SlowCollar

Waite, Morrison Remick

2005-04-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Seventh chief justice of the United States (1874–88), who frequently spoke for the Supreme Court in interpreting the post-Civil War constitutional amendments and in redefining governmental jurisdiction over commerce in view of the great expansion of American business. Reacting against the extreme nationalism predominant during

New Castile

2005-04-05T09:06:00.000-07:00

Spanish Castilla La Nueva, historic provincial region, central upland Spain. It generally includes the area of the Moorish kingdom of Toledo annexed to the former kingdom of Castile in the 11th century AD. In modern Spanish geographic usage, New Castile as an administrative region included the provinces of Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara, Madrid, and Toledo. Its area was 27,940 square miles (72,363 square km).

Babirusa

2005-04-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

The stout-bodied, short-tailed babirusa stands 65–80 cm (25–30 inches) at the shoulder. It has a rough, grayish hide and is almost hairless. Its most notable feature is the exaggerated development of the upper and lower canine teeth, or tusks, of

Gwandu

2005-04-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

Originally settled by the Kebbawa, a subgroup of the Hausa people, the town was named for the surrounding gandu (“royal farmlands”) that formerly belonged to Muhammadu Kanta, who founded the Kebbi kingdom in the 16th century. Although Fulani

Gautsch Von Frankenthurn, Paul, Baron (freiherr)

2005-04-02T23:53:00.000-08:00

A graduate of the University of Vienna, Gautsch von Frankenthurn entered the imperial Ministry of Education (1874) and served as Austrian minister of education in the cabinets of Eduard, Count von Taaffe (1885–93), and Kasimir, Count von Badeni (1895–97). With the fall of Badeni, he was appointed

Biblical Literature, The rise and fall of Saul

2005-04-02T17:44:00.000-08:00

The man selected to become the first monarchical ruler of Israel was Saul, son of Kish, a wealthy Benjamite landowner. Because Kish had lost some donkeys, Saul was sent in search of them. Unsuccessful in his search, he went to the seer-prophet Samuel at Ramah. In the early source, from which this narrative comes, he did not know Samuel's name. The day before Saul went to Ramah,

Bald Cypress

2005-04-01T23:14:00.000-08:00

A young bald cypress is symmetrical and pyramidal;

Parachute

2005-03-31T23:21:00.000-08:00

Device that slows the vertical descent of a body falling through the atmosphere or the velocity of a body moving horizontally. The parachute increases the body's surface area, and this increased air resistance slows the body in motion. There is some mention, but no evidence, dating to the 1100s of the Chinese using parachutes for amusement. In the West, however, parachutes

Fable, Parable, And Allegory, Diversity of forms

2005-03-31T16:59:00.000-08:00

Since an allegorical purpose can inform works of literature in a wide range of genres, it is not surprising to find that the largest allegories are epic in scope. A quest forms the narrative thread of both the Greek epic Odyssey and the Latin, Aeneid, and it is an allegory of the quest for heroic perfection; thus, allegory is aligned with the epic form. Romances, both prose

Agrippa Von Nettesheim, Heinrich Cornelius

2005-03-30T13:31:00.000-08:00

Court secretary to Charles V, physician to Louise of Savoy, exasperating theologian within the Catholic Church, military entrepreneur in Spain and Italy, acknowledged expert on occultism, and philosopher. His tempestuous career also included teaching at Dôle and Pavia universities, appointment as orator and public advocate at Metz

Bene Beraq

2005-03-30T03:43:00.000-08:00

Near the presumed location of ancient Bene Beraq, a

Aethelweard

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

Also spelled Ethelwerd English chronicler and ealderman of the western provinces (probably the whole of Wessex), a descendant of King Alfred's brother Aethelred. He wrote, in elaborate and peculiar Latin, a chronicle for his continental kinswoman, Matilda, abbess of Essen. In the printed version of the text, the chronicle stops in 975, but fragments of the burned manuscript show that it continued

Holstein Interglacial Stage

2005-03-28T16:07:00.000-08:00

Major division of Pleistocene deposits and time in Europe (the Pleistocene Epoch began about 1,600,000 years ago and ended about 10,000 years ago). The Holstein Interglacial followed the Elsterian Glacial Stage and preceded the Saale Glacial Stage. The Holstein Interglacial is correlated with the Hoxne Interglacial Stage of Britain and the Mindel-Riss Interglacial Stage of

Amon

2005-03-28T15:57:00.000-08:00

Amon may have been originally a local deity at Khmun (Hermopolis) in Middle Egypt; his cult reached Thebes, where he became the patron of the pharaohs by the reign of Mentuhotep I (2008–1957 BC). At that date he was already identified with the sun god Re of Heliopolis and, as Amon-Re, was received as a national god. Represented in human form,

Anatolian Religion

2005-03-27T04:35:00.000-08:00

Beliefs and practices of the ancient peoples and civilizations of Turkey and Armenia, including the Hittites, Hattians, Luwians, Hurrians, Assyrian colonists, Urartians, and Phrygians. For historical background, see Anatolia.

France, History Of, The Resistance

2005-03-26T23:47:00.000-08:00

Vichy's decline was paralleled by the rise of the anti-German underground. Within weeks of the 1940 collapse, tiny groups of French citizens had begun to resist. Some collected military intelligence for transmission to London; some organized escape routes for British airmen who had been shot down; some circulated anti-German leaflets; some engaged in sabotage of railways

Davidson, John

2005-03-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

After studying at the University of Edinburgh, Davidson became a teacher, meanwhile writing a number of blank-verse dramas that failed to win recognition. In 1890 he went to London, practiced journalism, and wrote

Smibert, John

2005-03-26T02:24:00.000-08:00

Smibert was apprenticed to a house painter in Edinburgh and in 1709 went to London. In 1713 he studied at London's Great Queen Street's Academy, which was run by Sir Godfrey Kneller, whose late-Baroque style would

Connecticut, Cultural life

2005-03-23T23:17:00.000-08:00

Numerous sites important in Connecticut's past or associated with

Tabora

2005-03-23T16:13:00.000-08:00

Formerly Kazeh, town, west-central Tanzania. Lying on the Central Plateau at an elevation of 4,000 feet (1,200 m), it has a mean annual temperature of 73° F (23° C). The town has been the capital of the Nyamwezi people and was the major trade link between the coast and the Congo River basin prior to European colonial rule. As the junction point of the east-west (Dar es-Salaam–Ujiji) railway and the north-south railway

Jeakins, Dorothy

2005-03-23T01:45:00.000-08:00

U.S. Academy Award-winning costume designer whose striking creations for Joan of Arc, Samson and Delilah, and Night of the Iguana merited her three Oscars (b. Jan. 11, 1914--d. Nov. 21, 1995).

Binet, Alfred

2005-03-21T22:31:00.000-08:00

Fascinated by the work of the French neurologist Jean Charcot on hypnosis at the Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, Binet abandoned a law career in 1878 to devote himself

Myers V. United States

2005-03-21T06:22:00.000-08:00

(1926), U.S. Supreme Court case that voided a legislative provision restricting the authority of the president to remove or replace certain postmasters without consent of the Senate. In the majority opinion, written by Chief Justice William H. Taft, the court held that the provision was an unconstitutional restriction on the president's power to exercise control over

Saxon Dynasty

2005-03-20T05:11:00.000-08:00

Henry I's son and successor, Otto I the Great (king 936–973, western emperor from 962), won a decisive victory over the Magyars at the Battle of Lechfeld near Augsburg in 955 and continued the policy, initiated by Henry

Mauritania, Climate

2005-03-19T17:17:00.000-08:00

The climate owes its aridity to the northeastern trade winds, which blow constantly in the north and throughout most of the year in the rest of the country; the drying effect produced by these winds is increased by the harmattan, or east wind. With the exception of the few winter rains that occur as a result of climatic disturbances originating in the mid-latitude regions,

Chrétien De Troyes

2005-03-19T15:09:00.000-08:00

Little is known of Chrétien's life. He apparently frequented the court

Priene

2005-03-18T03:24:00.000-08:00

By the 8th century BC Priene was a member of the Ionian League, whose central shrine, the Panionion, lay within the city's territory. Priene

Hughes, Sir Samuel

2005-03-17T04:41:00.000-08:00

Hughes was a teacher and a member of the voluntary militia. In 1885–97 he was proprietor and editor of the Warder, a newspaper in Lindsay.

Farandole

2005-03-16T18:11:00.000-08:00

Lively and popular chain dance of Provence and Catalonia. It was mentioned as early as the 14th century and, according to tradition, was taken to Marseille from Greece by Phoenician sailors. Performed on feast days, the farandole is danced by men and women holding hands in a chain. The dancers, following the steps introduced by the chain leader, wind through the streets

Pacific Ocean, Salinity

2005-03-16T04:52:00.000-08:00

The salinity patterns of the surface waters of the Pacific are influenced largely by wind and by rainfall and evaporation patterns. The waters within the belt of calms and variable winds near the equator have lower salinities than those in the trade-wind belts. In the equatorial belt, relatively large amounts of rain fall and little evaporation occurs both because

Philately

2005-03-15T14:03:00.000-08:00

The study of postage stamps, stamped envelopes, postmarks, postcards, and other materials relating to postal delivery. The term philately also denotes the collecting of these items. The term was coined in 1864 by a Frenchman, Georges Herpin, who invented it from the Greek philos, “love,” and ateleia, “that which is tax-free”; the postage stamp permitted the letter to come free of

Blackwood, Caroline

2005-03-15T03:04:00.000-08:00

Blackwood, a descendant of the 18th-century dramatist Richard Brinsley Sheridan, lived in Northern Ireland until

Insurance, Russia

2005-03-14T21:10:00.000-08:00

Insurance in Russia was nationalized after the Russian Revolution of 1917. Domestic insurance in the Soviet Union was offered by a single agency, Gosstrakh, and insurance on foreign risks by a companion company, Ingosstrakh. Ingosstrakh continues to insure foreign-owned property in Russia and Russian-owned property abroad. It accepts reinsurance from foreign insurers.

Plymouth

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

County, southeastern Massachusetts, U.S., bordered by Massachusetts Bay (northeast), Cape Cod Bay (east), and Buzzards Bay (south). It consists mainly of an upland region with pockets of bogs, especially in the coastal lowlands of the southeast. The primary watercourses are the Taunton, Weweantic, North, and South rivers and Assawompset, Long, Great Quittacas, and Snipatuit

Annapurna

2005-03-14T06:34:00.000-08:00

Massif of the Himalayas in north-central Nepal, forming a ridge 30 miles (48 km) long between the basins of the Kali Gandak and Marsyandi rivers. It contains four main summits, two of which, Annapurna I (26,545 feet [8,091 m]) and II (26,040 feet [7,937 m]), stand at the western and eastern ends of the range, respectively; III (24,786 feet [7,555 m]) and IV (24,688 feet [7,525 m]) lie between them. Annapurna I is one of the world's highest peaks. Although

Fable, Parable, And Allegory, The allegorical mode

2005-03-14T04:02:00.000-08:00

The range of allegorical literature is so wide that to consider allegory as a fixed literary genre is less useful than to regard it as a dimension, or mode, of controlled indirectness and double meaning (which, in fact, all literature possesses to some degree). Critics usually reserve the term allegory itself for works of considerable length, complexity, or unique shape.

Hojo Yasutoki

2005-03-12T09:41:00.000-08:00

The office of shogun originated with Minamoto Yoritomo in 1185, but after his death in 1199 Yasutoki's grandfather,

Canada Balsam

2005-03-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

Canada balsam solidifies to a transparent mass and is an important cement, particularly

Pacific Islands, Relief

2005-03-11T01:39:00.000-08:00

The islands may be classified as either continental or oceanic. The former are associated with the ancient continental platforms of Asia and Australia, now partially submerged. Oceanic islands, located eastward in the deeper Pacific basin, are differentiated as high volcanic-based islands or low coral islands and atolls. A coral island may be single, or two or more

Fry, Elizabeth

2005-03-09T22:45:00.000-08:00

The daughter of a wealthy Quaker banker and merchant, she married (1800) Joseph Fry, a London merchant, and combined her work with the care of a

Differential Psychology

2005-03-09T19:44:00.000-08:00

Branch of psychology that deals with individual and group differences in behaviour. Charles Darwin's studies of the survival capabilities of different species and Sir Francis Galton's researches on individual visual and auditory skills, as well as more recent experiments, have shown that both individual and group differences are quantitative rather than

Chatterjee, Bankim Chandra

2005-03-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

Bankim Chandra was a member of an orthodox Brahman family and was educated at Hooghly College, at Presidency College, Calcutta, and at the University

Jack The Ripper

2005-03-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

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

Henry I

2005-03-08T00:42:00.000-08:00

The son of Robert II the Pious and grandson of Hugh Capet, founder of the Capetian dynasty, Henry was anointed king at Reims (1026) in his father's lifetime, following the death of his elder brother Hugh. His mother, Constance, however, favoured his younger brother

Arason, Jón

2005-03-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

The son of poor parents, he rose quickly to eminence in the church and was consecrated bishop of Hólar, the northern diocese of Iceland, in 1522. He administered his diocese prosperously until Christian III of Denmark began to impose Lutheranism

Ambikapur

2005-03-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

The surrounding region once consisted of the princely states of Surguja, Changbhakar,

Gerizim, Mount

2005-03-06T02:19:00.000-08:00

Arabic Jabal At-tur, Hebrew Har Gerizim, mountain in Samaria, central Palestine, just south of Nabulus and the site of biblical Shechem. In modern times, it was in mandated Palestine 1923–48, and subsequently in Jordan 1950–67. Since 1967, it has been part of the West Bank (Judaea and Samaria) territory under Israeli administration. Rising to 2,890 ft (881 m) above sea level, it is a twin of Mt. Ebal (Hebrew Har 'Eval, Arabic Jabal 'Aybal; 3,084 ft [940 m]) just north.

Arabian Religion

2005-03-06T01:04:00.000-08:00

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

Extinguisher Moss

2005-03-05T23:07:00.000-08:00

Any of the plants of the genus Encalypta (order Bryales), which form large tufts on limestone rocks, ledges, and walls. About eight species are native to North America. They are usually 1 to 3 cm (0.4 to 1.2 inches) tall, with erect capsules (spore cases) borne on setae (stalks) about 5 to 10 mm (0.2 to 0.4 inches) long. The calyptra (hoodlike covering) of each capsule resembles a candle snuffer, or extinguisher,

Kwahu Plateau

2005-03-05T02:39:00.000-08:00

Plateau, southern Ghana. It comprises the uplifted southern edge of the Volta River basin and extends for 160 miles (260 km) northwest-southeast from Wenchi to Koforidua. It forms the main watershed of Ghana, separating rivers in the western half of Ghana that flow due south to the Atlantic Ocean (Birim, Pra, Ankobra) from those of the Volta system (Afram, Pru, Sene) in the eastern

Steinhart Aquarium

2005-03-04T00:07:00.000-08:00

Public aquarium in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, noted for its innovative displays. The facility was opened in 1923 and is administered by the California Academy of Sciences. Besides having about 5,000 specimens of some 350 species of fish, the aquarium maintains a collection of more than 200 kinds of reptiles and amphibians, along with 3 species of marine mammals and 60 species of

Training, Transfer Of

2005-03-03T19:34:00.000-08:00

Influence the learning of one skill has on the learning or performance of another. Will knowledge of English help a person learn German? Are skillful table-tennis (Ping-Pong) players generally good court-tennis players? Can a child who does not know how to add learn to multiply? Such questions represent the problems of transfer of training.

China, Prehistory

2005-03-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

Scholarly analyses include Chi Li, The Beginnings of Chinese Civilization (1957, reprinted 1968); Kwang-chih Chang, The Archaeology of Ancient China, 4th ed., rev. and enlarged (1986), a pioneering, comprehensive synthesis based on the coverage of excavations reported to the end of 1985; David N. Keightley (ed.), The Origins of Chinese Civilization (1983), a collection of articles about environment and agriculture, cultures and peoples, and the genesis of the state; Jessica Rawson, Ancient China: Art and Archeology (1980), a study of the artistic significance of Neolithic and Bronze Age artifacts; William Watson, Cultural Frontiers in Ancient East Asia (1971), an illustrated analysis of cultural interaction; and Rukang Wu and John W. Olsen (eds.), Palaeoanthropology and Palaeolithic Archaeology in the People's Republic of China (1985), an account of Chinese research on early man.

Table Mountain

2005-03-03T07:57:00.000-08:00

Afrikaans Tafelberg, flat-topped mountain, overlooking Cape Town and Table Bay, South Africa, dominating the northern end of the high, rocky Cape Peninsula. Its tabular shape results from nearly horizontal layers of sandstone, exposed by vigorous wind and water erosion. The stark, scarred, 2-mi- (3-km-) long northern face contrasts with the fertile summit plateau broken by small valleys and streams.

Arizona, Cultural life

2005-03-02T06:44:00.000-08:00

Although traditionally a centre for Indian folk arts and crafts, Arizona has had no circles of painters and writers comparable to those of neighbouring New Mexico. Interest in painting, crafts, drama, music, and publishing, however, has increased with population growth. Architecture and the graphic arts have been particularly influenced by Southwestern regional

Turkish Literature

2005-03-02T02:16:00.000-08:00

In the 19th century the introduction of Western reforms had its effect on literature. Mainly under French influence, various writers adopted and adapted Western literary forms, such as the novel, the drama, and the essay, while the rigid forms and attitudes of classical poetry gradually went out of fashion in the country. In the 20th century a Turkish nationalist literature

Camaldolese

2005-03-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

Member of Congregation of Monk Hermits of Camaldoli an independent offshoot of the Benedictine order, founded about 1012 at Camaldoli near Arezzo, Italy, by St. Romuald as part of the monastic-reform movement of the 11th and 12th centuries. The order combined the solitary life of the hermit with an austere form of the common life of the monk. The monastery and the hermitage formed one unit. Beginners resided in the monastery; the

Resserella

2005-03-01T10:27:00.000-08:00

Extinct genus of brachiopods (lamp shells) that occurs as fossils in marine rocks of Middle Ordovician to Lower Silurian age (421 to 478 million years old).Resserella has a dorsal shell whose margin is horizontal, and a distal, or upper, shell with an arcuate (bow-shaped) margin. Both valves are often gently convex. Surface markings consist of fine lines, and the internal structure

Scandinavian Literature, Notable 20th-century prose writers

2005-02-28T22:19:00.000-08:00

Several writers of this time showed a keen eye for character and an understanding of human feelings and of the stark life of rural Iceland: Jón Trausti (Gudmundur Magnússon), who wrote the cycle Heidarbýlid (4 vol., 1908–11; “The Mountain Cot”); Gunnar Gunnarsson, whose Kirken på bjerget (1923–28; “The Church on the Mountain”) was written in Danish; and Gudmundur Hagalín. The outstanding modern

Armilus

2005-02-28T03:10:00.000-08:00

In Jewish legends, an enemy who will conquer Jerusalem and persecute Jews until his final defeat at the hands of God or the true Messiah. His inevitable destruction symbolizes the ultimate victory of good over evil in the messianic era. Some sources depict Armilus as partially deaf and partially maimed, the frightful offspring of Satan or evil creatures. Parallel

Walter Of Coventry

2005-02-28T02:14:00.000-08:00

Walter was not a historian or chronicler in his own right; he merely brought together the works of Marianus Scotus, Florence of Worcester, Henry of Huntingdon, Roger of Hoveden, and

Tigray

2005-02-27T13:09:00.000-08:00

Tigray contains the core of the ancient Aksumite kingdom and the

Pacific Ocean, Early exploration and settlement

2005-02-26T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Pacific Islands are thought to have been peopled by influxes from both mainland and archipelagic Southeast Asia. The earliest migrations were to what is now generally referred to as Melanesia. From there generations of voyagers ranged northward into eastern Micronesia and eastward into Polynesia. The peopling of Polynesia, by means of long-range seagoing

Trajan's Bridge

2005-02-26T00:59:00.000-08:00

First bridge spanning the Danube River, built east of the Iron Gate Rapids at Turnu Severin by the Roman emperor Trajan (reigned AD 98–117) to guarantee the supply line of his legions in conquered Dacia. The engineer, probably Trajan's lieutenant, Apollodorus of Damascus, used timber arches mounted on masonry piers to span the 0.5-mile- (800-metre-) wide river. A century and a half later the

Nitrogen Cycle

2005-02-25T16:56:00.000-08:00

Circulation of nitrogen in various forms through nature. Nitrogen, a component of proteins and nucleic acids, is essential to life on Earth. Although 78 percent by volume of the atmosphere is nitrogen gas, this abundant reservoir exists in a form unusable by most organisms. Through a series of microbial transformations, however, nitrogen is made available to plants,

San Felipe

2005-02-25T03:29:00.000-08:00

Capital of San Felipe de Aconcagua provincia, Valparaíso región, central Chile. It lies along the Aconcagua River, in the Vale of Chile, at 2,087 feet (636 metres) above sea level. Founded in 1740 as San Felipe el Real, it is the centre of an agricultural (alfalfa, grapes, fruits, vegetables, and cereals) and mining (copper and gold) area. It is connected by railway with Valparaíso, 80 miles (130 km) southwest,

De Baca

2005-02-24T05:49:00.000-08:00

In 1541 explorer Francisco

Bascom, Florence

2005-02-23T23:48:00.000-08:00

Bascom earned bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Wisconsin, and she later received the first Ph.D. awarded to a woman at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (1893). Bascom then taught at Ohio State University

Biblical Literature, Greek additions to Esther

2005-02-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

The Hebrew Book of Esther had a religious and social value to the Jews during the time of Greek and Roman anti-Semitism, though the Hebrew short story did not directly mention God's intervention in history—and even God himself is not named. To bring the canonical book up-to-date in connection with contemporary anti-Semitism and to stress the religious meaning of the

World War I

2005-02-23T06:38:00.000-08:00

Dwight E. Lee (ed.), The Outbreak of the First World War: Causes and Responsibilities, 4th ed. (1975), is a good introduction to the debate on the origins of World War I. A more detailed account is provided in Luigi Albertini, The Origins of the War of 1914, 3 vol. (1952–57, reprinted 1980; originally published in Italian, 1942–43). A comprehensive general account of the war is Bernadotte E. Schmitt and Harold C. Vedeler, The World in the Crucible, 1914–1919 (1984). The standard military histories are Basil Henry Liddell Hart, A History of the World War, 1914–1918, enl. ed. (1934, reprinted 1970); Cyril B. Falls, The Great War (1959); and Marc Ferro, The Great War, 1914–1918 (1973, reprinted 1987; originally published in French, 1969). J.E. Edmonds (comp.), A Short History of World War I (1951, reprinted 1968); and John Terraine, The Great War, 1914–1918: A Pictorial History (1965, reprinted 1978), are useful introductions. Naval operations during the war are discussed in Arthur J. Marder, From the Dreadnought to Scapa Flow: The Royal Navy in the Fisher Era, 1904–1919, 5 vol. (1961–70). International diplomacy during the war is treated in Z.A.B. Zeman, The Gentlemen Negotiators (1971; U.K. title, A Diplomatic History of the First World War).

Ikebana

2005-02-22T16:57:00.000-08:00

Traditionally, the classical art of Japanese flower arranging; the meaning of the term was later extended to encompass all the various styles of Japanese floral art. Ikebana was introduced in Japan in the 6th century by Chinese Buddhist missionaries who had formalized the ritual of offering flowers to the Buddha. The first school of flower arranging in Japan, Ikenob

World War I, The strategy of the Western Allies, 1914

2005-02-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

For some 30 years after 1870, considering the likelihood of another German war, the French high command had subscribed to the strategy of an initial defensive to be followed by a counterstroke against the expected invasion: a great system of fortresses was created on the frontier, but gaps were left in order to “canalize” the German attack. France's alliance with Russia and

Switzerland

2005-02-21T15:30:00.000-08:00

Switzerland eased away from self-imposed isolation when it joined the United Nations on Sept. 10, 2002, following a referendum in March in which 55% of the electorate voted in favour of UN membership. Pres. Kaspar Villiger and other government members argued that rejection would be disastrous for the country's international standing and that membership was compatible with

Ulaanbaatar

2005-02-21T15:04:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Ulan Bator, formerly Urga, or Niislel Khureheh, capital and largest city of Mongolia. It is situated on the Tuul River on a windswept plateau at an elevation of 4,430 feet (1,350 m). The city originated as a seasonal migratory abode of the Mongolian princes and in 1639 finally attained permanence on the present site with the construction of Da Khure Monastery. This building became the residence of the bodgo-gegen, high priest of the

Sea Lion

2005-02-20T23:29:00.000-08:00

Any of the five species of seals, belonging to the family Otariidae (eared seals), characterized by a coat of short, coarse hair that lacks a distinct undercoat. Sea lions are lithe animals with the small ears typical of the Otariidae (see seal); the males, except in the California sea lion, have manes. Like the other otariids, sea lions have longer flippers than do the true,

Carpathian Mountains, Physiography

2005-02-20T19:18:00.000-08:00

Generally speaking, the Carpathians have been divided into the Western and the Eastern Carpathians, the latter also called—probably more accurately—the Southeastern Carpathians. There are marked differences between these parts. The Western Carpathians show a clearly marked zoning in geologic structure and relief forms, and the highest elevations occur in

Vaisya

2005-02-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Vaishya, Sanskrit Vaisya, third highest in ritual status of the four varnas, or social classes, of Hindu India, traditionally described as commoners. Legend states that the varnas (or colours) sprang from Prajapati, a creator god—in order of status, the Brahman (white) from his head, the Kshatriya (red) from his arms, the Vaisya (yellow) from his thighs, and the Sudra (black) from his feet. The yellow colour

Epistemology, St. Anselm of Canterbury

2005-02-19T08:39:00.000-08:00

The phrase St. Anselm of Canterbury (c. 1033–1109) used to describe his own project, namely, “faith seeking reason” (fides quaerens intellectum), well characterizes medieval philosophy as a whole. All the great medieval philosophers, Christian, Jewish, and Islamic alike, were also theologians. Virtually every object of interest was related to their belief in God, and virtually every

Biblical Literature, Syriac versions

2005-02-18T23:15:00.000-08:00

The Bible of the Syriac Churches is known as the Peshitta (“simple” translation). Though neither the reason for the title nor the origins of the versions are known, the earliest translations most likely served the needs of the Jewish communities in the region of Adiabene (in Mesopotamia), which are known to have existed as early as the 1st century CE. This probably explains

Argentina

2005-02-18T03:09:00.000-08:00

The population of the area now called Argentina may have totaled 300,000 before

Gynecological Examination

2005-02-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

Procedures aimed at assessing the health of a woman's reproductive system. The general examination usually makes use of a speculum for a view of the vagina and cervix. More specialized procedures include the Pap smear (q.v.) for the detection of cancer of the cervix. In the diagnosis of possible infertility, useful procedures include the Rubin's test, which helps determine

Obia

2005-02-16T20:22:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Obeah, in west African folklore, a gigantic animal that steals into villages and kidnaps girls on the behalf of witches. In certain cultures of the Caribbean, the term denotes forms of sorcery and witchcraft, usually overpowering and extremely evil. Potent or bewitched objects buried for the purpose of bringing misfortune upon a particular party are sometimes known

Power Shovel

2005-02-15T11:05:00.000-08:00

Digging and loading machine consisting of a revolving deck with a power plant, driving and controlling mechanisms, sometimes a counterweight, and a front attachment, such as a boom or crane, supporting a handle with a digger at the end. The whole mechanism is mounted on a base platform with tracks or wheels. Power shovels are used principally for excavation and removal

Hispania

2005-02-15T03:21:00.000-08:00

In Roman times, region comprising the Iberian Peninsula, now occupied by Portugal and Spain. When the Romans took Hispania from the Carthaginians (206 BC), they divided it into two provinces: Hispania Ulterior (present Andalusia, Extremadura, southern León, and most of modern Portugal) and Hispania Citerior, or Tarraconensis (all of what is now northern, eastern, and south-central

La Harpe, Jean-françois De

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

Orphaned at 9 and imprisoned at 19 for allegedly writing a satire against his protectors at college, La Harpe became a bitter and caustic man. Of many uninspired plays he wrote, the best are perhaps his first tragedy, Warwick (1763), and

Roman Catholicism, History Of, The rise of heresy

2005-02-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

Before the middle of the 12th century heresy on a large scale was unknown in the West. The early dissenters were often radical reformers such as the Italian canon Arnold of Brescia (d. 1155), an outspoken critic of clerical wealth and corruption. Then there appeared in northern Italy and southern France the sect, Eastern and Manichaean in origin, later known as the Cathari (the

Melitopol

2005-02-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Melitopol ', city, Zaporozhye oblast (province), Ukraine, on the Molochnaya River. The settlement of Novo-Aleksandrovka grew up in the late 18th century, and in 1841 it became the city of Melitopol. The centre of a fruit-growing area, modern Melitopol has engineering plants and light industries. Pop. (1993 est.) 178,000.

Ab Ovo

2005-02-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

In literature, the practice of beginning a poetic narrative at the earliest possible chronological point. The Latin poet and critic Horace approvingly notes in Ars poetica that Homer does not begin a tale of the Trojan War with the twin egg from which Helen was born but rather in the middle of events.

Graf, Urs

2005-02-11T23:49:00.000-08:00

The son of a goldsmith, Hugo Graf, he probably studied first under his father and later at Basel, following the style of Albrecht Dürer and of Dürer's assistant, the German painter and draftsman Hans Baldung-Grien. Settling in Basel in 1509, Graf executed his masterpiece

Muhammad

2005-02-11T19:47:00.000-08:00

In full Abu al-Qasim Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim founder of the religion of Islam and of the Muslim community.

Tyrant

2005-02-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Greek Tyrannos a cruel and oppressive ruler or, in ancient Greece, a ruler who seized power unconstitutionally or inherited such power. In the 10th and 9th centuries BC, monarchy had been the usual form of government in the Greek states; the aristocratic regimes that had replaced monarchy were by the 7th century BC themselves unpopular. Thus the opportunity arose for ambitious men to seize

Ahmad Musa

2005-02-11T01:38:00.000-08:00

Painter active at the court of the Il Khans at Tabriz. He is said to have learned painting from his father and to have “drawn the veil from the face of painting and invented the art of the Persian miniature.” He was active under Abu Sa'id (ruled 1316–35), the last of the Mongol sultans in fact as well as name. He illustrated a Kalila wa Dimna (book of animal fables)

Qatar, Education

2005-02-10T01:12:00.000-08:00

Qatar spends generously on education, having one of the highest per-pupil expenditures in the world. Its system has expanded

Pematangsiantar

2005-02-09T23:10:00.000-08:00

City, Sumatera Utara provinsi (“province”), Sumatra, Indonesia. It is about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Medan, the provincial capital, with which it is connected by a major road and railway. The second most populous city in the province, after Medan, Pematangsiantar is inhabited mainly by Batak; there are also Chinese and Indians who are mostly traders, merchants, and businessmen.

Field, David Dudley

2005-02-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

U.S. lawyer whose advocacy of law codification had international influence. The “Field Code” of civil procedure, enacted by New York state in 1848, was subsequently adopted in whole or in part in many other U.S. states, in the federal court system, and in England, Ireland (both 1873), and several British overseas possessions, notably India. He was

Barcelona, Archaeological Museum Of

2005-02-09T00:21:00.000-08:00

In full Archaeological Museum Of Barcelona And Institute Of Prehistory And Archaeology, Spanish Museo Arqueológica De Barcelona E Instituto De Prehistoria Y Arqueología, institution in Barcelona, Spain, notable for its collection of prehistoric objects and for its collection of ancient Greek and Roman art and examples illustrating Iberian archaeology. Exhibits include a scale model of a part of the excavation at Ampurias (Emporiae) and displays of Greek vases, glass, and sculpture. There is a fine statue of Asclepius of the 4th century

Biblical Literature, Philosophical solutions

2005-02-08T10:17:00.000-08:00

Solutions were also sought in philosophy. Socrates, a 5th-century-BC Greek philosopher, was largely concerned with the search for the “good,” the good life. After Plato and Aristotle, however, philosophical systems sought to supply man's longing for inward security and stability. These were sought not by an in-depth understanding of reality but by ad hoc constructions—a

Ra's Nasrani

2005-02-08T07:43:00.000-08:00

Formerly (until 1982) Sharm ash Shaykh , also spelled Sharm el-Sheikh , Hebrew Mifraz Shelomo , English Solomon's Bay small inlet and cape on the southeastern coast of the Sinai Peninsula. Located in Janub Sina' muhafazah (governorate), Egypt, Ra's Nasrani was occupied by the Israelis from 1967 to 1982. The Hebrew name is an allusion to King Solomon's fleets, which presumably passed through the adjacent Strait of Tiran on their way from the port of Ezion-geber, at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, to the land of Ophir

Spaak, Paul-henri

2005-02-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

Belgium's foremost statesman in the decades following World War II and a leading advocate of European cooperation. He played a major role in forming the European Economic Community (EEC; now European Community), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and Benelux, the customs union of Belgium, The Netherlands,

Lahaina

2005-02-06T05:36:00.000-08:00

Lahaina was actively associated during the 19th century with the Hawaiian royal family, European whalers, and American missionaries.