AbleSponge

Daniel Of Kiev

2005-04-05T11:41:00.000-07:00

The largest Lutheran church in North America. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was formed in 1988 by the merger of two major Lutheran denominations, the American Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America, along with the much smaller Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. The new church cut across ethnic lines and was designed to give Lutherans

John Day

2005-04-04T17:03:00.000-07:00

City, Grant county, northeast-central Oregon, U.S., situated at the confluence of John Day River and Canyon Creek, near the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness Area. (The North Fork of the John Day is part of the U.S. Wild and Scenic Rivers system.) A stopover on the Pony Express trail from The Dalles (220 miles [354 km] northwest), it originated in the early 1860s, along with adjacent Canyon City,

Behring, Emil Von

2005-04-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

Behring received his medical degree in 1878 from the Friedrich-Wilhelms-Institut,

Smyrna

2005-04-03T13:41:00.000-07:00

Town, Kent county, central Delaware, U.S., near the Smyrna River. Established about 1755, it was known as Duck Creek Cross Roads (for its location on the creek, which flows into the Smyrna River) until 1806, when it was renamed for the biblical seaport of Asia Minor. In 1792 a piqued state assembly, barred from the State House at Dover by a sheriff, met in the village tavern and named Duck Creek

Orange, Councils Of

2005-04-02T14:22:00.000-08:00

Two church synods held in Orange, France, in 441 and 529. The first, under the presidency of St. Hilary of Arles, dealt mainly with disciplinary matters. The second, and by far the more important, was concerned with refuting the Semi-Pelagianism of Faustus of Riez. It was attended by 15 bishops and was under the presidency of Caesarius of Arles. Caesarius had sought the aid of Rome against

öræfajökull

2005-04-02T08:56:00.000-08:00

Ice-covered volcanic massif, southeastern Iceland. It lies at the southern end of the giant ice field of Vatnajökull (q.v.). Its highest peak, Mount Hvannadals, reaches an elevation of 6,952 feet (2,119 m) above sea level and is also the highest peak in Iceland.

Smyrna

2005-04-01T23:08:00.000-08:00

Judicial organ established in 1959 that is charged with supervising the enforcement of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (1950; commonly known as the European Convention on Human Rights), which was drawn up by the Council of Europe. The convention obligates signatories to guarantee various civil and political freedoms, including

Bin Laden, Osama

2005-04-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Usamah ibn Ladin mastermind of numerous terrorist attacks against the United States and other Western powers, including the 1993 bombing of New York City's World Trade Center, the 2000 suicide bombing of the U.S. warship Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden, and the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. (see September 11

Brer Rabbit

2005-03-31T20:11:00.000-08:00

Trickster figure originating in African folklore and transmitted by African slaves to the New World, where it acquired attributes of similar native American tricksters (see trickster tale); Brer, or Brother, Rabbit was popularized in the United States in the stories of Joel Chandler Harris (1848–1908). The character's adventures embody an idea considered to be a universal

Aluminum Company Of America

2005-03-30T23:29:00.000-08:00

(Alcoa), American corporation founded in 1888 (as the Pittsburgh Reduction Company) and now a leading producer of aluminum. Its operations range from mining bauxite and other ores to smelting and processing aluminum, fabricating aluminum products, and marketing and shipping. It has majority ownership of Alcoa of Australia Limited, a leading producer of aluminum oxide

Cambridge

2005-03-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

City, regional municipality of Waterloo, southeastern Ontario, Can. It lies 55 miles (90 km) west-southwest of Toronto. Cambridge was created in 1973 from the consolidation of the city of Galt, the towns of Hespeler and Preston, and parts of the townships of Waterloo and North Dumfries. Galt was founded about 1817 and, along with Dumfries Township, became the home of large numbers of Scottish

Procaine Hydrochloride

2005-03-30T02:55:00.000-08:00

Also called Novocain, or Novocaine, synthetic organic compound used in medicine as a local anesthetic. Introduced in 1905 under the trade name Novocaine, it became the first and best-known substitute for cocaine in local anesthesia. Generally used in a 1 to 10 percent saline solution, procaine hydrochloride is administered by injection for infiltration (area flooding as in dental anesthesia), nerve-block,

Condottiere

2005-03-28T21:17:00.000-08:00

The first mercenary armies in Italy (often called free companies) were made up of foreigners. The earliest (1303) was composed

Laspeyres Index

2005-03-27T23:50:00.000-08:00

Index proposed by German economist Étienne Laspeyres (1834–1913) for measuring current prices or quantities in relation to those of a selected base period. A Laspeyres price index is computed by taking the ratio of the total cost of purchasing a specified group of commodities at current prices to the cost of that same group at base-period prices and multiplying by 100. The base-period

Sea Bass

2005-03-27T03:04:00.000-08:00

Any of the numerous fishes of the family Serranidae (order Perciformes), most of which are marine and found in the shallower regions of warm and tropical seas. The family includes about 400 species, many of them well-known food and sport fishes. Although the term sea bass may be used for the family as a whole, the fishes themselves

Argentina, Tourism

2005-03-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

International visitors contribute billions of dollars to the Argentine economy. The number of foreign tourist arrivals reached more than four million per year in the late 1990s; one-fourth of visitors were from Uruguay, followed by hundreds of thousands each from Chile, Brazil, the United States, and Paraguay. Major tourist sites include Iguazú Falls and the former

Wolff, Betje

2005-03-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

Wolff, the daughter of a prosperous family, ran away with a naval officer at the age of 17, only to return home in a few days, deeply hurt by the experience. In 1759 she married Adriaan

Azov, Sea Of

2005-03-25T03:19:00.000-08:00

Russian Azovskoye More, or Azovskoe More, inland sea situated off the southern shores of Ukraine and Russia. It forms a northern extension of the Black Sea, to which it is linked on the south by the Kerch Strait. The Sea of Azov is about 210 miles (340 km) long and 85 miles (135 km) wide and has an area of about 14,500 square miles (37,600 square km). Into the Sea of Azov flow the great Don and Kuban rivers and many lesser ones such as the Mius, the Berda,

China, An intellectual revolution

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

An intellectual revolution took place during the first decade of the republic, sometimes referred to as the New Culture Movement. It was led by many of the new intellectuals, who held up for critical scrutiny nearly all aspects of Chinese culture and traditional ethics. Guided by concepts of individual liberty and equality, a scientific spirit of inquiry, and a pragmatic

Escrivá De Balaguer, Josemaría, Saint

2005-03-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

In full Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer y Albás Spanish prelate of the Roman Catholic church, founder in 1928 of Opus Dei, a Catholic organization of laymen and priests claiming to strive to live Christian lives in their chosen professions. By the time of Escrivá's death in 1975, its members numbered some 60,000 in 80 countries, and its critics charged it with

Windsor

2005-03-23T05:17:00.000-08:00

Town, Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority, historic county of Berkshire, England. Windsor is situated on the south bank of the River Thames and lies to the west of London. The modern town is dominated by Windsor Castle, standing on the outcrop of chalk on which William I the Conqueror (reigned 1066–87) built the original fortress. The castle is in regular occupation as a

Beretta Spa

2005-03-22T20:36:00.000-08:00

The founder of the business, Bartolomeo Beretta, was known as a maestro da canne, or master gun-barrel maker, for the republic of

Biblical Literature, Second introductory discourse

2005-03-22T07:53:00.000-08:00

The second discourse, also ascribed to Moses, again refers to the Covenant at Horeb and sets forth the Ten Commandments, which the people are admonished to obey rigorously, emphasizing the mediating function of Moses at Horeb between the awesome divine presence and the awestruck people. Israel is further admonished to obey the law through wholehearted love of

Children's Literature, Overview

2005-03-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

The French themselves are not happy with their record. Writing in the late 1940s, critic Jean de Trigon, in Histoire de la littérature enfantine, de ma Mère l'Oye au Roi Babar (Paris, Librairie Hachette, 1950) said: “The French have created little children's literature. They have received more than they have given, but they have assimilated, adapted, transformed. The two are not the same

Torcello

2005-03-20T18:51:00.000-08:00

Island-village in the Laguna Veneta (Venice Lagoon) and an eastern environ of Venice, Italy. Founded in AD 452 by refugees from Altino on the mainland, the bishopric of Altino was transferred there in the 7th century. The island, a flourishing city in ancient times, was the head of an association of the communes of the lagoon until the seat of government was moved to the Rialto

Powderly, Terence V.

2005-03-20T15:49:00.000-08:00

The son of Irish immigrants to the United States, Powderly went to work at the age of 13 for the railroad in Carbondale, Pa. At 17 he became a machinist's apprentice and then worked at that trade until age 28. He meanwhile had joined the Machinists' and Blacksmiths' Union in 1871 and steadily

Wilhelmina Gebergte

2005-03-19T00:51:00.000-08:00

Mountain range in central Suriname, forming part of South America's granitic Precambrian Guiana Shield, extending about 70 mi (113 km) from west to east. The range divides Suriname's western district of Nickerie from the eastern districts of Saramacca, Brokopondo, and Marowijne. The Wilhelmina Gebergte descends gradually into two lesser ranges of hills to the north—the

Ghana, Relief and drainage

2005-03-18T21:07:00.000-08:00

Relief throughout Ghana is generally low, with altitudes nowhere exceeding 3,000 feet (900 metres). The southwestern, northwestern, and extreme northern parts of the country consist of a dissected peneplain—a land surface worn down by erosion to a nearly flat plain, later uplifted and again cut by erosion into hills and valleys or into flat uplands separated by valleys; it

Luther, Martin, Brother Martin Luther

2005-03-18T19:25:00.000-08:00

Evidence on the reason for his decision to enter the religious life is scanty. In his later, not always reliable, Tischreden (“Table Talk”), it is related that on July 2, 1505, he was returning from a visit to his parents when he was overtaken by a thunderstorm near the village of Stotternheim and cried out in terror, “Help, St. Anne, and I'll become a monk.” In his De votis monasticis (“Concerning

Kabylie

2005-03-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Kabylia, mountainous coastal region in northern Algeria, between Algiers and Skikda. It comprises: (1) the Great Kabylie (Grande Kabylie) or Djurdjura Mountains bounded on the west by the Isser River and on the southeast by the Wadi Soummam; (2) the Little Kabylie (Petite Kabylie, or Kabylie des Babors) around the Gulf of Bejaïa (Bougie); and (3) the Collo Kabylie (Kabylie de Collo) forming

Moses, Sir Charles (joseph Alfred)

2005-03-17T02:39:00.000-08:00

Moses graduated from the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, Eng. (1918), and was stationed with the British army in Ireland before immigrating

Interior Design, Physical components of design

2005-03-17T00:22:00.000-08:00

The foregoing section on aesthetic components stressed the fact that, in design, the whole or total effect is more important than the specific device or element used. The same is true of architectural components, and this should be kept in mind in the following discussion.

Athanasius, Saint

2005-03-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

Athanasius received his philosophical and theological training at Alexandria; in 325 he attended Bishop Alexander of Alexandria as deacon at the Council of Nicaea. A recognized theologian and ascetic, Athanasius was the obvious candidate to succeed Alexander when the latter died in 328. The first years of his episcopate were devoted to visitation of his extensive

Maha-sivaratri

2005-03-16T05:46:00.000-08:00

(Sanskrit: “Great Night of Siva”), the most important sectarian festival of the year for devotees of the Hindu god Siva. The 14th day of the dark half of each lunar month is specially sacred to Siva, but when it occurs in the month of Magha (January-February) and, to a lesser extent, in the month of Phalguna (February-March), it is a day of particular rejoicing. The preceding day the participant

Tiger Shark

2005-03-15T17:51:00.000-08:00

(Galeocerdo cuvieri), large, potentially dangerous shark of the family Carcharhinidae. It is noted for its voracity and inveterate scavenging, as well as its reputation as a man-eater. The tiger shark is found worldwide in warm oceans, from the shoreline to the open sea. A maximum of about 5.5 m (18 feet) long, it is grayish and patterned, when young, with dark spots and vertical bars.

Auger Effect

2005-03-15T03:14:00.000-08:00

All atoms consist of a nucleus

Mies Van Der Rohe, Ludwig

2005-03-13T23:35:00.000-08:00

During World War I Mies served as an enlisted man, building bridges and roads in the Balkans. When he returned to Berlin in 1918, the fall of the German monarchy and the birth of the democratic Weimar Republic helped inspire a prodigious burst of new creativity among modernist artists and architects. Architecture, painting, and sculpture, according to the manifesto of

Mabinogion

2005-03-13T11:11:00.000-08:00

The finest of the tales are the four related

Seton Hall University

2005-03-13T03:54:00.000-08:00

Private, coeducational institution of higher education in South Orange Village, New Jersey, U.S. It is affiliated with the Roman Catholic church, specifically the Diocese of Newark, and offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs. Seton Hall comprises nine academic units: colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education and Human Services,

Tlaquepaque

2005-03-12T23:51:00.000-08:00

City, north-central Jalisco estado (“state”), west-central Mexico. Formerly known as San Pedro Tlaquepaque, the city lies in the temperate Guadalajara valley, approximately 5,400 feet (1,650 m) above sea level. A suburb of Guadalajara, the state capital, 7 miles (11 km) southeast, Tlaquepaque is primarily a handicrafts centre, known especially for its pottery, textiles, and hand-blown glass.

Fréchette, Louis-honoré

2005-03-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

Fréchette studied law at Laval University, Quebec, and was admitted to the bar in 1864. Discharged as a journalist for liberal views, he went to Chicago (1866–71). There, he wrote La Voix d'un exilé (1866–68; “The Voice of an Exile”), a poem attacking the political and clerical dealings in Quebec

Claudius Pulcher, Publius

2005-03-11T15:58:00.000-08:00

Son of Appius Claudius Caecus and commander of the fleet that suffered the only serious Roman naval defeat of the First Punic War (264–241 BC). The setback occurred in 249, when Claudius was consul. He attacked the Carthaginian fleet in the harbour of Drepanum (modern Trapani, Sicily) and lost 93 of his 123 vessels. It was popularly believed that Claudius failed because he had committed

Flamsteed, John

2005-03-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

Poor health forced Flamsteed to leave school in 1662. He studied astronomy on his own and later (1670–74) continued his education at the University of Cambridge. In 1677 he became a member of the Royal Society. Ordained a clergyman in 1675, Flamsteed in

Laguna Beach

2005-03-11T11:00:00.000-08:00

City, Orange county, southwestern California, U.S., on the Pacific Ocean. Originally called Lagonas (for the two lagoons at the head of Laguna Canyon), it was founded in 1887 as Lagona. Renamed Laguna Beach (1904), it developed as a coastal resort and art colony. Since 1932 the Festival of Arts and Pageant of the Masters have been held at Irvine Bowl, a natural amphitheatre just east of the city.

Bopolu

2005-03-10T20:45:00.000-08:00

Also called Bopora, or Boporo, town, western Liberia. Once the centre of the Malinke-dominated Kondo Confederation—including the Gola, Vai, De (Dei), and Loma peoples—the area surrounding Bopolu probably reached its height under King Bosan (Boatswain; 1775–1836). Slaves, ivory, gold, and camwood from the north were sent by Bopolu traders to the coastal Vai and De peoples in exchange for salt, tobacco, guns, and European

Yggdrasill

2005-03-10T00:44:00.000-08:00

Old Norse Mimameidr in Norse mythology, the world tree, a giant ash supporting the universe. One of its roots extended into Niflheim, the underworld; another into Jötunheim, land of the giants; and the third into Asgard, home of the gods. At its base were three wells: Urdarbrunnr (Well of Fate), from which the tree was watered by the Norns (the Fates); Hvergelmir (Roaring Kettle), in which dwelt Nidhogg

Arecibo River

2005-03-09T03:05:00.000-08:00

Spanish in full Río Grande De Arecibo, river in west-central Puerto Rico. The Arecibo River rises in the Cordillera Central just east of Mount Guilarte. It flows north-northeast about 40 miles (65 km) through a coffee-growing region and descends across the northern coastal plain to empty into the Atlantic Ocean just east of the port of Arecibo. At the northern edge of the cordilleran foothills, the river is impounded

Bingham, Hiram

2005-03-09T00:08:00.000-08:00

As a boy Bingham learned mountaineering from his father, a well-known Pacific missionary. This skill vastly aided

China, The Mongol conquest of China

2005-03-08T23:52:00.000-08:00

Genghis Khan rose to supremacy over the Mongol tribes in the steppe in 1206, and within a few years he attempted to conquer northern China. By securing the allegiance of the Tangut state of Hsi Hsia in what are now Kansu and northeastern Tibet (1209), he disposed of a potential enemy and prepared the ground for an attack against the Chin state of the Juchen in northern China. At that

Kidinnu

2005-03-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Kidenas, or Cidenas astronomer and mathematician who may have discovered the precession of the equinoxes, the slow rotation of the Earth's axis that results in slight variations in the length of the year. Head of the astronomical school at Sippar, Kidinnu was probably responsible for introducing the 19-year cycle into the Babylonian calendar in 383 BC. In this system each year had

Caledonian Orogenic Belt

2005-03-07T22:37:00.000-08:00

Range of mountains situated in northwestern Europe, developed as a result of the opening, closure, and destruction of the Iapetus Ocean in the period from the start of the Cambrian (540 million years ago) to the end of the Silurian (about 408 million years ago). The final collision was between a northwestern European and a North American–Greenland continent, and it gave rise

Antarctic Circumpolar Current

2005-03-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Also called West Wind Drift, surface oceanic current encircling Antarctica and flowing from west to east. Affected by adjacent landmasses, submarine topography, and prevailing winds, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is irregular in width and course. Its motion is further complicated by continuous exchange with other water masses at all depths. The volume of transport south of latitude

Kabir

2005-03-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

The birth of Kabir (Arabic: “Great”) remains to this day shrouded in mystery and legend. Authorities disagree

China, Constitutional movements after 1905

2005-03-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

Japan's victory in the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05) aroused a cry for constitutionalism in China. Unable to resist the intensifying demand, the court decided in September 1906 to adopt a constitution, and in November it reorganized the traditional six boards into 11 ministries in an attempt to modernize the central government. It promised to open consultative provincial assemblies

William Of Tyre

2005-03-05T05:46:00.000-08:00

Probably born to a French family that had settled in Frankish Syria during the 12th century, William was educated in France and Italy and knew Latin, Greek, and Arabic. He returned to

Dabrowska, Maria

2005-03-04T16:19:00.000-08:00

Zbigniew Folejewski, Maria Dabrowska (1967), is a highly recommended English-language study.

Kyodo Tsushinsha

2005-03-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

(Japanese: Cooperative News Agency) national news agency founded in November 1945 to replace the pre-World War II Domei tsushinsha (Federated News Agency), which had served as the official news service of the Japanese government since 1936. Despite competition from the beginning with the Jiji news agency, formed by Domei employees who did not join Kyodo, the latter gradually gained

Ma Yuan

2005-03-04T11:26:00.000-08:00

By the late 12th century, however, this style was changing, and the new elements that were appearing reflected the nostalgic and somewhat precious atmosphere of the exiled court at Lin'an. In some hanging scrolls attributed to Ma, and in many of the exquisite small album and fan paintings, the mountains are pushed to one side, creating a “one corner” composition; between

Ascot

2005-03-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

Locality, Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority, geographic and historic county of Berkshire, England, known for its racecourse on Ascot Heath. The Royal Ascot meeting (initiated in 1711 by Queen Anne) lasts four days each June and is traditionally attended by the British sovereign. A major social and fashion event, it has lent its name to the ascot, a type of broad neck

Beam

2005-03-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

In engineering, originally a solid piece of timber, as a beam of a house, a plow, a loom, or a balance. In building construction, a beam is a horizontal member spanning an opening and carrying a load that may be a brick or stone wall above the opening, in which case the beam is often called a lintel (see post-and-lintel system). The load may be a floor or roof in a building, in which case

Valencia

2005-03-02T23:46:00.000-08:00

When Umayyad power in Moorish Spain disintegrated in the reign of Hisham II (1010), Valencia eventually came to be ruled by 'Abd al-Aziz al-Mansur (reigned

Piedmontite

2005-03-02T01:14:00.000-08:00

A silicate mineral that belongs to the epidote (q.v.) series.

Bricriu's Feast

2005-03-02T00:10:00.000-08:00

Middle Irish Fled Bricrenn in early Irish literature, a comic, rowdy account of rivalry between Ulster warriors. One of the longest hero tales of the Ulster cycle, it dates from the 8th century and is preserved in The Book of the Dun Cow (c. 1100). Bricriu, the trickster, promises the hero's portion of his feast to three different champions, Lóegaire Buadach, Conall Cernach, and Cú Chulainn. A violent dispute

Malamud, Bernard

2005-03-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

His first novel, The Natural (1952), is a fable

Kagawa

2005-02-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

Smallest ken (prefecture) of Shikoku, Japan, facing the Inland Sea opposite Okayama prefecture, Honshu. Its area of 727 square miles (1,883 square km) includes Shodo and other offshore islands. The climate is warm with little rain; the prefecture is drained by numerous rivers (including the Koto and Doki) and is dotted with lakes. The Yashima promontory, overlooking the Inland Sea, was

Theatre, Developments in staging

2005-02-27T08:47:00.000-08:00

In the latter half of the 16th century, intermezzi became a popular element of theatrical production. These entertainments, inserted between the acts of a play and totally unrelated to it, were generally on classical themes and were originally mounted during masked balls and banquets. The need to change settings rapidly for the alternating segments of plays and

Arnaud, Henri

2005-02-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

After studying theology in Switzerland, Arnaud returned to Piedmont and established himself as pastor at Torre Pellice (1685), where he

Rus

2005-02-26T20:03:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Ros ancient people who gave their name to the land of Russia. Their origin and identity are much in dispute. Traditional Western scholars believe them to be Scandinavian Vikings, an offshoot of the Varangians, who moved southward from the Baltic coast and founded the first consolidated state among the eastern Slavs, centring on Kiev. Russian scholars, along with some

Awe, Loch

2005-02-25T17:50:00.000-08:00

Longest lake in Scotland, measuring 24 miles (39 km) from northeast to southwest, situated in Argyll and Bute council area, historic county of Argyllshire, at 117 feet (36 metres) above sea level. At the lake's northern end the scenery is rugged and grand, dominated by Ben Cruachan, with an elevation of 3,695 feet (1,126 metres), but at the southern end it is much softer. The loch's shores have been the

A Moving Habitat:

2005-02-25T00:28:00.000-08:00

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

Guzmán, Martín Luis

2005-02-24T17:00:00.000-08:00

After studying law at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in Mexico City, Guzmán joined the Mexican Revolution and served as a colonel in the revolutionary forces of Pancho Villa. From 1914 to 1934, he lived in exile in Madrid and New York

Coiter, Volcher

2005-02-24T16:38:00.000-08:00

Coiter also spelled Coyter, or Koyter physician who established the study of comparative osteology and first described cerebrospinal meningitis. Through a grant from Groningen he studied in Italy and France and was a pupil of Fallopius, Eustachius, Arantius, and Rondelet. He became city physician of Nürnberg (1569) and later entered military service as field surgeon to Johann Casimir, the

Mittelfranken

2005-02-24T01:50:00.000-08:00

English Middle Franconia Regierungsbezirk (administrative district), west-central Bavaria Land (state), southern Germany. Mittelfranken is bordered by Baden-Württemberg Land to the west and the Regierungsbezirke of Unterfranken (Lower Franconia) and Oberfranken (Upper Franconia) to the north, Oberpfalz (Upper Palatinate) to the east, and Oberbayern (Upper Bavaria) and Schwaben (Swabia) to

Dewey Decimal Classification

2005-02-23T11:41:00.000-08:00

Also called Dewey Decimal System, system for organizing the contents of a library based on the division of all knowledge into 10 groups, with each group assigned 100 numbers. The 10 main groups are: 000–099, general works; 100–199, philosophy and psychology; 200–299, religion; 300–399, social sciences; 400–499, language; 500–599, natural sciences and mathematics; 600–699, technology; 700–799, the arts; 800–899, literature and rhetoric; and 900–999, history, biography, and geography. These 10 main groups

Quaker Foods And Beverages

2005-02-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

The Quaker Oats trademark was registered in 1877 by Henry Parsons Crowell (1855–1944), an Ohio milling company owner who in 1891 joined with two other millers, Robert Stuart and

Cartwright, John

2005-02-21T15:35:00.000-08:00

John Cartwright joined the Royal Navy

Daehlie, Bjørn

2005-02-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

Involved in many sports growing up, Daehlie was not serious about cross-country

Interior Design, France

2005-02-20T11:19:00.000-08:00

From the middle of the 15th century, ideas from Italy began to change the face of French buildings; this change came gradually, first in the applied decorative detail superimposed on basically Gothic designs, then extending to a symmetry and regularity of the whole. Indeed, one of the basic differences between the Renaissance in France and in Italy is that in the latter

Rupa-loka

2005-02-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

Also called Rupa-dhatu, in Buddhist thought, the world, or realm, of form. See arupa-loka.

Arung Singkang

2005-02-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

As a young man Arung Singkang was exiled to Borneo, where he gathered a following and in 1737 returned and won control of his native state, Wadjo. He also defeated Bone, another Buginese state, and created a Buginese

Arts, Central Asian, Arctic regions

2005-02-19T04:24:00.000-08:00

In the arctic zone of Central Asia, the prehistoric age extends from the 3rd millennium BC to the arrival of Europeans around AD 1800. Knowledge of the region's arts is still very limited, for it is wholly dependent upon the sculptures produced by Eskimos living on the shores and in the hinterland of Siberia and the Bering Strait. These sculptures are mostly in walrus tusk, though

Amado, Jorge

2005-02-18T22:10:00.000-08:00

Brazilian novelist (b. Aug. 10, 1912, Ferradas, near Ilhéus, Braz.—d. Aug. 6, 2001, Salvador, Braz.), was the literary patriarch of his country. The first half of his career was characterized by ideological works and the second by humorous, often ribald, novels of Brazilian life. The publication of Amado's second novel, in 1933, led to his being briefly detained, the first of many harassments by the government.

Saragat, Giuseppe

2005-02-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

A University of Turin graduate in economics and commerce, Saragat joined the Socialist Party in 1922. An opponent of the Fascists, he was exiled by them from 1926 to 1943; upon returning to Rome in

Nahyan, Shaykh Shakhbut Ibn Sultan An-

2005-02-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

As ruler of the largest emirate within the British-controlled Trucial Coast, Shakhbut maintained friendly relations with the United Kingdom and successfully resisted territorial incursions in a prolonged border dispute with Saudi Arabia. He was

Godarpura

2005-02-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

Also called Mandhata , or Omkarji pilgrimage centre, western Madhya Pradesh state, central India. It lies along the Narmada River southeast of Indore. Godarpura has noted Saivite, Vaisnavite, and Jaina temples, mostly of the 14th and 18th centuries. The Omkar temple, on an island in the river, contains one of the 12 great Siva (Shiva) phallic symbols, or lingas; another linga stands outside the Gauri Somnath temple. The

Alaska, Relief

2005-02-16T15:12:00.000-08:00

Alaska comprises nine distinct physiographic and environmental regions. Much of the mainland panhandle region, a narrow strip of land 25 to 50 miles (40 to 80 km) wide lying east and south of the St. Elias Mountains, is composed of the Boundary Ranges. There are several large icefields, and the peaks include Mount St. Elias (18,009 feet [5,490 metres]), from whose summit the Alaska-Yukon border swings

Rocket And Missile System, Surface-to-air

2005-02-16T10:35:00.000-08:00

Guided surface-to-air missiles, or SAMs, were under development when World War II ended, notably by the Germans, but were not sufficiently perfected to be used in combat. This changed in the 1950s and '60s with the rapid development of sophisticated SAM systems in the Soviet Union, the United States, Great Britain, and France. With other industrialized nations following suit,

China, KMT opposition to radicals

2005-02-16T06:23:00.000-08:00

The two parties competed for direction of nationalist policy, control of mass organizations, and recruitment of new members. Under Comintern coaching, the Communist strategy was to try to split the KMT, drive out its conservative members, and turn it to an ever more radical course. In August 1925, KMT conservatives in Canton tried to stop the leftward trend. One of the strongest

Radic, Stjepan

2005-02-14T18:48:00.000-08:00

With his brother Ante, he organized the Croatian Peasant Party in 1904. In March 1918 Radic began to cooperate with the National Council in Zagreb for the establishment of a Yugoslav

Cambium

2005-02-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

Plural Cambiums, or Cambia, in plants, layer of actively dividing cells between xylem (wood) and phloem (bast) tissues that is responsible for the secondary growth of stems and roots (secondary growth occurs after the first season and results in increase in thickness). Theoretically, the cambium is a single layer of cells, called initial cells; practically, it is difficult to distinguish the initials

Wolf Snake

2005-02-14T02:45:00.000-08:00

The Cape wolf snake (Lycophidion capense), abundant from Egypt to South Africa, is a small, drab species with a metallic sheen and lives chiefly

Meleager

2005-02-13T11:21:00.000-08:00

In Greek mythology, the leader of the Calydonian boar hunt. The Iliad relates how Meleager's father, King Oeneus (q.v.) of Calydon, had omitted to sacrifice to Artemis, who sent a wild boar to ravage the country. Meleager collected a band of heroes to drive it away and eventually killed it himself. The Calydonians and the Curetes (neighbouring warriors who aided in the hunt)

Periyar Wild Life Sanctuary

2005-02-12T08:11:00.000-08:00

Wildlife preserve in Idukki district, Kerala state, southern India. The sanctuary is noted for herds of elephants, sometimes numbering 50 members. In addition, bonnet monkey, nilgai, langur, porcupine, sloth bear, tiger, leopard, Asian elephant, barking deer, gray jungle fowl, kingfisher, the great Indian hornbill, and the southern grackle are found in the preserve. Extending

Islam, The teachings of Ibn al-'Arabi

2005-02-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

The account of the doctrines of Ibn al-'Arabi (12th–13th centuries) belongs properly to the history of Islamic mysticism. Yet his impact on the subsequent development of the new wisdom was in many ways far greater than was that of as-Suhrawardi. This is true especially of his central doctrine of the “unity of being” and his sharp distinction between the absolute One, which is undefinable

Caryophyllales, Distribution

2005-02-12T02:56:00.000-08:00

The most striking single ecological feature in the order is the dominance of the Chenopodiaceae in alkaline situations and the prominence of succulent Aizoaceae in the deserts of southern Africa. The other members of the order occur in any of several types of habitat, but in general none is conspicuous. Even the Aizoaceae in the southern African deserts are not

Amar Das

2005-02-11T03:55:00.000-08:00

Third Sikh Guru, appointed at the advanced age of 73, noted for his division of the Punjab into 22 Sikh dioceses and his dispatch of missionaries to spread the faith. Realizing that periodical meetings of all Sikhs would strengthen the faith, he ordered three great festivals a year. He was much revered for his wisdom and piety, and it was said that even

Race, Mendelian heredity and the development of blood group systems

2005-02-10T20:51:00.000-08:00

In 1900, after the rediscovery of Gregor Mendel's experiments dealing with heredity, scientists began to focus greater attention on genes and chromosomes. Their objective was to ascertain the hereditary basis for numerous physical traits. Once the ABO blood group system was discovered and was shown to follow the pattern of Mendelian heredity, other systems—the MN

Cambridge Platonists

2005-02-10T15:54:00.000-08:00

Group of 17th-century English philosophic and religious thinkers who hoped to reconcile Christian ethics with Renaissance humanism, religion with the new science, and faith with rationality. Their leader was Benjamin Whichcote, who expounded in his sermons the Christian humanism that united the group. His principal disciples at the University of Cambridge were

Amorphous Solid

2005-02-09T18:24:00.000-08:00

The following sections discuss technological applications of amorphous solids in connection with the properties that make those applications possible. It is important to understand that, although differences do exist between the properties of amorphous and crystalline solids, it is nevertheless broadly true that amorphous solids exhibit essentially

Cylindrical Projection

2005-02-09T08:31:00.000-08:00

In cartography, any of numerous map projections of the terrestrial sphere on the surface of a cylinder that is then unrolled as a plane. Originally, this and other map projections were achieved by a systematic method of drawing the Earth's meridians and latitudes on the flat surface. But this method produces distortion, so a map projection today may be created using