MilitaryPencil

Mathews, Charles

2005-03-24T02:50:00.000-08:00

The son of a bookseller, Mathews was educated at Merchant Taylors School, Crosby, Lancashire. After acting in the provinces, primarily at York, he first appeared on the stage in

Pietrasanta

2005-03-21T13:00:00.000-08:00

Town, centre of a district known as Versilia, Lucca provincia, Toscana (Tuscany) regione, central Italy, at the foot of the Alpi Apuane (mountains) just southeast of Carrara. Its piazza is surrounded by fine buildings including the Cathedral of San Martino and the Church of San Agostino (a baptistery with a medieval font), both dating from the 14th century, and the remains of

Pietrasanta

2005-03-19T22:41:00.000-08:00

The PFLP was established in 1967 in an amalgamation of three different guerrilla groups by the militant Palestinian leader

Hadith

2005-03-18T02:52:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Hadit (Arabic: “news,” or “story”) record of the traditions or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, revered and received as a major source of religious law and moral guidance, second only to the authority of the Qur'an, or scripture of Islam. It might be defined as the biography of Muhammad perpetuated by the long memory of his community for their exemplification and obedience. The development of Hadith is a vital

Keats, John

2005-03-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

English Romantic lyric poet who devoted his short life to the perfection of a poetry marked by vivid imagery, great sensuous appeal, and an attempt to express a philosophy through classical legend.

Azeotrope

2005-03-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

In chemistry, a mixture of liquids that has a constant boiling point because the vapour has the same composition as the liquid mixture. The boiling point of an azeotropic mixture may be higher or lower than that of any of its components. The components of the solution cannot be separated by simple distillation.

Hoopoe

2005-03-12T10:35:00.000-08:00

(Upupa epops), strikingly crested bird found from southern Europe and Africa to southeastern Asia, the sole member of the family Upupidae of the roller order, Coraciiformes. About 28 centimetres (11 inches) long, it is pinkish brown on the head and shoulders, with a long, black-tipped, erectile crest and black-and-white barred wings and tail. The hoopoe takes insects

Spongilla

2005-03-09T06:27:00.000-08:00

Sponge genus that includes the freshwater sponge (q.v.) species.

Literature

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

During 1999 the list assembled by Yazhou Zhoukan (Asia Weekly) of the 100 best Chinese fictional works of the 20th century was released in Hong Kong. The first-place winner was Lu Xun for his Nahan (“Call to Arms”); it was followed in order by Shen Congwen for Bian cheng (“Remote Town”), Lao She for Luotuo xiangzi (“The Camel”), Zhang Ailing for Chuanqi (“Legend”), Qian Zhongshu for Wei cheng (“Enclosed

Naga Hills

2005-03-05T08:40:00.000-08:00

Part of the complex mountain barrier on the border of India and Myanmar (Burma). A northern extension of the Arakan Yoma system, the Naga Hills reach a height of 12,552 feet (3,826 m) in Mount Saramati on the India-Myanmar frontier. The part of the range within India constituted the Naga Hills district of Assam until 1961 and since 1963 has been part of Nagaland. The hills receive a heavy monsoon rainfall

Biblical Literature, Deliberate changes

2005-03-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

Apart from mechanical alterations of a text, many variants must have been consciously introduced by scribes, some by way of glossing—i.e., the insertion of a more common word to explain a rare one—and others by explanatory comments incorporated into the text. Furthermore, a scribe who had before him two manuscripts of a single work containing variant readings, and unable

Eurydice

2005-03-01T18:31:00.000-08:00

In ancient Greek legend, the wife of Orpheus. Her husband's attempt to retrieve Eurydice from Hades forms the basis of one of the most popular Greek legends. See Orpheus.

Venezuela, Flag Of

2005-02-27T15:16:00.000-08:00

In 1797 Manuel Gual and José María España, plotting to overthrow Spanish rule in what is now Venezuela, proposed a complex flag with the colours white, yellow, blue, and red. In 1801 the revolutionary leader Francisco de Miranda chose red, yellow, and blue for his flag, although five years later he favoured black, red, and yellow. Various arrangements of the colours later appeared,

Buzzards Bay

2005-02-25T06:43:00.000-08:00

Inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, indenting southeastern Massachusetts, U.S. The bay is 30 miles (48 km) long and 5–10 miles (8–16 km) wide. It extends to the base of the Cape Cod peninsula (northeast) and is bounded on the southeast by the Elizabeth Islands. It is connected to Cape Cod Bay by the Cape Cod Canal (northeast). The name Buzzards Bay may have originated from the misidentification of ospreys

Abqaiq

2005-02-23T23:19:00.000-08:00

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;

Félibrige

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

Association organized in the 19th century for the maintenance of the Provençal customs and language that stimulated the renaissance of the literature, language, and customs of the whole of southern France. The Félibrige was founded in 1854 by seven poets—Joseph Roumanille, Frédéric Mistral, Théodore Aubanel, Anselme Mathieu, Jean Brunet, Alphonse Tavan, and Paul Giéra

Refuse Disposal System

2005-02-20T00:21:00.000-08:00

Although all societies have had some systematic form of refuse disposal, it was not until relatively recent times that the modern concept of solid-waste management became recognized as an essential

Wollastonite

2005-02-18T00:14:00.000-08:00

White, glassy silicate mineral that commonly occurs as masses or tabular crystals with other calcium-containing silicates (e.g., diopside, tremolite, garnet, and epidote) in metamorphosed limestones. Deposits are found in Ciclova Romîna, Rom.; Monte Somma, Italy; and Pargas, Fin. Occurrences in the United States include Utah; Isle Royale, Mich.; Riverside, Calif.; and Essex county,

Peter Iii

2005-02-14T18:02:00.000-08:00

Son of Anna, one of Peter I the Great's daughters, and Charles Frederick, duke of Holstein-Gottorp, the young duke was brought to Russia by his aunt Elizabeth shortly after she became empress of Russia (Dec. 5–6, 1741). Renamed Peter (Pyotr Fyodorovich), he was

Science, Museum Of

2005-02-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

In Boston, Mass., major American museum of science and technology, founded in 1830. Its exhibits include rocks and minerals, plants, mounted animals, models of manned space capsules, medical topics, electricity, and other topics. The Charles Hayden Planetarium is on the museum grounds, and there is an extensive science library. Publications include a monthly

Tae Kwon Do

2005-02-09T03:12:00.000-08:00

Tae kwon do is characterized by the

Thomas, Clarence

2005-02-08T21:55:00.000-08:00

Thomas's father abandoned the family when Thomas was two years old. After

Rurik

2005-02-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

Rurik was a Viking, or Varangian, prince. His story is told in the The Russian Primary Chronicle (compiled at the beginning of the 12th century) but is not accepted at face value by modern historians. According to the chronicle, the people of Novgorod, tired of political strife, invited the Varangians about AD 862 to

Botulism

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

Poisoning by the toxin, called botulinus toxin, or botulin, produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. This poisoning results most frequently from the eating of improperly sterilized canned foods containing the toxin. C. botulinum bacteria cannot survive in the presence of oxygen and normally live in the soil, where they form heat-resistant spores that may contaminate

Ursa Major

2005-02-01T01:39:00.000-08:00

Also called The Great Bear, in astronomy, a constellation of the Northern Hemisphere, at about 10 hours 40 minutes right ascension (the coordinate on the celestial sphere analogous to longitude on the Earth) and 56° north declination (angular distance north of the celestial equator). It was referred to in the Old Testament (Job 9:9; 38:32) and mentioned by Homer in the Iliad (xviii, 487). The Greeks identified this constellation

Brühl, Heinrich, Graf Von (count Of)

2005-01-31T14:40:00.000-08:00

Rising rapidly under Augustus II the Strong,

Saudi Arabia, Settlement patterns

2005-01-29T04:26:00.000-08:00

Four traditional regions stand out—the Hejaz, Asir, Najd, and Al-Hasa (transliterated more precisely as Al-Hijaz, 'Asir, Najd, and Al-Ahsa'). The Hejaz, in the northwest, contains the two holiest cities of Islam, Mecca and Medina, as well as the kingdom's primary port and diplomatic centre, Jiddah. Asir is the highland region south of the Hejaz; its capital, Abha, lies at an elevation of about

Henderson, Lawrence Joseph

2005-01-27T03:25:00.000-08:00

Henderson spent most of his career at Harvard Medical School (1904–42), where he was professor of biological chemistry (1919–34) and chemistry (1934–42). Soon after his arrival there he began investigating how acid–base neutrality is maintained in body fluids.

Cinderella

2005-01-24T08:34:00.000-08:00

Heroine of a European folktale, the theme of which appears in numerous stories worldwide; more than 500 versions of the story have been recorded in Europe alone. Its essential features are a youngest daughter who is mistreated by her jealous stepmother and elder stepsisters or a cruel father; intervention of a supernatural helper on her behalf; and the reversal of fortune

Berchem, Nicolaes Pietersz(oon)

2005-01-22T03:23:00.000-08:00

Berchem received instruction from his father, Pieter Claesz, a prominent still-life painter, and from several other Dutch masters. After study in Italy, he produced many landscapes in warm colours and an Italian style. He also painted cityscapes and winter and pastoral

Procellariiform

2005-01-21T09:50:00.000-08:00

Also called tubinares (order Procellariiformes), any of the seabirds that include the albatrosses (family Diomedeidae); shearwaters, fulmars, prions, and large petrels (Procellariidae); storm petrels (Hydrobatidae); and diving petrels (Pelecanoididae). There are approximately 87 living and 36 fossil species of diverse sizes and ranges. All Procellariiformes are recognizable by their conspicuous

Kara-e

2005-01-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

The style was employed in the Nara (645–794) and Heian (794–1185) periods. In spite of the increasing popularity of Yamato-e, an evolving native style of painting, Kara-e was practiced throughout the 10th, 11th, and 12th centuries, though its use was confined to official and

Rachidia, Er-

2005-01-17T23:58:00.000-08:00

The surrounding region

Ascoli Piceno

2005-01-15T13:05:00.000-08:00

City, capital of Ascoli Piceno provincia, Marche regione, central Italy. Ascoli Piceno lies at the confluence of the Tronto and Castellano rivers. The ancient centre of the Picenes (early inhabitants of the Adriatic coast), it was conquered in the 3rd century BC by the Romans, who knew it as Asculum Picenum. After 1006 the city was ruled by its bishops and successive feudatories

Fadden, Sir Arthur William

2005-01-12T22:42:00.000-08:00

Fadden was active in local and state government as a young man, and he was a member of Parliament (1936–58) and leader of the Country Party (1941–58). As a member of the cabinet he held the position of minister for air and civil aviation (1940) and of treasurer (1940–41, 1949–58); he also served

Tunisia, Settlement patterns

2005-01-11T11:17:00.000-08:00

Tunisia is divided into four natural and demographic regions: the north, which is relatively fertile and well watered; the semiarid central region; As-Sahil (the Sahel) in the east-central coastal region, which is preeminently olive-growing country; and the desert south, where, except in the oases, all vegetation disappears. In the central and southern regions, there are

Orange Walk

2005-01-08T23:49:00.000-08:00

Town, northwestern Belize, situated on the left (west) bank of the New River. Established in early colonial times, it was pillaged by hostile Indians in 1872. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it conducted a thriving trade in mahogany. The town declined after demand for mahogany lessened. Sugarcane and citrus fruit cultivation and rum distilling are the main economic

Olmütz, Punctation Of

2005-01-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

German Olmützer Punktation (Nov. 29, 1850), agreement signed at Olmütz (Olomouc, Moravia, in modern Czech Republic) between Prussia and Austria that regulated those two powers' relations. The development leading up to the punctation was triggered when the elector of Hesse in the autumn of 1850 appealed for help against his rebellious subjects; both Austria and Prussia sent troops in response, and these threatened

Ashley, William Henry

2005-01-04T20:03:00.000-08:00

Having arrived in Missouri sometime after 1802, Ashley prospered in mining, gunpowder manufacture, surveying, and land speculation.

Uzbek Khanate

2005-01-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

Any of the three states that ruled Transoxania, in present-day Uzbekistan, before it came under Russian rule in the 19th century. The khanates of Bukhara and Khiva (Khwarezm) were established by two branches of the Shaybanid dynasty, which won control of Transoxania from the Timurids in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The Shaybanids were replaced at Bukhara successively

Subic Bay

2005-01-02T01:43:00.000-08:00

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

Pacific Islands

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

'abd Al-rahman Iii

2004-12-31T05:40:00.000-08:00

Byname Al-Nasir li-Din Allah (Arabic: “Victor for the Religion of Allah”) , in full 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hakam al-Rabdi ibn Hisham ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Dakhil first caliph and greatest ruler of the Umayyad Arab Muslim dynasty of Spain. He reigned as hereditary emir (“prince”) of Córdoba from October 912 and took the title of caliph in 929.

Arabia, History Of, Religious reform

2004-12-30T14:33:00.000-08:00

The Wahhabi movement, which introduced a new factor into the pattern of Arabian politics, was founded by Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, a reformer influenced by the writings of the 13th–14th-century pietist theologian Ibn Taymiyah, of the strict Hanbali school of Islamic law. It was 'Abd al-Wahhab's intention to purify Islam of polytheism and to return it to an idealized primitive state.

López Michelsen, Alfonso

2004-12-29T22:22:00.000-08:00

The son of Alfonso López Pumarejo, who was twice president of Colombia (1934–38 and 1942–45), López Michelsen was educated in Bogotá, Paris, London, and Brussels, with postgraduate studies at Georgetown University and the University of Chile. Returning to Colombia from voluntary exile in Mexico in 1958, he organized a new party of dissident Liberals, the

Obwalden

2004-12-28T21:42:00.000-08:00

Half canton, central Switzerland, formerly part of the canton of Unterwalden. The half canton is drained by the Sarner River and occupies the western part of former Unterwalden canton. Obwalden means “above the forest” and refers to the great forest of Kerns that divided the two half cantons in the Middle Ages. Obwalden acted independently of Nidwalden in its acquisition,

Kaffeklubben Island

2004-12-27T02:51:00.000-08:00

Island and one of the world's northernmost points of land, in the Arctic Ocean, 37 km (20 nautical miles) east of Cape Morris Jesup, Greenland. Kaffeklubben (Danish: “Coffee Club”) was discovered in 1900 by Robert E. Peary, the American Arctic explorer. The island was visited in 1921 by the Danish explorer Lauge Koch, who named it for the Kaffeklub at the Mineralogical Museum in Copenhagen.

Essy, Amara

2004-12-26T03:03:00.000-08:00

On July 9, 2002, Amara Essy of Côte d' Ivoire became secretary-general of the newly established 53-country African Union (AU), which replaced the 39-year-old Organization of African Unity (OAU). Essy, a career diplomat, was charged with leading the new body, a difficult task given the continent's ethnic, religious, economic, and political differences and the fact that the AU was granted

Halide Mineral

2004-12-25T08:58:00.000-08:00

Compositionally and structurally, three broad categories of halide minerals are recognized; these categories, which are

Shaker Furniture

2004-12-24T23:56:00.000-08:00

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

Li Tang

2004-12-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

He earned the highest rank in the academy of painting of Emperor Huizong, and, after the North fell to the Mongols, went to the South

Kirovohrad

2004-12-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

Russian Kirovograd oblast (province), south-central Ukraine. It extends from the Dnieper River in the northeast across the rolling hills of the Dnieper Upland to the basin of the Southern (Pivdennyy) Buh River in the southwest. The oblast's natural vegetation of grass steppe on fertile soils has been almost wholly plowed up, and unsound practices have resulted in serious and widespread

Aeschylus

2004-12-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

Aeschylus grew up in the turbulent period when the Athenian democracy, having thrown off its tyranny (the absolute rule of one man), had to prove itself against both self-seeking politicians at home and invaders from abroad. Aeschylus himself took part in his city's first struggles against the invading Persians. Later Greek chroniclers believed that Aeschylus was

Abaca

2004-12-20T04:24:00.000-08:00

The plant, native to the Philippines

Chancery, Court Of

2004-12-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

In England, the court of equity under the lord high chancellor that began to develop in the 15th century to provide remedies not obtainable in the courts of common law. Today, the court comprises the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice. Courts of chancery or equity are still maintained as separate jurisdictions in certain areas of the commonwealth and in

Saarlouis

2004-12-17T09:34:00.000-08:00

City, Saarland Land (state), southwestern Germany. It lies along both sides of the Saar River, near the French border, northwest of Saarbrücken. Founded and named by Louis XIV of France in 1680 and fortified by the military engineer Sébastien de Le Prestre Vauban (1680–86), it became the capital of the French Sarre province. The site of an important arms works in the Napoleonic era, it

Vitalism

2004-12-16T23:11:00.000-08:00

School of scientific thought—the germ of which dates from Aristotle—that attempts (in opposition to mechanism and organicism) to explain the nature of life as resulting from a vital force peculiar to living organisms and different from all other forces found outside living things. This force is held to control form and development and to direct the activities

Prosper Of Aquitaine, Saint

2004-12-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

Latin Prosper Tiro early Christian polemicist famous for his defense of Augustine of Hippo and his doctrine on grace, predestination, and free will, which became a norm for the teachings of the Roman Catholic church. Prosper's chief opponents were the Semi-Pelagians, who believed in the power of man's innate will to seek God, but at the

Adams, John

2004-12-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

Adams remained the central figure of the Continental Congress for the following two years. He drafted the Plan of Treaties in July 1776, a document that provided the framework for a treaty with France and that almost inadvertently identified the strategic priorities that would shape American foreign policy over the next century. He was the unanimous choice to head the Board of War and Ordnance and was thereby made in effect a one-man war department responsible for raising and equipping the American army and creating from scratch an American navy. As the prospects for a crucial wartime alliance with France improved late in 1777, he was chosen to join Benjamin Franklin in Paris to conduct the negotiations. In February 1778 he sailed for Europe, accompanied by 10-year-old John Quincy.

Burgess, Ernest Watson

2004-12-13T04:15:00.000-08:00

Burgess received his B.A. (1908) from Kingfisher College (Oklahoma) and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1913). He taught at the Universities of Toledo (Ohio) and Kansas and at Ohio State University before beginning a long career at the University

Durand, Guillaume

2004-12-12T17:57:00.000-08:00

After receiving a doctorate in canon law at Bologna, Italy, Durand taught briefly there and later at Modena, Italy. Some time after 1260 he was appointed auditor (a judge commissioned to hear cases of appeal brought to the Holy See). At the second Council of Lyon (1274), he helped draft the statutes

Arabia, History Of, Dedan and Al-Hijr

2004-12-12T14:52:00.000-08:00

It is possible that the Minaean settlement at Dedan (see above) coexisted with a native Dedanite town. But only one “king of Dedan” is recorded. This kingdom seems to have been replaced quite soon by a kingdom of Lihyan (Greek: Lechienoi). The entire area, however, was not long in coming under the rule of the Nabataean kings of a dynasty (centred at Petra) covering the 1st century BC and

Con Son

2004-12-10T05:41:00.000-08:00

The

Utzon, Jørn

2004-12-09T03:31:00.000-08:00

Utzon studied at the Copenhagen School of Architecture (1937–42) and then spent three years in Stockholm, where he came under the influence of the Swedish architect Erik Gunnar Asplund. He also studied in the United States, and, for a six-month

Rzhev

2004-12-08T04:18:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Rzev city, Tver oblast (province), northwestern Russia. It lies along the upper Volga River at the crossing of the Moscow-Riga and St. Petersburg–Bryansk trunk railways. First mentioned in 1216 as an independent princedom, Rzhev has always been a route centre on the western approaches to Moscow. The city has had a stormy history. It was held at various times by the princes of Tver

Alaska, University Of

2004-12-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

State university system consisting of three campuses (regional university centres) in Fairbanks (main campus), Anchorage, and Juneau (known as the University of Alaska Southeast). All campuses are coeducational and offer bachelor's and master's degree programs in business and education; the Fairbanks and Anchorage campuses include schools of engineering and arts

Shillong

2004-12-06T06:04:00.000-08:00

City, capital of Meghalaya state, northeastern India. The city is located on the Shillong Plateau at an elevation of 4,990 feet (1,520 m). Shillong first became prominent in 1864, when it succeeded Cherrapunji as the district headquarters; in 1874 it was made the capital of the new province of Assam. An earthquake destroyed the city in 1897, necessitating its complete rebuilding. The North East

Anthrosol

2004-12-04T10:21:00.000-08:00

One of the 30 soil groups in the classification system of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Anthrosols are defined as any soils that have been modified profoundly by human activities, including burial, partial removal, cutting and filling, waste disposal, manuring, and irrigated agriculture. These soils vary widely in their biological, chemical, and physical

Yangtze Plain

2004-12-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

Wade-Giles romanization Ch'ang Chiang P'ing-yüan, Pinyin Chang Jiang Pingyuan, series of alluvial plains of uneven width along the Yangtze River and its major tributaries, beginning east of I-ch'ang (Hupeh province), China. The Middle Yangtze Plain comprises parts of northeastern Hunan, southeastern Hupeh, and north-central Kiangsi provinces, including Tung-t'ing, P'o-yang, and Hung lakes. The Lower Yangtze Plain includes the Yangtze River delta

Gray, Elisha

2004-12-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

Gray invented a number of telegraphic devices and in 1869 was one of two partners who founded what became Western Electric Company. On Feb. 14, 1876, the day that Bell filed an application for a patent for a telephone, Gray

Yahya Khan, Agha Mohammad

2004-12-01T00:27:00.000-08:00

Yahya was born to a family that was descended from the elite soldier class of Nader Shah, the Persian ruler who conquered Delhi in the 18th century. He was educated at Punjab University and later graduated first in his class

Interior Design, Northern Europe

2004-11-30T06:51:00.000-08:00

In the Low Countries and northern Germany during the 16th-century Renaissance, ornament was adapted to form an entirely individual style, which can be seen in the pattern books

Belarus, Flag Of

2004-11-28T17:34:00.000-08:00

The Slavic peoples of what is now Belarus were in the past ruled by Prussia, Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. Consequently no distinctive national symbols were developed until the 20th century, when for the first time Belarus became independent. With the breakup of the Russian Empire near the end of World War I, a Belarusian state existed briefly. Its first flag was plain

Uguccione Della Faggiuola

2004-11-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

A member of an old Ghibelline (pro-imperial) family, Uguccione had served as podestà (chief magistrate) and captain general in several Italian cities when the sudden death of Holy Roman Emperor

San Carlos

2004-11-26T00:46:00.000-08:00

City, northeastern Negros island, Philippines. Set in an area of concentrated sugarcane production, it is the site of a large sugar mill established in 1912. Frequent ferry service across Tanon Strait from Toledo on the island of Cebu brings large numbers of migrant workers to the surrounding sugar plantations. The city has deepwater port facilities and also has an airport.

Spadefoot Toad

2004-11-25T09:35:00.000-08:00

The European spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus) is found in Europe and Central Asia, usually in sandy regions.

Florence

2004-11-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

City, seat of Lauderdale county, northwestern Alabama, U.S. It lies on the Tennessee River about 65 miles (105 km) west of Huntsville, forming with Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Muscle Shoals a four-city metropolitan area in the Muscle Shoals region. Settlers first arrived and established a trading post there about 1779. The area was later purchased by a land company whose stockholders

'abbas I

2004-11-23T15:11:00.000-08:00

The dark side of his

Visalia

2004-11-22T01:47:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1853) of Tulare county, south-central California, U.S. It lies on the Kaweah River delta in the San Joaquin Valley, 42 miles (68 km) southeast of Fresno. Founded in 1852 by Nathaniel Vise, it developed as an agricultural (olives, grapes, cotton) and livestock-shipping centre, now supplemented by light manufacturing. It is the seat of the College of the Sequoias (1925). Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Wollomombi Falls

2004-11-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

Set of two cataracts on the Wollomombi River, a headstream of the Macleay River, in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. The falls are situated 22 miles (35 km) east of Armidale in the New England Range of the Eastern Highlands. The Wollomombi Falls rank among the highest in the world, with an uninterrupted leap of 1,100 feet (335 m) and a total fall of 1,580 feet (480 m).

Celestial Globe

2004-11-20T21:53:00.000-08:00

Some globes were made in ancient Greece; Thales of Miletus (fl. 6th century BC) is generally credited with having constructed the first. Probably the oldest in existence is the

Chastushka

2004-11-20T01:03:00.000-08:00

A rhymed folk verse usually composed of four lines. The chastushka is traditional in form but often has political or topical content. The word is a derivative of the Russian chastyi, “frequent” or “in quick succession,” and probably originally referred to the refrain of a song.

La Follette, Robert M

2004-11-17T13:40:00.000-08:00

Resigning as governor in 1906, he was elected to the Senate at a time when that institution was widely believed to be a refuge for millionaires. La Follette acquired instant fame as a new type of senator, one who was not controlled by “the interests,” and in his first three years there La Follette achieved the passage of laws aimed against the freight rates, labour policies,

Heidelberg, University Of

2004-11-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

German in full Ruprecht-karl-universität Heidelberg, state-supported institution of higher learning at Heidelberg, Ger. Modelled on the University of Paris, it was founded in 1386 by the elector Rupert I and, like other German universities, was endowed by a foundation of colleges. The first was the college of the Cistercian order (1389); the first secular college was founded in 1390 by the university chancellor. During the 17th and 18th centuries,

Selden, John

2004-11-15T16:25:00.000-08:00

Called to the bar in 1612, Selden practiced as a conveyancer, rarely appearing in court. His first major book, Titles of Honour (1614), has remained a useful reference. Analecton

Beresford, William Carr Beresford, Viscount, Baron Beresford Of Albuera And Dungarvan, Duke (duque) De Elvas

2004-11-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

An illegitimate son of the 2nd Earl of Tyrone (afterward 1st Marquess of Waterford), Beresford entered the British army in 1785. As a brigadier general

Memory Abnormality, Traumatic amnesia

2004-11-14T10:55:00.000-08:00

On recovery of consciousness after trauma, a person who has been knocked out by a blow on the head at first typically is dazed, confused, and imperfectly aware of his whereabouts and circumstances. This so-called posttraumatic confusional state may last for an hour or so up to several days or even weeks. While in this condition, the individual appears unable to store

Anhalt

2004-11-13T02:31:00.000-08:00

Former German state, which was a duchy from 1863 to 1918 and a Land (state) until 1945, when it was merged in Saxony-Anhalt. Saxony-Anhalt was a Land of the German Democratic Republic from 1949 to 1952, when it was broken up into Bezirke (districts), the former territories of Anhalt being divided between the Bezirke of Magdeburg and of Halle. Upon the reunification of East and West Germany in 1990, Saxony-Anhalt

Gravesham

2004-11-12T22:47:00.000-08:00

Borough (district), administrative and historic county of Kent, southeastern England. Its centre is the town of Gravesend, but it includes a section of the south bank of the River Thames above and below the town, and it runs inland to the crest of the chalk hills (North Downs) that traverse the county from west to east. The borough was once agricultural, with areas of orchards

Al-

2004-11-12T04:29:00.000-08:00

Arabic definite article, meaning “the.” It often prefixes Arabic proper nouns, especially place-names; an example is Al-Jazirah (Arabic: “The Island”), the name of an interfluvial region in The Sudan. The article is often used in lowercase form, hence al-Jazirah. Reference works, including Encyclopædia Britannica, often alphabetize names beginning with al- under the main part

China, Industrialization for self-strengthening

2004-11-09T22:35:00.000-08:00

Stimulated by the military training and techniques exhibited during the Westerners' cooperation against the Taiping and supported by Prince Kung in Peking, the Self-Strengthening Movement was launched by the anti-Taiping generals Tseng Kuo-fan, Li Hung-chang, and Tso Tsung-t'ang, who sought to consolidate the Ch'ing power by introducing Western technology. The

Arabia Felix

2004-11-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

In ancient geography, the comparatively fertile region in southwestern and southern Arabia (in present-day Asir and Yemen), a region that contrasted with Arabia Deserta in barren central and northern Arabia and with Arabia Petraea (“Stony Arabia”) in northwestern Arabia, which came under the suzerainty of imperial Rome. The Greeks and Romans chose the name because

Swayne, Noah H.

2004-11-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Swayne chose the law after briefly studying medicine and was admitted to the bar in 1823. He immediately moved from Virginia to Ohio because of his antislavery views and set up a successful practice at Coshocton. He was appointed county prosecuting attorney in 1826 and was elected

Arabian Religion

2004-11-07T11:34:00.000-08:00

Knowledge of pre-Islamic Arabia rests mainly on original archaeological and epigraphic data from the region itself. Countless pre-Islamic sites are scattered over the whole Arabian Peninsula: ancient lines of circles of raised stones, cairns, graveyards, and so on. In addition there are more recent constructions such as fortified towns and ruins of temples and irrigation

Ashley, Maurice

2004-11-06T19:37:00.000-08:00

Ashley moved to Brooklyn, New York, with his family when he was 12 years old. He soon took up chess and excelled at the game, becoming a national master in 1986 and an International Master in 1993. From 1991 to 1997 Ashley was the chess director of the Harlem Educational Activities Fund, Inc., where

Coraciiform

2004-11-05T04:32:00.000-08:00

Also called rollerlike bird any member of the order Coraciiformes, including the kingfishers, todies, motmots, bee-eaters, rollers, hoopoes (see photograph), and hornbills (see photograph). Among the members of the order that have attracted special attention are certain kingfishers that plunge headfirst into water for fish and are associated with classical

Ory, Kid

2004-11-04T05:54:00.000-08:00

Byname of Edward Ory American trombonist and composer who was perhaps the first musician to codify, purely by precept, the role of the trombone in classic three-part contrapuntal jazz improvisation. Ory is often remembered as a “tailgate” trombonist, one whose style of playing fills in, or supports, other band instruments and is reminiscent of the

Chondrichthian, Food habits

2004-11-03T15:02:00.000-08:00

All sharks are carnivorous and, with a few exceptions, have broad feeding preferences, governed largely by the size and availability of the prey. The recorded food of the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvieri), for example, includes a wide variety of fishes (including other sharks, skates, and stingrays), sea turtles, birds, sea lions, crustaceans, squid, and even carrion such as

Tafilalt

2004-11-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Tafilet, or Tafilalet, largest Saharan oasis of Morocco, in the southeastern part of the country. The oasis comprises the fortified villages of Erfoud, Arab Sebbah du Ziz, Rissani, Seffalat, Aoufous, and Jorf, together with palm groves stretching 30 miles (50 km) along the Wadi Ziz. Its old capital was the Berber stronghold of Sijilmassa, founded in AD 757 on the Saharan caravan route from the Niger River

Syrtis Major

2004-11-01T00:21:00.000-08:00

Distinctive dark marking on the surface of the planet Mars, centred near 290° W and 10° N, which extends some 1,500 km (930 miles) north from the planet's equator and spans 1,000 km (620 miles) from west to east. It was noticed as early as 1659, for it appears in a drawing of Mars of that date by Christiaan Huygens. It is an extensive regional slope elongated north to south that drops 4 km (2.5 miles) from its western