CheapRod

Reform Bill

2005-04-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Any of the British parliamentary bills that became acts in 1832, 1867, and 1884–85 and that expanded the electorate for the House of Commons and rationalized the representation of that body. The first Reform Bill primarily served to transfer voting privileges from the small boroughs controlled by the nobility and gentry to the heavily populated industrial towns. The two subsequent

Iki

2005-04-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

Island, Nagasaki ken (prefecture), Japan, lying in the Eastern Channel, about 10 miles (16 km) off the coast of Kyushu. Most of its 52-square-mile (134-square-kilometre) area is tableland; cereals, oranges, and tobacco are the important crops. The fishing industry yields mackerel and cuttlefish. Anchorages are at Gonoura (the chief town), Katsumoto, and Ashibe. The island served as a gateway

Action

2005-04-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

In theoretical physics, an abstract quantity that describes the overall motion of a physical system. Motion, in physics, may be described from at least two points of view: the close-up view and the panoramic view. The close-up view involves an instant-by-instant charting of the behaviour of an object. The panoramic view, on the other hand, reveals not only a complete picture

Media And Publishing, Amateur Radio.

2005-04-03T22:43:00.000-07:00

In 1998 the amateur radio (ham) community in the U.S. was grappling with the most sweeping restructuring of amateur radio licensing since 1989. In July the American Radio Relay League proposed reducing the number of classes of licenses from six to four and streamlining the examinations needed to obtain the licenses. Instead of six license classes, there would be four: technician,

Tricellular Theory

2005-04-03T03:26:00.000-07:00

Obsolescent model of the Earth's wind systems that represents them as three parallel wind cells or belts in each hemisphere. First advanced by T. Bergeron (1928) and further developed by C.-G. Rossby, it replaced the Hadley-cell model (proposed by George Hadley in 1735): a single cell in each hemisphere with westward and Equatorward flow at low levels and eastward and poleward flow

'awali

2005-04-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

Municipality in the state and emirate of Bahrain, on central Bahrain island, in the Persian Gulf. Founded in the 1930s by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), it is situated just north of Bahrain's oil fields and southwest of the country's oil refinery, one of the largest in the world. The municipality was built to house the main offices, headquarters staff, and foreign executives

Black Forest

2005-04-01T18:07:00.000-08:00

German Schwarzwald, mountain region, Baden-Württemberg Land (state), southwestern Germany, source of the Danube and Neckar rivers. It occupies an area of 2,320 sq mi (6,009 sq km) and extends toward the northeast for about 100 mi (160 km) from Säckingen on the Upper Rhine River (at the Swiss border) to Durlach (east of Karlsruhe). Its width varies from 10 to 25 mi. Structurally and topographically it forms the counterpart

Steam

2005-03-31T19:35:00.000-08:00

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

Monticello

2005-03-31T14:42:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1895) of San Juan county, southeastern Utah, U.S. Founded in 1886 as a point of entry into the nearby Abajo Mountains and named after the Virginia estate of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, the town grew as a centre for several ranches that hosted a thriving livestock industry. A vanadium-processing plant was built during World War II and converted to uranium production

Lippisch, Alexander M(artin)

2005-03-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

Lippisch designed the world's first successful rocket-propelled airplane (a tailless glider fitted with two solid-fuel rockets, flown June 11, 1928, in the Rhön Mountains,

Brachiation

2005-03-29T22:55:00.000-08:00

In animal behaviour, specialized form of arboreal locomotion in which movement is accomplished by swinging from one hold to another by the arms. The process is highly developed in the gibbon and siamang, which are anatomically adapted for it in the length of their forelimbs, their long hooklike fingers, and the mobility of their shoulder joints. The South American

Chemical Compound, Preparation

2005-03-29T02:06:00.000-08:00

Thioketones are usually prepared through reaction of ketones with phosphorus sulfur reagents such as Lawesson's reagent, Ar2P2S4 (Figure 50). Xanthates (Greek xanthos, “yellow,” from the colour of their copper salts), thiocarbonyl derivatives of carbonates, ROC(=S)OR, are prepared from alcohols and carbon disulfide. This reaction is used to produce a soluble form of cellulose

Earth, Cause of magnetic storms

2005-03-28T03:31:00.000-08:00

It is known that magnetic storms are produced by a change in the properties of the solar wind. Magnetically quiet times occur when the solar wind contains a magnetic field called the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) that has the same direction as the Earth's field on the dayside. Magnetic disturbances occur when this field rotates toward an antiparallel orientation.

Nashville Convention

2005-03-27T06:46:00.000-08:00

(1850), two-session meeting of proslavery Southerners in the United States. John C. Calhoun initiated the drive for a meeting when he urged Mississippi to call for a convention. The resulting Mississippi Convention on Oct. 1, 1849, issued a call to all slave-holding states to send delegates to Nashville, Tenn., in order to form a united front against what was viewed as Northern

Fischer, Ludwig

2005-03-27T02:52:00.000-08:00

Although originally a student of the violin and cello, Fischer was discovered at the age of 18 in a church choir and in a student operetta and was given a position at court. With the help of a grant by Elector Karl Theodor he continued

Art History

2005-03-25T23:00:00.000-08:00

Art historical research has two primary concerns.

Schwaben

2005-03-25T14:42:00.000-08:00

English Swabia, Regierungsbezirk (administrative district), southwestern corner of Bavaria Land (state), southern Germany. Schwaben is bordered by Austria to the south, Baden-Württemberg Land to the west, and the Regierungsbezirke of Mittelfranken (Middle Franconia) to the north and Oberbayern (Upper Bavaria) to the east. Created in 1934, the district is coextensive with the eastern portion

Tlaxcala

2005-03-25T06:58:00.000-08:00

In full Tlaxcala De Xicohténcatl, town, capital of Tlaxcala estado (“state”), east-central Mexico. It lies along the Zahuapan River at the northwest foot of La Malinche volcano, 7,388 feet (2,252 m) above sea level. The city lies in the region inhabited by the Tlaxcalan Indians, and the designation “de Xicohténcatl” commemorates a Tlaxcalan chieftain who vigorously opposed his people's aid to the Spanish conquistador

Río Cuarto

2005-03-24T00:23:00.000-08:00

City, southwestern Córdoba provincia, northwestern Argentina. It lies along the Cuarto River between the western reaches of the Pampas and the foothills of the Sierra de los Cóndores and La Grande de Córdoba. The city was inaugurated in 1794 under the sponsorship of Governor Rafael de Sobremonte, the Spanish intendant. It was the site of several skirmishes during the

Constantia

2005-03-23T18:56:00.000-08:00

Residential area, Western Cape province, South Africa, near Cape Town. It is located in Constantia Valley, famous since the 18th century for wines produced on both government and private farms. The Groot Constantia homestead there was built about 1685 by Governor Simon van der Stel and named for his wife, Constance; a fine example of Cape Dutch architecture, it has been restored

Ma-an-shan

2005-03-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

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

Traherne, Thomas

2005-03-23T05:21:00.000-08:00

The son of a shoemaker, Traherne was educated at the University of Oxford, ordained in 1660, and presented in 1661 to the living of Credenhill, which he held until 1674. From 1669 to 1674 Traherne lived in London and Teddington, serving as chaplain to Sir Orlando

Mola

2005-03-22T22:25:00.000-08:00

The mola (Mola mola; see photograph) is an enormous, gray or brownish

Canadian National Railway Company

2005-03-22T11:21:00.000-08:00

In its early years Canadian National

Appian Of Alexandria

2005-03-22T04:16:00.000-08:00

In addition to a lost autobiography, Appian wrote in Greek a Romaica,

China, Waterways

2005-03-21T13:26:00.000-08:00

The high cost of construction prevents railways from being built extensively, and rail transport conditions are often congested. Freight volume carried by highways is limited, and highways are not suitable for moving bulky goods. China's water transport potential is great, but it is still far from being fully developed. Nonetheless, there are more than 68,000 miles of

Subud

2005-03-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

Religious movement, based on spontaneous and ecstatic exercises, founded by an Indonesian, Muhammad Subuh, called Bapak. A student of Sufism (Islamic mysticism) as a youth, Bapak had a powerful mystical experience in 1925, and in 1933 he claimed that the mission to found the Subud movement was revealed to him. The movement was restricted to Indonesia until the 1950s, when it spread to Europe

Gaboriau, émile

2005-03-20T04:49:00.000-08:00

Gaboriau's prolific imagination and acute observation generated 21 novels (originally published in serial form) in 13 years. He made his reputation with the publication in 1866 of L'Affaire

Flamininus, Titus Quinctius

2005-03-20T02:48:00.000-08:00

Flamininus was a military tribune during the Second Punic War (218–201) and had a distinguished military career. Elected quaestor in 205, he exercised the authority (imperium) of a praetor at Tarentum in southern Italy, and he twice (202, 200) was involved in the distribution of lands to victorious troops. These veterans

Metallgesellschaft Ag

2005-03-19T23:30:00.000-08:00

Established in 1881 by Wilhelm Merton (1848–1916), the company originally confined its activities

Atitlán, Lake

2005-03-18T00:32:00.000-08:00

Spanish Lago De Atitlán, lake in southwestern Guatemala. It lies in the central highlands at about 5,128 feet (1,563 m) above sea level. The lake, 1,049 feet (320 m) deep, is 12 miles (19 km) long and 6 miles (10 km) wide, with an area of 49.3 square miles (127.7 square km). It occupies a valley dammed by volcanic ash; on its borders are three cone-shaped volcanoes: Atitlán, Tolimán, and San Pedro. The shores of the spectacular lake are dotted with Indian

Permafrost

2005-03-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

The thickness and areal distribution of permafrost are directly affected by snow and vegetation cover, topography, bodies of water, the interior heat of the Earth, and the temperature of the atmosphere, as mentioned earlier.

Salem

2005-03-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

Nearby oil fields

Dome

2005-03-16T23:07:00.000-08:00

In architecture, hemispherical structure evolved from the arch, usually forming a ceiling or roof. Domes first appeared as solid mounds and in techniques adaptable only to the smallest buildings, such as round huts and tombs in the ancient Middle East, India, and the Mediterranean. The Romans introduced the large-scale masonry hemisphere. The dome exerts thrusts

Benedict I

2005-03-16T06:06:00.000-08:00

Little is known about his life. He was elected to succeed John III, probably just after the latter's death (July 574), but was not consecrated until June 575, so that the see of Rome was vacant for almost 11 months. He consecrated 21 bishops during his pontificate and granted the Massa Veneris, an estate near Minturnae (near modern Minturo, Italy), to Abbot Stephen

Karat

2005-03-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Carat, a measure of the fineness (i.e., purity) of gold. It is spelled carat outside the United States but should not be confused with the unit used to measure the weight of gems, also called carat. A gold karat is 1/24 part, or 4.1667 percent, of the whole, and the purity of a gold alloy is expressed as the number of these parts of gold it contains. Thus, an object that contains 16 parts gold and 8 parts alloying

Epilobium

2005-03-14T23:45:00.000-08:00

The hairy willow herb, or codling-and-cream

India, Southern Indian kingdoms

2005-03-14T15:15:00.000-08:00

Inscriptions in Brahmi (recently read as Tamil Brahmi) date to between the 2nd century BC and the 4th century

Bulgakov, Mikhail Afanasyevich

2005-03-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

Beginning his adult life as a doctor, Bulgakov gave up medicine for writing. His first major work was the novel Belaya gvardiya (The White Guard), serialized in 1925 but never published in book form. A realistic and

Sarcoidosis

2005-03-12T23:28:00.000-08:00

Systemic disease of unknown cause that is characterized by the formation of granulation (scarlike) tissue. Sarcoidosis often disappears spontaneously within two or three years but may progress to involve more than one organ. It is observed in the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes, salivary glands, muscles, liver, spleen, and the connective tissues of the nervous system. Skin

Kazan

2005-03-12T04:39:00.000-08:00

Ancient Kazan (Iske Kazan) was founded in the late 13th century by the Mongols (Tatars) of the Golden Horde after their overthrow of the

Viscount

2005-03-11T20:55:00.000-08:00

In the Carolingian period of European history, the vicecomites, or missi comitis, were deputies, vicars, or lieutenants of the counts, whose official powers they exercised by delegation. As the countships eventually became hereditary, the lieutenancies did as well: for instance, in France the

Reformed Church Of France

2005-03-09T20:10:00.000-08:00

French Église Reformée De France, church organized in 1938 by merging several Reformed groups that had developed in France during and after the 16th-century Protestant Reformation. During the early part of the Reformation, Protestant movements made slow progress in France. Yet reforming movements within the Roman Catholic Church had appeared early. Before Martin Luther had emerged as a Reformer in

Amphitrite

2005-03-09T15:12:00.000-08:00

In Greek mythology, the goddess of the sea, wife of the god Poseidon, and one of the 50 (or 100) daughters (the Nereids) of Nereus and Doris (the daughter of Oceanus). Poseidon chose Amphitrite from among her sisters as the Nereids performed a dance on the isle of Naxos. Refusing his offer of marriage, she fled to Atlas, from whom she was retrieved by a dolphin sent by Poseidon. Amphitrite

Palamas, Saint Gregory

2005-03-09T03:27:00.000-08:00

Orthodox monk, theologian, and intellectual leader of Hesychasm, an ascetical method of mystical prayer that integrates repetitive prayer formulas with bodily postures and controlled breathing. He was appointed bishop of Thessalonica in 1347. In 1368 he was acclaimed a saint

Xenia

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

City, seat (1804) of Greene County, southwestern Ohio, U.S., near the Little Miami River, 16 mi (26 km) east-southeast of Dayton. It was founded in 1803 by Joseph C. Vance, who gave it a Greek name meaning “hospitality.” The arrival of the railroads in the 1840s provided impetus for its growth as a trading centre for farmers and stock raisers. Small manufactures (furniture, cordage, plastics, castings,

Jan Mayen

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

Island, part of the Kingdom of Norway, in the Greenland Sea of the Arctic Ocean, about 300 mi (500 km) east of Greenland. It is approximately 35 mi long and 9 mi across at its widest point, with an area of 144 sq mi (373 sq km). It is the peak of a submarine volcanic ridge, and Beerenberg volcano (7,470 ft [2,277 m]), the last major eruption of which was in 1732, forms the Nord-Jan, the northeastern region of the island. The remainder,

Kernite

2005-03-07T17:18:00.000-08:00

Also called Rasorite, borate mineral, hydrated sodium borate (Na2B4O7×4H2O), that was formerly the chief source of borax (q.v.). It forms very large crystals, often 60 to 90 centimetres (2 to 3 feet) thick; the largest observed measured 240 by 90 cm. The crystals are colourless and transparent but are usually covered by a surface film of opaque white tincalconite. Kernite is associated with other borate minerals as

Stranitzky, Joseph Anton

2005-03-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

Stranitzky began his career as an itinerant puppeteer. After his arrival in Vienna (c. 1705) he formed his own company, which performed burlesques and farces in German, often based on Italian libretti. By 1711 he and his troupe had become

Ducommun, élie

2005-03-05T22:06:00.000-08:00

After working as a magazine and newspaper editor in Geneva and Bern, Ducommun spent most of his career as general secretary of the Jura-Simplon Railway. His spare time, however, was spent on peace activities. He took an active part in the movement for European

United Kingdom, The reconquest of the Danelaw

2005-03-05T01:26:00.000-08:00

When Alfred died in 899, his son Edward succeeded him. A large-scale incursion by the Danes of Northumbria ended in their crushing defeat at Tettenhall in 910. Edward completed his father's plan of building a ring of fortresses around Wessex, and his sister Aethelflaed took similar measures in Mercia. In 912 Edward was ready to begin the series of campaigns by which he relentlessly

Kido Takayoshi

2005-03-04T11:21:00.000-08:00

Born into an influential warrior family, Kido early became active in the politics

Tyrrell, Sir James

2005-03-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

Tyrrell fought on the Yorkist side in their victory over the Lancastrians at Tewkesbury

Aqua Regia

2005-03-03T23:11:00.000-08:00

Aqua regia and other mixtures similar to it are used in analytical procedures for the solution

Mathematics And Physical Sciences, Organic Chemistry.

2005-03-02T23:37:00.000-08:00

French chemist Louis Pasteur, who established the basics of stereochemistry in the 1840s, tried unsuccessfully to influence biological and chemical processes toward a preference for molecules with a right-handed or a left-handed structure. For example, Pasteur rotated growing plants in an effort to change the handedness of their naturally produced chemical compounds,

Argentina, La

2005-03-01T21:46:00.000-08:00

She studied ballet with her parents, both of whom were professional dancers of Spanish birth. At the age of 11 she became premiere danseuse at the Madrid Opera, but she resigned at 14 to study the

Insurance, Types of policies

2005-02-28T23:08:00.000-08:00

Hospitalization insurance indemnifies for room

Grazzini, Anton Francesco

2005-02-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

Apparently educated in vernacular literature, Grazzini in 1540 took part in the founding of the Accademia degli Umidi (“Academy of the Humid”), the first literary society of the time. He was a contentious individual and became

Yard-of-ale Glass

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

Tall, extremely narrow drinking glass that was known in England from the 17th century. It is approximately 1 yard (90 cm) long and holds about 1 pint (0.5 litre). The glass has a trumpet-shaped opening at one end and either a foot at the other or a trick bulb, which makes drinking more difficult, for when air gets into it the ale is forced out in a rush. Impractical for ordinary use, it appears

Rowan

2005-02-25T15:48:00.000-08:00

A deciduous tree, Sorbus aucuparia; it is also called the European mountain ash, or quickbeam. See mountain ash.

Re

2005-02-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Ra, or Phra, in ancient Egyptian religion, god of the sun and creator god. He was believed to travel across the sky in his solar bark and, during the night, to make his passage in another bark through the underworld, where, in order to be born again for the new day, he had to vanquish the evil serpent Apopis (Apepi). As the creator, he rose from the ocean of chaos on the primeval hill, creating

U2

2005-02-25T03:35:00.000-08:00

Irish postpunk band that by the end of the 1980s had established itself not only as one of the world's most popular bands but also as one of the most innovative. The members are Bono (byname of Paul Hewson; b. May 10, 1960, Dublin, Ireland), the Edge (byname of David Evans; b. August 8, 1961, Barking, Essex [now in Greater London], England), Adam Clayton (b. March 13, 1960, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England), and Larry Mullen,

Burdwan

2005-02-24T23:54:00.000-08:00

Also called Bardhaman, or Barddhaman, city, central West Bengal state, northeastern India. The city is a major communications centre lying astride the Banka River just north of the Damodar River. Rice and oilseed milling and hosiery, cutlery, and tool manufacturing are the chief industries. Of historic interest are the Rajbari (the maharaja's palace and gardens), several ancient Muslim tombs, and 108 Siva linga,

Ribera, José De

2005-02-24T15:48:00.000-08:00

He was born in Spain but spent most of his life in Italy. Little is known of his life in Spain, though he is said by the painter and biographer Antonio Palomino to have received his

Wagonette

2005-02-24T06:18:00.000-08:00

Horse-drawn carriage designed to carry a large number of passengers who sat on long bench-style seats facing each other. The driver's seat was separate and mounted from the front, while passengers boarded the vehicle from a door in the rear. The first wagonette was built in England about 1843 and became a popular vehicle, partially because of the implied endorsement of

Andaman And Nicobar Islands, History

2005-02-22T15:43:00.000-08:00

The name Nicobar probably is derived from Nakkavaram (“Land of the Naked”). As with the Andamans, the Nicobars are located along a line of ancient trade routes. At various periods beginning in the 17th century, France, Denmark, Austria, and Great Britain all had obscure rights to the islands. In 1869 the Danes relinquished their claims to the British, who subsequently governed

Eliade, Mircea

2005-02-22T00:08:00.000-08:00

Eliade took an M.A. in philosophy from the University of Bucharest

Ba Jin

2005-02-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

Born to a wealthy gentry family, Ba received a traditional

Disasters

2005-02-19T22:45:00.000-08:00

March 20, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A gas cylinder belonging to a balloon

Nizhnekamsk

2005-02-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

City, Tatarstan, western Russia. It lies along the left bank of the Kama River, just southwest of Naberezhnye Chelny. It is an important petrochemical centre. Its synthetic-rubber plant, intended to become one of the world's largest, began operation in 1970. It also has a large tire plant and produces plastics. An oil refinery began operation there in 1979. Pop. (1995 est.) 209,500.

China, Foreign relations

2005-02-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

The Manchu inherited the tributary system of foreign relations from previous dynasties. This system assumed that China was culturally and materially superior to all other nations, and it required those who wished to trade and deal with China to come as vassals to the emperor, who was the ruler of “all under Heaven.” The tributary system was used by the Ch'ing Board of

China, Mineral resources

2005-02-18T13:20:00.000-08:00

China is well endowed with mineral resources, the most important of which is coal. Although deposits are widely scattered (some coal is found in every province), most of the total is located in the northern part of the country. The province of Shansi, in fact, is thought to contain about half of the total; other important coal-bearing provinces include Heilungkiang, Liaoning,

Water Flea

2005-02-17T20:01:00.000-08:00

Any member of the crustacean order Anomopoda (class Branchiopoda), a large group containing about 450 species distributed worldwide. Most forms are found in freshwater habitats, but a few occur in marine environments. The best known genus is Daphnia, ubiquitous in ponds and streams in Europe and North America. The water flea is microscopic in size, typically

Agustini, Delmira

2005-02-17T01:49:00.000-08:00

Agustini was the first woman in Latin-American literature to deal boldly with the themes of sensuality and passion, and her poems have a force lacking from most Modernist poetry of the period. Her life ended tragically when she was murdered by her estranged husband. Her chief

Selangor

2005-02-16T19:15:00.000-08:00

Region of western West Malaysia (Malaya), occupying part of a coastal alluvial plain on the Strait of Malacca. In 1974, a 94-square-mile (243-square-kilometre) portion of Selangor, centring on Kuala Lumpur, was designated a wilayapersekutuan (federal territory). Selangor's history and economic development have been closely linked with two rivers, the Kelang and the Langat, which

Digestive System, Invertebrate, Vacuolar systems

2005-02-16T16:18:00.000-08:00

Unicellular organisms that ingest food particles via vacuoles rely on intracellular digestion to prepare the nutrients for use. The enzymes that catalyze this digestion, being very potent chemicals capable of breaking down the cell substance itself, are held until needed in special packets, or vesicles, called lysosomes; the membrane of a lysosome is both impermeable

Handball

2005-02-15T13:29:00.000-08:00

Any of a family of games played in walled courts or against a single wall, with a small rubber ball that is struck with hand or fist against the wall. The object is to cause the ball to rebound with variations of power or speed and at such an angle that the opposition cannot return it. There are three versions of handball: four-wall, three-wall, and one-wall. Each may be played

Abyssal Zone

2005-02-14T02:01:00.000-08:00

Portion of the ocean deeper than about 2,000 m (6,600 feet) and shallower than about 6,000 m (20,000 feet). The zone is defined mainly by its extremely uniform environmental conditions, as reflected in the distinct life forms inhabiting it. The upper boundary between the abyssal zone and the overlying bathyal zone is conveniently defined as the depth at which the water temperature is 4° C (39° F); this

Ugra, Battle Of The

2005-02-13T19:59:00.000-08:00

(1480), bloodless confrontation between the armies of Muscovy and the Golden Horde, traditionally marking the end of the “Mongol yoke” in Russia. By 1480 the Golden Horde had lost control of large portions of its empire; Ivan III of Moscow had stopped paying tribute to the Horde and no longer recognized it as an authority over Muscovy. In 1480 Akhmet, khan of the Golden Horde, led an army

Mammal, Respiratory system

2005-02-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

Closely coupled with the circulatory system is the ventilatory (breathing) apparatus, the lungs and associated structures. Ventilation in mammals is unique. The lungs themselves are less efficient than those of birds, for air movement consists of an ebb and flow, rather than a one-way circuit, so a residuum of air remains that cannot be expired. Ventilation in mammals

Henry I

2005-02-12T04:35:00.000-08:00

Byname Henry Beauclerc (Good Scholar), French Henri Beauclerc youngest and ablest of William I the Conqueror's sons, who as king of England (1100–35) strengthened the crown's executive powers and, like his father, also ruled Normandy (from 1106).

Balch, Emily Greene

2005-02-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

American sociologist, political scientist, economist, and pacifist, a leader of the women's movement for peace during and after World War I. She received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1946 jointly with John Raleigh Mott. She was also noted for her sympathetic and thorough study of Slavic immigrants

Stafford, Sir Edward William

2005-02-10T05:47:00.000-08:00

The son of a landed Irish family, Stafford began farming sheep in New Zealand (1843), was elected superintendent of Nelson province (1853) and representative from Nelson to the General Assembly (1855), and formed his first ministry in 1856. During this five-year term as premier,

Musa

2005-02-09T17:42:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Mousa , also called Kankan Musa mansa (emperor) of the West African empire of Mali from 1307 (or 1312). Mansa Musa left a realm notable for its extent and riches (he built the Great Mosque at Timbuktu), but he is best remembered in the Middle East and Europe for the splendour of his pilgrimage to Mecca (1324).

Champmeslé, Marie

2005-02-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

The daughter of an actor, she married the actor Charles Chevillet Champmeslé in 1666, and by 1669 both were members of the Théâtre du Marais in Paris. In 1670 they joined the Hôtel de Bourgogne, where she had her first success as Hermione in Racine's Andromaque. Only with difficulty could

Brunei

2005-02-07T15:32:00.000-08:00

Officially State of Brunei, Abode of Peace, Malay Negara Brunei Darussalam, independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. It has an area of 2,226 square miles (5,765 square kilometres) and is bounded to the north by the South China Sea and on all other sides by the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, which also divides the state into two enclaves of unequal size. The western enclave is the larger of the two and contains the capital

Irish Elk

2005-02-07T13:03:00.000-08:00

Genus (Megaloceros) of extinct giant elk commonly found as fossils in Pleistocene deposits in Europe and Asia (the Pleistocene Epoch began 1,600,000 years ago and ended about 10,000 years ago). The Irish elk, about the size of the modern moose, had the largest antlers of any form of deer known—in some specimens, 4 m (about 13 feet) across. The antlers differed from those of the modern elk; the main

Latin America

2005-02-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

The countries of South America and North America (including Central America and the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants speak a Romance language. Most frequently the term Latin America is restricted to countries whose inhabitants speak either Spanish or Portuguese, but the French-speaking areas of Haiti, French Guiana, and the French West Indies may also

Irish Elk

2005-02-06T19:11:00.000-08:00

Anatosaurus grew to a length of 9–12 metres (30–40 feet) and was heavily built. The skull was long and the beak

Ford Motor Company

2005-02-05T09:20:00.000-08:00

American automotive corporation founded in 1903 by Henry Ford (q.v.) and 11 associate investors. In 1919 the company was reincorporated, with Ford, his wife, Clara, and his son, Edsel, acquiring full ownership; they, their heirs, and the Ford Foundation (formed 1936) were sole stockholders until January 1956, when public sale of the common stock was first offered. The company today is chiefly engaged

Pigalle, Jean-baptiste

2005-02-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Born into a family of master carpenters, Pigalle began training as a sculptor at age 18 with Robert Le Lorrain and then studied with Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. After failing to win the Prix de Rome in 1735, he studied independently in Rome at his own expense from 1736 to 1739. While there Pigalle

Kaministiquia River

2005-02-04T15:31:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Kaministikwia, river, western Ontario, Can. It rises in Dog Lake and, after a crooked course of 60 miles (95 km), empties into Thunder Bay, an arm of Lake Superior. It has many rapids and cataracts, notably the wide Kakabeka Falls (154 feet [47 m] high), site of a major hydroelectric station. The river divides into three channels as it enters Thunder Bay, providing deepwater shipping docks at the city of Thunder

Nigeria

2005-02-04T10:02:00.000-08:00

During 2000 Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo took a variety of steps to secure Nigeria's transition to democracy. Chief among these were reform of the military and the curbing of government corruption. President Obasanjo, himself a former general, continued to force the retirement of officers who had held political positions under previous military governments. In June he

Aquinas, Thomas, Saint, Biblical commentaries

2005-02-04T07:43:00.000-08:00

Expositio in Evangelium S. Matthaei (1269–72); Expositio in Job ad litteram (1261–64); Expositio in Evangelium Joannis (1269–72); Exposition in S. Pauli Apostoli epistolas (undated; incomplete); In psalmos Davidis expositio (1272–73).

Sagua La Grande

2005-02-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

City, north-central Villa Clara provincia, north-central Cuba. Lying on the Sagua la Grande River, 15 miles (24 km) from its mouth, the city is a major port and regional manufacturing and commercial centre. The area is known primarily for its sugarcane, but rice, black beans, and livestock also are economically significant. Foundries, distilleries, railroad shops, lumberyards,

Melville (of Melville), Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount, Baron Dunira

2005-02-02T02:56:00.000-08:00

British careerist politician who held various ministerial offices under William Pitt the Younger and whose adroit control of Scottish politics earned him the nickname “King Harry the Ninth.” Educated at the University of Edinburgh, he became a member of the faculty of advocates in 1763 and soon acquired a leading

Antarctica, Birds

2005-02-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

About 45 species of birds live south of the Antarctic Convergence, but only three—the emperor penguin (see photograph), Antarctic petrel, and South Polar (McCormick's) skua—breed exclusively on the continent or on nearby islands. An absence of mammalian land predators and the rich offshore food supply make Antarctic coasts a haven for immense seabird

Cambon, Joseph

2005-01-31T19:37:00.000-08:00

Cambon was a prosperous businessman in Montpellier when the Revolution broke out in 1789. As a deputy to the Legislative Assembly (October 1791–September

Skepticism

2005-01-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Scepticism the philosophical attitude of doubting knowledge claims set forth in various areas. Skeptics have challenged the adequacy or reliability of these claims by asking what they are based upon or what they actually establish. They have raised the question whether such claims about the world are either indubitable or necessarily true, and they have challenged the

Nemours, Jacques De Savoie, Duc De, (duke Of), Comte (count) De Genevois, Marquis De Saint-sorlin

2005-01-30T13:42:00.000-08:00

He won a military reputation in the French royal service on the eastern frontier and in Piedmont in the 1550s and against the Huguenots and their German allies in the 1560s. His amorous exploits at the Valois court were also admired; the chronicler Pierre de Brantôme characteristically