SimpleOven

Mabini, Apolinario

2005-04-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

Born into a peasant family, Mabini studied at San Juan de Letran College in Manila and won a law degree from the University of Santo Tomás in 1894. In an insurrection organized in August 1896 by nationalists, he joined the

Costa Mesa

2005-04-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

City, Orange county, southern California, U.S., on a coastal plateau overlooking the Pacific, at the mouth of the Santa Ana River. With Newport Beach it forms Orange county's “Harbor Area.” The site, once part of Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana and the Irvine Ranch, became the hot springs resort of Fairview. Laid out as the town of Harper in 1906, it was renamed in 1921 for its coastal location.

Akhmadulina, Bella

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

Akhmadulina completed her education at the Gorky Literary Institute in 1960, after which she traveled in Central Asia. She was eventually admitted to the Soviet Writers' Union, although her uncompromisingly individualistic work elicited official

Madhya Pradesh

2005-04-03T21:15:00.000-07:00

In November 2000 the new state of Chhattisgarh was formed from Madhya Pradesh's eastern provinces. Encompassing 56,510 square miles (146,361 square

Maurepas, Jean-frédéric Phélypeaux, Count (comte) De

2005-04-02T07:58:00.000-08:00

Secretary of state under King Louis XV and chief royal adviser during the first seven years of the reign of King Louis XVI. By dissuading Louis XVI from instituting economic and administrative reforms, Maurepas was partially responsible for the governmental crises that eventually led to the outbreak of the French

Mason Ware

2005-04-02T07:56:00.000-08:00

A sturdy English pottery known as Mason's Patent Ironstone China. It was first produced by C.J. Mason & Company in 1813 to provide a cheap substitute for Chinese porcelain, especially the larger vases. The decoration was a kind of chinoiserie, or hybrid Oriental. Mason specialties were vases, some more than 3 feet (1 m) high, with flowers in high relief and handles and knobs shaped

Christian Science Monitor, The

2005-04-01T03:12:00.000-08:00

Daily newspaper (except Saturdays and Sundays) published in Boston under the auspices of the Church of Christ, Scientist. It was established in 1908 at the urging of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the church, as a protest against the sensationalism of the popular press. The Monitor became famous for its thoughtful treatment of the news and for the quality of its long-range, comprehensive

Termini Imerese

2005-04-01T02:58:00.000-08:00

Latin Thermae Himerenses, town, Palermo province, northern Sicily, Italy, on the Golfo (gulf) di Termini Imerese (an inlet of the Tyrrhenian Sea), southeast of Palermo city. It was possibly a Phoenician seaport or trading station, and its well-known thermal saline springs were praised by the 6th–5th-century BC Greek poet Pindar. The Carthaginians called it Thermae Himerenses after their destruction

Vote

2005-03-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

In politics and government, a formal expression of opinion or will that indicates approval or disapproval of a proposal, motion, or candidate for office. See election.

Peter Of Castelnau

2005-03-30T17:24:00.000-08:00

Peter became an archdeacon in 1199 and in 1202 joined the Cistercian order. In 1207 Pope

Coil

2005-03-29T17:52:00.000-08:00

In an electric circuit, one or more turns, usually roughly circular or cylindrical, of current-carrying wire designed to produce a magnetic field or to provide electrical resistance or inductance; in the latter case, a coil is also called a choke coil (see also inductance). A soft iron core placed within a coil produces an electromagnet. A cylindrical coil that moves

Sibley Provincial Park

2005-03-28T16:28:00.000-08:00

Park, southwestern Ontario, Canada, on Sibley Peninsula on the northern shore of Lake Superior, 20 miles (32 km) east of Thunder Bay. Established in 1950, the park has an area of 94 square miles (243 square km). It is the site of the 19th-century village of Silver Islet (including a restored hotel, store, and church), which was at one time the home of miners and lumbermen. Sibley has varied Canadian

Sthanakavasi

2005-03-28T06:57:00.000-08:00

The Sthanakavasi, whose name refers to the subsect's preference for performing religious duties at a secular place such as a monks' meetinghouse (sthanak) rather than at a temple, differs from the Shvetambara sect

Orange, House Of

2005-03-28T04:57:00.000-08:00

The counts of Orange became independent upon the disintegration of the feudal kingdom of Arles. They were vassals of the Holy Roman emperors from the 12th

Hadley, John

2005-03-25T22:11:00.000-08:00

Hadley's first Newtonian reflector, built in 1721, had a mirror about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. The favourable response it evoked inspired

Strasberg, Lee

2005-03-25T16:41:00.000-08:00

Strasberg's family emigrated to the United States when he was seven,

Burbidge, (eleanor) Margaret

2005-03-25T03:55:00.000-08:00

Burbidge served as assistant director (1948–50) and acting director

Shimabara

2005-03-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Shimabara

Nabis

2005-03-23T18:46:00.000-08:00

Group of artists who, through their widely diverse activities, were a major influence on the art produced in France during the late 19th century. Preaching that a work of art is the end product and visual expression of an artist's synthesis of nature into personal aesthetic metaphors and symbols, they paved the way for the early 20th-century development of abstract and

Ansermet, Ernest

2005-03-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

Ansermet studied at Lausanne and from 1906 to 1910 taught mathematics there. Later he studied composition under the Swiss-born composer

Scandinavian Literature, Sources of modern Swedish literature

2005-03-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

Four influences combined to free Swedish literature from petrifying conventions: the English writings of Charles Darwin, Herbert Spencer, and John Stuart Mill; the French Naturalism of Émile Zola; the drama of the Norwegians Henrik Ibsen and Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson; and the criticism of the Dane Georg Brandes. The modern literature growing out of this was first

Themis

2005-03-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

(Greek: Order), in Greek religion, personification of justice, goddess of wisdom and good counsel, and the interpreter of the gods' will. According to some sources, she was the daughter of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth), although at times she was apparently identified with Gaea. She was Zeus's second consort and by him the mother of the Horae (see Hora), the Moirai, and, in some traditions,

Boxing, Amateur boxing

2005-03-21T00:25:00.000-08:00

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) of the United States was formed in 1888 and instituted its annual championships

Ismailia

2005-03-20T21:09:00.000-08:00

The city was founded in 1863 by the French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps, builder of the Suez Canal, as a base camp. It was

Mataram

2005-03-20T14:22:00.000-08:00

Under Sultan

Mascara

2005-03-20T03:13:00.000-08:00

Also called (after 1981) Mouaskar, town, northwestern Algeria, situated about 40 miles (60 km) south of the Mediterranean coast. Spread across two hills separated by the Wadi Toudman, it lies on the southern slope of the Beni Chougran Range of the Atlas Mountains. Mascara (meaning “mother of soldiers”) was founded as a Turkish military garrison in 1701. In about 1790 the town was abandoned by the Spanish Muslims who had

Chiastolite

2005-03-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

A variety of the mineral andalusite (q.v.).

Brooks, Louise

2005-03-18T15:40:00.000-08:00

Brooks was the daughter of a lawyer, and she danced with the Denishawn company in 1922–24 and appeared in Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies on Broadway in 1925. She made her film debut that same year,

Puebla

2005-03-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

In full Puebla De Zaragoza, city, capital of Puebla state, central Mexico. Founded as Puebla de los Angeles in 1532, the city lies on a broad plain 7,093 ft (2,162 m) above sea level in the Sierra Madre Oriental foothills. Since viceregal days, Puebla, because of its strategic position on the route between Mexico City, 80 mi (130 km) northwest, and the Gulf of Mexico port of Veracruz, 140 mi (225 km) east, has been considered a military key

Pyrimidine

2005-03-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

Several pyrimidine compounds were isolated between 1837 and 1864, but their structures were not recognized until 1868. Some well-known pyrimidine

Euphronius

2005-03-16T01:49:00.000-08:00

Among the vases signed by Euphronius

Torah

2005-03-15T10:32:00.000-08:00

In Judaism, in the broadest sense the substance of divine revelation to Israel, the Jewish people: God's revealed teaching or guidance for mankind. The meaning of “Torah” is often restricted to signify the first five books of the Old Testament, also called the Law or the Pentateuch. These are the books traditionally ascribed to Moses, the recipient of the original revelation

Margam

2005-03-15T08:53:00.000-08:00

Locality, Neath Port Talbot county borough, historic county of Glamorgan (Morgannwg), Wales. Situated inland of the sandy Margam Burrows at the base of the peaks Mynydd Margam and Moel Ton-mawr, the community of Margam developed around a Cistercian abbey founded by Robert, earl of Gloucester, in 1147. Margam Abbey was a prominent cultural and educational centre until its

Mckenna, Siobhan

2005-03-15T00:31:00.000-08:00

A member of an amateur Gaelic theatre group, McKenna made her

Italian East Africa

2005-03-14T22:41:00.000-08:00

Italian Africa Orientale Italiana, group of Italian possessions in East Africa in the period 1936–41. It comprised Ethiopia (annexed by Italy on May 9, 1936, and was proclaimed a part of Italian East Africa that June 1) together with the Italian colonies of Eritrea, now part of Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland, now part of the Somali Democratic Republic. Italy's king, Victor Emmanuel III, was named emperor. British forces

Mindel Glacial Stage

2005-03-14T16:16:00.000-08:00

Major division of Pleistocene time and deposits in Alpine Europe (the Pleistocene epoch began about 1,600,000 years ago and ended about 10,000 years ago). The Mindel Glacial Stage is part of the early geologic scheme (c. 1900) that first recognized the importance of multiple episodes of Pleistocene glaciation. The Mindel Glacial Stage, representing a period of relatively severe climatic

Roubaix

2005-03-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

Industrial town, Nord département, Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, northern France, just northeast of Lille. It is situated on the Canal de Roubaix in the plain of Flanders near the Belgian frontier and is united in the north with Tourcoing. Roubaix obtained its first manufacturing charter in the 15th century. After a long struggle in the second half of the 18th century, it obtained

Tapestry, General works

2005-03-13T09:04:00.000-08:00

W.G. Thomson, A History of Tapestry from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, 3rd ed. rev. and ed. by F.P. Thomson and E.S. Thomson (1973), a standard work on the history of tapestry, which has been updated by F.P. Thomson, Tapestry: Mirror of History (1980); M.J. Guiffrey, E. Muntz, and A. Pinchart, Histoire generale de la tapisserie, 3 vol. (1978–85), French tapestries discussed by Guiffrey, Italian tapestries by Muntz, Flemish tapestries by Pinchart; M. Fenaille, État general des tapisseries de la manufacture des Gobelins depuis son origine jusqu'a nos jours, 1600–1900, 6 vol. (1903–23), a work of primary importance, presenting a detailed history of the Gobelins factory; J. Badin, La Manufacture de tapisseries de Beauvais, depuis ses origines jusqu'a nos jours (1909), a basic reference for the history of tapestry production at the Beauvais factory; Wandteppiche, 6 vol. (1923–34; Eng. trans. of pt. 1, Tapestries of the Lowlands, 1924), a general worldwide treatment of tapestry, with numerous black and white illustrations, although many of the European medieval attributions have been questioned or rejected; G.L. Hunter, The Practical Book of Tapestries (1925), precise and useful descriptions, with numerous reproductions; C.G. Janneau, Évolution de la tapisserie (1947), illustrations and technical information on collections of European tapestries, some of which have been subsequently disbanded with works relocated; D. Heinz, Europäische Wandteppiche, vol. 1, Von den Anfängen der Bildwirkerei bis zum Ende des 16. Jahrhunderts (1963), a thorough treatment of tapestry up to the end of the 16th century, with a typological index, an extensive bibliography, and numerous illustrations; R.A. Weigert, La Tapisserie et le tapis en France (1964), a scholarly discussion of the history of French tapestry; P. Verlet et al., La Tapisserie: histoire et technique du 14e au 20e siecle (1977; Eng. trans., The Book of Tapestry: History and Technique, 1978), a well-illustrated volume on Western tapestry from the Middle Ages to the 20th century; Madeleine Jarry, La Tapisserie des origines a nos jours (1968; Eng. trans., World Tapestry, 1969), a well-documented study of tapestry throughout the world, including an extensive bibliography and many black and white and colour illustrations, and La Tapisserie: art du 20e siecle (1974), a study of the worldwide renascence of tapestry during the 20th century; V. Fougre, Tapisseries de notre temps (1969), a brief study of contemporary French tapestry, with an index of tapestry artists and illustrated with black and white and colour reproductions; R.A. d'Hulst, Flemish Tapestries (1967), an elaborate study of Flemish tapestry from the Middle Ages to the Baroque periods, with many colour illustrations; R. Kaufmann, The New American Tapestry (1968), a well-illustrated text dealing with technique as well as with the works of leading American tapestry designers and weavers; G. Sutherland, Coventry Tapestry (1964), an interesting account of the design, weaving, and installation of Sutherland's tapestry for Coventry cathedral; M.B. Freeman, The Unicorn Tapestries (1976), a detailed and well-illustrated history of these tapestries, which are housed at the Cloisters, a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City; P. Ackerman, Tapestry: The Mirror of Civilization (1933, reprinted 1970), one of the classic works in English dealing with the historical development of European tapestry. Laya Brostoff, Weaving a Tapestry (1982), is a brief overview with bibliography.

Shaddock

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

Also called Pummelo (Citrus grandis), citrus tree of the family Rutaceae, reaching 6–13 m (20–43 feet) in height. Shaddock is allied to the orange and the lemon and is presumably native to Malaysia and Polynesia. The name shaddock is said to have derived from that of a captain who introduced the tree to the West Indies. The leaves are like those of the orange but have broadly winged petioles

Shamanism, Basic tasks

2005-03-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

It is the obligation of the shaman to know all matters that human beings need to know in everyday life but are unable to learn through their own capacities. He foresees events distant in time and space, discovers the place of a lost animal, forecasts prospects for fishing and hunting, and assists in increasing the gain. Besides these everyday functions, he is a healer

Puu Kukui

2005-03-11T02:54:00.000-08:00

Volcanic peak, Maui county, western Maui Island, Hawaii, U.S. It is the highest peak (5,788 feet [1,764 m]) of an 18-mile (29-kilometre) stretch of mountains, the Honolua volcanic series, which dominates the western peninsula of Maui. Puu Kukui (meaning “candlenut hill”) was formed by a volcano whose caldera has eroded into the scenic valley of Iao.

Price, Sterling

2005-03-11T01:49:00.000-08:00

After attending Hampden-Sydney College (1826–27), Price studied law. In 1831 he moved with his family from Virginia to Missouri, where he entered public life. He served in the state legislature from 1836 to 1838 and again from 1840 to 1844, the latter period as speaker of the

Theatrical Production, The modern repertory company

2005-03-10T23:43:00.000-08:00

During the rise of the stock company and single-show system, there continued to exist highly refined examples of the repertory ensemble. The Comédie Française, originally an amalgamation of two Parisian troupes, has existed since 1680. In opera the repertory system remains fundamentally unchanged. Toward the end of the 19th century, however, a widespread transformation

Guhyasamaja-tantra

2005-03-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

The Guhyasamaja

Montfort, Simon De, Earl Of Leicester

2005-03-09T14:59:00.000-08:00

Simon de Montfort, wholly French by birth and education, was the son of Simon de Montfort l'Amaury, leader of the crusade against the heretical Albigenses. On coming of age, he renounced to his eldest brother, Amaury,

Visalia

2005-03-09T10:21:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1853) of Tulare county, south-central California, U.S. It lies on the Kaweah River delta in the San Joaquin Valley, 42 miles (68 km) southeast of Fresno. Founded in 1852 by Nathaniel Vise, it developed as an agricultural (olives, grapes, cotton) and livestock-shipping centre, now supplemented by light manufacturing. It is the seat of the College of the Sequoias (1925). Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Ady, Endre

2005-03-08T23:43:00.000-08:00

Ady was born into an impoverished but noble family. On leaving school he studied law for a time, but in 1899 he published an insignificant volume of verse, Versek, and from 1900 until his death he worked as a journalist. In 1903 he published another volume of poetry,

Colophon

2005-03-08T04:35:00.000-08:00

Ancient Ionian Greek city, located about 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Ephesus, in modern Turkey. It was a flourishing commercial city from the 8th to the 5th century BC with its harbour at Notium. Colophon was ruled by a timocracy (government based on wealth) and was famous for its cavalry, its luxury, and its production of rosin (colophonium). It was the birthplace of the philosopher

Qashqa'i Rug

2005-03-07T19:27:00.000-08:00

Qashqa'i also spelled Kashgai, floor covering handwoven by the Qashqa'i tribe, known as the best rug from the Shiraz district of Iran. They are the brightest in colouring, with rich blues and reds and some use of golden yellow. Usually their designs are geometric, perhaps with a row of three diamond medallions against a background replete with tiny forms of all kinds, including stylized animals and

Kilim

2005-03-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

Pileless floor covering handwoven by tapestry techniques in Anatolia, the Balkans, or parts of Iran. In the rest of Iran, the Caucasus, and Turkistan, the name for similar pieces is palas. In most kilims, a slit occurs wherever two colours meet along a vertical line in the pattern, but in a few Karabagh or South Caucasian pieces, interlocking methods are employed in order

Remiremont

2005-03-06T23:04:00.000-08:00

Town, Vosges département, Franche–Comté region, eastern France. It lies along the Moselle River near the latter's confluence with the Moselotte and is surrounded by wooded heights. Remiremont (Romaraci Mons) is named after St. Romaric, a companion of St. Columban at Luxeuil, who in the 7th century founded a monastery and a convent on the hills above the present town. In 910 an

Tyumen

2005-03-06T22:40:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Tiumen, or T'umen ', city and administrative centre of Tyumen oblast (province), central Russia. The city lies in the southwestern part of the West Siberian Plain. It is situated on both banks of the Tura River at its crossing by the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Founded in 1586, it is the oldest Russian city in Siberia, located on the site of a Tatar town, Chingi-Tura, founded in the 14th century. A river port,

Nacka

2005-03-05T18:55:00.000-08:00

Town in the län (county) of Stockholm, southeastern Sweden, on the Södertörn peninsula of the landskap (province) of Södermanland. A southeastern suburb of Stockholm, it developed into a residential and industrial area with the coming of the railroad in 1893, and in 1949 was incorporated as a town. Leading industries include chemical technology, flour milling, and the manufacture

Western Indian Bronze

2005-03-05T16:32:00.000-08:00

Important hoards have been discovered at Akota, near

Hyannis

2005-03-04T20:23:00.000-08:00

Unincorporated village in Barnstable city, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S., on the southern coast of Cape Cod. Its name is that of a local 17th-century Algonquian Indian chief. A popular summer beach and yachting resort with ferryboat services to Nantucket Island and Martha's Vineyard, it is one of the cape's main business centres and a shipping point for fish and cranberries.

Conestoga Wagon

2005-03-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

Horse-drawn freight wagon that originated during the 18th century in the Conestoga Creek region of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, U.S. Ideally suited for hauling freight over bad roads, the Conestoga wagon had a capacity of up to six tons, a floor curved up at each end to prevent the contents from shifting inside, and a white canvas cover to protect against bad weather;

Middle-distance Running

2005-03-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

In athletics (track and field), races that range in distance from 800 metres (roughly one-half mile) to 3,000 m (almost 2 miles). In international competitions, middle-distance races include the 800 m, the 1,500 m (the metric mile), and the 3,000 m (a steeplechase event for men, but a regular run for women). In English-speaking countries, until the second half of the 20th century, the 880 yards (half mile) and the mile

Cuman

2005-03-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

Hungarian Kun, member of a nomadic Turkish people, comprising the western branch of the Kipchak confederation until the Mongol invasion (1237) forced them to seek asylum in Hungary. During the 12th century the Cumans acted as auxiliary troops for the Russian princes and in that capacity clashed with Hungarian expeditionary forces; but, by the beginning of the 13th century, they had become

Colijn, Hendrikus

2005-03-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

A soldier (1895–1904) in the colonial army during the Achinese War in northern Sumatra, Colijn later served there as a civil administrator, organizing government services and rubber plantations.

Cambrai, Battle Of

2005-03-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

Carried out by the 3rd Army under General Sir Julian Byng in order to relieve pressure on the French front, the offensive consisted of an assault against the Germans' Hindenburg line along a 10-mile (16-kilometre) front some 8 miles

Benda, Wladyslaw Theodor

2005-03-01T05:05:00.000-08:00

Benda studied art in Kraków, Pol., and in Vienna before coming to the United States in 1899. He settled in New York City, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1911. Benda's illustrations were published in books and in a number of magazines. He is best remembered for his masks, which were used in theatre and dance performances

Asuka Period

2005-03-01T00:18:00.000-08:00

In Japanese history and art, era from Ad 552 to 645 that began with the introduction of Buddhism from Korea and culminated in the adoption of a Chinese pattern of government. Initially opposed by conservative clans, Buddhism found favour with the powerful Soga family which defeated its rivals in a succession dispute in 587. As Imperial regent, Shotoku Taishi gave Buddhism official support, and his famous Seventeen

Cossa, Francesco Del

2005-02-27T15:07:00.000-08:00

In his best-known work, the frescoes in the

Abrahams, Harold

2005-02-27T10:31:00.000-08:00

Abrahams was born into an athletic family; his older brother Sidney represented Great Britain in the Olympics in 1912. Abrahams participated in the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp but did not win a gold medal. Competing for Cambridge University from 1920 to 1924, he won a series

Xenophon

2005-02-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

Greek historian, author of the Anabasis. Its prose was highly regarded by literary critics in antiquity and had strong influence on Latin literature.

Wainwright, Jonathan M.

2005-02-27T02:44:00.000-08:00

After he graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. (1906), Wainwright joined the cavalry and saw action in Europe during World War I. In September 1940 he was promoted

Olympic Mountains

2005-02-25T22:11:00.000-08:00

Segment of the Pacific mountain system of western North America. They extend across the Olympic Peninsula south of the Juan de Fuca Strait and west of Puget Sound in northwestern Washington, U.S. The mountains began to form about 35 million years ago when the Juan de Fuca Plate collided with and was forced under (subducted) the North American Plate, scraping off vast quantities

Novato

2005-02-25T03:47:00.000-08:00

City, Marin county, western California, U.S. It lies along Novato Creek, between San Pablo Bay (east) and Point Reyes National Seashore (west). The original site was partly on the Rancho de Novato, an 1839 Mexican land grant that occupied most of the Canada de Novato (a valley probably named for a Christianized Indian chief). Francis C. DeLong acquired the land and founded the community

Pueblo Rebellion

2005-02-25T01:16:00.000-08:00

(1680), carefully organized revolt of Pueblo Indians (in league with Apaches), who succeeded in overthrowing Spanish rule in New Mexico for 12 years. A traditionally peaceful people, the Pueblos had endured much after New Mexico's colonization in 1598. Catholicism was forced on them by missionaries who burned their ceremonial pits (kivas), masks, and other sacred objects. Indians

Hale, Nathan

2005-02-25T00:22:00.000-08:00

A graduate of Yale University (1773) and a schoolteacher, Hale joined a Connecticut regiment in 1775, served in the siege of Boston, and was commissioned a captain (1776). He went to New York with William Heath's brigade and is said to have participated in

Chang Ch'ien

2005-02-24T03:30:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Zhang Qian Chinese explorer, the first man to bring back a reliable account of the lands of central Asia to the court of China. He was dispatched by the Han dynasty emperor Wu Ti in 138 BC to establish relations with the Yüeh-chih people, a central Asian tribal group that spoke an Indo-European language. Captured by the Hsiung-nu, nomadic enemies of China, he was detained for 10 years. Nevertheless,

Granite

2005-02-23T11:55:00.000-08:00

Because of its use as paving block and as a building stone, the quarrying of granite was, at one time, a major industrial activity. Except for tombstones, however, for which there

Aerospace Industry, Spacecraft, launch vehicle, and missile development

2005-02-23T08:55:00.000-08:00

The research effort that goes into the development of missiles, launch vehicles, and spacecraft parallels that of the airplane in the design and ground-test stages but differs for the flight-test stage. For major launch vehicles and strategic missiles, the absence of a pilot on board, the great expense of a single launch, and the inability to recover and reuse the test

Skiing

2005-02-23T07:42:00.000-08:00

Recreation, sport, and mode of transportation that involves moving over snow by the use of a pair of long, flat runners, called skis, attached to shoes or boots.

Accesi, Compagnia Degli

2005-02-22T16:37:00.000-08:00

Company that performed commedia dell'arte (improvised popular Italian comedy) in the early 1600s. The name means “the stimulated.” Leadership was provided by Tristano Martinelli (famous for his portrayal of Arlecchino, the mischievous servant) and Pier Maria Cecchini (known as the leading interpreter of the character Fritellino, as well as the author of valuable texts

Radha Soami Satsang

2005-02-22T10:55:00.000-08:00

Also called Radhasvami Satsang, esoteric religious sect of India that has followers among both Hindus and Sikhs. The sect was founded in 1861 by Siva Dayal Saheb (also called Sivdayal), a Hindu banker of Agra, who believed that human beings could perfect their highest capabilities only through repetition of the sabd (“sound”), or nam (“name”), of the Lord. Radha soami signifies the union of the soul with God, the name of God,

Water Beetle

2005-02-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

Any of several thousand species of aquatic beetles (order Coleoptera), including members of the families Haliplidae (crawling water beetles), Amphizoidae (trout-stream beetles), Hygrobiidae (screech beetles), Gyrinidae (whirligig beetles), Noteridae (burrowing water beetles), Hydrophilidae (water scavenger beetles), Dryopidae (long-toed water beetles), and Dytiscidae

Palamás, Kostís

2005-02-21T14:26:00.000-08:00

Palamás was educated at Mesolongion and at Athens and became the central figure in the Demotic movement of the 1880s, which sought to shake off traditionalism and draw inspiration for a new Greek literary and artistic style from the life and language of the people.

Earth Sciences, Crystallography and the classification of minerals and rocks

2005-02-20T17:18:00.000-08:00

The French scientist René-Just Häuy, whose treatises on mineralogy and crystallography appeared in 1801 and 1822, respectively, has been credited with advancing mineralogy to the status of a science and with establishing the science of crystallography. From his studies of the geometric relationships between planes of cleavage, he concluded that the ultimate particles

Abandonment

2005-02-20T02:10:00.000-08:00

In Anglo-American property law, the relinquishment of possession of property with an intent to terminate all ownership interests in that property. Abandonment may occur by throwing away the property, by losing it and making no attempt to retrieve it, by vacating the property with no intention of returning to it, or by any other act manifesting a complete disclaimer

Candytuft

2005-02-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

Any of 30 species of Eurasian plants of the genus Iberis, of the mustard family (Brassicaceae). Most species are native to the Mediterranean region. Globe candytuft (I. umbellata), widely grown garden annual native to southern Europe, bears flat clusters of pink, violet, white, purple, or red flowers in late summer. The plants are 40 centimetres (16 inches) tall and have long, narrow

Water Glass

2005-02-19T02:29:00.000-08:00

Also called Sodium Silicate, or Soluble Glass, crystal-like lumps that range from colourless to white or grayish white and resemble glass but can be dissolved in water to form a syrupy liquid. Some forms are slightly soluble, and some are almost insoluble; they are best dissolved by heating with water under pressure. A little water dissolves water glass more readily than much water does. The solutions are strongly

La Rioja

2005-02-18T21:14:00.000-08:00

City, capital of La Rioja provincia, northwestern Argentina, on La Rioja River at the foot of the Velasco Mountains. Founded in 1591 by explorers for gold and silver, it long remained a small commercial and administrative centre close to intermittently worked deposits of copper, silver, and lead ores in the high Andes to the west. Its destruction by earthquake in 1894 led to its

Peter Des Roches

2005-02-18T05:40:00.000-08:00

As bishop of Winchester from 1205 to 1238, he organized and added to the financial resources of his see. He held ecclesiastical appointments in Touraine

Saint

2005-02-17T17:47:00.000-08:00

A holy person believed to have a special relationship to the sacred as well as moral perfection or exceptional teaching abilities. The phenomenon is widespread in the religions of the world, both ancient and contemporary. Various types of religious personages have been recognized as saints, both by popular acclaim and official pronouncement, and their influence

Volkova, Vera

2005-02-17T17:28:00.000-08:00

Volkova studied at the Imperial Ballet Academy and later at Volynsky's Russian Choreographic School in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg) under Agrippina Vaganova. Volkova became an expert of the Vaganova school of technique and moved to Shanghai to dance

Ghaziabad

2005-02-16T19:11:00.000-08:00

Formerly Ghaziuddinnagar, town, administrative headquarters of Ghaziabad district, Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. Founded in 1740, it is located on the Grand Trunk Road 12 mi (19 km) east of New Delhi. Modern Ghaziabad is a rapidly developing industrial town. Many workers commute daily to New Delhi, where goods produced in Ghaziabad are also marketed. Manufacturing and processing industries include vegetable

Awka

2005-02-16T17:03:00.000-08:00

Town and capital of Anambra state, southern Nigeria. The town lies along roads leading from Owerri, Umuahia, Onitsha, and Enugu. Formerly covered with tropical forest, the area around Awka now mostly consists of wooded grassland. South of the town on the slopes of the Awka-Orlu Uplands are some examples of soil erosion and gullying. Awka is the traditional home of the

Tribology

2005-02-15T22:25:00.000-08:00

The study of the interaction of sliding surfaces. It includes three subjects: friction, wear, and lubrication (qq.v.). There is a difficulty in that friction is generally characterized as a branch of physics or mechanical engineering, wear is part of the material science of metallurgy, while lubrication is a branch of chemistry. Tribology is thus a complex interdisciplinary

Trade Union

2005-02-14T05:07:00.000-08:00

The

Todos Os Santos Bay

2005-02-13T09:45:00.000-08:00

Also called All Saints Bay, Portuguese Baía De Todos Os Santos, sheltered bay of the Atlantic Ocean, eastern coast of Brazil. A natural harbour, it is 25 miles (40 km) long and 20 miles (32 km) wide. Salvador, the principal seaport and capital of Bahia state, is on the peninsula that separates the bay from the Atlantic. Todos os Santos Bay receives the Paraguaçu River and is surrounded by the Recôncavo, a fertile coastal lowland. Its main channel is

China, The United Front against Japan

2005-02-13T09:39:00.000-08:00

Fearing that, if Chiang were killed, China would be plunged into renewed disorder, the nation clamoured for his release. The Soviet Union quickly denounced the captors and insisted that Chiang be freed (the Soviet Union needed a united China opposing Japan, its potential enemy on the east). The CCP leaders also decided that Chiang's release would serve China's interests

Yap Ah Loy

2005-02-13T06:28:00.000-08:00

Yap Ah Loy arrived in the Malay state of Selangor in 1856 at the age of 19. He spent his first years in the peninsula as a miner and petty trader, but in 1862 his fortunes

Gharbiyah, Al-

2005-02-12T03:49:00.000-08:00

Muhafazah (governorate) in the middle Nile Delta, Lower Egypt, bounded on the east and west by the Damietta and the Rosetta branches of the Nile, on the north by Kafr ash-Shaykh muhafazah, and by al-Minufiyah muhafazah to the south. Its area is 750 square miles (1,942 square km); the muhafazah's capital has been at the cultural centre and transportation node of Tanta (q.v.) since 1836. An administrative unit named

Marsh Marigold

2005-02-12T03:35:00.000-08:00

The stem of a marsh marigold is hollow, and the leaves are kidney-shaped, heart-shaped, or round. The glossy flowers are 2.5 to 5 cm (1 to 2 inches) across and have pink, white, or yellow sepals. Petals are absent. The stems, leaves, and roots

Veneto

2005-02-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

Also called Venezia Euganea regione, northern and northeastern Italy, comprising the provincie of Venezia, Padova, Rovigo, Verona, Vicenza, Treviso, and Belluno. It is bounded by Trentino-Alto Adige (north), Emilia-Romagna (south), Lombardia (west), Austria (northeast), and Friuli-Venezia Giulia and the Adriatic Sea (east). The northern limit of Veneto is marked by a mountainous area, including the Dolomites,

Eight, The

2005-02-11T01:10:00.000-08:00

Group of American painters who exhibited together only once, in New York City in 1908, but who established one of the main currents in 20th-century American painting. The original Eight included Robert Henri, leader of the group, Everett Shinn, John Sloan, Arthur B. Davies, Ernest Lawson, Maurice Prendergast, George Luks, and William J. Glackens. George Bellows later joined them.

France, History Of, The Carolingians

2005-02-10T18:08:00.000-08:00

Representatives of the Merovingian dynasty continued to hold the royal title during most of the first half of the 8th century. They were captive monarchs, according to a contemporary biographer of Charlemagne. In actual fact, effective power was in the hands of the Pepinids, who, thanks to their valuable landholdings and loyal retainers, maintained a monopoly on

Ectropion

2005-02-10T11:56:00.000-08:00

Sagging of the lower eyelid away from the eyeball. The condition sometimes is present in elderly persons as a result of relaxation of the lid's supporting structures. With the sagging of the lid, the opening into the channel that carries tears from the eye into the nasal cavity is also moved away from the eyeball; as a result, tears fail to drain properly, and chronic conjunctivitis

Argentina, Agriculture

2005-02-10T06:23:00.000-08:00

Argentina is one of the world's major exporters of soybeans and wheat, as well as meat. It is also one of the largest producers of wool and wine, but most of its wine is consumed domestically. Although agriculture is an important source of export earnings, it now accounts for a small percentage of the overall GDP, and it employs only a tiny portion of the nation's