolled in

Moscow

2005-03-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1888) of Latah county, northwestern Idaho, U.S. The city is situated on Paradise Creek, in the Palouse country just north of Lewiston, near the Washington border. The area was settled in 1871 and developed as a stagecoach station. Local farmers called the area Hog Heaven. The origins of the name Moscow are disputed; some hold that the town was named by Jonathan Neff, a homesteader

Dzhezkazgan

2005-03-13T09:21:00.000-08:00

Kazak Zhezqazghan , also spelled Dzezkazgan city, central Kazakstan, on a reservoir of the Kara-Kengir River. The city was created in 1938 in connection with the exploitation of the rich local copper deposits. In 1973 a large mining and metallurgical complex was constructed to the southeast to smelt the copper that until then had been sent elsewhere for processing. The city has a rail link with Qaraghandy. Its urban area

Philaret

2005-03-12T05:18:00.000-08:00

During the reign (1584–98) of his cousin, Tsar Fyodor I, Philaret served in the military campaign against the Swedes in 1590 and later (1593–94) conducted diplomatic negotiations with them. After Fyodor's death, Philaret was banished to a monastery by Boris Godunov (reigned 1598–1605). On Godunov's

Raabe, Wilhelm

2005-03-11T22:43:00.000-08:00

After leaving school in Wolfenbüttel in 1849, Raabe was apprenticed for four years to a Magdeburg book dealer, during which time he read widely. Although he attended lectures at Berlin University, the important product of his time

Aestheticism

2005-03-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

The movement began in reaction to prevailing utilitarian social philosophies and to what was perceived as the ugliness and philistinism of the industrial age. Its philosophical foundations

Irish Sweepstakes

2005-03-11T15:02:00.000-08:00

In full Irish Hospitals' Sweepstakes one of the largest lotteries promoted internationally; it was authorized by the Irish government in 1930 to benefit Irish hospitals. A private trust was formed to run the lottery and market tickets throughout the world. During the 57 years of its existence, the contest derived more revenue from the United States than from any other country, although all the tickets were

Epistemology, Description versus justification

2005-03-10T22:10:00.000-08:00

Epistemology during its long history has engaged in two different sorts of tasks. One of these is descriptive in character. It aims to depict accurately certain features of the world, including the contents of the human mind, and to determine whether these should count as specimens of knowledge. A philosophical system with this orientation is, for example, the phenomenology

Asheboro

2005-03-10T20:27:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1796) of Randolph county, central North Carolina, U.S. It lies in the forested Uwharrie Mountains about 25 miles (40 km) south of Greensboro. Asheboro (originally Asheborough) was founded in 1796 on land that was once the home of Keyauwee Indians; a prehistoric Native American burial ground nearby was excavated in 1936. The name honours North Carolina Governor Samuel Ashe (1725–1813). The community

Argyll, Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl And 1st Duke Of, Marquess Of Kintyre And Lorne, Earl Of Campbell And Cowall, Viscount Of Lochow And Glenyla, Lor

2005-03-09T15:32:00.000-08:00

Campbell was the eldest son of the 9th earl, and he tried to get his father's attainder reversed by seeking the favour of King James II. Being unsuccessful, however, he went over to The Hague and joined William of Orange as an active promoter

Swanton, John Reed

2005-03-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

Swanton studied with anthropologist Franz Boas at Columbia University for two years but received

Cullen, Countee

2005-03-08T02:13:00.000-08:00

Reared by a woman who was probably his paternal grandmother, Countee at age 15 was unofficially adopted by the Reverend F.A. Cullen, minister of Salem M.E. Church, one of Harlem's largest congregations. He won a citywide poetry contest as a schoolboy and saw his winning stanzas

Aravali Range

2005-03-07T11:41:00.000-08:00

Also called Aravalli Range, hill system of northern India, running northeasterly for 350 miles (560 km) through Rajasthan state. Isolated rocky offshoots continue to just south of Delhi. The series of peaks and ridges, with breadths varying from 6 to 60 miles (10 to 100 km) are generally between 1,000 and 3,000 feet (300 and 900 m) in elevation. The system is divided into two sections—the Sambhar-Sirohi ranges, taller and including Guru Peak

Rawlings, Jerry J.

2005-03-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Rawlings was the son of a Scottish father and a Ghanaian mother. He was educated at Achimoto College and the military academy at Teshie. He was commissioned

Regla

2005-03-06T15:10:00.000-08:00

City, northern Ciudad de la Habana provincia, west-central Cuba. Situated on the southeastern shore of La Habana Bay, Regla was a centre for smuggling activities in the 19th century. It is now an industrial suburb of Havana, with which it is linked by ferry as well as by land. Its foundries, petroleum refineries, shipyards, docks, and warehouses suggest its importance as both

Spanish Literature

2005-03-06T07:43:00.000-08:00

Although literature in the vernacular was not written until

Athens

2005-03-05T20:39:00.000-08:00

Gabon Estuary

2005-03-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

French Estuaire Du Gabon, inlet of the Gulf of Guinea, in western Gabon. It is fed by the Como and Mbeï rivers, which rise in the Cristal Mountains to the northeast. The estuary is 40 miles (64 km) long and 9 miles (14 km) wide at its mouth. It was explored in the 1470s by Portuguese navigators who may have named it Gabão (“Hooded Cloak with Sleeves”; hence Gabon) because of its shape, and it was long considered the finest harbour

Pacific Islands

2005-03-04T06:11:00.000-08:00

Humans in the Pacific have had to adapt to island environments just as other species have done. The technologies and organizational systems introduced into the Pacific by migrants were established in habitats that varied from receptive to hostile. The earliest arrivals, as food-gathering peoples, probably provoked little disruption of the environment. Their

Philetaerus

2005-03-04T02:31:00.000-08:00

Philetaerus initiated the policies that made Pergamum a leading centre of Greek civilization in the East. He served under Antigonus I Monophthalmus, successor to Alexander

France, History Of, The historical debate

2005-03-03T22:36:00.000-08:00

In broad terms, 18th-century French politics could be defined as the response of the monarchic state to the emergence of the new cultural and economic configurations that had transformed the lives and especially the imaginations of French men and women. The question was whether the Bourbon monarch could rationalize its administration and find a way to adapt itself

Computers, COBOL

2005-03-02T19:37:00.000-08:00

Jack-o'-lantern

2005-03-02T03:18:00.000-08:00

In meteorology, a mysterious light seen at night flickering over marshes; when approached, it advances, always out of reach. The phenomenon is also known as will-o'-the-wisp and ignis fatuus (Latin: “foolish fire”). In popular legend it is considered ominous and is often purported to be the soul of one who has been rejected by hell carrying its own hell coal on its wanderings.

Morais, Vinícius De

2005-03-02T00:15:00.000-08:00

The author of numerous volumes of lyrical poetry, Vinícius began his literary career as an adherent of the Brazilian Modernism in vogue around 1930. A period of studying English

Gainsborough

2005-03-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

Town, West Lindsey district, administrative and historic county of Lincolnshire, England. It stands on the River Trent, bordering Nottinghamshire. Gainsborough's early importance as a Saxon settlement was augmented when it became a military centre under the Danes (9th–11th centuries). Its position on a navigable river and a main road between London and the north of England

Powell, Eleanor

2005-02-28T21:56:00.000-08:00

Powell studied ballet at age six and began dancing in Atlantic City nightclubs before she was a teenager. She joined the Co-Optimists

Alabama, Climate

2005-02-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

The Alabama climate is temperate, with an average annual temperature of about 64° F (18° C), mellowed by altitude to some 60° F (16° C) in the northern counties and reaching 67° F (19° C) in the southern counties, although summer heat is often alleviated somewhat by the winds blowing in from the Gulf. Occasionally the temperature may rise to 100° F (38° C) in the summer, whereas snow may occasionally fall in

Giordano, Umberto

2005-02-28T08:32:00.000-08:00

Giordano, the son of an artisan, studied music at Foggia and Naples. His early operas, among them Mala vita (1892; Evil Life), were written in the forceful, melodramatic style introduced by Pietro Mascagni in his verismo opera Cavalleria rusticana (1890). In Andrea

Furtwangen

2005-02-28T05:37:00.000-08:00

City, Baden-Württemberg Land (state), southwestern Germany, in the upper valley of the Breg River, in the Black Forest (Schwarzwald), northeast of Freiburg im Breisgau. First mentioned in 1179, it was a possession of the abbey of St. George until it passed to Baden in 1806. It was chartered in 1873. Furtwangen has been a centre of the Black Forest clock industry since 1740 and has a clock museum.

Artaxerxes I

2005-02-26T20:58:00.000-08:00

He was surnamed in Greek Macrocheir (“Longhand”) and in Latin Longimanus. A younger son of Xerxes I and Amestris, he was raised to the throne by the commander of the guard, Artabanus, who had murdered Xerxes. A few months later, Artaxerxes slew Artabanus in a hand-to-hand fight. His reign, though generally peaceful, was

Spandrel

2005-02-26T05:26:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Spandril, the roughly triangular area above and on either side of an arch, bounded by a line running horizontally through the apex of the arch, a line rising vertically from the springing of the arch, and the curved extrados, or top of the arch. When arches adjoin, the entire area between their crowns and springing line is a spandrel. If it is filled in, as is ordinarily the case, the

Dagestan Rug

2005-02-25T15:55:00.000-08:00

Dagestan rugs are relatively finely woven, with short pile in wool, the warp being of wool and the weft frequently of cotton. Their designs are highly geometric and fragmented, producing the effect of brightly coloured mosaics. There is a wide diversity of patterns,

Addis Ababa

2005-02-25T09:49:00.000-08:00

Only since the late 19th century has Addis Ababa been the capital of the Ethiopian state. Its immediate predecessor, Entoto, was situated on a high tableland and was found to be unsatisfactory because of extreme cold

Sinkiang, Uygur Autonomous Region Of, The economy

2005-02-24T22:30:00.000-08:00

Because of the dry climate, most of the cultivated land in Sinkiang depends entirely on irrigation. The various nationalities in the region have had rich experience in water conservancy techniques, of which the wells of the qanat system in the Turfan and Ha-mi depressions are a fine example. Since the 1950s, these have been greatly supplemented with canals and reservoirs,

Addis Ababa

2005-02-24T09:37:00.000-08:00

American organization formed at a convention in Washington, D.C., as the product of the merger in 1896 of the National Federation of Afro-American Women and the National League of Colored Women—organizations that had arisen out of the African American women's club movement. Founders of the NACW included Harriet Tubman, Frances E.W. Harper, Ida Bell Wells-Barnett, and Mary

Quantum Electrodynamics

2005-02-24T07:11:00.000-08:00

(QED), quantum theory of the interactions of charged particles with the electromagnetic field. It describes mathematically not only all interactions of light with matter but also those of charged particles with one another. QED is a relativistic theory in that Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity is built into each of its equations. Because the behaviour

Biblical Literature, Manuscripts and printed editions of the Septuagint

2005-02-24T06:13:00.000-08:00

The manuscripts are conveniently classified by papyri uncials (capital letters) and minuscules (cursive script). The papyri fragments run into the hundreds, of varying sizes and importance, ranging from the formative period of the Septuagint through the middle of the 7th century. Two pre-Christian fragments of Deuteronomy from Egypt are of outstanding significance.

Aschelminth, Reproduction and development

2005-02-22T02:18:00.000-08:00

Most aschelminths are bisexual; the male inseminates the female during copulation so that she lays fertilized shelled eggs. In some cases, these eggs may have started to develop before being laid. Parthenogenesis, by which the female's eggs develop without fertilization, is common. In most rotifers (i.e., the order Monogononta) males are smaller and less frequent than

Cosmos

2005-02-22T00:30:00.000-08:00

If one looks up on a clear night, one sees that the sky is full of stars. During the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, a faint band of light stretches from horizon to horizon, a swath of pale white cutting across a background of deepest black. For the early

Böhtlingk, Otto Von

2005-02-21T05:56:00.000-08:00

While completing his education at the University of Bonn (1839–42), Böhtlingk published a two-volume edition (1839–40) of the earliest known grammar, that of

Bukovina

2005-02-21T04:32:00.000-08:00

Eastern European territory consisting of a segment of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plain, divided in modern times (after 1947) between Romania and the Soviet Union. Settled by both Ukrainians (Ruthenians) and Romanians (Moldavians), the region became an integral part of the principality of Moldavia in the 14th century. Suceava, in the south of

Skeltonics

2005-02-20T04:51:00.000-08:00

Short verses of an irregular metre much used by the Tudor poet John Skelton. The verses have two or three stresses arranged sometimes in falling and sometimes in rising rhythm. They rely on such devices as alliteration, parallelism, and multiple rhymes and are related to doggerel. Skelton wrote his verses as works of satire and protest, and thus the form was considered

Hackman, Gene

2005-02-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

Hackman left home at age 16 and enlisted in the marines for five years, entering the Korean conflict. He began a study of journalism

Habibollah Khan

2005-02-19T04:13:00.000-08:00

The eldest son of 'Abdor Rahman Khan, Habibollah succeeded peacefully to the throne after his father's death in October

Intercalation

2005-02-18T14:04:00.000-08:00

Insertion of days into a calendar to bring it into line with the solar year (year of the seasons). One example is the periodic inclusion of leap-year day (February 29) in the Gregorian calendar now in general use. To keep the months of a lunar calendar (e.g., the Hindu calendar) in their proper seasons, an entire month must be intercalated or extracalated (dropped) periodically,

Craig, Sir James (henry)

2005-02-18T04:11:00.000-08:00

Craig entered the British army at the age of 15 and was made captain in 1771. In his Revolutionary War service he was wounded at the Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775). He

Ear, Human, Nerves

2005-02-18T03:25:00.000-08:00

The seventh cranial nerve, called the facial nerve, passes by a somewhat circuitous route through the facial canal in the petrous portion of the temporal bone on its way from the brain stem to the muscles of expression of the face. A small but important branch, the chorda tympani nerve, emerges from the canal into the middle ear cavity and runs forward along the inner

Scythian

2005-02-17T07:10:00.000-08:00

Much of what is known of the history of the Scythians comes from the account of them by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who visited their territory. In modern times this

Lophophyllum

2005-02-16T19:23:00.000-08:00

Extinct genus of solitary marine corals found as fossils especially characteristic of the Late Carboniferous epoch (between 320 million and 286 million years ago) in North America. Lophophyllum, included in the horn corals (so named because of the hornlike form of the individual), probably preferred warm, clear, shallow marine waters.

O'brien, Lawrence (francis, Jr.)

2005-02-16T18:59:00.000-08:00

O'Brien received a bachelor of law degree from Northeastern University, Boston (1942). A brilliant political strategist, he managed a victorious (1948) congressional campaign for his boyhood friend Foster Furcolo and then John F. Kennedy's 1952 and 1958 U.S. Senate

Sundman, Per Olof

2005-02-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

Per Olof Sundman spent much of his life in the northern province of Jämtland and used that isolated area as a locale for his first book, Jägarna (1957; “The Hunters”), a collection of short stories. It is not incidents or human relationships

Resonance

2005-02-15T09:02:00.000-08:00

In physics, relatively large selective response of an object or a system that vibrates in step or phase, with an externally applied oscillatory force. Resonance was first investigated in acoustical systems such as musical instruments and the human voice. An example of acoustical resonance is the vibration induced in a violin or piano string of a given pitch when

Yenisey River, Plant and animal life

2005-02-14T22:16:00.000-08:00

Most of the basin is covered with taiga (marshy, primarily coniferous forest), with Siberian spruce, fir, and cedar predominating in the south and larch farther north. In Mongolia, Transbaikalia, and Tuva there are also steppe grasslands, bordered in the extreme south of the Selenga River basin by semidesert. In the far north of the basin, taiga is superseded by tundra

Park Range

2005-02-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

Segment of the Rocky Mountains, extending south-southeastward for about 200 miles (320 km) from Carbon county, Wyo., to northwestern Park county, Colo., U.S. The range lies to a large extent within Medicine Bow, Pike, Arapaho, Routt, and White River national forests and includes the Mosquito (Colorado), Gore (Colorado), and Sierra Madre (Wyoming) subranges. Many peaks surpass 14,000 feet (4,300 m), with

Mckenna, Joseph

2005-02-13T21:14:00.000-08:00

McKenna grew up in California and was admitted to the state bar in 1865. A Republican, he served as Solano county district attorney (1866–70) and in the California state legislature (1875–76). Despite the prevailing anti-Roman Catholic sentiments that contributed to two defeats at the polls, McKenna was elected in

Wang Xizhi

2005-02-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

It is said that even in his lifetime a few of Wang's characters or his signature were priceless; down through the ages, aspiring students of that most basic yet highest art in China, calligraphy, have copied and preserved traces of his style. The most famous example of his writing is the

Hachette, Louis-christophe-françois

2005-02-12T20:51:00.000-08:00

After studying law in Paris, Hachette bought a small bookshop there (1826) and, following the revolution of 1830, began to publish textbooks for the new primary schools. His firm rapidly became a leading

Heng-yang

2005-02-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

Heng-yang has been a communication centre since early times, being on the ancient post road from Ch'ang-sha into Kwangtung province

Jackdaw

2005-02-12T11:46:00.000-08:00

Also called Daw (species Corvus monedula), crowlike black bird with gray nape and pearly eyes of the family Corvidae (q.v.; order Passeriformes). Jackdaws, which are 33 cm (13 inches) long, breed in colonies in tree holes, cliffs, and tall buildings: their flocks fly in formation around the site. They lay four to six light, greenish blue eggs that are spotted and blotched. The bird's

Israel, Karaites

2005-02-12T04:37:00.000-08:00

The Karaites are a Jewish sect that emerged in the early Middle Ages. Several thousand members live in Ramla, and more recently in Beersheba and Ashdod. Like other religious minorities, they have their own religious courts and communal organizations. Considered part of Jewish society, they have maintained their separate identity by resisting intermarriage and

France, History Of

2005-02-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

From the 9th to the 11th century the peoples and lands dominated by west Frankish kings were transformed. The Carolingian protectorate of local order collapsed under the pressures of external invasions and internal usurpations of power. Growing populations and quickening economies were reorganized in principalities whose leaders struggled to carry on the

Economist, The

2005-02-10T10:24:00.000-08:00

Weekly magazine of news and opinion published in London and generally regarded as one of the world's preeminent journals of its kind. It provides wide-ranging coverage of general news and particularly of international and political developments and prospects bearing on the world's economy. It was founded in 1843 by Scotsman James Wilson as a voice against grain import

Aecium

2005-02-09T18:22:00.000-08:00

Also called aecidium a cluster-cup or fruiting body of certain rust fungi (order Uredinales, division Mycota). Yellow to orange in colour, aecia develop after fertilization and bear one-celled spores (aeciospores, or aecidiospores). Aecia are usually found on lower leaf surfaces of plants.

AwakeBasket

Macau

Lévesque, René

Germanic Peoples

Topiary

Beja

Strangford Treaty

A Moving Habitat:

Guchkov, Aleksandr Ivanovich

Carrick On Suir

Strangles

Myanmar (burma)

Albany Congress

Zanardelli, Giuseppe

Arts, Islamic, The new style

Biblical Literature, Biblical literature in the liturgy of Judaism

Indonesia, The French and British in Java, 180615

Tiffin

Ambergris

Seven Against Thebes

China

Lithuania

Acuña, Rosario De

Aquaculture: Fulfilling Its Promise

Pachmann, Vladimir Von

Netherlands, The, Plant and animal life

Scheelite

Oberon

Noric Alps

Antietam, Battle Of

Bulgarian Orthodox Church

Gomberg, Moses

Shensi, Southern Shensi

Catechetical School

Beiderbecke, Bix

Theatrical Production

Arctolepis

Strasser, Gregor; And Strasser, Otto

Marrucini

Moscow

Dzhezkazgan

Philaret

Raabe, Wilhelm

Aestheticism

Irish Sweepstakes

Epistemology, Description versus justification

Asheboro

Argyll, Archibald Campbell, 10th Earl And 1st Duke Of, Marquess Of Kintyre And Lorne, Earl Of Campbell And Cowall, Viscount Of Lochow And Glenyla, Lor

Swanton, John Reed

Cullen, Countee

Aravali Range

Rawlings, Jerry J.

Regla

Spanish Literature

Athens

Gabon Estuary

Pacific Islands

Philetaerus

France, History Of, The historical debate

Computers, COBOL

Jack-o'-lantern

Morais, Vinícius De

Gainsborough

Powell, Eleanor

Alabama, Climate

Giordano, Umberto

Furtwangen

Artaxerxes I

Spandrel

Dagestan Rug

Addis Ababa

Sinkiang, Uygur Autonomous Region Of, The economy

Addis Ababa

Quantum Electrodynamics

Biblical Literature, Manuscripts and printed editions of the Septuagint

Aschelminth, Reproduction and development

Cosmos

Böhtlingk, Otto Von

Bukovina

Skeltonics

Arts, Islamic, The new style

Indonesia, The French and British in Java, 180615