HighHouse

La Chalotais, Louis-rené De Caradeuc De

2005-04-04T07:09:00.000-07:00

La Chalotais became advocate general in the Breton Parlement at Rennes in 1730 and attorney general in 1752. In

Christchurch

2005-04-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

City, Canterbury local government region, eastern South Island, New Zealand, on the Avon River. It was the last and most successful colonizing project inspired by Edward Gibbon Wakefield and his New Zealand Company. Christchurch was founded by the Canterbury Association, which was formed in 1848 largely through the efforts of John Robert Godley and which planned to

Gabon, Health and welfare

2005-03-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

Health facilities remain inadequate, particularly outside the Libreville area, despite improvements during the 1970s and '80s. The government provides nearly all health care services. The internationally known hospital operated by Albert Schweitzer at Lambaréné from 1924 to 1965 receives government assistance. Malaria, sleeping sickness, tuberculosis, syphilis, and other

Fischer, Ludwig

2005-03-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

Although originally a student of the violin and cello, Fischer was discovered at the age of 18 in a church choir and in a student operetta and was given a position at court. With the help of a grant by Elector Karl Theodor he continued

Photography, Technology Of, Gamma radiography

2005-03-27T00:47:00.000-08:00

The technique of gamma-ray radiography is similar to that of X-ray radiography except that it relies on rays emitted by radioactive substances. Gamma rays have wavelengths from 100 to 1,000 times shorter than X rays and correspondingly greater penetrating power. Small gamma-ray sources are placed in areas inaccessible to X-ray tubes, such as inside pipelines. In all radiographic

Azov Upland

2005-03-25T18:07:00.000-08:00

Ukrainian Pryazovska Vysochyna hilly region, Zaporizhzhya and Donetsk oblasti (provinces), southeastern Ukraine. Part of the Ukrainian Crystalline Shield, the Azov Upland is an area of denuded mountains, extending from the Dnieper River for 100 miles (160 km) to the Donets Ridge and sloping gently down southeastward to the Sea of Azov. The highest point is Mount Mohyla-Belmak (1,063 feet [324 m]), 65 miles (105 km) southwest of

M'clure Strait

2005-03-23T15:14:00.000-08:00

Eastern arm of the Beaufort Sea of the Arctic Ocean. It is about 170 miles (270 km) long and 60 miles (90 km) wide. In western Franklin District, Northwest Territories, Canada, it extends west of Viscount Melville Sound and lies between Melville and Eglinton islands (north) and Banks Island (south). The strait is part of the Northwest Passage route through the Canadian Arctic archipelago.

Polding, John Bede

2005-03-20T18:30:00.000-08:00

Polding joined the Benedictine Order in 1811 and was ordained priest in 1819. Consecrated bishop, he arrived at Sydney in 1835. There he divided his territory into missionary districts and swiftly provided them with priests, churches, and

Amphoterism

2005-03-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

With hydrogen chloride,

Bread Palm

2005-03-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

Also called Kaffir Bread, any of several species of Encephalartos, cycads (palmlike gymnosperms) native to southern Africa. The names are derived from a breadlike foodstuff prepared from the mealy, starchy centre of the stem and perhaps also from the seeds, which have fleshy coverings. The trees, reaching nearly 20 feet (6 metres) in height, have very stiff, spreading pinnate leaves 3 to 4 ft long and

Cozens, Alexander

2005-03-17T07:22:00.000-08:00

Son of Richard Cozens, shipbuilder to the tsar of Russia, Alexander settled in England after visiting Rome in 1746 and became a fashionable drawing master. William Beckford, author of the Oriental

Neal, Patricia

2005-03-16T21:41:00.000-08:00

Neal studied theatre at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and then moved to New York City after landing an understudy assignment for the play The Voice of the

Cellar

2005-03-15T15:08:00.000-08:00

Room beneath ground level, especially one for storing fruits and vegetables, both raw and canned, on a farm. A typical cellar may be beneath the house or located outdoors, partly underground, with the upper part mounded over with earth to protect from freezing and to maintain fairly constant temperature and humidity. Such a structure is sometimes called a root cellar.

Dworkin, Andrea

2005-03-15T06:54:00.000-08:00

Dworkin began writing at an early age. During her undergraduate years at Vermont's Bennington College (B.A., 1968), she became involved with the student demonstrations against the Vietnam War. Her experience in the New

Sevareid, Eric

2005-03-13T03:26:00.000-08:00

After graduating from the University of Minnesota (1935), Sevareid worked as a reporter for the Minneapolis Journal (1936–37), which had

Lungwebungu River

2005-03-12T13:33:00.000-08:00

Largest headwater tributary of the Zambezi River, in southwest central Africa. It rises in the central plateau of Angola as the Lungué-Bungo River to flow east and southeast into Zambia. There it joins the Zambezi 65 miles (105 km) north of Mongu, after a course of 400 miles (645 km).

Coving

2005-03-11T01:05:00.000-08:00

Rococo architecture exploits

Saarinen, Eero

2005-03-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

Finnish-born U.S. architect who was one of the leaders in a trend toward exploration and experiment in American architectural design during the 1950s.

Metamorphic Rock, Albite-epidote-hornfels facies

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

Rocks of the albite-epidote-hornfels facies are characteristically found as the outer zones of contact aureoles where the thermal episode fades out and the rocks pass into their regional grade of metamorphism. The mineral assemblages are quite similar to those found in regional greenschist-facies metamorphism, except for the presence of low-pressure phases

Chelm

2005-03-06T08:42:00.000-08:00

City, capital of Chelm województwo (province), eastern Poland. The city is located on the Uherka River, a tributary of the Bug River, 15 miles (24 km) west of the Ukrainian border. It received town rights in 1233, passed to Poland in 1377, and fell to Austria (1795) and then to Russia (1815). During World War II, 90,000 people died in two German prisoner-of-war camps in the town. The Polish republic was proclaimed in

Tien Shan, Glaciation

2005-03-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

The total area of the Tien Shan glaciers is some 3,900 square miles, of which approximately four-fifths is in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakstan. Largest among the several glacial areas are the region around Mount Han-t'eng-ko-li and Victory Peak and the O-ha-pu-t'e Mountains. There also are many glaciers in the Kok Shaal-Tau Range, the Akshiyrak Range, the Trans-Ili Alatau Range, and the

Crockford, William

2005-03-05T04:13:00.000-08:00

Crocker was the son of a fishmonger, and he himself practiced the trade in his youth. After winning a large sum of money (£100,000, according to one story) either at cards or by running a gambling establishment, he built in 1827 a luxuriously decorated gambling house at 50 St. James's Street in London.

Wynn, Ed

2005-03-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

Wynn made his professional debut with the Thurber-Nasher Repertoire Company in Norwich, Conn., in 1902 and acquired the nickname of the Perfect Fool from a revue of the same name in

Beawar

2005-03-01T16:30:00.000-08:00

Town, Rajasthan state, northwestern India. A major rail and road junction, Beawar is an agricultural and woollen market centre. Industries include cotton ginning, handloom weaving, hosiery manufacture, and wood carving. Formerly also called Nayanagar, the town was founded in 1835 and grew rapidly in prosperity because of its advantageous position between Udaipur and Jodhpur.

Dracontius, Blossius Aemilius

2005-02-27T23:13:00.000-08:00

At Carthage Dracontius received the traditional rhetorical education and practiced as a lawyer. Though his family was initially favoured by the Vandals, he eventually suffered imprisonment

Rabemananjara, Jacques

2005-02-27T19:58:00.000-08:00

Rabemananjara began writing in the early 1940s and published his first volume of verse, Sur les marches du soir (“On the Edges of Evening”), in 1942. A death sentence imposed on him for his alleged participation in the 1947 revolt in Madagascar embittered him, despite a later reprieve, and the poems of Antidote, written

Culiacán

2005-02-24T22:06:00.000-08:00

City, capital of Sinaloa estado (“state”), western Mexico. It is on a small coastal plain (276 feet [84 m] above sea level) at the foot of the lofty Sierra Madre Occidental, on the Culiacán River. Founded in 1531, Culiacán played an important role in early colonial days as a base for Spanish expeditions. An elaborate irrigation system in the valley provides for a great variety of crops, including

Reformed Churches In The Netherlands

2005-02-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

The Christian Reformed Church was organized by seceders who left The Netherlands Reformed Church (q.v.) in 1834 because of disagreements over church organization

Drachten

2005-02-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

Chief town of Smallingerland gemeente (commune), Friesland provincie, northwestern Netherlands. It lies along the Wijde Ee waterway, which is part of the canal system that flows into the larger Prinses Margriet Canal to the northwest. The surrounding area consists of lowlands; there are forests at nearby Beetsterwaag, and peat moors are found southwest of

Argentina, The radical regime, 191630

2005-02-21T17:45:00.000-08:00

The Radical front was a coalition of heterogeneous social groups, whose competing interests slowed the passage of reforms, despite urgent calls for economic and social change. Not surprisingly, Irigoyen preferred to concentrate on the political ills he had inherited from the conservative regime. The most urgent measure involved political patronage, which

Amalthaea

2005-02-18T05:27:00.000-08:00

In Greek (originally Cretan) mythology, the foster mother of Zeus, king of the gods. She is sometimes represented as the goat that suckled the infant god in a cave in Crete, sometimes as a nymph who fed him the milk of a goat. This goat having broken off one of its horns, Amalthaea filled the horn with flowers and fruits and presented it to Zeus, who, according to one version, placed

Albania, Flag Of

2005-02-17T18:12:00.000-08:00

On November 28, 1443, the national hero of Albania, a prince known as Skanderbeg (George Kastrioti), raised his flag over the fortress of Krujë in defiance of the Turks who ruled the country. His small mountainous nation was able to resist the forces of the Ottoman Empire, although after Skanderbeg's death in 1468 independence was lost again. His flag was red and bore a black eagle, even

Biblical Literature, The Letter of Paul to the Romans

2005-02-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

Romans differs from all the other Pauline letters in that it was written to a congregation over which Paul did not claim apostolic authority. He stressed that he was merely going to Rome in transit, because it was his principle not to evangelize where others had worked. Because his apostolic ministry appeared to be completed in Asia Minor and Greece, Paul planned

Wake Forest University

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

Private, coeducational institution of higher learning in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S., affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. The university consists of Wake Forest College, the Wayne Calloway School of Business and Accountancy, the School of Law, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, the Graduate School, the Divinity School, and the Babcock

Melchite

2005-02-10T01:24:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Melkite, any of the Christians of Syria and Egypt who accepted the ruling of the Council of Chalcedon (451) affirming the two natures—divine and human—of Christ. Because they shared the theological position of the Byzantine emperor, they were derisively termed Melchites—that is, Royalists or Emperor's Men (from Syriac malka: “king”)—by those who rejected the Chalcedonian definition

Adams, John, Special topics

2005-02-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

Finally, seminal essays on Adams's personality and ideology can be found in several books that focus on larger themes during the Revolutionary era. These include Bernard Bailyn, Faces of Revolution: Personalities and Themes in the Struggle for American Independence (1990, reissued 1992); Edmund S. Morgan, The Meaning of Independence: John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson (1976, reissued 1978); and Gordon S. Wood, The Creation of the American Republic, 1776–1787 (1969, reissued 1998).

Kili

2005-02-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Coral island in the Ralik chain of the Marshall Islands, west-central Pacific Ocean. It is about 230 acres (93 hectares) in area. Islanders from Bikini, site of U.S. atomic-bomb tests, were moved to Kili in 1949. Some of the Bikinians who returned to Bikini in the mid-1970s had to return to Kili in 1978, as their home atoll remained too contaminated by nuclear waste for habitation. Coconuts are grown

Le Maistre, Antoine

2005-02-05T01:53:00.000-08:00

Important figure in the Jansenist religious movement in France, a member of the Arnauld family (q.v.).

Aerospace Engineering

2005-02-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

C. Hart, The Prehistory of Flight (1985), covers early concepts of the nature of flight and early attempts to construct flying machines. Charles H. Gibbs-Smith, Flight Through the Ages (1974), surveys aeronautics from its early period to the age of space exploration. Tom D. Crouch, A Dream of Wings (1981), traces the history of U.S. aeronautics. P.A. Hanle, Bringing Aerodynamics to America (1982), focuses on the European influences that led to the establishment of the science of flight as an exact science in the United States. Roger E. Bilstein, Orders of Magnitude: A History of the NACA and NASA, 1915–1990, rev. ed. (1989), chronicles the growth of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Jerome Lederer, “Highlights in the Development of Civilian Aircraft,” Automotive Engineering, 88(12):33–43 (December 1980), is a review that dwells on the prominent technical concepts and development of civil air transportation. John D. Anderson, Jr., Introduction to Flight, 3rd ed. (1989), deals with theoretical questions of aerodynamics and describes the design and construction of airplanes. Other useful works include J.H. Hughes, Jr., and J.S. Priamos, Aerospace (1977); Barnes W. McCormick, Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics (1979); Leland M. Nicolai, Fundamentals of Aircraft Design, rev. ed. (1984); and Richard S. Shevell, Fundamentals of Flight, 2nd ed. (1989).

Afonso I

2005-01-31T17:04:00.000-08:00

Alfonso VI, emperor of Leon, had granted the county of Portugal to Afonso's father, Henry of Burgundy, who successfully defended it against the Muslims (1095–1112). Henry married Alfonso VI's illegitimate daughter, Teresa, who

Arts, Central Asian, Buddhist monastic dance

2005-01-30T19:03:00.000-08:00

The second major genre of the performing arts to develop in Central Asia was 'cham, the ritualistic dance performed in Buddhist monasteries. The origin of 'cham may well be an older form of shamanic ceremonial dance in Tibet, but centuries of evolution within a Buddhist-dominated society led to the recasting of the roles and theme of the dance in keeping with Buddhist

Andes Mountains

2005-01-28T09:47:00.000-08:00

As mentioned above, the Andes have been populated for millennia. By the time of the Spanish conquest in the 1530s, the indigenous highland peoples had developed a thorough knowledge of the Andes and had built in them an extensive network of cities and connecting roads. Early Spanish exploration of the mountains consisted of plundering raids, although in the process

Amoco Corporation

2005-01-26T00:28:00.000-08:00

Formerly (1889–1985) Standard Oil Company (Indiana), American petroleum corporation that was founded in 1889 by the Standard Oil trust (see Standard Oil Company and Trust) to direct the refining and marketing of oil in the Midwestern states. The company's first refinery, outside Whiting, Ind., produced fuel oil, kerosene, and other petroleum products. Beginning in the late 1890s, the company's production of gasoline rapidly increased

Fell, John

2005-01-23T20:49:00.000-08:00

Ordained in 1647, Fell was deprived of his fellowship at Oxford in 1648 for having fought with the Royalists against Oliver Cromwell during the English Civil Wars. Despite

Arnstadt

2005-01-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

City, Thuringia Land (state), central Germany. It lies along the Gera River, at the northern edge of the Thuringian Forest, just southwest of Erfurt city. First mentioned in 704 and chartered in 1266, Arnstadt was bought in 1306 from the abbey of Hersfeld by the counts of Schwarzburg, who lived there until 1716. Their palace, Monplaisir (1703–07), survives, and the 12th–14th-century Church of Our Lady (Liebfrauenkirche)

Henry I

2005-01-20T19:54:00.000-08:00

Henry was the son of Alfonso VIII of Castile and his wife Eleanor, daughter of Henry II of England, after whom he was named. He was killed, while still a boy, by the fall of a tile from a roof. Sovereignty over Castile was then assumed by Alfonso VIII's cousin, Alfonso IX, king of Leon.

Turgovishte

2005-01-17T08:27:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Targovište, formerly (until 1934) Eski Dzhumaya, town, eastern Bulgaria, on the Vrana River. Known formerly for its great cattle fair, which attracted visitors from throughout the Balkans, it continues as a craft centre, producing textiles, furniture, pottery, and processed foods. It has long been a centre for the Muslim faith in Bulgaria. Its former Turkish name was Eski Cumaya (Dzhumaya), but the modern town has subdued

Philip

2005-01-17T03:35:00.000-08:00

When the Roman emperor Augustus adjusted Herod's will, Philip was assigned to the region east of the Sea of Galilee, in modern northern Israel, Lebanon, and southern Syria. In AD 6, he may have joined in charging his half brother with misgoverning Judaea,

Ashi

2005-01-16T01:48:00.000-08:00

Ashi was head of the Jewish Academy at Sura, Babylonia, and was one of two chief editors who fixed the canon of the Babylonian Talmud. Under Ashi's leadership the Academy, which had been closed since 309, was revived,

Clay Mineral, Kaolin-serpentine group

2005-01-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

Minerals of this groups are 1:1 layer silicates. Their basic unit of structure consists of tetrahedral and octahedral sheets in which the anions at the exposed surface of the octahedral sheet are hydroxyls (see Figure 4). The general structural formula may be expressed by Y2 - 3Z2O5(OH)4, where Y are cations in the octahedral sheet such as Al3+ and Fe3+ for dioctahedral species and Mg2+,

Jouvet, Louis

2005-01-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

Beginning as a pharmacist at his parents' wishes, he soon turned to his real interest, the theatre, and, after being refused admission several times to the Conservatoire in Paris because of his stuttering, made his Paris debut in

Biblical Literature, The Revised Standard Version

2005-01-10T09:24:00.000-08:00

The American Standard Version had been an expression of sensitivity to the needs of the American public. At the same time, several individual and unofficial translations into modern speech made from 1885 on had gained popularity, their appeal reinforced by the discovery that the Greek of the New Testament used the common nonliterary variety of the language spoken

Argentina, La

2005-01-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

She studied ballet with her parents, both of whom were professional dancers of Spanish birth. At the age of 11 she became premiere danseuse at the Madrid Opera, but she resigned at 14 to study the

Earth, Relative measurements

2005-01-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

For studying Earth structures, instruments that will measure the differences in g from points where g is known are required. They have to be rugged enough to be taken into the field and capable of providing a reading in a matter of a few minutes. Instruments suitable for measuring g on ships at sea also are needed. As long ago as 1849, Sir John Herschel of England proposed an instrument

Manasseh

2005-01-04T21:48:00.000-08:00

After the Exodus from Egypt and the death of Moses, the Israelites entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, who assigned a territory to each of the 12 tribes. The tribe of Manasseh settled in central

Paraguarí

2005-01-02T04:57:00.000-08:00

City, southern Paraguay. It lies on the southern slopes of the forested extension of the Brazilian Highlands, including the Cordillera de los Altos, a mountainous chain that reaches westward to Asunción. Originally a Jesuit mission, the city was formally organized in 1775. In 1811, when Paraguay stood aside from the Argentine colonies in their revolt against Spain,

Mures

2005-01-01T05:56:00.000-08:00

Judet (county), north-central Romania, occupying an area of 2,585 square miles (6,696 square km). The eastern Carpathian Mountains, including the Calim and Gurghiu ranges, rise above settlement areas in the valleys. The Mures River and its tributaries flow southwestward through the district. Târgu Mures, a cultural and industrial centre, is the county capital. Its manufactures include

Balatonfüred

2004-12-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

Resort town, Veszprém megye (county), central Hungary, on the north shore of Lake Balaton. The town has been known for at least 250 years as a health spa and resort. In the town centre is Gyógy Tér (“Healing Square”), where the waters of volcanic springs rise up under a pavilion. There are 11 medicinal springs in the area that are said to have a stimulating effect on the heart and nerves.

Merced

2004-12-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

City, Merced county, central California, U.S., on Bear Creek in the San Joaquin valley, 55 miles (89 km) northwest of Fresno. It was founded in 1872 by the Central Pacific Railroad, and it became county seat in the same year. It was named for the Nuestra Señora de la Merced River. It developed as a processing and shipping point for agricultural produce of the valley, irrigated by the Tri-Dam

Sickle Cell Anemia

2004-12-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hereditary disease that destroys red blood cells by causing them to take on a rigid “sickle” shape. The disease is characterized by many of the symptoms of chronic anemia (fatigue, pale skin, and shortness of breath) as well as susceptibility to infection, jaundice and other eye problems, delayed growth, and episodic crises of severe pain in the abdomen, bones, or muscles.

Biblical Literature, The Assumption of Moses

2004-12-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

The Assumption of Moses originally contained apocalyptic material—no longer extant—in the form of a legend. According to Origen, the dispute between the archangel Michael and the devil for the body of Moses was narrated in the Assumption of Moses. This legend, which has parallels in the rabbinic literature, probably formed the end of the Assumption of Moses, the first

Pacific Ocean, The monsoon regime

2004-12-22T05:02:00.000-08:00

The western Pacific is subject to a seasonal climatic regime that replaces the planetary system. This is the regime of the monsoon (rain-bearing winds), which is associated with the heating of the Asian landmass in summer and its intense cooling in winter. The heating of air masses over tropical Asia in summer initiates a low-pressure system, which becomes the focal

Paraguay, The Guaraní

2004-12-21T15:14:00.000-08:00

Indian tribes speaking the Guaraní language occupied the region between the Paraguay and Paraná rivers long before the arrival of Europeans. They were members of the Tupian language stock, which was widespread in South America, and in most respects resembled the other Indian tribes of the tropical forests. The women cultivated corn, manioc, and sweet potatoes,

Furniture, Italy

2004-12-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

Though it was in Italian architecture, painting, and sculpture that the Baroque style was evolved, Italy was not the first to apply this style to furniture. But by the mid-17th century Italy was producing flamboyantly carved, painted, and gilded furniture, decorated with such typical motifs as cupids, acanthus, shells, and boldly drawn scrolls, and was further enriching

Ma Tuan-lin

2004-12-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Ma Duanlin Chinese historian who wrote the Wen hsien t'ung k'ao (“General Study of the Literary Remains”), a huge encyclopaedia of general knowledge. This work, with the works of two other historians of the Sung dynasty (960–1279), Cheng Ch'iao (1108–66) and Ssu-ma Kuang (1019–86), is considered one of the greatest institutional histories ever written on China and, as such, was a model for many later

Gumel

2004-12-14T19:53:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Gummel town and traditional emirate, northern Jigawa state, northern Nigeria. The emirate was founded about 1750 by Dan Juma of Kano city (75 miles [121 km] southwest) and his followers of the Manga (Mangawa) tribe. Shortly after his death in 1754, it became a tributary state of the Bornu kingdom. The emirate survived the Fulani attacks of Usman dan Fodio's jihad (“holy war”) in the early 19th century and

Duxbury

2004-12-13T04:50:00.000-08:00

Town (township), Plymouth county, eastern Massachusetts, U.S. It lies on Duxbury Bay (an inlet of Cape Cod Bay), 33 miles (53 km) south of Boston, and includes the villages of Duxbury and South Duxbury. Settled about 1628, it counts among its founders the Pilgrim colonists Myles Standish, William Brewster, and John Alden. Named for Duxbury Hall in Lancashire, England, seat of the Standish

Malayan Emergency

2004-12-10T06:46:00.000-08:00

After World War II the Federation of Malaya was formed through the unification of several former British territories, including Sabah and Sarawak. The negotiations included special guarantees of rights for Malays (including the position of sultans) and the establishment

Abdülhamid I

2004-12-08T04:54:00.000-08:00

Ottoman sultan from 1774 to 1789 who concluded the war with Russia by signing the humiliating Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca. By the terms of the treaty, Russia obtained the fortresses on the coast of the Sea of Azov, the area between the Dnieper and Bug rivers, and navigation and commercial privileges in the Ottoman Empire. Bukovina was ceded to Austria in 1775. Russia annexed

Pyrazine

2004-12-06T00:57:00.000-08:00

Any of a class of organic compounds of the heterocyclic series characterized by a ring structure containing four atoms of carbon and two of nitrogen. The pyrazine ring is part of many polycyclic compounds of biological or industrial significance. The simplest member of the pyrazine family is pyrazine itself, a colourless, water-soluble solid with molecular formula

Arnold Of Brescia

2004-12-04T07:09:00.000-08:00

Italian Arnaldo da Brescia radical religious reformer noted for his outspoken criticism of clerical wealth and corruption and for his strenuous opposition to the temporal power of the popes. He was prior of the monastery at Brescia, where in 1137 he participated in a popular revolt against the government of

Cone, Fairfax M.

2004-12-02T06:12:00.000-08:00

Cone's father was a prospector and mining engineer, and his mother was a schoolteacher. He studied English at the University of California, working as a summertime copy boy on the San Francisco

Byrom, John

2004-11-30T08:19:00.000-08:00

Byrom was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was elected fellow in 1714. He then went abroad, ostensibly to study medicine; in view of his Jacobite leanings his journey may have been political. On his return to London in 1718, he taught his own method of shorthand

Venosa

2004-11-28T06:15:00.000-08:00

Latin Venusia, town and episcopal see, Potenza provincia, Basilicata regione, southern Italy. It is situated on the lower slope of Mount Vulcano, north of Potenza. Originally a settlement of the Lucanians (an ancient Italic tribe), it was taken by the Romans after the Samnite Wars (291 BC); from its position on the Appian Way it became an important Roman garrison town. The poet Horace was born

Acrylic Compound

2004-11-26T01:11:00.000-08:00

Any of a class of synthetic plastics, resins, and oils used to manufacture many products. By varying the starting reagents and the process of forming, a material may be produced that is hard and transparent, soft and resilient, or a viscous liquid. Acrylic compounds are used to make molded structural and optical parts, jewelry, adhesives, coating compounds, and textile

Indian Paint Brush

2004-11-25T07:51:00.000-08:00

Also called Painted Cup, Painted Lady, or Paint Brush, any plant of the genus Castilleja (family Scrophulariaceae), which contains about 200 species of partially or wholly parasitic plants that derive nourishment from the roots of other plants. For this reason the plants are seldom cultivated successfully in the flower garden. The small, tubular flowers are irregular (two-lipped). They are surrounded by upper

Nichinan

2004-11-23T03:28:00.000-08:00

City, Miyazaki Prefecture (ken), Kyushu, Japan, facing the Pacific Ocean. Japanese (Obi) cedar has been cultivated in the area since the early 19th century and forms the basis of the city's shipbuilding, timber, paper, and pulp industries. Nichinan's two ports—Aburatsu and Oodotsu—are the main centres for coastal fishing (bonito, yellowtail, tuna) in southern Kyushu. Agricultural

Actor-manager System

2004-11-20T03:45:00.000-08:00

Method of theatrical production dominant in England and the U.S. in the 19th century, consisting of a permanent company formed by a leading actor who chose his own plays, took a leading role in them, and handled business and financial arrangements. The advantages of this system became apparent in the 18th century when successful actor-managers such as Colley Cibber and

Nephelinesyenite

2004-11-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

Medium- to coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock, a member of the alkali-syenite group (see syenite) that consists largely of feldspar and nepheline. It is always considerably poorer in silica and richer in alkalies than granite. The extraordinarily varied mineralogy of the nephelinesyenites and their remarkable variation in habit, fabric, appearance, and composition

Resia Pass

2004-11-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

Italian Passo Di Resia, German Reschenpass, or Reschenscheideck, pass south of the Austrian-Italian border and just east of the Swiss frontier. It is 4,934 feet (1,504 m) high and about 1 mile (1.6 km) long and separates the Unterengadin section of the Inn River valley, Austria, from the Venosta Valley or Adige River valley, Italy. The pass marks the divide between the watersheds of the Adriatic and Black seas and between the Rhaetian and Ötztal Alps. Just

Carthage

2004-11-15T00:19:00.000-08:00

Argentina, Cultural life

2004-11-12T02:29:00.000-08:00

The role of the church is discussed in John J. Kennedy, Catholicism, Nationalism, and Democracy in Argentina (1958); and Daniel H. Levine (ed.), Churches and Politics in Latin America (1980).

Turkic Languages

2004-11-11T07:24:00.000-08:00

Turkic literary languages have emerged in different cultural centres. The older ones can be broadly determined as Uighur, Oghuz, and Kipchak or as mixtures of elements from these branches. Beginning in the 15th century, more distinct literary languages developed, in part as points of departure for modern languages (e.g., Ottoman for Modern Turkish or Chagatai for Uzbek

Tiglath-pileser I

2004-11-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

Tiglath-pileser ascended the throne at the time when a people known as the Mushki, or Mushku (Meshech of the Old Testament), probably Phrygians, were thrusting into Asia Minor (now Turkey). Their invasion constituted a serious threat to Middle Eastern civilization because Asia Minor was the principal

Grijalva River

2004-11-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

Spanish Río Grijalva, river in southeastern Mexico. Its headstreams, the largest of which is the Cuilco, rise in the Sierra Madre of Guatemala and the Sierra de Soconusco of Mexico. The Grijalva flows generally northwestward through Chiapas state, where it is known locally as the Río Grande de Chiapa, or the Río Chiapa. After leaving a lake created by the Malpaso Dam, it turns northward and

Papiamento

2004-11-04T03:25:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Papiamentu, creole language based on Spanish, spoken on the islands of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire, in the Caribbean Sea. Papiamento is apparently based on a Spanish pidgin or creole language, with early influences from Portuguese and, more recently, strong Dutch influences (Dutch is the official language of Curaçao). Twenty-five percent of the vocabulary of Papiamento is of Dutch

Linus

2004-11-03T22:51:00.000-08:00

According to the Argive story, Linus, child of Apollo (god of light, truth, and prophecy) and Psamathe (daughter of Crotopus, king of Argos),

Aeschines

2004-11-02T19:35:00.000-08:00

Aeschines was brought up in humble circumstances, and in the early part of his career he worked as a tragic actor and held minor posts in the state service. In 346 BC he, like Demosthenes, was a member of the embassies to Philip II that resulted

Anti-lebanon Mountains

2004-11-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

Arabic Al-jabal Ash-sharqi, or Lubnan Ash-sharqi, French Anti-liban, mountain range that runs northeast-southwest along the Syrian-Lebanese border parallel to the Lebanon Mountains, from which they are separated by the al-Biqa' Valley. The range averages 6,500 feet (2,000 m) above sea level, with several peaks exceeding 8,000 feet (2,400 m). As it runs south, the Anti-Lebanon range is interrupted by a broad shoulder (the Zabadani Saddle) of Mount Hermon, 9,232 feet (2,814 m) high,

Philepittidae

2004-10-31T02:06:00.000-08:00

Members range in size from 9 to 16.5 centimetres (3.5 to 6.5 inches) long. The two species of asities (Philepitta) are plump, stout-legged pitta-like birds that browse foliage for berries and other fruit. The false sunbirds (Neodrepanis

Cromwell, Henry

2004-10-30T03:22:00.000-07:00

Cromwell studied at Cambridge University and Gray's Inn, London. During part of the English Civil Wars he served under his father in the Parliamentary army in England and Ireland. Henry became major general of the English forces

Coir

2004-10-30T01:12:00.000-07:00

Seed-hair fibre obtained from the outer shell, or husk, of the coconut, the fruit of Cocos nucifera, a tropical plant of the Arecaceae (Palmae) family. The coarse, stiff, reddish brown fibre is made up of smaller threads, each about 0.01 to 0.04 inch (0.03 to 0.1 centimetre) long and 12 to 24 microns (a micron is about 0.00004 inch) in diameter, composed of lignin, a woody plant substance, and cellulose. Sri

Takla Makan Desert

2004-10-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Takla Makan is flanked by high mountain ranges: the Tien Shan in the north, the Kunlun Mountains in the south, and the Pamirs in the west. There is a gradual transition to the Lop Nor basin in the east, and, in the south and west, between the sandy desert and the mountains, lies a band of sloping desert lowland composed of pebble-detritus deposits.

Asuka Period

2004-10-27T07:35:00.000-07:00

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

Disasters

2004-10-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

May 30, Minsk, Belarus. A stampede occurred in a passageway

Oral Cancer

2004-10-25T06:13:00.000-07:00

Disease characterized by the growth of cancerous cells in the mouth, including the lips. Oral cancer is often associated with cancers of the cavity located behind the tonsils and the back of the throat (oropharyngeal cancer). Most cases originate from the flattened cells that make up the lining of the oral cavity (squamous cell carcinomas). Oral cancers can spread

Czech Republic, History Of

2004-10-24T00:37:00.000-07:00

The Czech Republic came into being on Jan. 1, 1993, upon the dissolution of the Czechoslovak federation. At the time of separation, the federation's assets were divided at a ratio of two to one

Madhumati River

2004-10-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

Tributary of the Padma (Ganges) River, flowing through southwestern Bangladesh. It leaves the Padma just north of Kushtia and flows 190 miles (306 km) southeast before turning south across the Sundarbans to empty into the Bay of Bengal. In its upper course it is called the Garai; in its lower course it is known as the Baleswar; and its 9-mile- (14-kilometre-) wide estuary mouth is called

Goatfish

2004-10-21T04:13:00.000-07:00

Goatfishes are characterized by two well-separated dorsal fins and by a pair of long, sensory chin barbels. The barbels are used to find the small, bottom-living invertebrates on which the fishes feed; when not in use, the barbels are flattened into a groove on the throat. Inhabitants