PresentCollar

organic bed linen

2006-10-29T00:35:00.000-07:00

Livs range of soft luxurious bed linenis sourced ethically from India and using a fair trade policy. Liv also provide duvet cover set and bath towel set.

Lauzun, Antonin-nompar De Caumont, Count And Duke (comte Et Duc) De

2005-04-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

The son of Gabriel de Caumont, comte de Lauzun, he was at first known as the marquis de Puyguilhem. In 1658 he was appointed colonel of Louis XIV's foreign dragoons.

Balard, Antoine-jérôme

2005-04-04T00:38:00.000-07:00

In studying salt marsh flora from Mediterranean waters, Balard, after crystallizing sodium chloride and sodium sulfate from the seawater, saturating

Breakwater

2005-04-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

Artificial offshore structure protecting a harbour, anchorage, or marina basin from water waves. Breakwaters intercept longshore currents and tend to prevent beach erosion. Over the long term, however, the processes of erosion and sedimentation cannot be effectively overcome by interfering with currents and the supply of sediment. Deposition of sediment at

Celesta

2005-04-02T09:23:00.000-08:00

Also spelled celeste, orchestral percussion instrument resembling a small upright piano, patented by a Parisian, Auguste Mustel, in 1886. It consists of a series of small metal bars (and hence is a metallophone) with a keyboard and a simplified piano action in which small felt hammers strike the bars. Each bar is resonated by a wooden box or similar chamber tuned to reinforce the fundamental

Koga

2005-04-02T00:05:00.000-08:00

City, Ibaraki ken (prefecture), eastern Honshu, Japan. It lies at the confluence of the Omoi and Watarase rivers. An important river port, Koga was a castle town and post town on the Nikko-kaido (Nikko Highway) in the Tokugawa period (1603–1867). It became a major trade centre for the surrounding agricultural region after the Tohoku Main Line railway opened in 1891. Silk manufacture, introduced

Sukhoy

2005-04-01T05:49:00.000-08:00

The Sukhoy design bureau has three

Ear, Human, Transmission of sound by bone conduction

2005-03-31T08:23:00.000-08:00

There is another route by which sound can reach the inner ear: by conduction through the bones of the skull. When the handle of a vibrating tuning fork is placed on a bony prominence such as the forehead or mastoid process behind the ear, its note is clearly audible. Similarly, the ticking of a watch held between the teeth can be distinctly heard. When the external canals

Asti

2005-03-31T04:04:00.000-08:00

City, capital of Asti province, Piemonte (Piedmont) region, northwestern Italy. It lies at the confluence of the Tanaro and Borbera rivers, 28 miles (45 km) southeast of Turin. Asti was the Hasta, or Colonia, of the Romans and was the seat of a bishopric from AD 932. It reached its zenith as an independent commune in the 13th century, after which it fell to several overlords before coming under

Usufruct

2005-03-30T18:18:00.000-08:00

In Roman-based legal systems, the temporary right to the use and enjoyment of the property of another, without changing the character of the property. This legal concept developed in Roman law and found significant application in the determination of the property interests between a slave held under a usus fructus (Latin: “use and enjoyment”) bond and a temporary master.

Flodoard

2005-03-29T02:53:00.000-08:00

After returning from a visit to Pope Leo VII in Rome, Flodoard became involved in a dispute

Kerr, Roy P(atrick)

2005-03-28T17:46:00.000-08:00

Kerr received an M.S. (1954) from New Zealand University (now dissolved) and his Ph.D. (1960) from Cambridge University. He served on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin

Massachusetts Bay

2005-03-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

Inlet of the North Atlantic Ocean, extending southward for about 60 miles (100 km) from Cape Ann to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, U.S. It includes Nahant, Boston, Plymouth, and Cape Cod bays and Gloucester and Salem harbours. The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway enters the bay through the Cape Cod Canal and reaches its northernmost point at Boston. Late in 1620, the Pilgrims explored Cape

Clotilda, Saint

2005-03-27T23:21:00.000-08:00

Clotilda was the granddaughter of Gundioc, king of Burgundy, who was related to the Visigothic kings and shared their Arian Christian faith. At Gundioc's death his kingdom was divided between his four sons, Gundobad, Godegesil,

Sankt Pölten

2005-03-27T09:34:00.000-08:00

City, Niederösterreich Bundesland (federal state), northeastern Austria. It lies along the Traisen River between the foothills of the Alps and the Danube River, west of Vienna. Once the site of the Roman settlement of Aelium Cetium, the town developed in the 8th century around an abbey dedicated to St. Hippolytus, whose name in Germanicized form became Sankt Pölten. The

World War Ii, Montgomery's Battle of el-Alamein and Rommel's retreat, 194243

2005-03-27T01:09:00.000-08:00

By mid-October the British 8th Army had 230,000 men

Avilés

2005-03-25T21:45:00.000-08:00

City, Asturias provincia and comunidad autónoma (“autonomous community”), northwestern Spain. It lies along the Ría (inlet) de Avilés, an inlet of the Bay of Biscay. A summer resort with beaches at nearby Salinas, the city has an iron and steel industry and a fishing fleet, and it exports coal from the Asturias mines. Avilés is rich in medieval architecture, its outstanding

Celsian

2005-03-25T14:48:00.000-08:00

An uncommon feldspar mineral, barium aluminosilicate (BaAl2Si2O8), that occurs as hard, light-coloured, glassy masses and crystals in association with manganese deposits in contact zones, as at Jakobsberg, Swed.; Tochigi prefecture, Japan; Rhiw, Wales; near the Omuramba Otjosondjou (dry riverbed), Namibia; and near Incline, Calif., U.S. It may be regarded as the barium equivalent

Chamonix-mont-blanc

2005-03-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

Internationally known mountain resort in the French Alps, Haute-Savoie département, Rhône-Alpes region, west of Annecy. It is situated at an elevation of 3,402 feet (1,037 m) on both sides of the Arve River, which rises in the Sea of Ice, largest of Mont Blanc's glaciers. The peaks of the rugged mountain chain of Brévent and Rouges rise to the northwest above the right bank, while the snow-clad

Furniture, Constructional style and stylization

2005-03-23T18:21:00.000-08:00

In general, furniture can be designed in two styles, one of which is constructional in that the appearance of the piece reflects the way it is put together, and the other of which is stylized in that the appearance of the piece conceals the way it is put together, the principle being to make the joints flush with adjoining members so as to give the impression that the object

Rhythmic Sportive Gymnastics

2005-03-23T01:13:00.000-08:00

Also called moderne gymnastics , or modern rhythmic gymnastics the performance of systematic physical exercise with the aid of such hand apparatuses as ropes, hoops, balls, clubs, and ribbons. It is closely related to women's artistic gymnastics—a sport performed on the vaulting horse, uneven parallel bars, balance beam, and floor—and, like synchronized swimming, is allied with dance. The sport dates from the 18th century; and, although

Szechwan, Relief

2005-03-22T02:33:00.000-08:00

Szechwan is bordered on all sides by lofty highlands. To the north, the Tsinling Mountains extend from east to west and attain an elevation between 11,000 and 13,000 feet (3,300 and 4,000 metres) above sea level. The limestone Ta-pa Mountains rise to approximately 9,000 feet on the northeast, while the Ta-lou Mountains, a lower and less continuous range, with an average elevation of 5,000 to 7,000 feet, border the

Berdyansk

2005-03-21T11:43:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Berdiansk, formerly (1939–58) Osipenko, city and port, Zaporizhzhya oblast (province), southeastern Ukraine. It lies along the Berdyansk Gulf of the Sea of Azov. Founded in 1827, the city is a holiday and health resort. Its industries include engineering, oil processing, flour milling, and fishing. Pop. (1991 est.) 138,700.

Anders, Wladyslaw

2005-03-21T02:17:00.000-08:00

After service in the Russian army during World War I, Anders entered the armed forces of the newly reconstituted Polish

Xenophon

2005-03-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

As a writer of prose, Xenophon ranked with his fellow historians Herodotus and Thucydides in the opinion of literary critics of antiquity and had a stronger influence on Latin literature than either. His works were translated into many European languages in the 16th century, and, until comparatively recently, his reputation stood high. He was the first journalist

Cordgrass

2005-03-19T15:21:00.000-08:00

Most species grow in clumps, with short flower spikes alternating along and often adherent to the upper portion of the stems,

Anthropology And Archaeology, Western Hemisphere.

2005-03-19T14:58:00.000-08:00

Recent archaeological discoveries continued in 1999 to shed light on the first Americans and pre-Columbian civilizations and also on more recent American history. In regard to the latter, English colonist Mistress Ann Forest, wife of Thomas Forest, arrived at Jamestown, Va., in 1608 with her husband but died within a year. She and her maid were the only two women at Jamestown

Biblical Literature, Literary criticism

2005-03-19T09:44:00.000-08:00

Literary criticism endeavours to establish the literary genres (types or categories) of the various documents and to reach conclusions about their structure, date, and authorship. These conclusions are based as far as possible on internal evidence, but external evidence is also very helpful, especially where date is concerned. If the document under consideration

Rickets

2005-03-19T01:25:00.000-08:00

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that is produced in the skin by the action of sunlight's ultraviolet rays on its precursor, 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3). Vitamin D is also absorbed from the diet, especially from irradiated milk, liver, and fish oils.

Great Chain Of Being

2005-03-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

Also called Chain Of Being, conception of the nature of the universe that had a pervasive influence on Western thought, particularly through the ancient Greek Neoplatonists and derivative philosophies during the European Renaissance and the 17th and early 18th centuries. The term denotes three general features of the universe: plenitude, continuity, and gradation. The principle of plenitude

Qi Baishi

2005-03-17T09:19:00.000-08:00

Qi was of humble origins, and it was largely through his own efforts that he became adept at the arts of poetry, calligraphy, and painting. He was active to the end of his long life and served as head of the Beijing Institute of Chinese

Submarine Canyon

2005-03-16T20:45:00.000-08:00

Undersea canyons are found along the slopes of most continental margins. They also occur along the slopes of the Hawaiian Islands and possibly certain other ocean islands. The majority of these V-shaped depressions

China, Literature and scholarship

2005-03-16T05:15:00.000-08:00

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

Matthau, Walter

2005-03-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Born into a family of Jewish-Russian immigrants, he was compelled to work at a very early age. By the time he was 11, he was employed at the concession stand in a Lower East Side Yiddish theatre. To pick up extra money, he began playing bit

Eyelid

2005-03-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

Movable shield of skin and tissue that protects the eyeball from mechanical injury and helps to provide the moist chamber essential for the normal functioning of the conjunctiva and cornea. The conjunctiva is the mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and covers all the visible portion of the eyeball except the cornea, the transparent part of the eyeball that

Dewar, Sir James

2005-03-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

Educated at the University of Edinburgh, Dewar became a professor at the University of Cambridge (1875) and at the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London

Alabama, Education

2005-03-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

Elementary and secondary education in Alabama have improved substantially since the 1960s, though public schools in the state suffer from very weak local funding resulting from the state's low taxation on property. Teachers' salaries have risen since the early 1970s. Rural schools get less support than urban ones. Most public schools are integrated racially, though a substantial

Definite Proportions, Law Of

2005-03-13T17:34:00.000-08:00

Statement that every chemical compound contains fixed and constant proportions (by weight) of its constituent elements. Although many experimenters had long assumed the truth of the principle in general, the French chemist Joseph-Louis Proust first accumulated conclusive evidence for it in a series of researches on the composition of many substances, especially

Ahikar, The Story Of

2005-03-13T05:02:00.000-08:00

Folktale of Babylonian or Persian origin, about a wise and moral man who supposedly served as one of the chief counselors of Sennacherib, king of Assyria (704–681 BC). Like the biblical Job, Ahikar was a prototype of the just man whose righteousness was sorely tested and ultimately rewarded by God. Betrayed by his power-hungry adopted son, Ahikar was condemned to death, suffered

Jack The Ripper

2005-03-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

Works examining the Jack the Ripper case include Maxim Jakubowski and Nathan Braund (eds.), The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper (1999); Stewart P. Evans and Keith Skinner, The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Companion: An Illustrated Encyclopedia (also published as The Ultimate Jack the Ripper Sourcebook: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, 2000); Stewart P. Evans and Paul Gainey, The Lodger: The Arrest and Escape of Jack the Ripper (1995; also published as Jack the Ripper: First American Serial Killer, 1996, reissued 1998); and Philip Sugden, The Complete History of Jack the Ripper, rev. ed. (1995).

Klos, Elmar

2005-03-12T00:58:00.000-08:00

Czech filmmaker (b. Jan. 26, 1910, Brno, Moravia, Austria-Hungary--d. July 19, 1993, Prague, Czech Republic), collaborated with the Hungarian-born director Jan Kadar on some of the finest motion pictures in the so-called Czech New Wave, most notably The Shop on Main Street, which won the Academy Award for the best foreign film of 1965. Klos studied law at Charles University in Prague and began doing

Kean University

2005-03-11T16:06:00.000-08:00

Public, coeducational institution of higher learning in Union, New Jersey, U.S. It comprises schools of Business, Government and Technology; Education; Liberal Arts; and Natural Sciences, Nursing and Mathematics. Master's degree programs are available in education, psychology, business, liberal studies, speech pathology, nursing, and public administration. Campus

Genet, Edmond-charles

2005-03-11T03:51:00.000-08:00

In 1781 Edmond succeeded his father, Edmé-Jacques Genet, as head of the translation department at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Witz, Konrad

2005-03-11T01:46:00.000-08:00

Little is known about Witz's life or training, but in 1434 he entered the painters' guild in Basel, where he worked most of his life. The Heilsspiegel altarpiece

Animal Breeding

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

Controlled propagation of domestic animals. Its aim is the improvement of qualities considered desirable by humans. Breeding procedures involve the application of several basic sciences, chiefly reproductive physiology, genetics, and statistics. This article deals with the practical application of scientific principles to the selection of superior animals

Peter Ii

2005-03-09T22:41:00.000-08:00

The son of Alexander I, who was assassinated during a visit to France on Oct. 9, 1934, Peter became titular king at 11, but the actual rule was in the hands of a regent, his uncle Prince Paul. After Paul was deposed by a coup of officers led by Gen. Dušan Simovic on March 27, 1941, Peter ruled for a few weeks until Axis troops invaded. He then

Padua

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

Italian Padova, Latin Patavium, city, capital of Padova province, Veneto region, northern Italy, on the River Bacchiglione, west of Venice. The Roman Patavium, founded, according to legend, by the Trojan hero Antenor, it was first mentioned in 302 BC, according to the Roman historian Livy, who was born there (59 BC). The town prospered greatly and, in the 11th–13th century, was a leading Italian commune. The poet Dante lived

Antibiotic

2005-03-08T20:52:00.000-08:00

Although antibiotics are released naturally into the soil by bacteria and fungi, they did not come into worldwide prominence until the introduction of penicillin in 1941. Since then they have revolutionized the treatment of bacterial infections

Czechoslovak Hussite Church

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

Formerly Czechoslovak Church, church established in Czechoslovakia in 1920 by a group of dissident Roman Catholic priests. Its forerunner was the Jednota (Union of the Catholic Czechoslovak Clergy), founded in 1890 to promote such reforms as use of the vernacular in the liturgy and voluntary clerical celibacy. The new church, formed when these demands were rejected by the Vatican in 1919, adopted a rationalistic

Nordland

2005-03-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

Fylke (county), northern Norway, bordering the Norwegian Sea. Its many offshore islands include most of the Lofoten Islands and the Vesterålen archipelago. With an area of 14,798 square miles (38,327 square km), including the northern islands, Nordland extends for about 300 miles (500 km) along the coast; about two-thirds of the fylke is north of the Arctic Circle. The coastline is rugged and

Arnold, Samuel

2005-03-06T23:18:00.000-08:00

Educated at Chapel Royal, Arnold became composer to Covent Garden Theatre; his first annual production was The Maid of the Mill (1765). Subsequent positions were as music director of the Theatre

Chuuk Islands

2005-03-06T16:27:00.000-08:00

Formerly Truk Islands, or Hogoleu, cluster of 14 much-eroded high volcanic islands in Chuuk State, Federated States of Micronesia, in the western Pacific Ocean. Forming part of the eastern Caroline Islands, the Chuuk Islands are enclosed within an encircling barrier bank composed of some 69 sand and coral islets. The bank (often referred to as a reef) encloses a lagoon of 822 square miles (2,129 square km) in area and

Allspice

2005-03-06T03:46:00.000-08:00

Tropical evergreen tree (Pimenta diocia, formerly P. officinalis) of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae), native to the West Indies and Central America and valued for its berries, the source of a highly aromatic spice. Allspice was so named because the flavour of the dried berry resembles a combination of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It is widely used in baking

East Germanic Languages

2005-03-05T03:49:00.000-08:00

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

Guadalajara, University Of

2005-03-05T02:10:00.000-08:00

Spanish Universidad De Guadalajara, coeducational state-supported autonomous institution of higher learning at Guadalajara, Mex., founded in 1792 and restructured in 1925. Dissident students and professors from the university formed a private Autonomous University of Guadalajara (1935), which continues to exist independently. The original university includes faculties covering a wide range of academic

Biblical Literature, The Revised Standard Version

2005-03-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

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

Turner, Frederick Jackson

2005-03-04T07:48:00.000-08:00

American historian best known for the “frontier thesis.” The single most influential interpretation of the American past, it proposed that the distinctiveness of the United States was attributable to its long history of “westering.” Despite the fame of this monocausal interpretation, as the teacher and mentor of dozens of

Nicholas V

2005-03-03T02:20:00.000-08:00

Original name Tommaso Parentucelli influential Renaissance pope (reigned 1447–55) and founder of the Vatican Library. Soon after his election, he brought to an end the schism caused by rivalries between popes and councils. By 1455 he had restored peace to the Papal States and to Italy. He began a program for the rebuilding of many of Rome's architectural wonders, including St. Peter's

Euclidean Geometry, To find a circle touching three given circles

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

The problem of finding a circle touching three given circles K1, K2, K3 may be considered. For simplicity the circles may be mutually external. The radical axes of each pair can be constructed by methods that are described in the section Construction of radical axis of two nonconcentric circles. These axes, which are assumed distinct and no two parallel, all meet in a point

Insurance, Life insurance

2005-03-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

Life insurance may be defined as a plan under which large groups of individuals can equalize the burden of loss from death by distributing funds to the beneficiaries of those who die. From the individual standpoint life insurance is a means by which an estate may be created immediately for one's heirs and dependents. It has achieved its greatest acceptance in Canada,

Music

2005-03-02T01:11:00.000-08:00

Major pop artists Pink Floyd, the Eagles, the Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, and Billy Joel and Elton John (together) undertook tours in 1994, restoring the summer concert business to prosperity after several slow years. Pink Floyd toured in support of The Division Bell, the group's first studio album in seven years. Dramatic, sweeping, and laced with the sonorous guitar

Pius Iii

2005-03-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

He was made archbishop of Siena and cardinal deacon in 1460 by his uncle, Pope Pius II (formerly Cardinal Aneas Silvius Piccolomini), who permitted him to assume the name and arms of the Piccolomini. He was employed by subsequent popes in several important legations, as by Paul II at the Diet of

Mesopotamia, History Of, Adad-nirari III and his successors

2005-03-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

Shamshi-Adad V died while Adad-nirari III (810–783) was still a minor. His Babylonian mother, Sammu-ramat, took over the regency, governing with great energy until 806. The Greeks, who called her Semiramis, credited her with legendary accomplishments, but historically little is known about her. Adad-nirari later led several campaigns against the Medes and also against Syria and

Van Doren, Mark

2005-02-28T16:21:00.000-08:00

Van Doren was the son of a country doctor, and was reared on the family farm in eastern

Gag Rule

2005-02-28T08:37:00.000-08:00

In U.S. history, any of a series of congressional resolutions that tabled, without discussion, petitions regarding slavery; passed by the House of Representatives between 1836 and 1840 and repealed in 1844. Abolition petitions, signed by more than 2,000,000 persons, had inundated Congress after the establishment of the American Anti-Slavery Society (1833). Gag rules, supported by proslavery congressmen,

Qantas Airways Limited

2005-02-27T14:59:00.000-08:00

Australian airline, the oldest in the English-speaking world, founded in 1920 as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd. (from which the name Qantas was derived). Its first operations were taxi services and joy flights. By the late 20th century, however, its scheduled air routes extended throughout Australasia and farther termini of San Francisco and Vancouver;

Latin-faliscan Languages

2005-02-27T04:25:00.000-08:00

Language group proposed by some scholars to be included in the Italic branch of Indo-European languages. The group includes Latin, which emanated from Rome, and Faliscan, spoken in the Falerii district in southeastern Etruria. Closely related to Latin, Faliscan is known from a few short inscriptions written in the Etruscan alphabet. The other subdivision of Italic

Fargo

2005-02-26T09:50:00.000-08:00

Seat (1873) of Cass county and the largest city of North Dakota, U.S., on the Red River of the North, opposite Moorhead, Minn. Founded in 1871 by the Northern Pacific Railway, it served as an outfitting post for settlers, with its rail, steamboat, and stagecoach facilities. It was named for William George Fargo (of Wells, Fargo & Company), a pioneer in the shipment of goods by express. The development

Belchatów

2005-02-25T20:16:00.000-08:00

A major lignite deposit was discovered in 1960 near Belchat

Beja

2005-02-25T18:03:00.000-08:00

Distrito (“district”), southern Portugal. It is the largest district in Portugal and produces olives, olive oil, wheat, rye, cork, dairy products, and leather goods. There is mining for copper, silver, lead, and zinc near Beja city at the Castro Verde project. In 1974 the Portuguese government initiated an agrarian reform program by which most of the estate holdings of the district

Aëtius

2005-02-25T06:54:00.000-08:00

Originating probably near Antioch, Aëtius studied there under Arian masters while supporting himself as a goldsmith and a physician, rendering gratuitous service

Culebra Island

2005-02-25T03:48:00.000-08:00

Spanish Isla De Culebra, island, Puerto Rico, 20 miles (30 km) east of Puerto Rico island and 15 miles west of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. The island fronts north on the Atlantic Ocean and south and west on Vieques Sound, which connects the Atlantic with the Caribbean Sea. About 7 miles (11 km) long and 2 miles (3 km) wide, Culebra Island is 10 square miles (26 square km) in area. Its hilly, almost barren mass of limestone and igneous

Ringsaker

2005-02-23T06:59:00.000-08:00

Town, Hedmark fylke (county), southeastern Norway. It lies along the eastern shore of Mjøsa, the largest lake in Norway. Situated along the main road and rail line between Oslo and Trondheim, Ringsaker lies in a rich agricultural and lumbering region. Tourism is based mainly on the scenery of the lake area, a 12th-century church, and a nearby 13th-century castle. Pop. (1989 est.) mun., 30,960.

Hawk Moth

2005-02-23T03:00:00.000-08:00

Also called Sphinx Moth, or Hummingbird Moth (family Sphingidae), any member of cosmopolitan insects (order Lepidoptera), named for their hovering, swift flight patterns. These stout-bodied moths have long, narrow forewings and shorter hindwings, with wingspans ranging from 5 to 20 cm (2 to 8 inches). Many species pollinate flowers such as orchids and petunias while sucking nectar; the proboscis (feeding organ) of some

Hypothalamus

2005-02-22T17:44:00.000-08:00

The hypothalamus and pituitary

Philip

2005-02-22T02:15:00.000-08:00

The youngest son of the Holy Roman emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, Philip was destined for the church. After being provost of the cathedral at Aachen, he was, in 1190 or 1191, elected bishop of Würzburg. Shortly after the death of his brother Frederick

Belcher, Sir Edward

2005-02-21T14:26:00.000-08:00

The grandson of a governor of Nova Scotia, Belcher entered the navy in 1812. After serving as a surveyor with an expedition to the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Strait in 1825, he commanded a surveying ship along the north and west coasts of Africa (1830–33). He

Audiencia

2005-02-21T05:51:00.000-08:00

In the kingdoms of late medieval Spain, a court established to administer royal justice; also, one of the most important governmental institutions of Spanish colonial America. In Spain the ordinary judges of audiencias in civil cases were called oidores and, for criminal cases, alcaldes de crimen. The presiding officer of the audiencia was called gobernador, or

Eitner, Robert

2005-02-20T15:46:00.000-08:00

In 1868 Eitner founded the Gesellschaft

Yambol

2005-02-20T05:57:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Jambol town, east-central Bulgaria, on the Tundzha (Tundja) River. North of the present town are the ruins of Kabyle (or Cabyle), which originated as a Bronze Age settlement in the 2nd millennium BC and was conquered by the Macedonians under Philip II in 342–341 BC. Taken by Rome in 72 BC, Kabyle became a city in the Roman province of Thrace, governing the middle reaches of the Tundzha (ancient Tonsus)

Ashkenazy, Vladimir

2005-02-19T01:38:00.000-08:00

Both of Ashkenazy's parents were professional pianists. Beginning piano lessons at age six, Ashkenazy studied for 10 years at the

Sri Indraditya

2005-02-18T16:34:00.000-08:00

Bang Klang Hao headed a petty Tai principality near Sukhothai when, about 1245, he joined with another Tai leader, Pha Muang, to rebel against the governor of Sukhothai, who was a deputy of the Khmer kings of Angkor. The two seized nearby Sawankhalok, and Bang Klang Hao defeated the Khmer governor

Nahuel Huapí National Park

2005-02-18T13:08:00.000-08:00

Spanish Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapí, national park in Río Negro and Neuquén provinces, southwestern Argentina; it encompasses Lake Nahuel Huapí in the Andes adjacent to the Chilean border. It originated as a reserve in 1903 with a private donation of 18,500 acres (7,500 hectares). It became Argentina's first national park in 1934 and has an area of 2,927 square miles (7,581 square km). The park and adjacent nature reserve include a region

Carter, Jimmy

2005-02-18T00:52:00.000-08:00

At the conclusion of the president's term, the Carters returned to their hometown. Rosalynn, who had taken an active role as first lady—not only acting as an adviser to the president but also attending cabinet meetings when the subjects under consideration were of interest to her—joined her husband in establishing the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta, which included a presidential library and museum. Carter served as a sort of diplomat without portfolio in various conflicts in a number of countries—including Nicaragua (where he successfully promoted the return of the Miskito Indians to their homeland), Panama (where he observed and reported illegal voting procedures), and Ethiopia (where he attempted to mediate a settlement with the Eritrean People's Liberation Force). He was particularly active in this role in 1994, negotiating with North Korea to end nuclear weapons development there, with Haiti to effect a peaceful transfer of power, and with Bosnian Serbs and Muslims to broker a short-lived cease-fire. His efforts on behalf of international peace and his highly visible participation in building homes for the poor through Habitat for Humanity established in the public mind a much more favourable image of Carter than had been the case during his presidency. After leaving office, Carter also became a prolific author, writing on a variety of topics, including his presidency, the Middle East, and his Christian faith. He also wrote a collection of poetry.

Albany, Louise Maximilienne Caroline, Countess Of

2005-02-17T05:37:00.000-08:00

The elder daughter of Gustav Adolf, prince of Stolberg-Gedern, she entered the convent of Saint Waudru in Mons, where

Bridewealth

2005-02-16T19:51:00.000-08:00

Also called Bride-price, or Marriage Payment, the payment made by the groom or his kin to the kin of the wife in order to ratify a marriage. The practice is common in all parts of the globe in one form or another, but, as an instrument for the legitimation of a marriage, bridewealth is most highly developed in Africa. In many African societies the husband may not assume full rights over the sexual, economic, or procreative

Tabor, Mount

2005-02-16T17:31:00.000-08:00

Hebrew Har Tavor, Arabic Jabal At-tur, historic elevation of northern Israel, in Lower Galilee near the edge of the Plain of Esdraelon ('Emeq Yizre'el). Though comparatively low (1,929 feet [588 m]), it dominates the level landscape around it, leading to the biblical expression “like Tabor among the mountains” (Jeremiah 46:18). It is first mentioned in the 13th century BC in Egyptian inscriptions of the pharaoh Ramses II. Its chief Old

Theatrical Production

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

While dramatic productions

Tso Chuan

2005-02-15T21:16:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Zuo Zhuan, ancient commentary on the Ch'un-ch'iu, and the first sustained narrative work in Chinese literature. The Ch'un-ch'iu, the first Chinese chronological history, chronicles events during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) of China's history. The Tso chuan is a detailed commentary on this work and provides extensive narrative accounts and ample background materials concerning

Swimming

2005-02-15T00:09:00.000-08:00

Eighty divers from 18 countries competed in the 24th International at Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on May 6-9. In the women's events, Simona Koch of Germany won the 1-m springboard; Irina Lashko of Russia took the 3-m springboard; and Svetlana Khokhlova of Russia won the 10-m platform. Winners in the men's competition were Wang Yijie of China in the 1-m springboard, Lan Wei of China in the 3-m springboard,

Buddhism, Sa-skya-pa, Bka'-brgyud-pa, and related schools

2005-02-14T19:19:00.000-08:00

The Sa-skya-pa order traces

Tarija

2005-02-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

City, southern Bolivia, situated at 6,122 feet (1,866 m) above sea level in the Río Grande de Tarija (Guadalquivir) Valley. Founded in 1574 by the conquistador Luis de Fuentes as San Bernardo de la Frontera de Tarija, it is one of Bolivia's oldest settlements. The inhabitants are well known for their outdoor religious processions. Although the city is accessible by air and road, transport

Middle America Trench

2005-02-13T08:15:00.000-08:00

Submarine depression in the Pacific Ocean off the western coast of Central America. Extending northwest-southeast for more than 1,700 miles (2,750 km) from central Mexico to Costa Rica, the trench reaches a maximum depth of 21,880 feet (6,669 m) and covers a total area of 37,000 square miles (96,000 square km). The shallower northern section of the trench tends to curve along the coast of Mexico, paralleling

Marseille

2005-02-13T05:16:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Marseilles, ancient Massilia, or Massalia, city, capital of Bouches-du-Rhône département, France, and also the administrative and commercial capital of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, one of France's fastest growing régions. Located west of the French Riviera, Marseille is one of the major ports of the Mediterranean Sea. It is situated on the Mediterranean's Gulf of Lion within a semicircle of limestone hills and

Boeotia

2005-02-12T19:12:00.000-08:00

Modern Greek Voiotía district of ancient Greece with a distinctive military, artistic, and political history. It corresponds somewhat to the modern nomós (department) of Boeotia, the administrative centre of which is Levádhia. The nomós extends farther to the northwest, however, to include part of ancient Phocis (Fokís). It is bounded by Attica (Attikí; southeast), the Gulf of Corinth (south),

Anjou

2005-02-12T10:33:00.000-08:00

Organized in the Gallo-Roman period as the Civitas Andegavensis, it later became the countship of Anjou and (from 1360) the duchy of

Abqaiq

2005-02-11T00:53:00.000-08:00

Arabic Buqayq, town, eastern Saudi Arabia, about 25 miles (40 km) west of the Persian Gulf. It is situated in the southern end of the Abqaiq oil field, one of the largest and most productive in the kingdom. Abqaiq grew rapidly following the discovery of the field in 1940. By 1950 the town was the southern terminus of the Tapline (Trans-Arabian Pipeline), a 1,068-mile- (1,718-kilometre-) long pipeline to Sayda (Sidon), Lebanon;

Strategic Weapons System

2005-02-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

Any weapons system designed to strike an enemy at the source of his military, economic, or political power. In practice, this means destroying a nation's cities, factories, military bases, transportation and communications infrastructure, and seat of government. Strategic weapons systems use atomic or thermonuclear devices, because only these weapons have sufficient

Arts, East Asian, Textiles

2005-02-10T16:50:00.000-08:00

Silk weaving became a major industry and one of China's chief exports in the Han dynasty. The caravan route across Central Asia, known as the Silk Road, took Chinese silk to Syria and on to Rome. In the 4th century BC, the Greek philosopher Aristotle mentions sericulture on the island of Cos (Kos), but the art was evidently lost and reintroduced into Byzantium from China in the

Hanks, Tom

2005-02-10T01:03:00.000-08:00

For his gripping portrayal in the film Philadelphia--as a gay, AIDS-stricken lawyer embroiled in a discrimination suit against the law firm that had fired him--U.S. actor Tom Hanks was presented in 1994 with both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe award. The dramatic role, for which he shed 35 pounds and thinned his hair, was a vast departure from his many performances in light