SimplePluto

0800 Promote

2006-11-23T15:45:00.000-08:00

0800 Promote are a London based company, established in 1989, primarily to supply quality business gifts. 0800promote provide an all-round facility to promote all aspects of corporate promotional activity and promotional products, including promotional printing,http://0800promote.com/printed-clothes.php and http://0800promote.com/printed-pen.php to name a few. We are a small building business who needed items printing on for a buyers show we were attending and we were extremely happy with 0800 Promotes services.

Gross-rosen

2005-04-05T03:41:00.000-07:00

Small Nazi concentration camp established in August 1940 near the German town of Striegau in Lower Silesia (now Strzegom, Poland) that sent many prisoners to a killing centre for the T4 Program. Under the orders of Heinrich Himmler, it received prisoners seized under the Night and Fog Decree. Gas chambers (eventually employing the virulent Zyklon-B) were established nearby

Johansson, Christian

2005-04-03T04:36:00.000-07:00

Johansson studied at the Royal Swedish Ballet School and in Copenhagen with August Bournonville, who was most responsible for establishing the traditions of the Royal Danish

Nabis

2005-03-31T19:46:00.000-08:00

Last ruler (207–192) of an independent Sparta. Nabis carried on the revolutionary tradition of Kings Agis IV and Cleomenes III. Since ancient accounts of him are mainly abusive, the details of his laws remain obscure, but it is certain that he confiscated a great deal of property and enfranchised many helots (Spartan serfs). He undoubtedly was not the monster depicted by the

Aldiss, Brian W.

2005-03-29T07:39:00.000-08:00

Aldiss served with the British Army (1943–47) and then was a bookseller until 1956. His first novel, The Brightfount Diaries (1955), was followed by the science fiction novel Non-Stop in 1958. Aldiss went on to write more than 40 science fiction novels

Plurality System

2005-03-28T13:13:00.000-08:00

Advantages of the plurality system are

Annelid, Polychaetes

2005-03-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

The body of free-moving polychaetes (see figure) consists of a head, or prostomium, which may bear two or more eyes; a preoral segment, with such appendages as antennae, tentacles, and palpi (fleshy sensory projections); a trunk divisible into distinct segments; and a tail, or pygidium, which may bear anal cirri (fleshy projections) or

Gnadenhütten Massacre

2005-03-24T03:48:00.000-08:00

(March 8, 1782), murder of 96 Ohio Indians, mostly Delawares, by an American Revolutionary War officer, Captain David Williamson, and his militia at Gnadenhütten Village south of what is now New Philadelphia, Ohio. The Indians, who had been converted by Moravian Brethren and were peaceful Christians, were under suspicion because of their neutrality in the war. Williamson and

Earthquake

2005-03-21T16:14:00.000-08:00

Any sudden disturbance within the Earth manifested at the surface by a shaking of the ground. This shaking, which accounts for the destructiveness of an earthquake, is caused by the passage of elastic waves through the Earth's rocks. These seismic waves are produced when some form of stored energy, such as elastic strain, chemical energy, or gravitational energy, is

Fontanes, Louis, Marquis De

2005-03-19T07:14:00.000-08:00

As a young man, Fontanes lived in Paris and associated with the important literary figures of the time. When the Revolution came, he at first enthusiastically supported

Tablas De Damiel National Park

2005-03-18T21:31:00.000-08:00

Nature reserve, located about 19 miles (30 km) northeast of the city of Ciudad Real, south-central Spain. The park, created in 1973, occupies 4,633 acres (1,875 hectares) and lies at the confluence of the Guadiana and Ciguela rivers, where fresh and brackish waters converge on the marshes and support both migratory and resident waterfowl year-round.

Tephrochronology

2005-03-18T09:16:00.000-08:00

Method of age determination that makes use of layers of ash (tephra). Tephra layers are excellent time-stratigraphic markers, but, to establish a chronology, it is necessary to identify and correlate as many tephra units as possible over the widest possible area. Because of the large number of violent volcanic explosions in Iceland, Sigurdur Thorarinsson, an Icelander

Afghanistan, Flag Of

2005-03-16T19:17:00.000-08:00

Since the early 20th century, Afghanistan has had numerous national flags. In 1928 Amanollah Khan, having just returned from a trip to Europe, was determined to introduce modern principles into the country. He chose a tricolour of black for the dark ages of the past, red for the blood shed in the independence struggle, and green for the hope and wealth of the future. Amanollah was

Szombathely

2005-03-16T13:50:00.000-08:00

German Steinamanger, town and seat of Vas megye (county), northwestern Hungary. Szombathely is situated on the Gyöngyös River, near the frontier with Austria, south-southeast of Vienna and west of Budapest. The town is the successor to the Roman settlement of Savaria (Sabaria), the capital of Pannonia, founded in AD 43 by Claudius I at the intersection of two Roman roads still extant. There is in the

Sinkiang, Uygur Autonomous Region Of, Climate

2005-03-14T20:47:00.000-08:00

Rainfall is not only scanty but it also fluctuates widely from year

Anselm Of Laon,

2005-03-14T16:52:00.000-08:00

Anselm apparently studied at Bec, Fr., under St. Anselm of Canterbury. In the final quarter of the 11th century, he taught with distinction at Paris, where with William of Champeaux he supported realism. About 1100 he returned to Laon, where his theological and exegetical

Naruto

2005-03-12T09:52:00.000-08:00

City, Tokushima ken (prefecture), eastern Shikoku, Japan. The city lies along the Naruto Strait (Naruto-kaikyo), which connects the Inland Sea with the Pacific Ocean. The narrow strait separates Naruto from Awaji Island, a large island of the eastern Inland Sea. During the Tokugawa period (1603–1867) Naruto was a flourishing port and centre of salt production. Since the late 19th century,

Mujica Láinez, Manuel

2005-03-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

Mujica Láinez was descended from an Argentine family that included the writers Juan Cruz Varela and Miguel Cané. He was educated in

Reformed Churches In The Netherlands

2005-03-11T06:31:00.000-08:00

The Christian Reformed Church was organized by seceders who left The Netherlands Reformed Church (q.v.) in 1834 because of disagreements over church organization

Religion

2005-03-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

Human beings' relation to that which they regard as holy, sacred, spiritual, or divine. Religion is commonly regarded as consisting of a person's relation to God or to gods or spirits. Worship is probably the most basic element of religion, but moral conduct, right belief, and participation in religious institutions are generally also constituent elements of the religious

Hinsley, Arthur

2005-03-08T20:15:00.000-08:00

Educated at the English College, Rome, where he was ordained in 1893, Hinsley subsequently held various academic posts in England, at Ushaw College, Durham (1893–97), and at St. Bede's

Daniel, Peter V(ivian)

2005-03-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Daniel studied law under Edmund Jennings Randolph and quickly rose in politics after his admission to the bar in 1808. He entered the Virginia legislature in 1809 and was elected to the Privy Council in 1812. In 1834 he was offered the post of U.S. attorney general by Pres. Andrew Jackson but

Saint Vincent And The Grenadines

2005-03-07T08:14:00.000-08:00

In August 1997 a U.S. couple, James and Penella Fletcher, were freed on a charge of having murdered a St. Vincent boat-taxi operator when a judge ruled there was insufficient evidence

Permafrost, Effects of solar radiation, vegetation, and snow cover

2005-03-05T22:18:00.000-08:00

Inasmuch as south-facing hillslopes receive more incoming solar energy per unit area than other slopes, they are warmer; permafrost is generally absent on these in the discontinuous zone and is thinner in the continuous zone. The main role of vegetation in permafrost areas is to shield perennially frozen ground from solar energy. Vegetation is an excellent insulating

Strasburger, Eduard Adolf

2005-03-05T06:13:00.000-08:00

Strasburger was educated at the universities of Paris, Bonn, and Jena, where he received a Ph.D. in 1866. He taught at the universities of Warsaw (1868), Jena (1869–80), and Bonn (1880–1912). Strasburger's earliest research was a continuation of the work begun

Dowding, Hugh Caswall Tremenheere Dowding, 1st Baron

2005-03-04T20:40:00.000-08:00

A squadron commander in the Royal Flying Corps

Jian

2005-03-02T17:45:00.000-08:00

The jian, which has a simple silhouette, is supported upon a narrow ring base. It has two or four ring handles that freely hang from slightly modeled monster masks (taotie). The decoration of the jian characteristic of the late Zhou dynasty (c. 600–256/255 BC), from which the

Silvassa

2005-03-01T19:03:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Silvasa town, capital of Dadra and Nagar Haveli Union Territory, western India. The town is located about 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Daman on the Daman Ganga River some 15 miles (25 km) inland from the Arabian Sea. It is the economic centre of the territory, which is primarily agricultural and produces rice, pulses, and fruit crops. Pop. (1991 prelim.) 11,720.

Italian Literature

2005-02-28T05:41:00.000-08:00

The body of written works produced in the Italian language that had its beginnings in the 13th century. Until that time nearly all literary work composed in the Middle Ages was written in Latin. Moreover, it was predominantly practical in nature and produced by writers trained in ecclesiastical schools. Literature in Italian developed later than literature in French

Steffens, (joseph) Lincoln

2005-02-27T02:49:00.000-08:00

After attending the University of California, Steffens studied psychology with Wilhelm Wundt in Leipzig and with Jean-Martin Charcot in Paris, which confirmed his basic positivist orientation.

Macdonagh, Donagh

2005-02-25T19:47:00.000-08:00

MacDonagh was the son of Thomas MacDonagh, a poet and leader of the Easter Rising (1916). After attending the National University of Ireland, Dublin, MacDonagh practiced law (1936–46) and was a district judge (1946–68). His varied literary career includes comedies such

Group Insurance

2005-02-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

The concept of group insurance

Wolfdietrich

2005-02-24T15:05:00.000-08:00

Germanic hero who appears in the Middle High German poems of Ortnit and Wolfdietrich in Das Heldenbuch (see Heldenbuch, Das) as the son of Hugdietrich, emperor of Constantinople. Repudiated by his father, who mistakenly believes him illegitimate, he is brought up by the emperor's faithful retainer Berchtung von Meran. Berchtung and his 16 sons support Wolfdietrich,

Porsgrunn

2005-02-23T06:12:00.000-08:00

Town, Telemark fylke (county), southern Norway, at the mouth of the Skienselva (river) on Frierfjorden. Established as a customs post in 1652 with the name Porsgrund, it received its town charter in 1842. An export and industrial centre, it contains the huge Norsk Hydro chemical factories, a factory that produces Norway's finest porcelain, shipyards, metalworks, and lumber mills.

Tordesillas, Treaty Of

2005-02-22T01:01:00.000-08:00

In 1493, after reports of Columbus' discoveries had reached them, the Spanish rulers Ferdinand and Isabella enlisted papal support for their claims to the New World in order to inhibit the

Arabian Sea

2005-02-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

To medieval Arabs the Arabian Sea was known as the Sea of India or as part of the “Great Sea,” from which smaller gulfs such as the Sea of Faris (Persian Gulf) or Sea of Kolzum (Red Sea) were distinguished. From about the 8th or 9th century onward, Arab and Persian seafarers learned to use the surface currents propelled by the summer and winter monsoon winds. Detailed navigational

Chia-ching

2005-02-19T22:35:00.000-08:00

Notoriously cruel, Chia-ching caused hundreds of officials who had the temerity to disagree with him to be tortured, demoted, or killed. He spent much of his time and money, especially in his later

Epistemology, David Hume

2005-02-18T22:37:00.000-08:00

Although Berkeley rejected the Lockean notions of primary and secondary qualities and matter, he retained Locke's beliefs in the existence of mind, substance, and cause as a power or secret force. David Hume (1711–76), in addition to rejecting all the Lockean notions that Berkeley did, also rejected what Berkeley had retained. His justification for this step was empiricist

Venice, Gulf Of

2005-02-18T13:15:00.000-08:00

Italian Golfo Di Venezia, northern section of the Adriatic Sea (an arm of the Mediterranean Sea), extending eastward for 60 miles (95 km) from the Po River delta, Italy, to the coast of Istria, in Slovenia and Croatia. It receives the Po, Adige, Piave, and Tagliamento rivers. Marshes, lagoons, and sandspits border the gulf's shores as far as Trieste, Italy, where the low plateau of the Istrian Peninsula begins.

Pittsburgh, University Of

2005-02-16T18:06:00.000-08:00

Coeducational state system of higher learning in Pennsylvania, U.S., comprising a main campus in Pittsburgh and branches in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, and Titusville. The Pittsburgh campus is a comprehensive research institution of higher learning and includes 16 schools that offer more than 360 degree programs. Among these schools are those of Medicine, Dental

Berenice

2005-02-15T18:58:00.000-08:00

The eldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I by his wife Cypros, Berenice was married at a young age to Marcus, the son of Alexander the Alabarch. Before consummating the marriage, Marcus died, and Berenice then married Herod, king of Chalcis, with whom she had two sons. Following

Rabelais, François

2005-02-14T23:13:00.000-08:00

Pseudonym Alcofribas Nasier French writer and priest who for his contemporaries was an eminent physician and humanist and for posterity is the author of the comic masterpiece Gargantua and Pantagruel. The four novels composing this work are outstanding for their rich use of Renaissance French and for their comedy, which ranges from gross burlesque

Astringent

2005-02-14T21:51:00.000-08:00

Any of a group of substances that cause the contraction or shrinkage of tissues and that dry up secretions. Astringents are usually classified into three groups according to their mode of action: (1) those that decrease the blood supply by narrowing the small blood vessels (e.g., epinephrine and cocaine), (2) those that abstract water from the tissue (e.g., glycerol and alcohol

Puerto Maldonado

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

Capital of Tambopata provincia and of Madre de Dios departamento, southeastern Peru. It lies at the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers, at 840 feet (256 m) above sea level in the hot, humid rain forest known as the selva. It was named for Dom Pedro Maldonado, an 18th-century Spanish explorer, but was not mentioned in official documents until 1902. The smallest of all Peruvian

Margarita Island

2005-02-11T23:58:00.000-08:00

Spanish Isla De Margarita, island in the Caribbean Sea, 12 mi (19 km) north of the Península de Araya in northeastern Venezuela. Also known as the Isle of Pearls, Margarita is the largest of 70 islands comprising Nueva Esparta state. In reality two islands joined by a low, narrow isthmus, Margarita is about 40 mi (65 km) long, covers an area of 414 sq mi (1,072 sq km), and has a coastline of 198 mi, with many natural harbours. The island

Fontana, Carlo

2005-02-10T21:39:00.000-08:00

Italian architect, engineer, and publisher whose prolific studio produced widely imitated designs for fountains, palaces, tombs, and altars, as well as the curved facade on the S. Marcello al Corso (1682–83). His many international students included M.D. Poppelmann of Germany, James Gibbs of England, Filippa Juvarra of Italy, Johann Lucas von Hildebrandt

Tiglath-pileser I

2005-02-09T10:37:00.000-08:00

Tiglath-pileser ascended the throne at the time when a people known as the Mushki, or Mushku (Meshech of the Old Testament), probably Phrygians, were thrusting into Asia Minor (now Turkey). Their invasion constituted a serious threat to Middle Eastern civilization because Asia Minor was the principal

Macarthur, Charles

2005-02-09T03:40:00.000-08:00

At the age of 17, MacArthur moved to Chicago to begin a career in journalism, which was briefly interrupted by military service, first in 1916 in Mexico and then in World War I. He wrote for the Chicago

Fellenberg, Philipp Emanuel Von

2005-02-07T06:19:00.000-08:00

In 1799 Fellenberg purchased the estate of Hofwil, where he founded a school combining manual training and agricultural and academic instruction. His social aim, to be achieved through education, was to try to raise the living conditions of the poor and to weld them and the upper classes together.

French Literature, Allegory

2005-02-06T15:44:00.000-08:00

Allegory, popular from early times, was employed in Latin literature by such authorities as Augustine, Prudentius, Martianus Capella, and, in the late 12th century, Alain de Lille. It was used widely in religious and moralizing works, as in the long Pèlerinage de la vie humaine (“Pilgrimage of Human Life”) by Guillaume de Deguileville, Dante's contemporary and a precursor

Qatar, Trade and finance

2005-02-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

In the mid-1970s Japan supplanted Britain as Qatar's chief source of imports. The chief purchasers of Qatari exports are Japan, Thailand, and Singapore. Other major trading partners include the United States and the United Kingdom. Machinery and transport equipment make up the largest category of imports, and crude petroleum accounts for more than four-fifths of

Nicholas I

2005-02-05T14:16:00.000-08:00

A close associate of the controversial patriarch Photius of Constantinople, Nicholas began his career in the

Agri Decumates

2005-02-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

In antiquity, the Black Forest and adjoining areas of what is now southwestern Germany between the Rhine, Danube, and Main rivers. The name may imply earlier occupation by a tribe with 10 cantons. The Romans under the Flavian emperors began annexing the area in AD 74 to secure better communications between the Rhine and Danube armies. According to Tacitus, the territory was

Earth, Geologic History Of

2005-02-02T22:53:00.000-08:00

Evolution of the continents, oceans, atmosphere, and biosphere. The layers of rock at the Earth's surface contain evidence of the evolutionary processes undergone by these components of the terrestrial environment during the times at which each layer was formed. By studying this rock record from the very beginning, it is thus possible to trace their development

Wells, Emmeline Blanche Woodward

2005-02-01T13:04:00.000-08:00

Emmeline Woodward followed her widowed mother in converting to Mormonism in 1842. She moved with her first husband to the Mormon settlement of Nauvoo, Illinois,

Sherer, Rabbi Moshe

2005-01-31T16:51:00.000-08:00

American Orthodox Jewish leader who aided the right wing of Orthodox Judaism by helping build the Agudath Israel of America organization from a small group into an influential force (b. June 8, 1921, Brooklyn, N.Y.--d. May 17, 1998, Manhattan, N.Y.).

Capsian Industry

2005-01-31T02:09:00.000-08:00

A Mesolithic (8000 BC–2700 BC) cultural complex prominent in the inland areas of North Africa. Its most characteristic sites are in the area of the great salt lakes of what is now southern Tunisia, the type site being Jabal al-Maqta', near Qafsah (Capsa, French Gafsa). Although the tool kit of the Capsian is a classic example of the industries of the late Würm Glacial Period, and, while it is apparently

Mammal

2005-01-30T11:50:00.000-08:00

The evolution of the Mammalia has produced tremendous diversity in form and habits. Living kinds range in size from a bat weighing less than a gram and tiny shrews that weigh but a few grams, to the largest animal that has ever lived, the blue whale, which reaches a length of more than 30 meters (100 feet) and a weight of 136,000 kilograms (150 tons). Every major habitat has been invaded by mammals

Biblical Literature, Printed editions

2005-01-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

The first edition of the entire Hebrew Bible was printed at Soncino (in Italy) in 1488 with punctuation and accents, but without any commentary. The second complete

Manchu

2005-01-27T09:06:00.000-08:00

Also called Man, people who lived for many centuries in Manchuria and adjacent areas and who in the 17th century conquered China and ruled that country for more than 250 years. The term Manchu dates from the 16th century, but it is certain that the Manchu are descended from a group of peoples collectively called the Tungus (the Even and Evenk [Evenki] are also descended from that group). The Manchu,

Typology

2005-01-26T03:06:00.000-08:00

System of groupings (such as “landed gentry” or “rain forests”), usually called types, the members of which are identified by postulating specified attributes that are mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive—groupings set up to aid demonstration or inquiry by establishing a limited relationship among phenomena. A type may represent one kind of attribute

Biblical Literature, Obadiah

2005-01-25T01:21:00.000-08:00

The Book of Obadiah, the fourth book of the Twelve (Minor) Prophets, contains only 21 verses. Nothing is known about the prophet as a person or about his times. It may have been written before the Exile, though many scholars believe that it was composed either some time after 586 BCE or in the mid-5th century, when the Jews returned to the area around Jerusalem. The prophet concentrates

Interior Design, Preliminary phases

2005-01-24T19:26:00.000-08:00

The first step is the interview with the client. This is often a series of conversations and must eventually lead to a mutual agreement. Clients usually have a good idea of their needs and preferences, yet an experienced designer frequently sees some needs not envisioned by the client, and often he must reeducate the client's attitude about preferences. Obviously,

Ma-an-shan

2005-01-23T00:48:00.000-08:00

The region along the southern bank of the Yangtze between Ma-an-shan and T'ung-ling (about

Karankawa

2005-01-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

Several groups of North American Indians (now extinct) that lived along the Gulf of Mexico from about Galveston Bay to Corpus Christi Bay. They were first encountered by the French explorer La Salle in the late 17th century, and their rapid decline began with the arrival of Stephen Austin and other white settlers in the 1820s and 1830s. The Karankawa fought on the side of the Texans

Largo Caballero, Francisco

2005-01-21T09:10:00.000-08:00

Largo Caballero worked in Madrid as a plasterer before joining the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (Partido Socialista Obrero Español; PSOE) in 1894. He soon became an official in the party's

Hyperion

2005-01-20T19:40:00.000-08:00

One of the smaller satellites of Saturn, discovered in 1848 independently by the astronomers William Bond and George Bond of the United States and William Lassell of England. Hyperion orbits Saturn once every 21.3 days at a distance of 1,482,000 km (918,840 miles), between the orbits of the major satellites Titan and Iapetus. Its orbit is unusual in that it is somewhat eccentric (e = 0.104°) yet uninclined

Clifford, Sir Hugh Charles

2005-01-20T18:36:00.000-08:00

A descendant of Clifford of the Cabal under Charles II, and a grandson of the 7th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh, Hugh Clifford was expected to follow his father, a distinguished general, into the British Army but decided instead to join

Lanao, Lake

2005-01-18T06:02:00.000-08:00

Lake, west-central Mindanao, Philippines. It is situated just south of Marawi, northwest of the Butig Mountains. Lake Lanao is the second largest lake in the Philippines and has an area of 131 square miles (340 square km). Its outlet is the Agus River, which flows north, over Maria Cristina Falls, where there is a hydroelectric power plant, to Iligan Bay. There are numerous Muslim

Oz, Amos

2005-01-18T05:53:00.000-08:00

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

Sun, Photosphere

2005-01-17T22:46:00.000-08:00

Although there are no fires on the surface of the Sun, the photosphere seethes and roils, displaying the effects of the underlying convection. Photons flowing from below, trapped by the underlying layers, finally escape. This produces a dramatic drop in temperature and density. The temperature at the visible surface is about 5,800 K but drops to a minimum about 4,000 K at approximately

Haemophilus

2005-01-15T23:28:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Hemophilus, genus of very small rod-shaped bacteria of uncertain affiliation. All species of Haemophilus are strict parasites occurring in the respiratory tracts of warm-blooded animals, including humans, and in certain cold-blooded animals. All Haemophilus are gram-negative, aerobic or facultative anaerobic and nonmotile and require a growth factor that is found in blood.

Obuchi Keizo

2005-01-15T18:12:00.000-08:00

Obuchi received a degree in English literature from Waseda University, Tokyo, in 1962. The following year, he won the seat his father had held in the House of Representatives, becoming the youngest person

Steam

2005-01-13T10:42:00.000-08:00

Odourless, invisible gas consisting of vaporized water. It is usually interspersed with minute droplets of water, which gives it a white, cloudy appearance. In nature, steam is produced by the heating of underground water by volcanic processes and is emitted from hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, and certain types of volcanoes. Steam also can be generated on a large

Iasi

2005-01-13T01:40:00.000-08:00

There were recognizable settlements at the site in the 7th century. The town received its German name (perhaps from the Cuman jagers, or bowmen) in the

Poxvirus

2005-01-11T18:57:00.000-08:00

Any of a group of viruses constituting the family Poxviridae, responsible for a wide range of pox diseases in human beings and other animals. Poxvirus was the cause in human beings of smallpox (q.v.), which was declared eradicated worldwide in 1977. (Chicken pox of human beings is caused by a herpesvirus; see herpes zoster.) The virus particle is somewhat brick-shaped, with the

Kwangju

2005-01-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Gwangju, city and provincial capital, South Cholla do (province), southwestern South Korea. It has the status of a special city (area 193 square miles [501 square km]) under the direct control of the home minister, with administrative status equal to that of a province. An old city on the edge of the mountainous area of South Cholla province, it has been a centre of trade and of local administration

Byssinosis

2005-01-10T14:56:00.000-08:00

Also called Brown Lung, or Brown Lung Disease, respiratory disorder, a type of pneumoconiosis caused by dust from cotton and other fibres, common among textile workers. When inhaled, the dust stimulates histamine release, which causes constriction of the air passages, making breathing difficult. Over time the dust accumulates in the lung, producing a typical discoloration that gives the disease its common

Nix

2005-01-09T21:04:00.000-08:00

Also called nixie , or nixy in Germanic mythology, a water being, half human, half fish, that lives in a beautiful underwater palace and mingles with humans by assuming a variety of physical forms (e.g., that of a fair maiden or an old woman) or by making itself invisible. One of three attributes may betray the disguises of nixes: they are music lovers and excellent dancers, and they have the gift of prophecy.

Syrian Wars

2005-01-08T23:51:00.000-08:00

(3rd century BC), five conflicts fought between the leading Hellenistic states, chiefly the Seleucid kingdom and Ptolemaic Egypt, and, in a lesser way, Macedonia. The complex and devious diplomacy that surrounded the wars was characteristic of the Hellenistic monarchies. The main issue in dispute between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies was control of southern Syria.

Qatar

2005-01-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

In addition, Qatar's Al-Jazeera television station remained

Triassic Period

2005-01-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

The Triassic Period marked the beginning of major changes that were to take place throughout the Mesozoic Era, particularly in the distribution of continents,

Japan Trench

2005-01-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

Deep submarine trench lying east of the Japanese islands, in the floor of the western North Pacific Ocean. It is one of a series of depressions stretching south from the Kuril Trench and the Bonin Trench to the Mariana Trench. The 27,929-foot (8,513-metre) Tuscarora Deep (north) was once considered the deepest point in the world (subsequently found to be in the Mariana Trench).

Jouffroy D'abbans, Claude-françois-dorothée, Marquis De

2005-01-04T04:42:00.000-08:00

At the age of 20 Jouffroy d'Abbans entered the army, and a year later he became involved in a duel that resulted in his banishment to Provence. There he began to work with boats and built a 43-foot (13-metre) steamboat

Mon-khmer Languages

2005-01-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Language family included in the Austroasiatic stock. Mon-Khmer languages constitute the indigenous language family of mainland Southeast Asia. They range north to southern China, south to Malaysia, west to Assam state in India, and east to Vietnam. The most important Mon-Khmer languages, having populations greater than 100,000, are Vietnamese, Khmer, Muong, Mon, Khasi, Khmu

Sforza, Carlo, Conte (count)

2005-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

Sforza entered the diplomatic service in 1896 and served in Cairo, Paris, Constantinople, Beijing, Bucharest, Madrid, London, and Belgrade. He was undersecretary of state for foreign affairs

Carter, Don

2004-12-30T19:08:00.000-08:00

A charter member and first president of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA; founded in 1958), Carter began bowling as a boy while working as a pinsetter, built his own lane in the basement of the family home, and joined the St. Louis Budweiser team in 1953. Carter was six times bowler of the

Solar

2004-12-30T14:58:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Sollar, in architecture, private room in a late medieval English manor house, located on the floor above the great hall. The solar served as a kind of parlour to which the owner of the manor house or castle could retire with his family from the chaotic communal living of the hall below. In fact, by the late 14th century the solar was more often called the “retiring room.” Up a flight of

Theft

2004-12-29T18:26:00.000-08:00

Larceny is the trespassory taking and carrying away of personal goods from the possession of another with intent to steal. There must be a trespassory taking; that is, the goods must be taken from the possession of

Château-renault, François-louis Rousselet, Marquis De

2004-12-27T03:42:00.000-08:00

In 1689 he transported French troops to Ireland to aid the deposed Catholic King James II of Great Britain, and he obtained a short-lived advantage by defeating a British fleet off the south coast of

West Dunbartonshire

2004-12-27T00:40:00.000-08:00

Council area, west-central Scotland, along the north bank of the lower River Clyde, northwest of Glasgow. It extends north to the shore of Loch Lomond, Scotland's largest lake, and encompasses an area of lowlands surrounding the Kilpatrick Hills, which stand in the centre of the council area. West Dunbartonshire lies entirely within the historic county of Dunbartonshire

Loran

2004-12-26T00:02:00.000-08:00

Abbreviation of long-range navigation system of navigation developed for marine and air navigation. Lines of position are determined by noting differences in time of reception of synchronized pulses from widely spaced transmitting stations, master and slave. A master station broadcasts an uninterrupted series of pulses of fixed duration and at a fixed rate (e.g., of 50 microseconds' duration at a rate

Nagua

2004-12-25T00:23:00.000-08:00

Formerly Julia Molina, city, northern Dominican Republic, located just north of the mouth of the Nagua River, facing Escocesa Bay, on the Atlantic Ocean. Nagua is located on the main coastal road connecting the main cities of the region; the major functions of the town are administrative and agricultural, processing the goods of the surrounding agricultural plain—bananas, pineapples, peanuts

Padauk

2004-12-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

Any of several species of tropical trees of the genus Pterocarpus. Padauks of the Indo-Malaysia region have a tendency to be larger than related species elsewhere. They are highly prized as shade trees and for their red or reddish brown wood. The blood-red sap is used commercially; a red dyewood, “Red Saunders,” which is obtained from the padauk, was formerly exported in

John

2004-12-23T19:48:00.000-08:00

John was the younger son of Joachim I, elector of Brandenburg,

Cambon, Jules

2004-12-21T08:18:00.000-08:00

Educated in law, Cambon entered the prefectorial administration after service in the Franco-German War (1870–71). In June 1878 he was

Whittingham, Charles

2004-12-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

American horse trainer of over 2,500 winners, including Kentucky Derby winners Ferdinand (1986) and Sunday Silence (1989), both of which made him the oldest trainer of a Derby champion; he won top-trainer Eclipse Awards three times (1971, 1982, and 1989) and in 1974 was elected to the Racing Hall of Fame (b. April 13, 1913, Chula Vista, Calif.—d. April 20, 1999, Pasadena, Calif.).

Dahlonega

2004-12-19T23:41:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1833) of Lumpkin county, northern Georgia, U.S. Gold was discovered in the locality in 1828, and the site was settled and incorporated in 1833 after one of the nation's first gold rushes; its name derives from the Cherokee taulonica (“yellow metal”). A U.S. mint operated there from 1838 until 1861, when Georgia seceded from the Union; Dahlonega-minted gold coins are now highly prized by

Affective Disorder

2004-12-19T06:06:00.000-08:00

Mental disorder characterized by dramatic changes or extremes of mood. Affective disorders may include manic (elevated, expansive, or irritable mood with hyperactivity, pressured speech, and inflated self-esteem) or depressive (dejected mood with disinterest in life, sleep disturbance, agitation, and feelings of worthlessness or guilt) episodes, and often combinations

Jewett, Sarah Orne

2004-12-17T02:56:00.000-08:00

Jewett was often taken by her physician father on visits to the fishermen and farmers of her native Maine, and she developed a deep and abiding love of their way of life and of the sights and sounds of her surroundings. These experiences, and reading in her