WiseNeck

Organic Underwear

2006-10-29T07:55:00.000-08:00

Natural soft Organic Clothinggoods are hard to find as they can often be a little course. Liv Organic Cotton Goodsare soft and luxurious and their Organic Underwear is to die for.

Beira

2005-04-04T17:54:00.000-07:00

Former principality and historical province, north-central Portugal, extending from the banks of the Douro River in the north to the upper course of the Tagus in the southeast and from the Spanish frontier in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The region was reconquered from the Moors in the 8th century, but Moorish attacks continued until the 15th. It was also

Cynghanedd

2005-04-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

(Welsh: “harmony”), Welsh poetic device, a complicated system of alliteration and internal rhyme, obligatory in the 24 strict metres of Welsh bardic verse. Cynghanedd had developed by the 13th century from the prosodic devices of the early bards and was formally codified at the Caerwys Eisteddfod (Assembly of Bards) of 1524. The device became an obligatory adornment of poems in

Economic System

2005-04-03T01:10:00.000-08:00

Way in which humankind has arranged for its material provisioning. One would think that there would be a great variety of such systems, corresponding to the many cultural arrangements that have characterized human society. Surprisingly, that is not the case. Although a wide range of institutions and social customs have been associated with the economic activities

Sokoto

2005-04-02T00:45:00.000-08:00

State, northwestern Nigeria. Bordering the Republic of Niger to the north, it also shares boundaries with Kebbi state to the west and south, Niger and Kaduna states to the southeast, and Katsina state to the east. Sokoto state occupies an area of short-grass savanna vegetation in the south and thorn scrub in the north. A generally arid region that gradually merges into

Aide-de-camp

2005-04-01T17:15:00.000-08:00

(French: “camp assistant”), an officer on the personal staff of a general, admiral, or other high-ranking commander who acts as his confidential secretary in routine matters. On Napoleon's staff such officers were frequently of high military qualifications and acted both as his “eyes” and as interpreters of his mind to subordinate commanders, even on occasion exercising

Quadros, Jânio Da Silva

2005-04-01T07:37:00.000-08:00

Quadros graduated from the University of São Paulo in 1939. He practiced law and taught Portuguese

Gagern, Maximilian (joseph Ludwig) Freiherr Von (baron Of)

2005-03-31T20:29:00.000-08:00

Gagern, like his two prominent brothers, a nationalist

Aaron

2005-03-30T15:48:00.000-08:00

F.S. North, “Aaron's Rise in Prestige,” in Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, 66:191–199 (1954), is a short study of Aaron's position. Roland De Vaux, Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions (1961, reissued 1973; originally published in French, 2 vol., 1958–60); and Aelred Cody, A History of Old Testament Priesthood (1969), include discussions of Aaron and his place in ancient Israelite life and cult. Walter Beyerlin, Origins and History of the Oldest Sinaitic Traditions (1965; originally published in German, 1961), focuses on the traditions behind the story of Moses and Aaron. H.H. Rowley, Worship in Ancient Israel: Its Form and Meaning (1967, reissued 1976), surveys the religious life in Israel, including Aaron and his role. Bertil E. Gärtner, The Temple and the Community in Qumran and the New Testament (1965), treats the religious cult in the Qumran society, in which “Aaron” was synonymous with the chief priest. Heinrich Valentin, Aaron: eine Studie zur vorpriesterlichen Aaron-Überlieferung (1978), analyzes the various interpretations of the biblical references about Aaron.

Puerto Real

2005-03-29T20:06:00.000-08:00

Ancient (Latin) Portus Gaditanus town, Cádiz provincia, Andalusia comunidad autónoma (“autonomous community”), southern Spain. It is on the north shore of the inner arm of the Bay of Cádiz and lies 5 miles (8 km) east of Cádiz. Known to the Romans, it was probably the most ancient trading station on the Bay of Cádiz and took its modern name (meaning “royal port”) when rebuilt in 1488 by the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and

Butaritari Atoll

2005-03-29T14:57:00.000-08:00

Also called Makin Atoll, formerly Pitt Island, coral atoll of the Gilbert Islands, part of Kiribati, in the west-central Pacific Ocean. Located in the northern Gilberts, it comprises a central lagoon (11 miles [18 km] wide) ringed by islets, with a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.5 square km), which provides a good deep anchorage with three passages to the open sea. Occupied by Japanese forces from 1941 to 1943, the atoll served as a U.S. air and naval

Medicine

2005-03-29T00:29:00.000-08:00

In many parts of the world, particularly in developing countries, people get their primary health care, or first-contact care, where available at all, from nonmedically qualified personnel; these cadres of medical auxiliaries are being trained in increasing numbers to meet overwhelming needs among rapidly growing populations. Even among the comparatively wealthy

Recurvirostridae

2005-03-27T07:33:00.000-08:00

Bird family (order Charadriiformes) composed of seven species of moderately large (29–48 cm [11–19 inches] ) wading birds characterized by extremely long legs, a relatively small head, and a long, slender bill. Better-known members of the family include the avocet, ibisbill, and stilt (qq.v.).

Dominion Arboretum And Botanic Garden, Central Experimental Farm

2005-03-26T02:47:00.000-08:00

Ottawa, part of the Plant Research Institute of Agriculture Canada (formerly Canada Department of Agriculture). Established in 1889, the arboretum is Canada's oldest. It occupies 40 hectares (99 acres) and includes about 10,000 kinds of plants. Its special collections of flowering crabs, lilacs, lilies, and hedge plants are as much for experimental work and study as for display to the

Heidelberg Romantics

2005-03-26T00:20:00.000-08:00

Poets of the second phase of Romanticism in Germany, who were centred in Heidelberg about 1806. Their leaders were Clemens Brentano, Achim von Arnim, and Joseph von Görres; their brief-lived organ was the Zeitung für Einsiedler (1808). The most characteristic production of this school was the collection of folk songs entitled Des Knaben Wunderhorn (1805–08; “The Boy's Magic Horn”). Compared

Middle East, Ancient

2005-03-25T07:06:00.000-08:00

History of the region from prehistoric times to the rise of civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, and other areas.

Hettner, Alfred

2005-03-25T02:54:00.000-08:00

While completing work on his doctorate at the University of Strasbourg (now in France), Hettner became increasingly absorbed in philosophy.

Biblical Literature, Apocalypses

2005-03-24T06:07:00.000-08:00

In addition, it should be noted that there were

Allais, Maurice

2005-03-23T01:24:00.000-08:00

Allais studied economics at the École Polytechnique (Polytechnic School) and then at the École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Paris (National School of

Welch

2005-03-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

City, seat of McDowell county, southern West Virginia, U.S., at the confluence of Elkhorn Creek and Tug Fork. Settled in 1885, it was named for I.A. Welch, an early settler. The county seat was moved there from Perryville in 1891. There were no bridges or wagons in this extremely mountainous area until the 1880s, and the principal products at that time were furs and ginseng. The arrival of the

Andreani, Andrea

2005-03-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

Andreani was active in Florence (1584–85), in Siena (1586–93), and in Mantua (1599). Between 1602 and 1610 he appears in contemporary

Sculpture, Western, Early Christian

2005-03-21T23:53:00.000-08:00

Early in the 20th century it was thought that Christian art began after the death of Christ or, at least, in the second half of the 1st century AD. But later discoveries and studies showed that a truly Christian art—that is, with a style quite distinctive from Pagan Roman art—did not exist before the end of the 2nd or beginning of the 3rd century. When it ended, or rather developed

Responsa

2005-03-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

Hebrew She'elot U-teshubot (“questions and answers”), replies made by rabbinic scholars in answer to submitted questions about Jewish law. These replies began to be written in the 6th century after final redaction of the Talmud and are still being formulated. Estimates of the total number of published responsa, which range in length from a few words to lengthy monographs and compendia, vary from

Anion

2005-03-20T00:24:00.000-08:00

Atom or group of atoms carrying a negative electric charge. See ion.

Kaddish

2005-03-19T20:47:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Qaddish in Judaism, a doxology (hymn of praise to God) that is usually recited in Aramaic at the end of principal sections of all synagogue services. The nucleus of the prayer is the phrase “Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will. May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days.” The congregation

Osborne, Dorothy, Lady Temple

2005-03-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

English gentlewoman best known for the letters she wrote to her future husband, William Temple, before their marriage. The letters are simply written in an easy, conversational style and present an interesting picture of the life of a young English gentlewoman in the Commonwealth period

Thomas, Martha Carey

2005-03-19T06:26:00.000-08:00

Carey Thomas, as she preferred to be known, was the daughter of a modestly prosperous Quaker family. She attended Quaker schools in her native Baltimore, Maryland, and in Ithaca, New York, then overrode her father's objections

Mason, Charlotte

2005-03-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

Mason was born into a wealthy family. She married a prominent physician and socialized with dignitaries and dilettantes.

La Fontaine, Jean De

2005-03-17T08:47:00.000-08:00

Though he never secured the favour of Louis XIV, La Fontaine had many well-wishers close to the throne and among the nobility. He moved among churchmen, doctors, artists, musicians, and actors. But it was literary circles that he especially frequented. Legend has exaggerated the closeness of his ties with Molière, Nicholas Boileau, and Jean Racine, but he certainly numbered

China, Climate and environment

2005-03-16T22:39:00.000-08:00

Although the precise nature of the paleoenvironment is still in dispute, temperatures in Neolithic China were probably some 4° to 7° F (2° to 4° C) warmer than they are today. Rainfall, although more abundant, may have been declining in quantity. The Tsinling Mountains in northwest China separated the two phytogeographical zones of North and South China, while the absence of

Vacuum Technology

2005-03-16T18:40:00.000-08:00

Capacities are available up to 14,000 cu ft per minute, with an operating pressure range of 10-2 torr to below 10-11 torr. The full speed of the pump is developed in the pressure range from about 10-6 to 10-8 torr, although the characteristic at the lower pressure is dependent on pump design. This pump makes use of the sputtering principle, in which a cathode material such as titanium is

Balczó, András

2005-03-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

A strong swimmer and runner and a consistent fencer, Balczó won individual championships in 1963, 1965–67, and 1969. He also won five team championships with the Hungarian team. He was less fortunate in Olympic

Trail Of Tears

2005-03-14T14:07:00.000-08:00

A forced migration undertaken by the Cherokee (q.v.) Indians of the eastern United States in 1838–39.

Pacific Ocean, Deep-sea minerals

2005-03-14T04:30:00.000-08:00

Metal-bearing deposits on the deep-sea floor, consisting of nodules, crusts, and accumulations of metallic sulfides from deep vents, are of potential economic interest. In the 1970s and '80s it was hoped that mining the nodules—which contain quantities of manganese, iron, copper, nickel, titanium, and cobalt, as well as small traces of other metals—might be a way to contribute

Racine, Jean

2005-03-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

The classic biography is Raymond Picard, La Carrière de Jean Racine, new ed. rev. and augmented (1961). Geoffrey Brereton, Jean Racine: A Critical Biography (1951, reprinted 1973), is also worth consulting. A popularized treatment is Alain Viala, Racine: la stratégie du caméléon (1990). Racine's central place in the history of French tragedy is discussed in Jacques Truchet, La Tragédie classique en France (1975). Critical studies accessible to the general reader include John C. Lapp, Aspects of Racinian Tragedy (1955, reissued 1978); Odette de Mourgues, Racine; or, The Triumph of Relevance (1967); Claude Abraham, Jean Racine (1977); David Maskell, Racine: A Theatrical Reading (1991); Edward Forman (ed.), Racine: Appraisal and Reappraisal (1991); Richard Parish, Racine: The Limits of Tragedy (1993); Henry Phillips, Racine: Language and Theatre (1994); and Derval Conroy and Edric Caldicott, Racine: The Power and the Pleasure (2001). The most controversial interpretations of Racine (anthropological by Roland Barthes, Marxist by Lucien Goldmann, and psychoanalytical by Charles Mauron) are reviewed with many others by Jean Rohou, Jean Racine: bilan critique, ed. by Alain Pagès (1994). Roy C. Knight, Racine et la Grèce, 2nd ed. (1974); and Ronald W. Tobin, Racine and Seneca (1971), elucidate Racine's vast knowledge of Greco-Roman antiquity. The rhetoric of the plays has been studied by Michael Hawcrowft, Word as Action: Racine, Rhetoric, and Theatrical Language (1992).

Biblical Literature, The Book of Enoch

2005-03-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

Another book that was written during the period of the apocalyptic movement in which the Dead Sea sect came into existence is the Book of Enoch, or I Enoch. It was completely preserved in an Ethiopic translation from Greek, and large parts from the beginning and end of the Greek version have been published from two papyri. Aramaic fragments of many parts of the book

Jabneh

2005-03-12T19:55:00.000-08:00

Greek Jamnia , modern Yibna , also called Yavne ancient city of Palestine (now Israel) lying about 15 miles (24 km) south of Tel Aviv–Yafo and 4 miles (6 km) from the Mediterranean Sea. Settled by Philistines, Jabneh came into Jewish hands in the time of Uzziah in the 8th century BC. Judas Maccabeus (d. 161 BC) attacked the harbour of Jabneh in his anger at the inhabitants' hostility. On the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem by the Romans

Catabolism

2005-03-12T07:44:00.000-08:00

Energy is released in three phases. In the first, such large molecules as those of proteins,

Mufti

2005-03-10T19:56:00.000-08:00

Arabic Mufti, an Islamic legal authority who gives a formal legal opinion (fatwa) in answer to an inquiry by a private individual or judge. A fatwa usually requires knowledge of the Qur'an and Hadith (narratives concerning the Prophet's life and sayings), as well as knowledge of exegesis and collected precedents, and might be a pronouncement on some problematic legal matter. Under the Ottoman

Interior Design

2005-03-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

It is important to emphasize that interior design is a specialized branch of architecture or environmental design; it is equally important to keep in mind that no specialized branch in any field would be very meaningful if practiced out of context. The best buildings and the best interiors are those in which there is no obvious disparity between the many elements

Novgorod

2005-03-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

Oblast (province), northwestern Russia, occupying an area of 21,300 square miles (55,300 square km) and extending across the morainic Valdai Hills, which rise to 971 ft (296 m); the lowland basins of Lake Ilmen lie to the west and of the upper Volga River to the east. Much of the oblast's terrain is in swamp of peat bog or reed and grass marsh, with innumerable small lakes. The remainder (about 60 percent)

Tur, At-

2005-03-10T08:36:00.000-08:00

Town, capital of Janub Sina' muhafazah (governorate), southwestern Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. It lies on the coast of the Gulf of Suez. At-Tur has been an administrative centre and seaport since the Roman and Byzantine periods. In the town the Byzantine emperor Justinian (527–565) built a monastery, its ruins still extant. From the medieval period into the early 20th century, the town served as a

Murfreesboro

2005-03-09T01:10:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1811) of Rutherford county, central Tennessee, U.S., on the West Fork Stones River, about 30 miles (50 km) southeast of Nashville. Settled near the end of the American Revolution and originally named Cannonsburgh, it was established in 1811 on a land tract donated by a Revolutionary War soldier, Colonel William Lytle, and named for a friend, Colonel Hardy Murfree. From 1819 to 1825 Murfreesboro

Antenor

2005-03-08T17:19:00.000-08:00

Antenor's bronze sculpture of the tyrannicides probably dates from about 510. In 480, when Xerxes I captured Athens,

Edwin

2005-03-08T16:39:00.000-08:00

The son of King Aelle of Deira, one of the two Northumbrian kingdoms, Edwin fled into exile when Aethelric, king of Bernicia, seized power in Deira in 588 or 590. In 616 King Raedwald of East Anglia defeated and killed Aethelric's

Vis

2005-03-08T06:29:00.000-08:00

Italian Lissa, Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, the outermost major island of the Dalmatian archipelago. Its area is 35 square miles (90 square km), and its highest point is Mount Hum, at 1,926 feet (587 m). Its climate and vegetation are Mediterranean and subtropical, with palms, Mediterranean pines, citrus, eucalyptus, cacti, and early vegetables. Fishing and canning are economically important.

Azare

2005-03-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

Town and traditional emirate, Bauchi state, northeastern Nigeria, located in the northern extension of the state. The town and emirate are peopled by the Hausa, Fulani, and Beriberi, who are predominantly Muslim. The first prime minister of Nigeria, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was born in the emirate. The area is chiefly agricultural, the principal crops consisting

Metal Fatigue

2005-03-07T19:24:00.000-08:00

Though the term dates back to the 19th century and though considerable observation of the phenomenon was made then and in the first

Lipetsk

2005-03-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

Oblast (province), western Russia. It is situated on the rolling hills of the Central Russian Upland and, in the east, the low Oka-Don Plain. The Don and Voronezh rivers cross the centre of the oblast from north to south. The local agriculture has caused most of the natural oak forest cover and grass steppe to be ploughed up, resulting in severe gully erosion. Agriculture

Interior Design, Windows and doors

2005-03-07T01:39:00.000-08:00

Windows and doors in contemporary design are not placed as decorative elements or as parts of symmetrical compositions but are primarily considered as functional elements and are expressed as such. If windows are carefully designed and placed for light, for ventilation, for air, and for view, decorative treatment is often unnecessary and a simple device such

Zambezi River

2005-03-05T09:11:00.000-08:00

The Lozi (Barotse), who dominate much of the upper Zambezi, have taken advantage of the seasonal flooding of the Barotse Plain for centuries and have an agricultural economy that is supplemented by animal husbandry, fishing, and trade. The main groups of the middle Zambezi include the Tonga, Shona, Chewa, and Nsenga peoples, all of whom largely practice subsistence agriculture.

Sunga Dynasty

2005-03-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

Most of the traditional accounts of Pusyamitra's

Sun, Photosphere

2005-03-05T02:03:00.000-08:00

Although there are no fires on the surface of the Sun, the photosphere seethes and roils, displaying the effects of the underlying convection. Photons flowing from below, trapped by the underlying layers, finally escape. This produces a dramatic drop in temperature and density. The temperature at the visible surface is about 5,800 K but drops to a minimum about 4,000 K at approximately

Barb

2005-03-04T18:11:00.000-08:00

Also called Barbary, native horse breed of the Barbary states of North Africa. It is related to, and probably an offshoot of, the Arabian horse but is larger, with a lower placed tail, and has hair at the fetlock (above and behind the hoof). The coat colour is usually bay or brown. Like the Arabian, it is noted for speed and endurance. A variety known as the Spanish-Barb is bred in small numbers in the

Eakins, Thomas

2005-03-03T20:01:00.000-08:00

Eakins was born in Philadelphia and, except for one extended study trip abroad and a brief trip to the West, virtually his entire life was spent in that city. From his father, a writing master, Eakins inherited not only the manual dexterity and sense of precision that characterizes his art but also the love of outdoor activity and the commitment to absolute integrity

Aranda, Pedro Pablo Abarca De Bolea, Conde De

2005-03-02T16:23:00.000-08:00

Aranda came from the Aragonese nobility. After initially preparing for the priesthood, he entered the army, in which he became director of the artillery, introduced the Prussian system of drill in the Seven Years'

Biblical Literature, II Maccabees

2005-03-02T11:31:00.000-08:00

The Second Book of the Maccabees, or its source, was probably written in the same period as I Maccabees. The book is preceded by two letters to the Jews of Egypt: the first from the year 124 BCE and the second one written earlier (164 BCE) commemorating the rededication of the Temple. In the preface of the book, the author indicates that he has condensed into one book the lost five-volume

Ammianus Marcellinus

2005-02-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

Born of a noble Greek family, Ammianus served in the army of Constantius II in Gaul and Persia. He fought against the Persians under Julian the Apostate and took part in the retreat of his successor, Jovian. Leaving the army at Antioch, he

Refractive Index

2005-02-28T03:05:00.000-08:00

Also called Index Of Refraction, measure of the bending of a ray of light when passing from one medium into another. If i is the angle of incidence of a ray in vacuum (angle between the incoming ray and the perpendicular to the surface of a medium, called the normal; see figure), and r is the angle of refraction (angle between the ray in the medium and the normal), the refractive index n is defined as the ratio

Heinemann, Barbara

2005-02-26T16:31:00.000-08:00

The Community of True Inspiration had been founded in 1714 by Pietistic mystics and was revived later by Michael Krausert and Christian Metz. In 1818 Heinemann was “illuminated” with a sense of religious calling. She subsequently

Bach, Johann Sebastian, Early years

2005-02-26T09:53:00.000-08:00

J.S. Bach was born at Eisenach, Thuringia, on March 21, 1685, the youngest child of Johann Ambrosius Bach and Elisabeth Lämmerhirt. Ambrosius was a string player, employed by the town council and the ducal court of Eisenach. Johann Sebastian started school in 1692 or 1693 and did well in spite of frequent absences. Of his musical education at this time, nothing definite is known; however,

Hale, John Parker

2005-02-26T03:47:00.000-08:00

After

Aylmer, John

2005-02-26T02:27:00.000-08:00

Anglican bishop of London in the reign of Elizabeth I, known for his vigorous enforcement of the Act of Uniformity (1559) within his Church of England diocese. His harsh treatment of all (whether Puritan or Roman Catholic) who differed with him on ecclesiastical questions caused him to be attacked in the anti-episcopal Marprelate

Fisherman's Ring

2005-02-25T16:36:00.000-08:00

The pope's signet ring; it shows St. Peter as a fisherman and has the reigning pope's name inscribed around the border. Used since the 13th century as a seal for private letters and since the 15th century for papal briefs, it is one of two papal seals, the other being the leaden bull (bulla). The ring, which each newly elected pope receives, is publicly broken after his death.

Siberian Anticyclone

2005-02-25T15:44:00.000-08:00

The Siberian anticyclone is one

Ramatirtha

2005-02-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Rama Tirtha, original name Tirath Rama Hindu religious leader known for the highly personal and poetic manner in which he taught what he styled “Practical Vedanta,” using common experiences to illustrate the divine nature of man. For Ramatirtha, any object whatever could be approached as a “mirror to

Nabbes, Thomas

2005-02-24T07:44:00.000-08:00

Nabbes attended Exeter College, Oxford, in 1621, but he left the university without taking a degree. He began his writing career in London in about 1630. His first comedy, Covent Garden, was dedicated to Sir John

Biblical Literature, The Third Letter of John

2005-02-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

III John, addressed to Gaius, shows that the writer is concerned about and has responsibility as presbyter for the missionaries of the church. It is somewhat of a short note concerned with church discipline, encouraging hospitality to true missionaries, and thus not unconnected with true doctrine and the command of love.

Eliot, John

2005-02-22T07:28:00.000-08:00

Eliot graduated from Jesus College, Cambridge, in 1622 and emigrated to Boston in 1631. From 1632 to his death he was pastor of the church at nearby Roxbury.

Yacht

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

As the Dutch rose to preeminence in sea power during the 17th century, the early yacht became a pleasure craft used first by royalty and later by the burghers on the canals and the protected and unprotected waters of the Low Countries. Racing was incidental, arising as private matches. English yachting began with King Charles II of England during his exile in the Low

Yerkes, Robert M.

2005-02-20T23:33:00.000-08:00

After graduating from Ursinus College, Yerkes took his Ph.D. degree at Harvard University in 1902 and then served first as instructor and then as professor of psychology at Harvard until 1917. His early studies of the behaviour

Consonant

2005-02-20T06:25:00.000-08:00

Any speech sound, such as that represented by t, g, f, or z, that is characterized by an articulation with a closure or narrowing of the vocal tract such that a complete or partial blockage of the flow of air is produced. Consonants are usually classified according to place of articulation (the location of the stricture made in the vocal tract, such as dental, bilabial, or

Alfonso Viii

2005-02-20T04:29:00.000-08:00

Before Alfonso came of age his reign was troubled by internal strife and the intervention of the kingdom of Navarre in Castilian affairs. Throughout his reign he maintained a close alliance with the kingdom of Aragon, and in 1179 he concluded the Pact of Cazorla, which settled

Crane Fly

2005-02-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

Also called Daddy Long Legs, any insect of the family Tipulidae (order Diptera). In English-speaking countries other than the United States, the crane fly is popularly called daddy long legs because it has a slender, mosquito-like body and extremely long legs. (In the United States, “daddy longlegs” generally refers to an arachnid.) Ranging in size from tiny to almost 3 cm (1.2 inches) long, these

Activation

2005-02-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

Also called arousal in psychology, the stimulation of the cerebral cortex into a state of general wakefulness, or attention. Activation proceeds from various portions of the brain, but primarily from the reticular formation, the nerve network in the midbrain that monitors ingoing and outgoing sensory and motor impulses. Activation, however, is not the same as direct cortical stimulation

Alcmaeonid Family

2005-02-18T06:31:00.000-08:00

A powerful Athenian family, claiming descent from the legendary Alcmaeon, that was important in 5th- and 6th-century-BC politics. During the archonship of one of its members, Megacles (632? BC), a certain Cylon failed in an attempt to make himself tyrant, and his followers were slain at an altar sanctuary. Accused of sacrilege and murder, the Alcmaeonids incurred the bloodguilt that

Sarada Script

2005-02-18T05:13:00.000-08:00

Writing system used for the Kashmiri language by the educated Hindu minority in Kashmir and the surrounding valleys. It is taught in the Hindu schools there but is not used in printing books. Originating in the 8th century AD, Sarada descended from the Gupta script of North India, from which Devanagari (q.v.) also developed. The earliest inscriptions in Sarada script, found

Morocco, Transportation and communications

2005-02-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

Morocco's road network effectively integrates the country's diverse regions. Established during the colonial period, the network has been well maintained and gradually expanded ever since. The railway system connects the principal urban centres of the north, and new rail links, together with improved roads, are being established to El-Aaiún (Laâyoune) in Western

Plant, Principal pathways and cycles

2005-02-17T03:01:00.000-08:00

The 6-carbon sugar glucose, a product of photosynthesis, may be translocated in the form of sucrose (a 12-carbon sugar) to nourish nonphotosynthesizing parts of the plant, or it may be polymerized into starch for storage. (Trehalose, another 12-carbon sugar, replaces sucrose in some nonvascular plants.) When required, sucrose and starch are hydrolyzed to glucose and then enter

China, Literature and scholarship

2005-02-16T01:36:00.000-08:00

As was the case with much of the painting, Ming poetry and belles lettres were deliberately composed “after the fashion of” earlier masters, and groups of writers and critics earnestly argued about the merits of different T'ang and Sung exemplars. No Ming practitioner of traditional poetry has won special esteem, though Ming literati churned out poetry in prodigious

Argentina, Perón in power

2005-02-15T17:38:00.000-08:00

Perón campaigned for the presidency in the elections of 1946. He organized the Labour Party, which was resisted by all the old parties and by the major vested-interest groups. His victory, though narrow, gave him control of both houses of Congress and all the provincial governorships. Perón's political strategy and tactics were authoritarian and personalistic. He politically

Allen, Steve

2005-02-15T14:59:00.000-08:00

Allen's mother was a comedienne, and his father was a singer and foil for her in their vaudeville act. When Allen was 18 months old, his father died, and

Tirmidhi, At-

2005-02-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

The life of at-Tirmidhi is poorly documented. He journeyed to Khorasan, to Iraq, and to the Hejaz in search of material for his collection and studied with such renowned scholars of Had

Dow Jones Average

2005-02-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

Stock price average computed by Dow Jones & Company. The averages are among the most commonly used indicators of general trends in the prices of stocks and bonds in the United States. Dow Jones & Company, a financial news publisher founded by Charles Henry Dow and Edward D. Jones, began computing a daily industrials average in 1897, using a list of 12 stocks and dividing their

U Geminorum Star

2005-02-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

Any of a class of irregular variable stars that display sudden increases in brightness so great that they are sometimes called dwarf novae. Some have been observed to brighten by as much as 5 magnitudes (100 times) in a period of hours. The prototype star, U Geminorum, brightens by as much as 4 magnitudes (about 40 times) in a few days, declining again to normal brightness in two or

Ramiro I

2005-02-12T23:32:00.000-08:00

First king of Aragon, who reigned from 1035. He was the illegitimate son of King Sancho III of Navarre. During his father's lifetime he governed this territory and was made king of it by his father's will. In 1045 he annexed the territories belonging to his brother Gonzalo upon the latter's death. Ramiro later conquered some territory from the Moors and made the Moorish kings

Interior Design, General works

2005-02-12T13:25:00.000-08:00

Arnold Friedmann, John F. Pile, and Forrest Wilson, Interior Design: An Introduction to Architectural Interiors (1970), an introduction to the field of interior architecture written for students of design; Sherrill Whiton, Elements of Interior Design and Decoration, 3rd ed. (1963), a scholarly text; Ray and Sarah Faulkner, Inside Today's Home, 3rd ed. (1968), a thorough and well-illustrated book on the interior design of homes; Diana Rowntree, Interior Design (1964), a brief and personal view of interior design written primarily for British readers; Edgar Kaufman, What Is Modern Interior Design? (1953, reprinted 1969), a very brief but perceptive treatise. A later monograph on home decorating is Mary Gilliat, The Decorating Book (1981), with special photography by Michael Dunne.

Photography, Technology Of, Gamma radiography

2005-02-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

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

Carian Language

2005-02-11T17:21:00.000-08:00

Ancient language spoken in the southernmost area of western Anatolia. The language is known primarily from the more than 100 Carian graffiti that were left by Carian mercenaries who served in Egypt. Clay tablets and monumental inscriptions in the language have also been found in Caria since World War II. Carian appears to be written in an alphabetic script. Not enough

Production Management

2005-02-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

Also called operations management, planning and control of industrial processes to ensure that they move smoothly at the required level. Techniques of production management are employed in service as well as in manufacturing industries. It is a responsibility similar in level and scope to other specialties such as marketing or human resource and financial management. In manufacturing operations,

Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, Ltd.

2005-02-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

The company was founded in 1918 by Matsushita Konosuke to manufacture and market the electric lamp sockets and plugs he designed. It was incorporated in 1935, when it took its present name, and began expanding rapidly into a number of varied electrical

Eberhard

2005-02-10T05:49:00.000-08:00

The brother of Conrad I, duke of Franconia and German king (911–918), Eberhard in 915 supported his brother's ineffectual action against the rebellious duke of Saxony, Henry the Fowler. On Conrad's death Henry became king as Henry I, probably at Conrad's wish. Eberhard renounced all claim to the kingship but in exchange became almost completely

Janequin, Clément

2005-02-09T23:54:00.000-08:00

He worked in Bordeaux in the service of Lancelot du Fau, who became bishop of Luçon, and later for the bishop of Bordeaux. He entered the priesthood and in 1525 became canon of St. Emilion.

Shields, Carol

2005-02-09T20:08:00.000-08:00

Shields grew up in the United States and in 1957 graduated from Hanover College in Indiana. That same year she married and moved to Canada. After taking a course in creative

Devo

2005-02-08T23:56:00.000-08:00

Formed

Santa Rosa De Cabal

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

City, Risaralda department, west central Colombia, on the western slopes of the Andean Cordillera (mountains) Central. It is a commercial and manufacturing centre for the fertile agricultural and pastoral hinterland. Silkworms are raised in the vicinity, and there are silver, gold, and mercury mines nearby. The city is on a highway and railroad linking Pereira, the

Ammianus Marcellinus

2005-02-07T01:37:00.000-08:00

Shah Diamond

2005-02-06T03:51:00.000-08:00

Yellow-tinged stone of about 89 carats that bears three ancient Persian inscriptions, indicating it was discovered before 1591, probably in the Golconda mines in India. The inscriptions are to Nezam Shah Borhan II, 1591; Shah Jahan, son of Shah Jahangir, 1641; and Fath 'Ali Shah, 1826. Given to Tsar Nicholas I by Fath 'Ali Shah in 1829, it is displayed in the Diamond Fund of Russia in Moscow.

Argentina, Alfonsín's administration

2005-02-06T01:16:00.000-08:00

Soon after his inauguration in December 1983, Alfonsín reversed legislation passed under Bignone by announcing plans to prosecute several members of the defunct military government, including former presidents Videla, Viola, and Galtieri. He also repealed a law granting amnesty to those accused of crimes and human rights violations during the Dirty War, and hundreds

Keen, William Williams

2005-02-05T05:54:00.000-08:00

After graduating (M.D., 1862) from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Keen was a surgeon for the U.S. Army in 1862–64 during the American Civil War. The next two years he did postgraduate work in Paris and Berlin. On his return to the United States, he became a lecturer in surgical pathology