AutomaticBoot

Robert Irving Burns Property Consultants

2006-11-22T06:35:00.000-08:00

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.

Russell, William Russell, Lord

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

English Whig politician executed for allegedly plotting to murder King Charles II and his Roman Catholic brother James, Duke of York. Because the charges against Russell were never conclusively proved, he was lauded as a martyr by the Whigs, who claimed that he was put to death in retaliation for his efforts to exclude James from succession to

Indonesia, Animal life

2005-04-03T06:41:00.000-07:00

Also called interstitial-cell stimulating hormone (ICSH) one of two gonadotropic hormones (i.e., hormones concerned with the regulation of the gonads, or sex glands) that is produced by the pituitary gland. LH is a glycoprotein and operates in conjunction with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Following the release of the egg (ovulation) in the female, LH promotes the transformation of the graafian follicle (a small egg-containing

Combinatorics, Multinomial coefficients

2005-04-02T15:10:00.000-08:00

If S is a set of n objects, and n1, n2, × × × , nk are non-negative integers satisfying n1 + n2 + × × × + nk = n, then the number of ways in which the objects can be distributed into k boxes, X1, X2, × × × , Xk, such that the box Xi contains exactly ni objects is given in terms of a ratio constructed of factorials (see 4). This number, called a multinomial coefficient, is the coefficient in the multinomial expansion of the nth power of the sum of the

Brace, Charles Loring

2005-04-01T00:34:00.000-08:00

The descendant of a Hartford family long prominent in religious and political life, Brace was educated at Yale University and at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Asked

Quadruple Alliance

2005-03-30T21:18:00.000-08:00

Alliance first formed in 1813, during the final phase of the Napoleonic Wars, by Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, for the purpose of defeating Napoleon, but conventionally dated from Nov. 20, 1815, when it was officially renewed to prevent recurrence of French aggression and to provide machinery to enforce the peace settlement concluded at the Congress of Vienna. The members

Sanitary Landfill

2005-03-30T05:05:00.000-08:00

Method of controlled disposal of refuse on land. The method was introduced in England in 1912 (where it is called controlled tipping) and involves natural fermentation brought about by microorganisms. Usually the refuse is deposited in shallow layers, compacted, and covered within 24 hours with earth or other chemically inert material to form an effective seal. Mechanical

Bükk Mountains

2005-03-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

A southward-projecting spur of the Carpathian Mountains, in northeastern Hungary. It comprises a forested highland area extending some 30 miles (50 km) from the Tarna River on the west to the Sajó River in the east and 20 miles (32 km) from north to south. Maximum elevation is reached at Mount Istállósko (3,146 feet [959 m]). The central core of the Bükk is a 12.5-by-4.5-mile (20-by-7-kilometre) limestone plateau

Brac

2005-03-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

Italian Brazza, rugged, mountainous island in the Adriatic Sea that is part of Croatia. With an area of 149 square miles (395 square km), Brac is one of the larger islands in the Adriatic; it lies southeast of the mainland city of Split. Its maximum elevation, 2,559 feet (780 m), is reached at Vidova Mountain, the highest point in the Adriatic islands. The main occupations of the inhabitants are fishing and agriculture;

Ruvuma River

2005-03-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

Portuguese Rio Rovuma, perennial river rising in the Matagoro Mountains in southeastern Tanzania. Flowing eastward into the Indian Ocean at a point about 20 miles (32 km) north of Cape Delgado, the Ruvuma River forms the boundary between Tanzania and Mozambique for a length of 400 miles (650 km) from the coast and has a total length of about 475 miles (760 km). Its chief tributaries are the Lugenda, Lucheringo, Likonde,

Chagai

2005-03-26T03:47:00.000-08:00

District in Quetta Division, Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. It is bounded on the north by Afghanistan, on the east and south by Kalat and Kharan districts, and on the west by Iran and has an area of 19,516 sq mi (50,546 sq km), consisting of a level plain in the east, part of the Baluchistan desert in the west, the Chagai Hills in the north, and the Ras Koh Range in the south. Sparse scrub vegetation

Aydin Dynasty

2005-03-25T03:30:00.000-08:00

Turkmen dynasty (c. 1308–1425) that ruled in the Aydin-Izmir region in western Anatolia. Situated in a prosperous coastal region, the Aydin principality was active in the Mediterranean trade. As a frontier state between the declining Byzantine Empire and the growing Ottoman state, it had a monopoly in providing mercenary troops to rival Byzantine factions, and it also offered

Lipetsk

2005-03-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

City and administrative centre of Lipetsk oblast (province), western Russia. It lies along both banks of the Voronezh River in the Don Basin. A fortified settlement existed on the site in the 13th century, until its destruction by Tatars in 1284. The town was founded in 1703 as an ironworking centre by Peter I the Great. It also served as a spa resort; its natural springs and mineral-laden

Gioia Del Colle

2005-03-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

Medieval monuments include a 12th-century castle and a fortified hunting lodge built for the Holy Roman emperor Frederick II. The town has an archaeological museum, and nearby is the site of a large city that flourished between the 6th and 4th

Wild-water Racing

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

International competition,

Biochemistry

2005-03-20T16:45:00.000-08:00

The field of science concerned with the chemical substances and processes that occur in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Specifically, it involves the quantitative determination and structural analysis of the organic compounds that comprise the basic constituents of cells (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) and of those that play a key role in chemical

Antarctica

2005-03-19T23:52:00.000-08:00

Ice averaging 2,160 m (7,087 ft) in thickness covers 98% of the continent of Antarctica, which has an area of 14 million sq km (5.4 million sq mi). There is no indigenous human population. Human activity consists mainly of scientific research at approximately 40 year-round stations and additional summer-only camps; the population is about 4,100 in summer and 1,000 in winter. In addition, several thousand

Epicentre

2005-03-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

Point on the surface of the Earth that is directly above the source of an earthquake (called the focus). There the effects of the earthquake usually are most severe. The epicentre can be located by constructing arcs from each of three or more seismic observatories, with the arcs' radii equal to the distance from each station to the focus of the earthquake. The point of

Kudzu Vine

2005-03-19T09:59:00.000-08:00

(Pueraria lobata, or P. thunbergiana), twining perennial vine that is a member of a genus belonging to the family Leguminosae. The kudzu is a fast-growing, woody, somewhat hairy vine that may grow to a length of 18 m (60 feet) in one season. It has large leaves, long racemes with late-blooming reddish purple flowers, and flat, hairy seed pods. The plant is native to China and Japan, where

Neoregelia

2005-03-17T17:03:00.000-08:00

Neoregelia leaves are often mottled, marbled,

Caricature And Cartoon

2005-03-16T07:33:00.000-08:00

In graphic art, comically distorted drawing or likeness, done with the purpose of satirizing or ridiculing its subject. Cartoons are used today primarily for conveying political commentary and editorial opinion in newspapers and for social comedy and visual wit in magazines.

Asilah

2005-03-16T02:51:00.000-08:00

Also called Arzila, Spanish Arcila, city on the Atlantic coast of western Morocco. Built on the site of an ancient Phoenician-Carthaginian settlement (Zili), it later fell to the Romans. It passed to the Idrisids, who in the early 11th century repulsed several attacks by Normans. From AD 972 on, it was dominated by the Marinids, until in 1471 the Portuguese occupied Asilah, which they fortified as a military base (the walls

Music, Recordings.

2005-03-15T15:55:00.000-08:00

The record industry continued the trend toward huge boxed-set reissues of materials from its vaults. Without so much as an anniversary excuse, BMG came out with a 65-compact disc (CD) compilation of all of violinist Jascha Heifetz' RCA recordings, and Teldec issued a 60-CD repackaging of the pioneering period-instruments Bach cantata recordings of Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Novomoskovsk

2005-03-14T15:19:00.000-08:00

Formerly (until 1934) Bobriki , or (1934–61) Stalinogorsk city, Tula oblast (province), western Russia, situated on the upper Don River. Founded in 1930 as Bobriki, the town developed as a major chemical centre, making fertilizers and plastics and mining lignite (brown coal). Pop. (1993 est.) 145,000.

Haleakala

2005-03-14T06:28:00.000-08:00

The name Haleakala (Hawaiian: “House of the

Delhi, Education

2005-03-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

The growth of modern education in Delhi has kept pace with the expansion of the city's population. Primary-level education is nearly universal, and a large proportion of students also attend secondary school. Education for women at all levels has advanced at a much faster pace than it has for men. Among the institutions of higher learning, the most important is the

Anne Of Cleves

2005-03-12T02:37:00.000-08:00

Fourth wife of King Henry VIII of England. Henry married Anne because he believed that he needed to form a political alliance with her brother William, duke of Cleves, who was a leader of the Protestants of western Germany. He thought the alliance was necessary because in 1539 it appeared that the two major Roman Catholic powers, France and the Holy Roman

Farm Machinery

2005-03-12T01:10:00.000-08:00

The operations of farming for which machines are used are diverse. For

Vance, Cyrus

2005-03-11T11:34:00.000-08:00

Vance received his bachelor's degree from Yale University in 1939. Following graduation from the Yale law school in 1942, he enlisted in the navy and served until 1946, after which he joined a Wall

Audiencia

2005-03-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

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

Ribosome

2005-03-10T02:27:00.000-08:00

Tiny particle that is present in large numbers in all living cells and which is the site of protein synthesis. Ribosomes are tiny granules that occur both as free particles within cells and as particles attached to the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. A ribosome measures about 200 angstroms in diameter and consists of about 40 percent protein and 60 percent RNA

Hacienda

2005-03-09T18:04:00.000-08:00

In Spanish America, a large landed estate, one of the traditional institutions of rural life. Originating in the colonial period, the hacienda survived in many places late into the 20th century. Labourers, ordinarily Indians, who worked for hacendados (landowners) were theoretically free wage earners, but in practice their employers were able to bind them to the land,

League Of Women Voters

2005-03-09T10:50:00.000-08:00

First proposed by Carrie Chapman Catt at a convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) in 1917, the League was organized at a national convention on March 24–29, 1919, in St. Louis, Missouri,

Burdur

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

Also called Buldur, city, southwestern Turkey, near the eastern shore of Lake Burdur. Called Polydorion in the European Middle Ages, it fell to the Seljuq Turks in the 12th century and came under Ottoman domination in the 15th. Its size and economy expanded after World War II; industries include textiles, preparation of attar of roses, and copper manufacture. Burdur is linked by rail with Afyon

Anderson, Regina M.

2005-03-07T16:44:00.000-08:00

Anderson attended several colleges, including Wilberforce University in Ohio and the University of Chicago. She received a Master of Library Science degree from Columbia University

Scandinavian Literature, Swedish literature

2005-03-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

Swedish literature proper began in the late Middle Ages when, after a long period of linguistic change, Old Swedish emerged as a separate language. The foundations of a native literature were established in the 13th century. The oldest extant manuscript in Old Swedish was the Västgötalagan (“Law of West Gotland”), part of a legal code compiled in the 1220s. These legal documents

Hale, Sarah Josepha

2005-03-06T05:32:00.000-08:00

Sarah Josepha Buell married David Hale in 1813, and with him she had five children. Left in financial straits by her husband's death in 1822, she embarked on a literary career. Her poems were printed over the signature

Mott, Sir Nevill Francis

2005-03-05T13:48:00.000-08:00

British physicist (b. Sept. 30, 1905, Leeds, Eng.--d. Aug. 8, 1996, Milton Keynes, Eng.), shared the 1977 Nobel Prize for Physics with Philip Anderson and John Van Vleck for research into the electronic properties of noncrystalline, or amorphous, solids. This work showed that amorphous materials, which are easier and less expensive to manufacture than crystalline substances, could be used in such

Europoort

2005-03-05T02:27:00.000-08:00

Port on the southwestern coast of The Netherlands. It lies opposite the Hoek van Holland, at the entrance of the New Waterway Canal, a distributary of the Rhine. About 17 miles (27 km) upstream on the canal lies the Port of Rotterdam, for which Europoort functions as an outport. Europoort is one of the most modern ports in the world; its construction was begun in 1958. It consists of

Uber Cup

2005-03-04T19:57:00.000-08:00

Trophy representing the women's world championship in the sport of badminton. The cup was contributed by Mrs. H.S. Uber, former English champion, in 1956 for a series of women's international team competitions to be held every three years.

The Rockettes

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

The origins of the Rockettes, the world's most famous precision dance team, can be traced to 1925, when impresario Russell Markert of St. Louis, Missouri, billed a group of women dancers as the Missouri Rockets. Following a positive reception locally, the dance team began a nationwide tour. Among their admiring audiences in New

Abrahams, Israel

2005-03-02T22:09:00.000-08:00

In 1902, after teaching for several years at Jews' College, London, Abrahams was appointed reader in Talmudics (rabbinic literature) at the University of Cambridge, a post he retained

Richardson, Henry Handel

2005-03-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

From 1883 to 1887 Richardson was a pupil at the Presbyterian Ladies'

Zamoyski, Jan

2005-03-02T05:15:00.000-08:00

Educated in France and Italy, he returned to Poland in 1565 and was appointed secretary to King Sigismund II. After Sigismund's death (1572), he became one of the best-liked

Palau

2005-03-01T18:20:00.000-08:00

Since the end of World War II, the major employer in Palau has been government—first the U.S. Navy, then the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and finally the government of Palau. Nevertheless, in the rural areas outside Koror the subsistence economy is active. Women typically gather and cultivate wet taro, sweet potato, and cassava, and men fish and tend pigs, which

Al Bu Sa'id Dynasty

2005-03-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

Ahmad ibn Sa'id, who had been governor of Suhar, Oman, in the 1740s under the Persian Ya'rubids, managed to displace the Ya'rubids by about 1749 and become imam of Oman and of Zanzibar, Pemba, and Kilwa, in East Africa. His successors—known as sayyids, or, later, as sultans—expanded their possessions

Canada West

2005-02-28T05:49:00.000-08:00

Canada West was settled primarily by English-speaking immigrants. The inhabitants nevertheless sought confederation with Canada East (which was populated largely

Colchicine

2005-02-27T16:43:00.000-08:00

Drug used in the treatment of gout, a disease that is characterized by severe inflammation in one or more of the joints of the extremities. Colchicine is obtained from the autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale). The mechanism by which colchicine relieves the pain of gout, which is caused by solid deposits of uric acid in the joints, the kidneys, and other tissues, is unknown.

District Of Columbia

2005-02-26T17:12:00.000-08:00

Federal district, eastern United States, on the Potomac River, coextensive with the city of Washington, D.C. (q.v.).

Bingen

2005-02-26T13:30:00.000-08:00

In full Bingen am Rhein city, Rhineland-Palatinate Land (state), southwestern Germany. Bingen is a port at the confluence of the Rhine and Nahe rivers, near the whirlpool known as Binger Loch. It originated as the Roman fortress of Bingium and later became an imperial free city, joining the Hanseatic League in 1254. The archbishop-electors of Mainz held the town from 1281 until it fell to Hessen in 1803, after

Action Française

2005-02-26T05:37:00.000-08:00

The Action Française movement originated at the close of the 19th century to champion the antiparliamentarian, anti-Semitic, and

Biblical Literature, The Story of Ahikar

2005-02-25T14:28:00.000-08:00

According to the book of Tobit, Ahikar, the cupbearer of the Assyrian king Esarhaddon, was Tobit's nephew; he is a secondary personage in the plot, and his own story is mentioned. Ahikar is the hero of a Near Eastern non-Jewish work, The Story of Ahikar. The book exists in medieval translations, the best of them in Syriac. The story was known in the Persian period in the Jewish

Wesleyan University

2005-02-25T03:39:00.000-08:00

Private, coeducational institution of higher learning in Middletown, Connecticut, U.S. It comprises the College of Letters and the College of Social Studies and departments in the sciences, mathematics, humanities, arts, and social and behavioral sciences. Altogether it offers 50 major fields of study for undergraduate students, 11 master's degree programs, and doctoral

Argentan Lace

2005-02-24T18:26:00.000-08:00

French Point D'argentan, lace made at the French town of Argentan from the 17th century, when Louis XIV's minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert founded the lace industry. Characteristic of this lace is a net background consisting of a large hexagonal mesh, the six sides of which are worked over with buttonhole stitching. Flower patterns are similar to those of Alençon, 25 miles away, but are more solid-looking

Australian Antarctic Territory

2005-02-24T03:59:00.000-08:00

External territory claimed by Australia and located in Antarctica. See Australian External Territories.

Scandinavian Literature, Developments in Danish literature

2005-02-23T19:04:00.000-08:00

In 1536 the Lutheran Reformation was carried through in Denmark, and the beginning of the 16th century was characterized by many pamphlets for or against the Roman Catholic Church. European humanism and the Renaissance made their influence felt also in Denmark, where Christiern Pedersen was the most prominent humanist who supported the Reformation. He edited Gesta

Interior Design, England

2005-02-23T15:59:00.000-08:00

The breakup of the feudal system during the Wars of the Roses and under Henry VII in the late 15th century had far-reaching effects on the social structure of the time and consequently on domestic buildings and their decoration. The new conditions necessitated a larger number of rooms, and a great hall, though still an important apartment, was no longer the focus of indoor

Nicholas Of Lyra,

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

Becoming a Franciscan c. 1300, by 1309 Nicholas was a professor at the Sorbonne, where he taught for many years. From 1319 he headed the Franciscans in France and in 1325 founded the College

Condenser

2005-02-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

Device for reducing a gas or vapour to a liquid. Condensers are employed in power plants to condense exhaust steam from turbines and in refrigeration plants to condense refrigerant vapours, such as ammonia and fluorinated hydrocarbons. The petroleum and chemical industries employ condensers for the condensation of hydrocarbons and other chemical vapours.

Jacobabad

2005-02-21T21:39:00.000-08:00

City, Sindh province, Pakistan. The city lies at a junction of the Pakistan Western Railway and main roads through Sindh. It was founded in 1847 on the site of the village of Khanghar by General John Jacob, the district's first deputy commissioner. Jacob, who laid out the modern city, is commemorated by monuments, and even his horse has been memorialized by a mud pyramid. The city

Hesilrige, Sir Arthur, 2nd Baronet

2005-02-21T20:21:00.000-08:00

A native of Leicestershire, Hesilrige succeeded to his father's baronetcy in 1629. He sat in both the Short and Long Parliaments

Awacs

2005-02-20T20:30:00.000-08:00

Abbreviation of Airborne Warning And Control System, a mobile, long-range radar surveillance and control centre for air defense. The system, as developed by the U.S. Air Force, is mounted in a specially modified Boeing 707 aircraft. Its main radar antenna is mounted on a turntable housed in a circular rotodome 9 m (30 feet) in diameter, elliptical in cross-section, and 1.8 m deep at its centre. The radar system can detect, track, and identify

Dragon

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

Legendary monster usually conceived as a huge, bat-winged, fire-breathing, scaly lizard or snake with a barbed tail. The belief in these creatures apparently arose without the slightest knowledge on the part of the ancients of the gigantic, prehistoric, dragon-like reptiles. In Greece the word drakon, from which the English word was derived, was used originally for any

Agnostus

2005-02-19T22:29:00.000-08:00

Genus of trilobites (an extinct group of aquatic arthropods) found as fossils in rocks of Early Cambrian to Late Ordovician age (those deposited from 540 to 438 million years ago). The agnostids were generally small, with only two thoracic segments and a large tail segment. Agnostus itself was only about 6 millimetres (0.25 inch) long and lacked eyes. The similarity of the

Israel, Immigration and conflict

2005-02-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

The Zionist goal of Jewish statehood was violently opposed by the local Arab leaders, who saw the Ottoman defeat as an opportunity either to create their own state or to join a larger Arab entity—thus reviving the old Arab empire of early Islamic times. British efforts to bring the Zionists and the Arabs together in a cooperative government failed, and serious disorders,

Bottomry

2005-02-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

A maritime contract (now almost obsolete) by which the owner of a ship borrows money for equipping or repairing the vessel and, for a definite term, pledges the ship as security—it being stipulated that if the ship be lost in the specified voyage or period, by any of the perils enumerated, the lender shall lose his money. A similar contract creating a security interest

Aptitude Test

2005-02-18T06:25:00.000-08:00

Examination that attempts to determine and measure those characteristics of a person that are regarded as indices of his capability to acquire, through future training, some specific set of responses (intellectual, motor, and so on). The tests assume that people differ in their special abilities and that these differences are related in a predictable manner to

Ascham, Roger

2005-02-17T19:43:00.000-08:00

As a boy of 14, Ascham entered the University of Cambridge, where he later took his M.A. and was elected a fellow of St. John's and appointed reader in Greek. The new Renaissance enthusiasm for the classics, especially

Gobi, Animal life

2005-02-17T03:48:00.000-08:00

Animal life is varied, with such large mammals as the wild camel, the kulan (Equus hemionus), the dzheiran gazelle, and the dzeren (an antelope). Przewalski's horse, which once ranged in the western region of the desert, is probably extinct in the wild. Rodents include marmots and gophers, and there are reptiles.

Altruism

2005-02-16T16:16:00.000-08:00

In ethics, a theory of conduct that regards the good of others as the end of moral action. The term (French altruisme, derived from Latin alter, “other”) was coined in the 19th century by Auguste Comte, the founder of Positivism, and adopted generally as a convenient antithesis to egoism. As a theory of conduct, its adequacy depends on an interpretation of “the good.” If the term

Bridalveil Fall

2005-02-15T21:10:00.000-08:00

Cataract on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada in Yosemite National Park, east-central California, U.S. Fed mainly by melting snow, the waterfall has a height of 620 feet (189 m) and forms one of the most scenic features in the park.

Vyadhapura

2005-02-15T04:58:00.000-08:00

Its site is 120 miles (190 km) from the mouth of the

Basie, Count

2005-02-14T19:12:00.000-08:00

Basie studied music with his mother and was later influenced by the Harlem pianists James P. Johnson and Fats Waller, receiving informal tutelage on the organ from the latter.

Wolf, Max

2005-02-14T06:43:00.000-08:00

Wolf showed an early interest in astronomy; he was only 21 years old when he discovered a comet, now named for him. In 1890 he was appointed Privatdozent (unsalaried lecturer) at the University of Heidelberg. One year later he adapted

Ear, Human, Hearing tests

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

Before the development of electroacoustic equipment for generating and measuring sound, the available tests of hearing gave approximate answers at best. A person's hearing could be specified in terms of the ability to distinguish the ticking of a watch or the clicking of coins or the distance at which conversational speech or a whispered voice could be understood.

Sinkiang, Uygur Autonomous Region Of, Settlement patterns

2005-02-13T04:33:00.000-08:00

There are five major cities in the province. Wu-lu-mu-ch'i,

Animals, Cruelty To

2005-02-12T02:30:00.000-08:00

The willful or wanton infliction of pain, suffering, or death upon an animal, or the intentional or malicious neglect of an animal. In varying degrees, it is illegal in most countries in the world, and, in the late 20th century, interest in endangered species gave further impetus to the anticruelty movement. Reflecting such interest, many laws have been passed, although

Hook, Theodore Edward

2005-02-12T01:28:00.000-08:00

The son of a popular songwriter, Hook, while a schoolboy at Harrow, had written the words for his father's comic operas and, by the age of 16, had become well

Callas, Maria

2005-02-11T09:27:00.000-08:00

Callas was the daughter of Greek immigrants and early developed an interest in singing. Accompanied by her mother, she left the United States in 1937 to study at the Athens Conservatory with soprano Elvira

Japan, Flag Of

2005-02-10T10:50:00.000-08:00

According to tradition, the sun goddess Amaterasu founded Japan in the 7th century BC and was an ancestor of the first of its emperors, Jimmu. Even today the emperor is known as the “Son of the Sun,” and a popular name for the country is “Land of the Rising Sun.” The first concrete evidence that testifies to use of a sun flag for Japan dates from 1184, but there are oral traditions going

Gruyère

2005-02-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

Gruyère is formed in large wheels of 70 to 80 pounds (32 to 36 kg) with a brownish, wrinkled natural rind. The interior is pale gold with pea-sized, or slightly larger, holes and a rich, nutty flavour; it is similar to Emmentaler (q.v.) and other

Madison, James

2005-02-10T03:46:00.000-08:00

Fourth president of the United States (1809–17) and one of the founding fathers of his country. At the Constitutional Convention (1787) he influenced the planning and ratification of the U.S. Constitution and collaborated with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay in the publication of The Federalist Papers. As a member of the new House of Representatives, he sponsored the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, commonly called the Bill of Rights. He was secretary of state under President Thomas Jefferson when the Louisiana Territory was purchased from France. The War of 1812 was fought during his presidency. (For a discussion of the history and nature of the presidency, see presidency of the United States of America. See also Cabinet of President James Madison.)

Ashburton, John Dunning, 1st Baron

2005-02-09T17:21:00.000-08:00

English jurist and politician who defended the radical John Wilkes against charges of seditious and obscene libel (1763–64) and who is also important as the author of a resolution in Parliament (April 6, 1780) condemning George III for his support of Lord North's government despite the unpopularity of its policies during

Cabezón, Antonio De

2005-02-09T14:01:00.000-08:00

Blind from infancy, Cabezón studied organ in Palencia and in 1526 became organist and clavichordist

Linus, Saint

2005-02-09T00:14:00.000-08:00

Pope from about 67 to 76 or 79, who may have been the immediate successor to St. Peter. St. Irenaeus identifies him with the Linus in 2 Timothy 4:21 and writes that “the blessed Apostles passed on the sacred ministry of the episcopacy to Linus.” Although his martyrdom is doubtful, he is among the martyrs named in the canon of the mass.

Aulis

2005-02-08T19:56:00.000-08:00

Ancient Greek town in Boeotia, separated from Chalcis (on the island of Euboea) three miles to the north by the Euboean Channel. Aulis was traditionally held to be the port from which the Greek fleet set off to the siege of Troy and the scene of the related sacrifice of Iphigenia, the eldest daughter of Agamemnon, king of Mycenae.

National Aquarium In Baltimore

2005-02-07T15:12:00.000-08:00

One of the largest public aquariums in the United States. The aquarium, which opened in 1981 in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, Md., was financed largely by the city but was designated a “national” aquarium by the U.S. Congress. Of the more than 10,000 marine and freshwater animals maintained by the aquarium, many are marine mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The decor and effect

Somalia, Forestry

2005-02-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

The acacia species of the thorny savanna in southern Somalia supply good timber and are the major source of charcoal, but charcoal production has long exceeded ecologically acceptable limits. More efficient and careful handling of Boswellia, Commiphora, and other resin-exuding trees could increase yields of aromatic gums.

Duran, Simeon Ben Zemah

2005-02-06T15:47:00.000-08:00

Also called (by acronym) Rashbaz first Spanish Jewish rabbi to be paid a regular salary by the community and author of an important commentary on Avot (“Fathers”), a popular ethical tractate in the Talmud, the rabbinical compendium of law, lore, and commentary. Before the 14th century, the rabbinical post had been almost invariably honorary; Duran

Hawd Plateau

2005-02-05T14:21:00.000-08:00

Hawd also spelled Haud, plateau sloping southeastward and spanning the northern Ethiopian-Somali border, southeast of the northern Somalian highlands. It covers an area of about 25,000 square miles (64,750 square km) and slopes from about 4,000 feet (1,220 m) in the northwest to about 1,500 feet (450 m) in the southeast. It is a vast savanna of varying fertility and is a major wet-season grazing area for herds of camels, goats, and

Biogeographic Region, New Zealand region

2005-02-05T03:07:00.000-08:00

The New Zealand region (Figure 2) includes all of New Zealand, excluding aspects of the fauna of the southwest, which shows an Antarctic element. Flightless birds inhabit both New Zealand and Australia, although the order Dinornithiformes (kiwis and moas) is endemic to New Zealand. Other endemic taxa include the snail family Athoracophoridae; New Zealand's only mammals,

Pacific League

2005-02-04T13:58:00.000-08:00

One of the two leagues of professional baseball teams in Japan (the other being the Central League). The Pacific League was founded in 1950. It has six teams, some of whose names and hometown designations have changed over the years. The league consists of the Chiba Lotte Marines, Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, Kintetsu Buffaloes, Nippon Ham Fighters, Orix Blue Wave, and Seibu Lions. The

Fujitsu Limited

2005-02-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Fujitsu was established in 1935 when it broke away from Fuji Electric Company, a joint venture started in 1923 by the Furukawa Mining Company and Germany's Siemens to develop electrical equipment. Fujitsu

Adair, John

2005-02-03T05:59:00.000-08:00

Scottish surveyor and cartographer whose maps established a standard of excellence for his time and probably inspired the early 18th-century surveys of Scotland. Between 1680 and 1686 he completed maps of the counties adjoining the River Forth as well as charts of the Firth of Forth, the River Clyde, and the west of Scotland. Manuscripts of these are in the National

Alcove

2005-02-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

Recess opening off a room or other space enclosed by walls or hedges. In medieval architecture it was commonly used as a sleeping space off the main body of a drafty hall. The separation of the alcove from the main space was accomplished at first by means of curtains and later by timber partitions to form independent rooms and thus conserve heat. In later centuries

Plummer, Christopher

2005-02-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

Plummer made his first professional appearance in 1950 in Ottawa and spent several years performing with Canadian repertory theatre groups. In 1954 he made his New York City debut and soon attracted wide critical praise.

Radio Range

2005-02-02T00:56:00.000-08:00

In aerial navigation, a system of radio transmitting stations, each of which transmits a signal that not only carries identification but also is of intrinsic value to a navigator in fixing his position. The older “A–N” type, dating from 1927, operates at low and medium frequencies and is still in use, mainly by private light aircraft. The only equipment needed in the aircraft

Jewish Daily Forward

2005-02-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

The Forward was founded in 1897 by the Jewish Socialist Press Federation as a civic aid and a cohesive device for Jewish immigrants from Europe. It quickly became the leading Yiddish-language newspaper in the United States. Under the guidance of Abraham Cahan, who was

Babol

2005-02-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Babul, formerly Barfurush, city, northern Iran, on the Babol River, about 15 miles (24 km) south of the Caspian Sea. Babol gained importance during the reign (1797–1834) of Fath 'Ali Shah, though 'Abbas I (died 1629) had laid out a pleasure garden and summer palace there. The city has paved streets, large and crowded bazaars, well-built houses, and small, handsome mosques and funeral towers. There are some manufacturing activities, but

Alas (y Ureña), Leopoldo

2005-02-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

Byname Clarín novelist and the most influential literary critic of Spain in the late 19th century. His biting and often bellicose articles, sometimes called paliques (“chit-chat”), and his advocacy of naturalism and anticlericalism not only made him the nation's most feared critical voice but also created many enemies and greatly obscured his