WideBerry

Robert Irving Burns Property Consultants

2006-11-22T05:35:00.000-08:00

Robert Irving Burns has been established for over 40 years and is an independent partnership, who specialise in a full range of property services. These include commercial property
and commercial offices as well as property to let london. Whilst my business partner and I were looking for Offices, we found Rib’s expertise invaluable.

Janssen, Johannes

2005-04-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

Reared in a staunchly Catholic home, he attended local schools and then studied at Münster, the University of Louvain (1850–51), and the University of Bonn (1851–53). After

Rhynie Plants

2005-04-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

Several genera of fossil plants uncovered near Rhynie, Aberdeen, Scot., of significance in tracing the evolution of vascular plants (plants with special cells that conduct water and food). The rocks containing these fossils are of Devonian age (the Devonian Period lasted from 408 to 360 million years ago) and are part of a geological formation called the Old Red

Accent

2005-04-03T11:42:00.000-07:00

Accent has various

Philadelphia Zoological Gardens

2005-04-01T10:29:00.000-08:00

First zoo in the United States, opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1874 with an animal inventory of several hundred native and exotic specimens. It was begun and continues to be operated by the Zoological Society of Philadelphia, founded in 1859. In 1868, three years after the end of the American Civil War, a 42-acre (17-hectare) site was selected in Fairmount Park, an architect was sent

Edward V

2005-04-01T09:38:00.000-08:00

The eldest surviving son of King Edward IV and Queen Elizabeth (Woodville), Edward was born at Westminster Abbey while his father, momentarily deposed, was in exile in Holland. In June 1471, after Edward IV had crushed his foes and reclaimed his crown, young Edward was made

Haakon Sigurdsson

2005-03-31T19:08:00.000-08:00

The son of the Norwegian earl of Lade, who was killed by Harald II Graycloak, Haakon

Maryland, The colony

2005-03-31T16:28:00.000-08:00

Leonard Calvert, the younger brother of Lord Baltimore, landed the founding expedition on St. Clement's (now Blakistone) Island in the lower Potomac in March 1634. The first settlement and capital was St. Mary's City. Aware of the mistakes made by Virginia's first colonists, Maryland's settlers, rather than hunt for gold, made peace with the local Indians and established farms

Pavia

2005-03-30T04:22:00.000-08:00

Pavia originated as Ticinum, a settlement of the Papiria tribe, which was conquered by Rome c. 220 BC and later became a key point in the Roman defense

Black Flag

2005-03-29T17:09:00.000-08:00

American band whose extensive touring and prolific recording helped to popularize hardcore punk, the genre that arose in California in the early 1980s in response to the punk movement of the 1970s. The original members were Greg Ginn (b. June 8, 1954), Chuck Dukowski (b. Feb. 1, 1954), Keith Morris, and Brian Migdol. Later members included Henry Rollins (original name Henry Garfield; b. Feb. 13, 1961, Washington,

Pietas

2005-03-29T02:28:00.000-08:00

In Roman religion, personification of a respectful and faithful attachment to gods, country, and relatives, especially parents. Pietas had a temple at Rome, dedicated in 181 BC, and was often represented on coins as a female figure carrying a palm branch and a sceptre or as a matron casting incense upon an altar, sometimes accompanied by a stork, the symbol of filial piety.

Accessory Mineral

2005-03-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

Any mineral in an igneous rock not essential to the naming of the rock. When it is present in small amounts, as is common, it is called a minor accessory. If the amount is greater or is of special significance, the mineral is called a varietal, or characterizing, accessory and may give a varietal name to the rock (e.g., the mineral biotite in biotite granite). Accessory minerals

Nagappattinam

2005-03-27T10:24:00.000-08:00

Formerly Negapattam, port city, east-central Tamil Nadu state, southeastern India, on the Bay of Bengal. An ancient port known to have traded with Europe in Greek and Roman times, it became a Portuguese and later a Dutch colony. Its influence declined with the growth of Madras, 250 miles (400 km) north. Its industry includes ship repair, fishing, steel rolling, and the manufacture of metal goods. Pop. (1991 prelim.)

Brazil, Literature

2005-03-27T07:57:00.000-08:00

Brazil has had many world-renowned literary figures whose cumulative writings are regarded by many to be richer than those of Portugal because of their variety of ethnic and regional themes. Joaquim Machado de Assis, the son of a freed slave, was a leading voice of the 19th century with his romantic novels. In the 20th century the Northeast produced a particularly wide

Eye Dialect

2005-03-26T07:39:00.000-08:00

The use of misspellings that are based on standard pronunciations (such as sez for says or kow for cow) but are usually intended to suggest a speaker's illiteracy or his use of generally nonstandard pronunciations. It is sometimes used in literature for comic effect.

Cord, Errett Lobban

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

Previously a racing car mechanic and driver, he became president of the Auburn Automobile Company (founded 1900), Auburn, Ind., in 1924. Two years later he acquired the Duesenberg Motor Company (founded 1920), Indianapolis, Ind.; the brothers Fred and August Duesenberg designed the

D Region

2005-03-25T03:14:00.000-08:00

Lowest ionospheric region, at altitudes of about 70 to 90 km (40 to 55 miles). The D region differs from the other ionospheric regions (denoted E and F) in that its free electrons almost totally disappear during the night because they recombine with oxygen ions to form oxygen molecules. Hence, radio waves cannot then be reflected from it but pass through to the strongly reflecting

Ataxite

2005-03-24T23:46:00.000-08:00

Any iron meteorite containing less than about 6 percent nickel (nickel-poor ataxites) or more than about 11 percent nickel (nickel-rich ataxites). Ataxites, containing plessite, troilite, and kamacite as their main minerals, show neither the Widmanstätten pattern nor Neumann lines. Nickel-poor ataxites generally have the same nickel content as hexahedrites but have

Baseball

2005-03-23T06:12:00.000-08:00

The Yankees advanced to the World Series by defeating the Boston Red Sox 4 games to 1 in the American League Championship Series (ALCS). In the opener at New York, after being down 3–0, the Yankees rallied and won it 4–3 on Bernie Williams's leadoff home run in the 10th. The next day the Yankees again prevailed, this time by 3–2. Game three at Boston's Fenway Park was a much-awaited pitching

Undersea Cable

2005-03-23T02:02:00.000-08:00

Also called Marine Cable, assembly of conductors enclosed by an insulating sheath and laid on the ocean floor for the transmission of messages. Undersea cables for transmitting telegraph signals antedated the invention of the telephone; the first undersea telegraph cable was laid in 1850 between England and France. The Atlantic was spanned in 1858 between Ireland and Newfoundland, but the cable's

Kwahu Plateau

2005-03-22T10:45:00.000-08:00

Plateau, southern Ghana. It comprises the uplifted southern edge of the Volta River basin and extends for 160 miles (260 km) northwest-southeast from Wenchi to Koforidua. It forms the main watershed of Ghana, separating rivers in the western half of Ghana that flow due south to the Atlantic Ocean (Birim, Pra, Ankobra) from those of the Volta system (Afram, Pru, Sene) in the eastern

Mercury Poisoning

2005-03-20T07:36:00.000-08:00

Harmful effects of various mercury compounds on body tissues and functions. Certain modern industrial and biological processes concentrate mercury compounds to dangerous levels. Mercury is used on a substantial scale in numerous industries, such as the manufacture of chemicals, paints and various household items, pesticides, and fungicides. In addition to

Kaesong

2005-03-20T07:08:00.000-08:00

City, southwestern North Korea. It lies just south of the 38th parallel and northwest of Seoul, South Korea. One of the oldest cities of Korea, Kaesong was the capital of the Koryo dynasty (935–1392). It was formerly called Songdo (“City of Pine”), so named because it is surrounded by pine-covered mountains: Songak (2,506 feet [764 m]), Osong (3,483 feet), Nam (584 feet), and Mansu (754 feet). Kaesong is a castle city enclosed by a

Pematangsiantar

2005-03-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

City, Sumatera Utara provinsi (“province”), Sumatra, Indonesia. It is about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Medan, the provincial capital, with which it is connected by a major road and railway. The second most populous city in the province, after Medan, Pematangsiantar is inhabited mainly by Batak; there are also Chinese and Indians who are mostly traders, merchants, and businessmen.

Puerto Barrios

2005-03-19T08:38:00.000-08:00

Town, northeastern Guatemala, on Amatique Bay, off the Gulf of Honduras. Until the 1970s it was the principal port of Guatemala, used primarily for shipping agricultural commodities. It was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century as the Caribbean terminus of the railway built by foreign contractors from the coast to Guatemala City, which realized a century-old

Potassium-argon Dating

2005-03-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

Method of determining the time of origin of rocks by measuring the ratio of radioactive argon to radioactive potassium in the rock. This dating method is based upon the decay of radioactive potassium-40 to radioactive argon-40 in minerals and rocks; potassium-40 also decays to calcium-40. Thus, the ratio of argon-40 and potassium-40 and radiogenic calcium-40 to potassium-40 in a mineral

Subic Bay

2005-03-18T15:59:00.000-08:00

Bay of the South China Sea, southwestern Luzon, Philippines. The bay is located 35 miles (55 km) northwest of the mouth of Manila Bay and extends northward into the Luzon coastline. From 1901 to 1992, on the southeast coast of the bay, the United States operated a naval base, Subic Bay Naval Station, the largest naval installation in the Philippines. Olongapo is the largest settlement

Hypersensitivity

2005-03-17T23:02:00.000-08:00

Acquired bodily state in which the reaction to a stimulus (e.g., a substance causing allergy or a physical agent such as light) is unusually prompt or excessive. The term hypersensitivity is often used as a synonym for allergy.

Computers And Information Systems

2005-03-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

In January the Slammer worm (a worm is a malicious program that replicates without human intervention) exploited a weakness in Microsoft Web server software, spreading so quickly that it overloaded tens of thousands of business and government computer servers on the Internet. It was the largest such incident since the Code Red and Nimda worms struck the Internet

Góngora Y Argote, Luis De

2005-03-16T22:49:00.000-08:00

The son of a judge, Góngora profited from his father's fine library and from relatives

Switzerland, Trade and finance

2005-03-16T08:14:00.000-08:00

Switzerland must export finished products in order to pay for the imports of raw materials, oil, foodstuffs, and manufactured goods. The Swiss have traditionally been among the forerunners in liberalizing and facilitating international trade. The geographic distribution of the country's trade shows dependence on western Europe and especially on the EC countries.

Luthuli, Albert John

2005-03-15T22:55:00.000-08:00

Albert John Mvumbi (Zulu: “Continuous Rain”) Luthuli was born in Rhodesia, where his father, John Bunyan

Sørlandet

2005-03-15T01:18:00.000-08:00

Geographical region, southern Norway. Occupying some 6,368 square miles (16,493 square km), it embraces the fylker (counties) of Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. Its base runs along the southern coast of Norway, and it extends inland to the Bykle Hills. Like most of Norway, Sørlandet has a strip of lowland along its coast that quickly rises into interior mountains and plateaus. These highlands

Aerial Photography

2005-03-14T18:21:00.000-08:00

For the mapping of terrestrial features, aerial photographs usually are taken in overlapping series from an aircraft following a systematic flight pattern at a fixed altitude.

Hookworm Disease

2005-03-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Also called ancylostomiasis , or uncinariasis a parasitic infestation of humans, dogs, or cats caused by bloodsucking worms (see photograph) living in the small intestine—sometimes associated with secondary anemia. Several species of hookworm can cause the disease. Necator americanus, which ranges in size from 5 to 11 millimetres (0.2 to 0.4 inch), is responsible for about 90 percent of human hookworm infections

Provençal Literature

2005-03-13T22:16:00.000-08:00

The oldest extant piece of Provençal verse probably belongs to the

Sorosilicate

2005-03-13T07:44:00.000-08:00

Formerly called Pyrosilicate, any member of a group of compounds with structures that have two silicate tetrahedrons (a central silicon atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms at the corners of a tetrahedron) linked together. Because one oxygen atom is shared by two tetrahedrons, the chemical formula contains Si2O7, as in melilite or hemimorphite.

Triberg

2005-03-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

In full Triberg Im Schwarzwald, city, Baden-Württemberg Land (state), southwestern Germany. It lies along the Gutach River, northeast of Freiburg im Breisgau. Situated in a gorgelike valley among tall pinewoods near Triberg Falls, the highest (535 feet [163 m]) waterfall in Germany, Triberg is one of the oldest Black Forest resorts and is noted for its beneficial climate and its winter-sports facilities. The

Molfetta

2005-03-12T11:17:00.000-08:00

Town and episcopal see, Bari provincia, Puglia (Apulia) regione, southeastern Italy. It lies along the Adriatic Sea, northwest of Bari city. An important port in the Middle Ages and a free city for a time, it was sacked by the French in 1529. Although Molfetta is mainly modern, its outstanding Romanesque–Apulian-style Duomo Vecchio (“Old Cathedral”), a national monument, dates from

African Methodist Episcopal Church

2005-03-11T22:21:00.000-08:00

Black Methodist church in the United States, formally organized in 1816. It developed from a congregation formed by a group of blacks who withdrew in 1787 from St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia because of restrictions in seating; blacks had been confined to the gallery of the church. Those who withdrew formed the Free African Society, the forerunner

Eagle Pass

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

City, seat (1856) of Maverick county, southwestern Texas, U.S., on the Rio Grande, bridged to Piedras Negras, Mexico, 130 miles (210 km) southwest of San Antonio. It evolved as a garrison town laid out as El Paso de Aguila (Spanish: “Eagle Pass”), so named for the area's abundant birds of prey, near Camp California (on the Gold Rush Trail) and Fort Duncan (1849, now restored in a city park). During the Civil War

Muscovy Company

2005-03-10T18:43:00.000-08:00

Also called Russia Company, body of English merchants trading with Russia. The company was formed in 1555 by the navigator and explorer Sebastian Cabot and various London merchants and was granted a monopoly of Anglo-Russian trade. It was the first English joint-stock company in which the capital remained regularly in use instead of being repaid after every voyage. In 1553 Sir Hugh Willoughby and Richard

Aurichalcite

2005-03-10T14:06:00.000-08:00

A mineral composed of the hydroxide carbonate of zinc and copper (Zn, Cu)5(OH)6(CO3)2. It is commonly found with malachite in the oxidized zone of zinc and copper deposits as at Tomsk, Siberia; Santander, Spain; and Bisbee, Ariz., U.S. Its pale blue-green featherlike form distinguishes it from malachite; and, because it is a weathered product of zinc-rich ores, it can serve as a guide to

Oz, Amos

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

Oz's symbolic, poetic novels reflect the splits and strains in Israeli life. Locked in conflict are the traditions

Olmsted, Frederick Law

2005-03-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

At the age of 14, sumac poisoning seriously affected Olmsted's eyesight and limited his education. As an apprentice topographic engineer for a brief period, he received the fundamental skills

New Bedford

2005-03-09T02:07:00.000-08:00

The site, settled by Plymouth colonists in 1652, was originally part of Dartmouth. A fishing community was established there in 1760. By 1765 it had developed into a small whaling port and shipbuilding centre. The Dartmouth, which in 1767 was the first

Philip Ii

2005-03-09T02:04:00.000-08:00

Characteristically, Philip declined the trial of strength, prepared to wait for six years until he could gain Thermopylae by negotiation and without striking a blow. Meanwhile his Thessalian victory earned him election as president (archon) of the Thessalian League (probably 352), a position unique for a foreigner in a Greek confederation and one that was to bind Thessaly

Ear Disease, Lop ear

2005-03-07T15:18:00.000-08:00

Lop ear, excessive protrusion of the ear from the side of the head, is a more frequent but less serious deformity of the outer ear. Surgery may be performed to bring the ears back to a more normal and less conspicuous position.

Nagaon

2005-03-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

The surrounding area encompasses a stretch of the Brahmaputra River valley and contains many

Chianciano Terme

2005-03-07T04:10:00.000-08:00

Town and mineral spa, Siena provincia, Toscana (Tuscany) regione, central Italy. It lies at an elevation of 1,500 feet (450 m), just southeast of Montepulciano. The mineral springs, which have been frequented since Etruscan times, are located about 1.25 miles (2 km) from the town; they are a popular tourist attraction, and there are numerous hotels for the accommodation of visitors. The town

Scandinavian Literature, Romances

2005-03-06T23:31:00.000-08:00

Romances were also translated or adapted from continental romances. Interest in romance began in Norway and soon took root in Iceland. The earliest romance was probably the Tristrams saga (1226), derived from the Anglo-Norman poet Thomas. This was followed by the Karlamagnús saga (“Saga of Charlemagne”), a collection of prose renderings of French chansons de geste, including

Korosten

2005-03-05T05:48:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Korosten ', city, Zhitomir oblast (province), north-central Ukraine. It lies along the west bank of the Uzh River about 80 miles (130 km) northwest of Kiev. The city, which was incorporated in 1926, is a small industrial centre, a railway junction, and an engineering centre. In addition, it manufactures equipment for the chemical industry and has woodworking, porcelain, food-processing, and clothing

Shaker Furniture

2005-03-04T16:09:00.000-08:00

Furniture designed for the religious colonies of Shakers founded in America in the last quarter of the 18th century, characterized by austerity of decoration and truth to materials. Deeply dedicated to ideals of communal living and asceticism, the Shakers designed and constructed furniture that reflected their belief that to make a thing well was in itself an

Cinchona

2005-03-04T13:03:00.000-08:00

Four species of Cinchona were cultivated for many years, primarily in Java and also in India and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Their bark was processed to obtain quinine, which is

Pachaimalai Hills

2005-03-04T01:09:00.000-08:00

Range of hills in Tamil Nadu state, southern India, an eastward extension of the Eastern Ghats in the northeastern Tamilnad Uplands. The Pachaimalai Hills, together with the Javadi, Shevaroy, and Kalrayan hills, separate the Cauvery River basin in the south from the Palar River basin in the north. Extending over approximately 5,200 sq mi (13,500 sq km), they form a discontinuous line of highlands

Goalundo Ghat

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

Also called Goalundo, town, central Bangladesh. It is situated near the confluence of the Padma and Jamuna rivers. Goalundo Ghat is linked by road with Faridpur and Kushtia and is an important river-steamer and rail-spur terminus. Its principal transshipment commodities are rice, jute, oilseeds, sugarcane, and fish. Industries include rice milling and ice and candle manufacturing. Pop. (1981) 38,645.

Club

2005-03-03T03:10:00.000-08:00

Primitive weapon, a heavy stick, sometimes with a stone or metal head, used as a hand or throwing weapon and usually shaped or selected with an outer end wider and heavier than its handle. Among primitive groups, special designs often characterize particular tribes. Medieval European bishops denied the use of the sword were allowed to enter battle with a mace, an iron

Monticello

2005-03-02T09:50:00.000-08:00

Unlike most great mansions of the period,

Aidoo, Ama Ata

2005-03-01T07:03:00.000-08:00

Aidoo began to write seriously while an honours student at the University of Ghana (B.A., 1964). She won early recognition with a problem play, The Dilemma of a Ghost (1965), in which a Ghanaian student returning

Computers, From Star Trek to Microsoft

2005-02-28T23:18:00.000-08:00

The first programs developed for the hobbyists' microcomputers were games. With the early machines limited in graphic capabilities, most of these were text-based adventure or role-playing games. However, there were a few graphical games, such as Star Trek, which were popular on mainframes and minicomputers and were converted to run on microcomputers. One company

Tso Tsung-t'ang

2005-02-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Zuo Zongtang Chinese administrator and military leader, one of the scholar-officials who worked to suppress the great rebellions that threatened the imperial government during the second half of the 19th century. Tso's efforts helped revive the declining Ch'ing (Manchu) dynasty (1644–1911/12) and reestablished the Chinese position in

East Germanic Languages

2005-02-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Group of long extinct Germanic languages once spoken by Germanic tribes located between the middle Oder and the Vistula.

Step Cut

2005-02-27T19:01:00.000-08:00

Also called Trap Cut, or Cushion Cut, method of faceting coloured gemstones in which the stone produced is rather flat with steps, or rows, of four-sided facets parallel to the girdle (the stone's widest part). Because the facets are parallel to the girdle, they are usually long and narrow, except at the corners of the stone. The angles that the main facets make with the plane of the girdle greatly affect the

Masnawi

2005-02-27T17:12:00.000-08:00

The form originated in the Middle Persian period (roughly from the 3rd century BC to the 9th century AD). It became a favourite poetic form of the Persians and of those cultures

Fain, Agathon-jean-françois, Baron

2005-02-26T15:05:00.000-08:00

Before his appointment to the emperor's cabinet in 1806, Fain had worked since 1795 in various state archives. Napoleon made him a baron in

Space Exploration, Earth survey satellites

2005-02-26T05:45:00.000-08:00

This broad category of satellites has progressed from relatively simple photography to include many forms of observation of the Earth. Meteorological, or weather, satellites operate globally. From a polar orbit, photographs of the Earth's surface are taken by television scanning and transmitted to Earth receiver stations. In addition, meteorological satellites

New Harmony

2005-02-25T16:35:00.000-08:00

Town, Posey county, southwestern Indiana, U.S., on the Wabash River, at the Illinois border, 22 miles (35 km) northwest of Evansville. The site was first occupied by prehistoric Mound Builders and later was a camping ground for Piankashaw and other Indians. The settlement of Harmonie was founded in 1814–15 by George Rapp, a German Pietist preacher who had first come to Pennsylvania in

Switzerland

2005-02-24T13:29:00.000-08:00

Swiss economic development has been affected by specific physical and cultural geographic factors. In the first instance, there was a paucity of raw materials; precipitation and soil quality to a large extent determined the type and size of cultivation; urban and industrial expansion encroached on the limited amount of cultivable land; a central location, situated

Scandinavian Literature, The sagas

2005-02-24T00:15:00.000-08:00

The word saga is used in Icelandic for any kind of story or history, whether written or oral. In English it is used to refer to the biographies of a hero or group of heroes written in Iceland between the 12th and 15th centuries. These heroes were most often kings of Norway, early founders of Iceland, or legendary Germanic figures of the 4th to the 8th century. The oldest saga is the

Hadrumetum

2005-02-23T23:59:00.000-08:00

Modern Susah , also spelled Sousa, or Sousse ancient Phoenician colony some 100 miles (160 km) south of Carthage, on the east coast of the Al-Hammamat Gulf in what is now Tunisia. Hadrumetum was one of the most important communities within the Carthaginian territory in northern Africa because of its location on the sea at the edge of the fertile Sahel region. In the Third Punic War (149–146 BC) Hadrumetum sided with Rome, and its citizens

Leaf Cactus

2005-02-22T22:01:00.000-08:00

Common names are leaf cactus—for the mostly flattened, nonspiny stems that function as leaves—or orchid cactus—for the spectacular large flowers

Eakins, Thomas

2005-02-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

From his earliest student days, Eakins had been primarily interested in studying and portraying the human figure. His early sculling scenes displayed the musculature of athletic men, and “The Gross Clinic” dealt directly with the subject of human anatomy. But Eakins found few subjects in contemporary Philadelphia that afforded opportunities for portraying

Crane Fly

2005-02-22T03:41:00.000-08:00

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

Koguryo Style

2005-02-21T03:44:00.000-08:00

Korean visual-arts style characteristic of the Koguryo kingdom (37 BC–AD 668) of the Three Kingdoms period. The Koguryo were a horse-riding northern people, and their art was powered by the forceful spirit of a hunter-warrior tribe. Their fresco paintings on the walls of tombs are characterized by movement and emotion rather than formal beauty and decorative visual effect. Outlines

Aleutian Range

2005-02-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

Segment of the Pacific Coast Ranges of western North America, extending southwestward for about 600 miles (970 km) from the west end of the Alaska Range to the head of Cook Inlet of the Gulf of Alaska, U.S. The Aleutian Islands represent a southwest extension of the mountain peaks, which stretch the length of the Alaska Peninsula and include many volcanoes, notably Katmai (6,716 feet

Cosmic Ray

2005-02-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

A high-speed particle—either an atomic nucleus or an electron—that travels throughout the Milky Way Galaxy, including the solar system. Some of these particles originate from the Sun, but most come from sources outside the solar system and are known as galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). Cosmic-ray particles that arrive at the top of the Earth's atmosphere are termed primaries;

Chiang K'ang-hu

2005-02-20T02:45:00.000-08:00

Born into a scholar-official family, Chiang studied at home and briefly in Japan before returning to China in 1901 to take charge of the compilation of elementary-school textbooks for the schools of five northern

Frey, Adolf

2005-02-19T18:07:00.000-08:00

As a biographer Frey showed a predilection for rich character studies in the manner of the 19th-century realists. Because he knew many writers and painters when he was a professor

Gauss, Carl Friedrich

2005-02-19T08:28:00.000-08:00

Gauss was the only child of poor parents.

General Motors Corporation

2005-02-18T14:28:00.000-08:00

(GM) American corporation that became the world's largest vehicle manufacturer in 1931 and maintained that status into the 21st century. It also ranks among the world's largest industrial corporations. GM was founded in 1908 to consolidate several motorcar companies and today operates manufacturing and assembly plants and distribution centres throughout the United States

Arts, The

2005-02-18T01:42:00.000-08:00

Traditional categories within the arts include literature (including poetry, drama, story, and so on), the visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.), the graphic arts (painting, drawing, design, and other forms expressed

Tsubouchi Shoyo

2005-02-17T18:05:00.000-08:00

Pseudonym of Tsubouchi Yuzo playwright, novelist, critic, and translator who occupied a prominent position in Japanese letters for nearly half a century. He wrote the first major work of modern Japanese literary criticism, Shosetsu shinzui (1885–86; “The Essence of the Novel”), translated the complete works of William Shakespeare, helped found the modern Japanese

Jaca

2005-02-17T18:01:00.000-08:00

City, Huesca provincia, in the communidad autónoma (“autonomous community”) of Aragon, northeastern Spain, on the plateau on the southern bank of the Aragón River, just south of the French border. Of ancient origin, the city was captured by the Romans in 194 BC and surrounded by walls, which, with medieval additions, still partly stand. In 716 it was taken by the Moors and, under the name

Lipchitz, Jacques

2005-02-17T10:34:00.000-08:00

As a youth Lipchitz studied engineering in Vilnius, Lithuania. When he moved to Paris in 1909, however, he was wonder struck by French avant-garde art, especially

Paraguaná Peninsula

2005-02-16T03:03:00.000-08:00

Spanish Península De Paraguaná, Falcón estado (“state”), northwestern Venezuela. It lies between the Caribbean Sea on the east and the Gulf of Venezuela on the west. Of low elevation, the peninsula has infertile soil and is sparsely populated, but the development of the petroleum industry, especially in the 1950s and '60s, gave Paraguaná great economic importance. Pipelines lead from the oil fields at Lake Maracaibo

Ha'aretz

2005-02-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

Bukhara

2005-02-15T01:18:00.000-08:00

Uzbek Bukhoro, also spelled Buchara or Bokhara city and administrative centre, Bukhoro oblast (province), Uzbekistan, on the Shakhrud Canal in the delta of the Zeravshan River, at the centre of Bukhara oasis. Founded not later than the 1st century AD, it was already a major trade and crafts centre when the Arabs captured it in 709. The capital of the Samanid dynasty in the 9th–10th centuries, it later was seized by the Qarakhanids

July Revolution

2005-02-14T10:12:00.000-08:00

French Révolution De Juillet, also called July Days (1830), insurrection that brought Louis-Philippe to the throne of France. The revolution was precipitated by Charles X's publication (July 26) of restrictive ordinances contrary to the spirit of the Charter of 1814. Protests and demonstrations were followed by three days of fighting (July 27–29), the abdication of Charles X (August 2), and the proclamation of Louis-Philippe as “king of the

Adams, William

2005-02-14T07:34:00.000-08:00

At the age of 12 Adams was apprenticed in the merchant marine, afterward sailing in the British navy and later serving a company of Barbary merchants. In 1598 he shipped as pilot major with five Dutch ships bound from Europe for the East Indies via the Straits of Magellan.

Absolute Zero

2005-02-12T16:48:00.000-08:00

The notion that there is an ultimately lowest temperature was suggested by the behaviour of gases at low pressures: it was noted that gases seem to contract indefinitely as the temperature is decreased. It appeared that an ideal

Astronomy

2005-02-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

Until the invention of the telescope and the discovery of the laws of motion and gravity in the 17th century, astronomy was primarily

Essex

2005-02-12T06:21:00.000-08:00

County, northeastern Vermont, U.S., bordered to the north by Quebec, Can., and to the east by New Hampshire, the Connecticut River constituting that boundary. It is a mountainous region, with several peaks above 3,000 feet (915 metres). The Connecticut River watershed includes the Moose and Nulhegan rivers as well as Paul Stream. Maidstone Lake and Great Averill and Island ponds are

Racine

2005-02-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1836) of Racine county, southeastern Wisconsin, U.S. It lies along Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River, just south of Milwaukee. Founded in 1834 as Port Gilbert by a lake captain, Gilbert Knapp, in 1837 it adopted its present name, which was derived either from the French word for “root” or from the Algonkian pakwasewin, meaning “a place where wild rice is gathered.” The improvement

Syvash

2005-02-10T22:37:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Sivash, or Sivaš, Russian Gniloye More (“Putrid Sea”), system of shallow inlets of the Sea of Azov that penetrate the northern and eastern coasts of the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine. Syvash is an area of marshy inlets and coves on the western margin of the Sea of Azov, from which it is separated by the Arabat Spit, a sandbar measuring from 900 feet to 5 miles (270 m to 8 km) in width. Syvash covers an area of approximately 990 square

Avola

2005-02-10T11:22:00.000-08:00

Town, Siracusa provincia, southeastern Sicily, Italy, southwest of Syracuse. Rebuilt after an earthquake in 1693, the town has several fine 18th-century churches. Sugar refining and almond packing are the main industries. Pop. (1993 est.) mun., 31,629.

Biblical Literature, The Wisdom of Solomon

2005-02-10T01:56:00.000-08:00

The other deuterocanonical wisdom book, the Wisdom of Solomon, was written in Greek, though it purports to have been written by King Solomon himself. The hypothesis that the first half of the book was translated from Hebrew seems to be without foundation and probably came into existence because, in this section, the author imitated in Greek the Old Testament poetical

Uxmal

2005-02-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

The site is the most important representative of the Puuc architectural style, which flourished in the Late Classic Period (AD 600–900). Characteristics

Carlota

2005-02-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

The only daughter of Leopold I, king of the Belgians, and Princess Louise of Orléans, Carlota married at age 17 the archduke Maximilian, brother of the emperor Francis Joseph of Austria. They lived as the Austrian regents in Milan until 1859, when Austria lost control of Lombardy. In 1864 she accompanied

Bates, Marston

2005-02-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

After several years of fieldwork, Bates received his Ph.D. at Harvard University in 1934. From 1937 to 1952 he served on the staff of the International Division of the Rockefeller Foundation

Folengo, Teofilo

2005-02-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

Folengo entered the Benedictine order as a young man, taking the name Teofilo by which he is known. He lived in the monasteries of Brescia, Mantua,