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Anthropology And Archaeology, Eastern Hemisphere.

2005-04-03T03:22:00.000-07:00

The year 2002 yielded a number of stunning archaeological discoveries. A 50-cm (20-in)-long limestone ossuary, or box for storage of bones, bearing a text in Aramaic, was hailed as the first archaeological evidence for the historical Jesus. The ossuary, found near Jerusalem, was carved with a single line of text reading, “Ya'akov bar Yosef akhui diYeshua,” or “James, son of Joseph, brother

Yin Mountains

2005-04-03T01:25:00.000-08:00

Wade-Giles and Pinyin romanization Yin Shan, range in the Inner Mongolian autonomous ch'ü (region), China, comprising the Ta-ch'ing, Wu-la, Hara-narin, Sheyten, and Lang mountains. The Yin Mountains mostly rise to heights of about 6,500 feet (2,000 m). The highest peaks in the southwestern Ta-ch'ing Mountains reach 7,175 feet (2,187 m). The subranges run roughly east to west along the northern bend of the Huang Ho (Yellow River) to the north of the Ordos

Jaca

2005-04-02T19:46:00.000-08:00

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

Arts, East Asian, The Tokugawa, or Edo, period

2005-04-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

At the death of the Momoyama leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1598, his five-year-old son, Hideyori, inherited nominal rule, but true power was held by Hideyoshi's counselors, among whom Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616) was the most prominent. Ieyasu assumed the title of shogun in 1603, and the de facto seat of government was moved from Kyoto to his headquarters in Edo (now Tokyo). Ieyasu completed his

Medicine, In the developed countries

2005-03-30T22:25:00.000-08:00

Those concerned with providing health care in the developed countries face a different set of problems. The diseases so prevalent in the Third World have, for the most part, been eliminated or are readily treatable. Many of the adverse environmental conditions and public health hazards have been conquered. Social services of varying degrees of adequacy have been

Brentano, Clemens

2005-03-30T05:20:00.000-08:00

Brentano's mother, Maximiliane Brentano, was J.W. von Goethe's friend in 1772–74, and his sister, Bettina von Arnim, was a correspondent

Police, The

2005-03-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

British-American new-wave band that blended reggae, jazz, funk, punk, and world music influences into hook-laden pop-rock. Five best-selling albums, a bevy of hits, and aggressive touring—including stops in countries usually overlooked by Western pop musicians—combined to make the Police the world's most popular band in the early 1980s. The members were Sting (original name

Muff

2005-03-28T17:51:00.000-08:00

In the 17th century they were used by both men and women. In the 19th century, however,

Valdemar I

2005-03-27T17:21:00.000-08:00

The son of Knud Lavard, duke of South Jutland, and a great-grandson of the Danish king Sweyn II, Valdemar gained sole possession of the monarchy, concluding

Lever

2005-03-26T21:21:00.000-08:00

Simple machine used to amplify physical force. All early people used the lever in some form, for moving heavy stones or as digging sticks for land cultivation. The principle of the lever was used in the swape, or shaduf, a long lever pivoted near one end with a platform or water container hanging from the short arm and counterweights attached to the long arm. A man could

Balaton, Lake

2005-03-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

Largest lake of central Europe, located in central Hungary about 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Budapest. It has an area of 231 square miles (598 square km) and extends for 48 miles (77 km) along the southern foothills of the Bakony Mountains of Hungary. At it widest point, Lake Balaton measures about 9 miles (14 km) across. Its maximum depth is 37 feet (11 m). The Zala River provides the largest inflow of water.

Arrhenius Theory

2005-03-24T00:38:00.000-08:00

Theory, introduced in 1887 by the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius, that acids are substances that dissociate in water to yield electrically charged atoms or molecules, called ions, one of which is a hydrogen ion (H+), and that bases ionize in water to yield hydroxide ions (OH-). It is now known that the hydrogen ion cannot exist alone in water solution; rather, it exists in a combined

Abu

2005-03-23T19:11:00.000-08:00

Also called Mount Abu, city, southwestern Rajasthan state, northwestern India. It is situated on the slopes of Mount Abu, an isolated feature of the Aravali Range. The city is a noted hill resort, and the Jaina temples at nearby Dilwara, built of white marble, are famous. Tejpal temple, built about AD 1200, is known for the delicacy and richness of its carving, especially for that on the underside of its dome.

La Follette, Robert M

2005-03-22T04:57:00.000-08:00

Biographies and analyses of La Follette and the Progressive movement include Belle Case La Follette and Fola La Follette, Robert M. La Follette, June 14, 1855–June 18, 1925, 2 vol. (1953, reissued 1971); David P. Thelen, The Early Life of Robert M. La Follette, 1855–1884 (1966), and Robert M. La Follette and the Insurgent Spirit (1976, reissued 1985); Robert S. Maxwell, La Follette and the Rise of the Progressives in Wisconsin (1956, reprinted 1973); Fred Greenbaum, Robert Marion La Follette (1975); and Patrick J. Maney, “Young Bob” La Follette (1978).

Nicaro

2005-03-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

City, Holguín province, eastern Cuba. It is situated on the Bahía (bay) de Levisa, a nearly landlocked arm of the Atlantic Ocean, at the base of the Lengua de Pájara peninsula. Nicaro is Cuba's major centre for the refining of nickel and cobalt from nickel oxide, which is mined nearby in the foothills of the Sierra del Cristal. Other economic activities include motor repairing

Great Falls

2005-03-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1887) of Cascade county, west-central Montana, U.S. It lies along the Missouri River, near the falls (96 feet [29 metres] high) for which it was named. In 1805 the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark observed the falls and nearby Giant Springs, one of the world's largest freshwater springs. First settled in 1883, the community was sustained with the arrival in 1887 of the Manitoba

Ares

2005-03-18T18:34:00.000-08:00

In Greek religion, god of war or, more properly, the spirit of battle. Unlike his Roman counterpart, Mars (q.v.), he was never very popular, and his worship was not extensive in Greece. He represented the distasteful aspects of brutal warfare and slaughter. From at least the time of Homer, who established him as the son of the chief god, Zeus, and Hera, his consort, Ares was one of the

Minbar

2005-03-18T10:38:00.000-08:00

Muhammad originally delivered his khutbahs while leaning against a palm-trunk pillar in the mosque at Medina. Hadith (accounts of

Armenia

2005-03-17T21:39:00.000-08:00

City, capital of Quindío departamento, west-central Colombia. It lies on the western slopes of the Cordillera Central at an elevation of 4,865 feet (1,483 m), between the Espejo and Quindío rivers. The city lies along a spur of the railway from Puerto Berrío to Popayán and is the transfer point for road traffic to Bogotá via Ibagué (30 miles [50 km] southeast). Armenia (named for the ancient

Artemisa

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

City, western La Habana provincia, western Cuba, situated east of the Sierra del Rosario. Artemisa is a key commercial and processing centre of the region. Sugarcane, tobacco, and pineapples and other fruits are its major agricultural products. Liquor and soap are made in the city, and sugar refineries are nearby. Artemisa lies on the main highway and main railroad line

Latin American Economic System

2005-03-17T10:27:00.000-08:00

Spanish Sistema Económico Latinoamericano (SELA) association formed to promote economic cooperation and development throughout the region of Latin America. Established in 1975 through the Panama Convention, SELA succeeded the Special Committee for Latin American Coordination (CECLA). Nearly 30 countries are members. SELA's principal organ, the Latin American Council, meets annually. Headquarters are in Caracas,

Bohemian Forest

2005-03-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

German Böhmer Wald , or Böhmerwald , Czech Šumava forested southwestern highlands of the Bohemian Massif largely on the German–Czech Republic frontier and extending from the upper valley of the Ohre River, in the northwest, to a section of the Danube River valley in Austria (between Melk and Krems), in the southeast. The nomenclature of the subranges that compose the highlands is intricate and confused. The main

Cagayan De Oro

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

City, northern Mindanao, Philippines. It lies along the Cagayan River near the head of Macajalar Bay. After its establishment as a mission station in the 17th century, it was fortified by the Spaniards. Cagayan de Oro was chartered as a city in 1950 and has become the transportation and commercial hub of northern Mindanao. Its international airport is a major stopover for

Subpoena

2005-03-13T23:22:00.000-08:00

Formal instrument issued by a court, grand jury, legislative body or committee, or duly authorized administrative agency commanding an individual to appear before it at a specific time to give testimony, oral or written, in the matter identified in the document. The subpoena is used only in common-law countries, but it is similar to the citation or vocatio in jus of

Chicago Critics

2005-03-12T02:22:00.000-08:00

The group's members, associated from the 1940s with the University of Chicago, often were called “Aristotelian,” or, more accurately, “Neo-Aristotelian,

Medicine

2005-03-12T01:12:00.000-08:00

Developments in modern medical science have made it possible to detect morbid conditions before a person actually feels the effects of the condition. Examples are many: they include certain forms of cancer; high blood pressure; heart and lung disease; various familial and congenital conditions; disorders of metabolism, like diabetes; and acquired immune deficiency

Tabinshwehti

2005-03-11T21:21:00.000-08:00

In 1535 Tabinshwehti began a military campaign against the kingdom of Pegu in southern Myanmar, capturing the city of Bassein in the Irrawaddy delta. Four years later Pegu fell, and Takayutpi, the Pegu king, fled to Prome

Cordemoy, (louis-)géraud De

2005-03-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

French historian and philosopher, who showed considerable originality in his development of the general principles of physical theory. He introduced a new atomism into the mechanistic system of René Descartes by linking unity and substantiality; matter is homogeneous but contains a multiplicity of bodies each of which is an individual substance.

Plover

2005-03-10T11:49:00.000-08:00

Any of numerous species of plump-breasted birds of the shorebird family Charadriidae (order Charadriiformes). There are about three dozen species of plovers, 15 to 30 centimetres (6 to 12 inches) long, with long wings, moderately long legs, short necks, and straight bills that are shorter than their heads. Many species are plain brown, gray, or sandy above and whitish

Sholem Aleichem

2005-03-09T14:52:00.000-08:00

Drawn to writing as a youth, he became a private tutor of Russian at the age of 17 and later served as a government rabbi in Lubin. His first writing had been in Russian and Hebrew, but between 1883, when his first story in Yiddish appeared, and his death, he published over 40 volumes of novels, stories, and plays

Wild, Jonathan

2005-03-09T09:46:00.000-08:00

Married while in his teens, Wild at about the age of 21 deserted his wife and child for the life of London, where he quickly learned the criminal trade while held in a debtors' prison. He was a master

Cytoplasmic Streaming

2005-03-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

Also called protoplasmic streaming the movement of the living substance (cytoplasm) within a plant or animal cell. The motion transports nutrients, enzymes, and, in plants, large virus particles within cells. In unicellular organisms such as amoeba, it provides the mechanism for cell locomotion. First discovered in the 1830s, the presence of cytoplasmic streaming helped convince biologists that cells

Pen-hsi

2005-03-07T10:10:00.000-08:00

From the time of the Liao dynasty (907–1125) it was the centre of a small-scale iron industry, and coal began to be mined in the late 18th century. The startling modern growth of Pen-hsi began with the establishment in 1905 of the Pen-hsi Coal Mining Company with joint Chinese

Earth Sciences, Desalinization, tidal power, and minerals from the sea

2005-03-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

For ages a source of food and common salt, the sea is increasingly becoming a source of water, chemicals, and energy. In 1967 Key West, Fla., became the first U.S. city to be supplied solely by water from the sea, drawing its supplies from a plant that produces more than 2,000,000 gallons of refined water daily. Magnesia was extracted from the Mediterranean in the late 19th century; at present

Aerospace Industry, Wind-tunnel testing

2005-03-06T21:49:00.000-08:00

Computer simulation has reduced the amount of wind-tunnel testing necessary, but the latter remains an important part of the development process in the aerospace industry. During development of the Boeing 777, for example, some 2,000 hours in the wind tunnel were clocked. The wind tunnel, which predates powered flight by 32 years, is a test apparatus in which air is blown over

Paraguay, Climate

2005-03-04T19:13:00.000-08:00

The climate is subtropical in most of eastern Paraguay, which mainly lies south of the Tropic of Capricorn, and tropical in most of the Chaco Boreal extending to its north. Masses of humid air blanket the country in the summers, and the winters are subject to cold southern winds. Summer temperatures between October and March generally range from 77° F to 104° F (25° C to 40° C). Winter temperatures

Cartland, Dame Barbara

2005-03-04T17:57:00.000-08:00

Following the death of her father in World War I, Cartland moved with her family to London. There she began contributing to the Daily Express newspaper, receiving instruction in writing from its proprietor,

Rama

2005-03-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

One of the most widely worshipped Hindu deities, the embodiment of chivalry and virtue. Although there are three Ramas mentioned in Indian tradition (Parasurama, Balarama, and Ramacandra), the name is specifically associated with Ramacandra, the seventh incarnation (avatara) of Lord Vishnu (Visnu). It is possible that Rama was an actual historical figure, a tribal hero of ancient

Narashino

2005-03-03T22:05:00.000-08:00

City, Chiba ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan. Narashino is situated on the northeastern shore of Tokyo Bay. Formed in 1951 by the merger of Minomi, Maka, Tsuda-numa, and Okubo, the settlement has no city centre because the former towns are lined up along two railways to Tokyo. Truck farming is an important economic activity. Narashino is a weekend vacation area because of its proximity

Tien Shan, Glaciation

2005-03-03T19:38:00.000-08:00

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

Mugla

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

City, southwestern Turkey, on the edge of a small plain about 12 miles (20 km) north of the Gulf of Gökova. A favourite residence of the emirs of the 14th-century Turkmen Mentese principality, it was annexed to the Ottoman Empire in 1425. It is a local market for the agricultural products of the region and is linked by road with Izmir and Denizli. The surrounding region borders on both the

Tsingtao

2005-03-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

Originally a minor fishing village, Tsingtao developed a large junk trade

Earth, Outer magnetic field

2005-03-01T21:19:00.000-08:00

The actual configuration of the Earth's outer magnetic field as recently determined by spacecraft is summarized in Figure 7. The diagram shows projections of magnetic field lines into the noon–midnight meridian at a time near an equinox. At this time the Earth's rotation axis is perpendicular to the Earth–Sun line. The dipole axis will be tilted another plus or minus

Ghent, Treaty Of

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

(Dec. 24, 1814), agreement in Belgium between Great Britain and the United States to end the War of 1812 on the general basis of the status quo antebellum (maintaining the prewar conditions). Because the military positions for each side were so well balanced, neither country could obtain desired concessions. No mention was made in the peace settlement of neutral rights, particularly

Yab-yum

2005-02-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

(Tibetan: “father-mother”), in Buddhist art of India, Nepal, and Tibet, the representation of the male deity in sexual embrace with his female consort. The pose is generally understood to represent the mystical union of the active force, or method (upaya, conceived of as masculine), with wisdom (prajna, conceived of as feminine)—a fusion necessary to overcome the false duality

Cividale Del Friuli

2005-02-27T09:23:00.000-08:00

Town, Udine province, Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, northeastern Italy, on the Natisone River just northeast of Udine city. Founded in Roman times as Forum Julii, perhaps by Julius Caesar, it gave its name to, and was the capital of, Friuli, the first Lombard duchy formed in Italy. From 730 to 1238 it was the residence of the patriarchs of Aquileia. It fell to Venice with the rest of

Rio Arriba

2005-02-27T02:03:00.000-08:00

County, northern New Mexico, U.S., bordered on the north by Colorado. The Continental Divide separates the county's two geographic provinces. Eastern Rio Arriba county is high in the Southern Rocky Mountains, with pine-covered mountains of more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in elevation, topped by Trampas Peak (12,175 feet [3,710 m]). Rushing mountain streams feed into the Rio Chama, which empties into

Irminger Current

2005-02-25T02:58:00.000-08:00

Branch of the warm North Atlantic Current, flowing generally westward along the south coast of Iceland. It divides into two currents west of Iceland. One proceeds northward and then eastward around Iceland, and the other flows westward and then southwestward, merging with the East Greenland and, eventually, the West Greenland currents. The Irminger Current is a

Arpino

2005-02-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

Arpino originated as a stronghold of the Volsci, who entered the area during the 5th century BC. During the 4th century BC it was held for a time by the Samnites, and it was finally conquered by the Romans in 305 BC, and the Roman general Gaius Marius was

Uzi Submachine Gun

2005-02-24T13:45:00.000-08:00

Compact automatic weapon that is used throughout the world as a police and special-forces firearm. The Uzi is named for its designer, Uziel Gal, an Israeli army officer who developed it after the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. Gal based his weapon partly on earlier Czech designs, in which bullets were fed into the gun's chamber from a box-shaped magazine inserted into the pistol

Shadows, The

2005-02-23T22:27:00.000-08:00

London-based instrumental rock group whose distinctive sound exerted a strong influence on young British musicians in the 1960s. The original members were Hank B. Marvin (original name Brian Robson Rankin; b. Oct. 28, 1941, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, Eng.), Bruce Welch (original name Bruce Cripps; b. Nov. 2, 1941, Bognor Regis, Sussex), Jet Harris (byname of Terence Harris; b.

Petermann Ranges

2005-02-22T23:30:00.000-08:00

Low mountains extending for 200 miles (320 km) from east-central Western Australia southeast to the southwest corner of Northern Territory. A continuation of the granite and gneiss formations in the Musgrave Ranges to the southeast, the Petermanns rise to a height of 3,800 feet (1,158 metres). Visited (1874) by Ernest Giles, the mountains were named after August Petermann, a German geographer.

Dubos, René

2005-02-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

In full René Jules Dubos French-born American microbiologist, environmentalist, and author whose pioneering research in isolating antibacterial substances from certain soil microorganisms led to the discovery of major antibiotics. Dubos is also known for his research and writings on a number of subjects, including antibiotics, acquired immunity,

Paleoanthropology

2005-02-21T18:52:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Palaeoanthropology, also called Human Paleontology, interdisciplinary branch of anthropology concerned with the origins and development of early humans. Fossils are assessed by the techniques of physical anthropology, comparative anatomy, and the theory of evolution. Artifacts, such as bone and stone tools, are identified and their significance for the physical and mental development of early humans interpreted

Fish Poisoning

2005-02-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

Ciguatera poisoning is one of the most common forms of fish poisoning in the Caribbean. It is caused by fishes that in other parts of the world constitute food items (e.g., sea bass, snapper). The conditions under which these fishes become toxic in the Caribbean waters are not clear. Symptoms,

Neoregelia

2005-02-20T00:59:00.000-08:00

Neoregelia leaves are often mottled, marbled,

Giorgione

2005-02-19T07:03:00.000-08:00

Also called Giorgio Da Castelfranco , original name Giorgio Barbarelli extremely influential Italian painter who was one of the initiators of a High Renaissance style in Venetian art. His qualities of mood and mystery were epitomized in “The Tempest” (c. 1505), an evocative pastoral scene, which was among the first of its genre in Venetian painting.

Swimming

2005-02-19T01:46:00.000-08:00

In zoology, self-propulsion of an animal through water. See aquatic locomotion.

Abu'l-wafa'

2005-02-16T23:12:00.000-08:00

Abu'l-Wafa' worked in a private observatory in Baghdad, where he made observations to determine, among other astronomical parameters, the obliquity of the ecliptic, the length of the seasons, and the latitude of the city.

Liddell, Eric

2005-02-16T00:46:00.000-08:00

The son of Scottish missionaries, Liddell was born in China. His family returned to Scotland when he was five years old. A gifted athlete, he excelled at rugby as well as running. He first gained national recognition by winning

Azay-le-rideau

2005-02-15T08:54:00.000-08:00

Town and château, Indre-et-Loire département, Centre région, central France. The town lies along the Indre River a few miles upstream from its confluence with the Loire River, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Tours. Originally the site of a Roman villa, the town was known in the 12th century as Azayum. When the French dauphin (later Charles VII) was insulted by the Burgundian guard

Ishida Mitsunari

2005-02-14T05:36:00.000-08:00

Distinguished in the service of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the warrior who reunified Japan after more than a century of civil war, Ishida was appointed head of a small fief and soon became one of the most prominent

Wollaston, William Hyde

2005-02-14T01:44:00.000-08:00

Though he was formally educated as

Nicholas

2005-02-13T22:14:00.000-08:00

The son of the emperor Alexander II's brother, the

Insurance, Perils clause

2005-02-13T06:52:00.000-08:00

Until 1978 the main insuring clause of modern ocean marine policies was preserved almost unchanged from the original 1779 Lloyd's of London form. The clause is as follows:Touching the adventures and perils which we the assurers are contented to bear and do take upon us in this voyage: they are of the seas, men-of-war, fire, enemies, pirates, rovers, thieves, jettisons, letters of mart

Water Purification

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

The first treatment plant was built in 1829 to purify Thames River water by filtration. After the London cholera epidemic of 1854 was traced to a public well,

Nagaur

2005-02-11T17:48:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Nagor town, administrative headquarters of Nagaur district, Rajasthan state, western India. Nagaur, a walled town held successively by the 12th-century Hindu ruler of Dilli (Delhi), Prthviraja, by the 12th- and 13th-century Muslim conqueror Muhammad of Ghur, and by Bikaner and Jodhpur chieftains, is said to take its name from its traditional founders, the Naga Rajputs (warrior rulers of the historic

Aguinaldo, Emilio

2005-02-11T05:23:00.000-08:00

Born of Chinese and Tagalog parentage, he completed his education at the University of Santo Tomás, Manila. In August 1896 he was mayor of Cavite Viejo and was the local leader of the Katipunan, a revolutionary

Arabia, History Of, Himyarites

2005-02-11T03:43:00.000-08:00

Himyar is the Arabic form of the name of a people who appear in the inscriptions as Hmyr and in Greek sources as Homeritai. They occupied the extreme southwest of the peninsula and had their capital at Zafar, a site some nine miles southeast of present-day Yarim, on the motor road from Aden and Ta'izz to San'a'. The first appearance of Himyar in history is in Pliny's Naturalis

Mahananda River

2005-02-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

River in northern India and Bangladesh. It rises in the Darjeeling Hills in extreme northern West Bengal state. The river flows south through a rich agricultural area in Bihar state, enters West Bengal state, flows past Ingraj Bazar, and then continues southeastward into Bangladesh to join the Ganges River after a 225-mile (360-kilometre) course. The Mahananda forms in its upper

China, The court's relations with the bureaucracy

2005-02-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

Kao-tsung set the style for all subsequent Nan Sung emperors. The first two emperors in the Pei Sung, both strong militarists, had towered above the relatively modest bureaucracy they had created; most of their successors had found little difficulty in maintaining a balance in the bureaucracy. The circumstances under which the Nan Sung came into being, however, were

Azov, Sea Of

2005-02-08T04:40:00.000-08:00

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,

Wage And Salary

2005-02-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

Theories of wage determination and the share of labour in the gross national product have varied from time to time and have changed as the economic environment has changed. The body of thought referred to today as wage theories could not have emerged until the old feudal system had disappeared and the modern economy with its modern institutions had come into existence.

Resources, Allocation Of

2005-02-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

In free-enterprise

Apse

2005-02-06T06:28:00.000-08:00

Also spelled apsis , plural apsides in astronomy, either of the two points on an elliptical orbit that are nearest to, and farthest from, the focus, or centre of attraction. The line of apsides, connecting the two points, is the major axis of the orbit. The point nearest the focus is the pericentre, or periapsis, and that farthest from it is the apocentre, or apoapsis. Specific terms can be used for individual

Earth, Stratigraphic findings

2005-02-05T02:58:00.000-08:00

The sequence of layered rocks on the landmasses that constituted Gondwanaland is strikingly similar for those time periods when the landmasses are believed to have been together. In these areas glacial deposits, for example, are overlain by coal-bearing shales and sandstones containing fossils of Glossopteris and Mesosaurus, which are in turn overlain by thick

Lokeren

2005-02-04T09:15:00.000-08:00

Municipality (gemeente), East Flanders (Oost-Vlaanderen) province, northern Belgium, on the Durme River, just east-northeast of Ghent (Gent). Notable buildings include the Church of St. Lawrence (1721), the town hall (1761), and several Flemish Renaissance houses. Lokeren was granted a weekly market in 1555. By the 1940s the town had an almost complete Belgian monopoly of couperie de poils—the

Mitchell, Maggie

2005-02-04T06:45:00.000-08:00

Mitchell left school at age 12 to follow her older half-sisters onto the stage, where she filled a variety of child's walk-on and silent roles. She made her debut in a speaking role in June 1851 in a benefit performance

Zoisite

2005-02-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

Silicate mineral, calcium and aluminum silicate, Ca2Al3(SiO4)3OH, characteristic of regional metamorphism and of hydrothermal alteration of igneous rocks. A member of the epidote (q.v.) group of nesosilicates, zoisite occurs as white, green-brown, or gray crystals or masses in crystalline schists, often with amphibole minerals; in metamorphosed calcareous shales; very

Sunderland, Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl Of, Baron Spencer Of Wormleighton

2005-02-03T06:53:00.000-08:00

Spencer was the only son and heir of the 1st Earl of Sunderland, and in 1679 he became secretary

Parsons Table

2005-02-01T16:28:00.000-08:00

Also called T-square Table, simple, sturdy rectangular table having straight lines, overall flush surfaces, and square legs that form the four corners of the top and whose diameter is identical with the thickness of the top. It is not certain who designed the Parsons table, and it may have been the result of a class project, but prototypes exist in the early work of both the French interior designer

Francistown

2005-02-01T15:32:00.000-08:00

Town, eastern Botswana. It lies along the Tati (Tate) River and is an administrative and commercial centre. Francistown is the site of the Dumela industrial complex. Some gold is mined in the vicinity. The town lies in farming country on the country's main road and rail line. Air transport services link Francistown with Gaborone and Selebi-Phikwe. Pop. (1991) 65,244.

Xerxes I

2005-01-31T09:44:00.000-08:00

Old Persian Khshayarsha , byname Xerxes The Great Persian king (486–465 BC), the son and successor of Darius I. He is best known for his massive invasion of Greece from across the Hellespont (480 BC), a campaign marked by the battles of Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea. His ultimate defeat spelled the beginning of the decline of the Achaemenid Empire.

Vienne River

2005-01-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

River, western France, 217 mi (350 km) in length, a left-bank tributary of the Loire. Rising on the Plateau de Millevaches, the Vienne winds through the agricultural regions of five départements. It flows west-northwest into the Haute-Vienne département, receiving the Maulde and Taurion tributaries, which are dammed in several places, before it flows past the city of Limoges.

Wadi Halfa

2005-01-29T03:55:00.000-08:00

Town, extreme northern Sudan. It lies on the east bank of the Nile River 6 miles (10 km) below the Second Cataract, just south of the Egyptian border. Located within ancient Nubia, the town and its environs are rich in antiquities; the ruins of Buhen—an Egyptian colony of the Middle Kingdom period that existed until Roman times—lie across the river. A terminus of both railway

Homburg

2005-01-28T20:52:00.000-08:00

City, Saarland, southwestern Germany, on the Erbach River, northeast of Saarbrücken. Chartered in 1330 and 1558, it belonged to the counts of Homburg, most of whose territory was divided in 1499 between the houses of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Pfalz-Zweibrücken. It became part of the Bavarian Palatinate in 1815 and was included in the Saar in 1920. The market square is surrounded by fine 17th-century

'ar'ar

2005-01-28T10:45:00.000-08:00

Town, northern Saudi Arabia, situated in the Northern region at an elevation of 1,854 feet (565 m). 'Ar'ar was developed in the early 1950s by seminomadic people who were attracted by water made available around the Trans Arabian Pipeline (Tapline). Agriculture and livestock raising are the main economic activities. Crops include alfalfa, dates, fruits, and vegetables. 'Ar'ar has a technical

F-100

2005-01-26T23:35:00.000-08:00

Also called Super Sabre, jet fighter aircraft, the first developed for the U.S. Air Force to exceed the speed of sound in level flight. It was operational from 1953 to 1973. It was made by North American Aviation, Inc., and it became the principal tactical fighter of the U.S. Tactical Air Command and was adopted by various NATO countries. The F-100C had a wingspan of 38 feet (11.58 m) and was 47 feet (14.33 m) long. It was a single-seat, low-wing

Mah-jongg

2005-01-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

A game of Chinese origin, played with tiles, or p'ais, similar in physical description to those used in dominoes but engraved with Chinese symbols and characters and divided into suits and honours. A fad in England, the United States, and Australia in the mid-1920s, the game was revived in the United States after 1935 but never regained its initial popularity. In the United States,

Alençon Lace

2005-01-25T00:16:00.000-08:00

French Point D'alençon, needle lace made in the French city of Alençon, one of the centres designated by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, minister of finance under Louis XIV, for aid in his effort to make French laces financially and artistically competitive with imported laces. Venetian workers, experts in making point de Venise, were brought in to instruct the local needlewomen, who quickly learned

Wylie, Elinor

2005-01-24T21:09:00.000-08:00

Elinor Hoyt grew up from age 12 in Washington, D.C., where her father served as assistant U.S. attorney general and later as solicitor general. In 1904 she graduated from

Benalla

2005-01-24T00:23:00.000-08:00

City, central Victoria, Australia, on the Broken River. Founded in 1848 on an overland stock route after Sir Thomas Mitchell's exploration of the area, its name is derived from an Aboriginal term meaning “crossing place.” The city is a rail and highway junction and the commercial centre for a district of livestock, poultry, and grain farming. Local industries include flour

Haarlemmermeer

2005-01-23T08:10:00.000-08:00

Gemeente (commune), Noord-Holland provincie, The Netherlands, occupying the reclaimed Haarlem Lake, which was drained between 1840 and 1852. There is a network of roads and ditches at right angles within the enclosing canal and dike. The population is concentrated in the villages of Hoofddorp, Nieuw-Vennep, Badhoevedorp, and Zwanenburg, which are situated along the dike and

Argand Burner

2005-01-21T14:35:00.000-08:00

First scientifically constructed oil lamp, patented in 1784 in England by a Swiss, Aimé Argand. The first basic change in lamps in thousands of years, it applied a principle that was later adapted to gas burners. The Argand burner consisted of a cylindrical wick housed between two concentric metal tubes. The inner tube provided a passage through which air rose into the

Chabrias

2005-01-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

Chabrias defeated the Spartans in 388 and again in 378, when Athens joined Thebes against Sparta. On the latter occasion he invented a new defensive technique: he ordered each soldier to receive a charge kneeling on his left knee, with his shield

Blondel, André-eugène

2005-01-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

Blondel became a professor of electrotechnology at the School of Bridges and Highways and the School of Mines in Paris. In 1893 he invented the electromagnetic oscillograph, a device that allowed electrical

Soter, Saint

2005-01-20T01:49:00.000-08:00

Succeeding St. Anicetus as pope, Soter sent a letter and alms to the church of Corinth, whose bishop, St. Dionysius, replied in a letter that acknowledged Soter's affection and theological advice. Soter continued Pope Anicetus' attack against Montanism, a heresy overemphasizing prophecy and rigid moral

Chaffee, Adna R(omanza)

2005-01-19T05:04:00.000-08:00

After long service against the Indians in the West, Chaffee was promoted to the rank of brigadier general (1898) at the outbreak of the Spanish-American War, during which he gained distinction at the Battle of El Caney in the Santiago

Hermes

2005-01-19T04:29:00.000-08:00

Greek god, son of Zeus and Maia; often identified with the Roman Mercury (q.v.) and with Casmilus or Cadmilus, one of the Cabeiri (q.v.). His name is probably derived from herma (see herm), the Greek word for a heap of stones, such as was used in the country to indicate boundaries or as a landmark. The earliest centre of his cult was probably Arcadia, where Mt. Cyllene was reputed to be

Bejel

2005-01-17T20:52:00.000-08:00

Although endemic syphilis differs clinically from sporadic (venereal) syphilis, both are diagnosed by the same tests, treated by the same drugs, and caused by the same parasite (Treponema pallidum); both cause the same fundamental pathological changes in the tissues.