RegularPlanet

Buddhism, Ordination

2005-04-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

Admission to the sangha involves two distinct acts: pabbajja, which consists of renunciation of secular life and acceptance of monasticism as a novice, and upasampada, the official consecration as a monk. The evolution of the procedure is not entirely clear; in early times, the two acts probably occurred at the same time. Subsequently, the Vinaya established that upasampad

Binocular

2005-04-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

In most binoculars, each

Jian Ware

2005-04-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

The clay used for Jian ware was of a very hard, coarse grain. The inside and about two-thirds of the outside of the ware were covered with a thick,

Middlesex, Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl Of

2005-04-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

Cranfield spent his early career as a London merchant and financier. In 1612 he became acquainted with the lord privy seal, Henry Howard, earl of Northampton,

Hardie, J(ames) Keir

2005-04-02T05:58:00.000-08:00

British labour leader, first to represent the workingman in Parliament as an Independent (1892) and first to lead the Labour Party in the House of Commons (1906). A dedicated socialist, he was also an outspoken pacifist (from the time of the South African, or Boer, War, 1899–1902) and the chief adviser (from 1903) to the militant suffragists headed by Emmeline

Eisenhower, Dwight D.

2005-04-02T03:39:00.000-08:00

In full Dwight David Eisenhower 34th president of the United States (1953–61), who had been supreme commander of the Allied forces in western Europe during World War II. (For a discussion of the history and nature of the presidency, see presidency of the United States of America. See also Cabinet of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.)

Saarinen, Eero

2005-04-01T04:10:00.000-08:00

General Motors Technical Center, Warren, Mich. (1948–56); Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, St. Louis, Mo. (1948–64); Milwaukee County War Memorial, Milwaukee (1953–57); Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne, Ind. (1953–58); Kresge Auditorium and chapel, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. (1955); U.S. Embassy, Oslo (1955–59); U.S. Embassy, London (1955–60); Law School, University of Chicago (1956–60); Trans World Airlines terminal, John F. Kennedy Airport, New York City (1956–62); Thomas J. Watson Research Centre, IBM, Yorktown, N.Y. (1957–61); Deere & Company, Moline, Ill. (1957–63); Ingalls Hockey Rink, Yale University (1958); Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, Va., serving Washington, D.C. (1958–62); North Christian Church, Columbus, Ind. (1959–63); Ezra Stiles and Morse College, Yale University (1962); Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York City (1962–63); CBS Headquarters, New York City (completed 1964).

Vagina

2005-03-31T23:39:00.000-08:00

In humans the vagina is about 9 cm (3.5 inches) long; it is located in front of the rectum and behind the bladder. The cervix of the uterus connects to the upper region

Rayleigh (of Terling Place), John William Strutt, 3rd Baron

2005-03-31T20:34:00.000-08:00

Strutt suffered from poor health

Lipchitz, Jacques

2005-03-30T13:56:00.000-08:00

As a youth Lipchitz studied engineering in Vilnius, Lithuania. When he moved to Paris in 1909, however, he was wonder struck by French avant-garde art, especially

Endlicher, Stephan

2005-03-29T18:23:00.000-08:00

Endlicher turned from the study of theology to that of natural history and medicine while at the Universities of Budapest and Vienna (M.D., 1840). In 1836 he became curator of the Vienna Museum of Natural History, to which he would eventually

Wildfowl Trust, The

2005-03-28T15:54:00.000-08:00

Centre of the world's largest collection of waterfowl. It was established in 1946 by Sir Peter Scott on 418 acres (169 hectares) along the River Severn near Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, Eng. Nearly a quarter of the land is fenced off for captive birds and breeding stock; the rest of the refuge is traditional wintering ground for many species of ducks and geese. In addition to accommodating

Yamethin

2005-03-28T08:34:00.000-08:00

Town, central-northern Myanmar (Burma), occupying a high point on the central plain. For centuries it was an important junction on the caravan trade route between the Shan region to the east and Myingyan, 90 miles (145 km) northwest, on the Irrawaddy River. Modern Yamethin, a municipality since 1888, has railway workshops and is irrigated by the Kyeni Tank (reservoir), built in the 11th

Caudata, Size range and diversity of structure

2005-03-28T02:02:00.000-08:00

The most typical salamanders are short-bodied, four-legged, moist-skinned vertebrates about 100 to 150 millimetres (about 4 to 6 inches) long. The tail is usually about as long as the body. There is much variation in size, and terrestrial salamanders range from 40 to nearly 350 millimetres, with a few exceeding 1 metre (39 inches) in length. Members of most species live in moist places on land

Arawakan Languages

2005-03-26T21:56:00.000-08:00

Most widespread of all South American Indian language groups. Before the Spanish conquest, Arawakan languages were spoken in a number of disconnected areas from what is now Cuba and the Bahamas southward to the present Gran Chaco and the sources of the Xingu River in southern Brazil, and from the mouth of the Amazon River to the eastern foothills of the Andes. A great

Recidivism

2005-03-26T19:34:00.000-08:00

Tendency toward chronic criminal behaviour leading to numerous arrests and re-imprisonment. Studies of the yearly intake of prisons, reformatories, and jails in the United States and Europe show that from one-half to two-thirds of those imprisoned have served previous sentences in the same or in other institutions. The conclusion is that the criminal population

Cinnabar

2005-03-25T04:42:00.000-08:00

Mercury sulfide (HgS), the chief ore mineral of mercury. It is commonly encountered with pyrite, marcasite, and stibnite in veins near recent volcanic rocks and in hot-springs deposits. The most important deposit is at Almadén, Spain, where it has been mined for 2,000 years. Other deposits are in Huancavelica, Peru; Iudrio, Italy; and the Coast Ranges of California, U.S. Metacinnabar,

Reforma, La

2005-03-24T03:12:00.000-08:00

La Reforma period began with the issuance in 1854 of the Plan de Ayutla, a liberal pronouncement calling for the removal of the dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna. After Santa Anna's fall in 1855, Juárez and the liberals enacted the Ley Juárez,

Karakum Desert, Climate

2005-03-24T02:22:00.000-08:00

The climate of the Turkmen Karakum is continental, with long, hot, dry summers and unpredictable but relatively warm winters. The average temperature in July in the north and along the shore of the Caspian Sea ranges from 79 to 82 °F (26 to 28 °C), and in the central part of the Central Karakum from 86 to 93 °F (30 to 34 °C). In January, average temperatures are 25 °F (-4 °C) in the north and 39 °F (4 °C) in the south, but temperatures

Arrowsmith, Aaron

2005-03-23T21:07:00.000-08:00

Without a formal education Arrowsmith went to London c. 1770 and, after working as a surveyor, established himself as a mapmaker and publisher. His large world map (1790) established his reputation. A

Scaevola, Gaius Mucius

2005-03-21T19:01:00.000-08:00

Legendary Roman hero who is said to have saved Rome (c. 509 BC) from conquest by the Etruscan king Lars Porsena. According to the legend, Mucius volunteered to assassinate Porsena, who was besieging Rome, but killed his victim's attendant by mistake. Brought before the Etruscan royal tribunal, he declared that he was one of 300 noble youths who had sworn to take the king's life. He demonstrated

Elimelech Of Lizhensk

2005-03-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

Elimelech was a disciple of Tov Baer, one of the early Hasidic leaders, and after Baer's death he settled in Lizhensk, which subsequently became an important Hasidic centre. Elimelech emphasized the importance of the leader (zaddik, meaning “righteous

United Nations, Flag Of The

2005-03-21T06:10:00.000-08:00

In April 1945, near the end of World War II, 50 Allied nations gathered in San Francisco. The lapel button worn by delegates was “smoke blue,” a shade chosen by U.S. Secretary of State Edward R. Stettinius, Jr. The design on the button, by Donal McLaughlin, showed a view of the Earth based on a projection centred on the North Pole. This indicated the worldwide scope of the new organization,

Prince, Harold

2005-03-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

The son of a New York stockbroker, Prince majored in English at the University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 1948) and began his theatrical career as an apprentice and stage manager for the noted producer

Polarization

2005-03-19T15:37:00.000-08:00

Light waves are transverse: that is, the vibrating electric vector associated with each wave is perpendicular to the direction of propagation. A beam of unpolarized light consists of waves moving in the same direction

Selihoth

2005-03-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Selihot, or Selichot, Hebrew Selihot (“pardons”), in Jewish liturgy, penitential prayers originally composed for Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and for fast days but subsequently incorporated into other services. Selihoth have become an indispensable part of the Jewish liturgical services that precede Rosh Hashana (New Year), continue through the Ten Days of Penitence ('aseret yeme teshuva), and terminate

Awolowo, Obafemi

2005-03-19T01:37:00.000-08:00

The son of a peasant, Awolowo first studied to be a teacher and later worked as a clerk, trader, and newspaper reporter while organizing trade unions in his

Masan

2005-03-17T13:02:00.000-08:00

City, Kyongsang-nam do (province), southeastern South Korea. It is located on Masan Bay, across from Chinhae Bay, 22 miles (35 km) west of Pusan, with which it is connected by rail and road. After 1899 Masan developed as an open port, but it was closed in 1908 because it lay in a fortified naval zone. Masan's port was opened again in 1967. The city is the market centre for agricultural products from the

Sicilian Vespers

2005-03-17T05:38:00.000-08:00

(1282) massacre of the French with which the Sicilians began their revolt against Charles I, Angevin king of Naples and Sicily; it precipitated a French-Aragonese struggle for possession of that kingdom. Its name derives from a riot that took place in a church outside Palermo at the hour of vespers on Easter Monday, March 30, 1282. Peter III of Aragon, Charles's rival for the Neapolitan

Ben Khedda, Benyoussef

2005-03-17T02:12:00.000-08:00

Algerian independence leader (b. Feb. 23, 1920, Berrouaghia, Alg.—d. Feb. 4, 2003, Algiers, Alg.), negotiated Algeria's independence from France in 1962, but he was forced from power shortly thereafter. In 1943, after he protested against French attempts to recruit Algerians in World War II, Ben Khedda was imprisoned for eight months. After the war he became general secretary of the pro-independence

Pecos River

2005-03-17T02:03:00.000-08:00

River in the southwestern United States, rising in Mora County, north-central New Mexico, in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, and flowing about 926 miles (1,490 km) through eastern New Mexico and western Texas. It drains about 38,300 square miles (99,200 square km) before emptying into the Rio Grande at the Amistad National Recreation Area. After leaving the mountains, the Pecos flows over desertlike

Taboo

2005-03-16T03:26:00.000-08:00

Also spelled tabu , Tongan tabu , Maori tapu the prohibition of an action or the use of an object based on ritualistic distinctions of them either as being sacred and consecrated or as being dangerous, unclean, and accursed. The term taboo is of Polynesian origin and was first noted by Captain James Cook during his visit to Tonga in 1771; he introduced the term into the English language, from which it achieved widespread

Agrionia

2005-03-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

(from Greek agrios, “wild,” or “savage”), Greek religious festival celebrated annually at Orchomenus in Boeotia and elsewhere in honour of the wine god Dionysus. The tradition is that the daughters of Minyas, king of Orchomenus, having despised the rites of the god, were driven mad by Dionysus and ate the flesh of one of their children; as punishment they were turned into bats

Davenport, Thomas

2005-03-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

A blacksmith in Brandon, Vt., Davenport began experimenting with electromagnets after observing one in use at an ironworks in Crown Point, N.Y., in 1831. By 1834 he had

All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd.

2005-03-15T02:48:00.000-08:00

Japanese Zen Nippon Kuyu, the largest domestic air carrier in Japan, and one of the largest in the world. The company was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Tokyo. Under the Japanese government's strict regulation of civil aviation, All Nippon Airways was basically restricted to carrying passengers and freight on Japan's major domestic routes, while Japan Air Lines basically monopolized

Jiang Qing

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

Third wife of Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong and the most influential woman in the People's Republic of China until her downfall in 1976, after Mao's death. As a member of the Gang of Four (q.v.) she was convicted in 1981 of “counter-revolutionary crimes” and

Bharatpur

2005-03-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

Also called Bhurtpore town, eastern Rajasthan state, northwestern India. It lies 34 miles (55 km) west of Agra. The town, which was the capital of the former princely state of Bharatpur, was founded about 1733. A communications centre connected by road and rail with Jaipur, Agra, and Mathura, Bharatpur is an important industrial and agricultural market centre. Its major industries include oil mills, metal-fabricating

Tasmania, Resources

2005-03-13T04:19:00.000-08:00

Important mineral deposits include iron at Savage River; high-grade lead-zinc-silver at Hellyer, Que River, and Rosebery; low-grade copper at Queenstown; low-grade tin at Renison Bell; tin and tungsten in the northeast; and high-grade silica at Corinna and Beaconsfield. There is high-quality limestone for cement at Railton, while low-quality coal abounds near Fingal.

Saanen

2005-03-13T02:25:00.000-08:00

Popular breed of dairy goat originating in the Saanen Valley of Switzerland. The coat of the Saanen is fine and light-coloured, with white being generally preferred. In build it is similar to the Toggenburg, with smallish frame, straight or dished face, and erect ears. As is that of other goats, milk of the Saanen is whiter and more easily digestible than cow's milk. The breed

Norway, Political and social change

2005-03-12T05:53:00.000-08:00

After the liberation in 1945 a coalition government was formed under the leadership of Einar Gerhardsen. The general election in the autumn of 1945 gave the DNA a decisive majority, and a purely Labour government was formed with Gerhardsen as prime minister. The DNA governed almost continuously from 1945 to 1965. Haakon VII died in 1957 and was succeeded by his son, Olaf V. The Labour governments

Atget, (jean-)eugène(-auguste)

2005-03-11T19:47:00.000-08:00

Little is known of his early life. He was orphaned very young and lived with an uncle until he was old enough to go to sea as a cabin boy. After several voyages, he abandoned the sea for the stage. He soon

Baalat

2005-03-11T15:55:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Ba'alat or Ba'alath (from West Semitic ba'alat, “lady”), often used as a synonym for the special goddess of a region; also, the chief deity of Byblos. Very little is known of Baalat, “the Lady [of Byblos],” but, because of the close ties between Byblos and Egypt, she was often represented with a typically Egyptian hairstyle, headdress, and costume, and by the 12th dynasty (1991–1786 BC) she was equated with the Egyptian

Sarajevo

2005-03-11T13:05:00.000-08:00

Capital and cultural centre of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It lies in the narrow valley of the Miljacka River at the foot of Mount Trebevic. The city retains a strong Muslim character, having many mosques, wooden houses with ornate interiors, and the ancient Turkish marketplace (the Bašcaršija); much of the population is Muslim. The city's principal mosques are the Gazi Husreff-Bey's

Ascari, Alberto

2005-03-10T23:34:00.000-08:00

Ascari started racing on motorcycles, turning to cars in 1940, when he entered the Mille Miglia. He raced in Maseratis after World War II and in Ferraris from 1949 to 1954, when he joined the Lancia team. He won the Mille Miglia in 1954 and many Grand Prix. Like his father, Antonio Ascari, who also

China, Mongol government and administration

2005-03-10T21:54:00.000-08:00

After their initial successes in northern China in 1211–15, the Mongols faced the problem of how to rule and extract material benefits from a largely sedentary population. They were assisted by Khitan and Chinese and even Juchen renegades; these defectors were treated as “companions” (nökör) of the Mongols and were given positions similar to the higher ranks of the steppe

Antidepressant

2005-03-09T09:48:00.000-08:00

Introduced in the late 1950s, antidepressant drugs have been used most widely

Fabriano

2005-03-08T22:36:00.000-08:00

Town, Ancona province, in Marche (The Marches) region, central Italy. The town was the home of a minor school of painting founded in the late 14th century by Allegretto Nuzi and Gentile da Fabriano; frescoes by the former decorate the local cathedral. A Romanesque-Gothic mayoral palace (1255) and a municipal art gallery are other notable buildings. The town was severely damaged

Sun Bear

2005-03-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Also called Bruang, Honey Bear, or Malayan Sun Bear (species Helarctos, or Ursus, malayanus), smallest member of the family Ursidae, found in Southeast Asian forests. The bear is often tamed as a pet when young but becomes bad-tempered and dangerous as an adult. It weighs only 27–65 kg (59–143 pounds) and grows 1–1.2 m (3.3–4 feet) long with a 5-centimetre (2-inch) tail. Its large forepaws bear long, curved claws, which it uses for tearing

Huckleberry

2005-03-08T07:54:00.000-08:00

Small, fruit-bearing, branching shrub of the genus Gaylussacia (family Ericaceae), resembling in habit the English bilberry (Vaccinium), to which it is closely allied. The huckleberry bears fleshy fruit with 10 nutlike seeds, differing in this respect from the blueberry. The common huckleberry of the northern United States is G. baccata, also called black, or high-bush, huckleberry.

Ascii-type Printing Telegraphs

2005-03-07T13:20:00.000-08:00

As embodied in the AT&T Teletype model 37 of 1968, the seven-level ASCII code was signaled by holes punched in an eight-level tape, as illustrated in the Figure. The circles in the Figure represent the holes, which were punched when the operator depressed keys located on a four-row keyboard. The top row of the keyboard consisted of control keys;

Spain, Music

2005-03-07T00:12:00.000-08:00

The influence of the past was particularly strong in the field of music. Composers such as Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909), Enrique Granados (1867–1916), Manuel de Falla (1876–1946), and Joaquín Rodrigo (b. 1901) drew heavily on popular and regional music for their inspiration. One by-product of this was the creation of a serious musical repertoire for the guitar. The instrument gained additional stature from the

Wolfsburg

2005-03-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

The village of Hesslingen, dating from about 700, was the first settlement near the site of Wolfsburg; the

David De Mayrena, Marie-charles

2005-03-06T00:23:00.000-08:00

After defrauding French authorities in Saigon, David de Mayrena fled to Kontum in the Central Highlands, where he impressed the French missionaries and persuaded the members

Rachmaninoff, Sergey

2005-03-05T00:06:00.000-08:00

In full Sergey Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff , Rachmaninoff also spelled Rakhmaninov , or Rachmaninov composer who was the last great figure of the tradition of Russian Romanticism and a leading piano virtuoso of his time. He is especially known for his piano concerti and the piece for piano and orchestra entitled Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (1954). (Click here for an

Alabama, Relief

2005-03-04T19:56:00.000-08:00

The southern extremities of the Appalachians cover almost

Hess, Orvan Walter

2005-03-04T11:10:00.000-08:00

American obstetrician and gynecologist (b. June 18, 1906, Margaretville, N.Y.—d. Sept. 6, 2002, New Haven, Conn.), developed the first fetal heart monitor, at the Yale University Medical School, in 1957. The device, which allowed monitoring to continue during labour, became, except for ultrasound, the most-used technique in obstetrics. Hess also played a major part in the initial successful employment

Denham, Dixon

2005-03-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

After serving in the Napoleonic Wars, Denham volunteered in 1821 to join Walter Oudney and Lieutenant Hugh Clapperton on an official expedition across the Sahara to Bornu (now in northeastern Nigeria), in the Lake Chad basin. After enduring danger and privation,

Urban Contemporary Music

2005-03-03T03:12:00.000-08:00

Responding to disco's waning popularity in the late 1970s, African-American-oriented radio created

Tsushima Current

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

Surface oceanic current, the northeastward-flowing branch of the Kuroshio along the west coast of Japan. Entering the Sea of Japan through the Korea Strait, the Tsushima Current issues the East Korea Warm Current as a northern branch. It is primarily a spring and summer current and is barely discernable in winter.

Visconti-venosta, Emilio, Marchese

2005-03-02T10:38:00.000-08:00

A youthful participant in the revolutionary movement against Austrian rule that began in 1848, Visconti-Venosta was forced in 1859 to flee to Piedmont; he served the government

Procyonid

2005-03-02T06:28:00.000-08:00

Any member of the mammalian family Procyonidae (order Carnivora), including the raccoon and allied species. They are hunted for their fur and flesh, and sometimes kept as pets. Except for the lesser panda of East Asia, the living forms inhabit North and Central America. Procyonids are closely related to bears (Ursidae) and dogs (Canidae). They are small animals with long,

Eindhoven

2005-03-01T15:11:00.000-08:00

Eindhoven was chartered in 1232 by Henry I, duke of Brabant. It developed after 1900 from a small village into one of the largest industrial centres of The Netherlands. In 1920 five adjoining municipalities were annexed, thereby increasing Eindhoven's

Great Australian Bight

2005-03-01T09:34:00.000-08:00

The head of

Wright, Frank Lloyd

2005-02-28T05:50:00.000-08:00

Original name Frank Lincoln Wright architect and writer, the most abundantly creative genius of American architecture. His “Prairie style” became the basis of 20th-century residential design in the United States.

China, Clashes with foreigners

2005-02-28T00:35:00.000-08:00

On May 30, 1925, patriotic students, engaged in an anti-imperialist demonstration in Shanghai, clashed with foreign police. The British captain in charge ordered the police to fire upon a crowd that he believed was about to rush his station. Some 12 Chinese were killed in the May Thirtieth Incident, including students. This aroused a nationwide protest and set off a protracted

Marechal, Leopoldo

2005-02-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

In the early 1920s, Marechal was part of the literary group responsible for Martín Fierro and Proa, Ultraista journals that revolutionized Argentine letters. His first book of poems, Aguiluchos (1922; “Eaglets”), employed Modernista techniques in the treatment

Acromegaly

2005-02-26T01:04:00.000-08:00

The onset of acromegaly

Allman Brothers Band, The

2005-02-26T00:04:00.000-08:00

American rock band whose bluesy, jam-oriented sound helped spark the Southern rock movement of the 1970s and set the stage for several generations of roots-oriented improvisational rock bands. The members were Duane Allman (in full Howard Duane Allman; b. Nov. 20, 1946, Nashville, Tenn., U.S.—d. Oct. 29, 1971, Macon, Ga.), Gregg Allman (in full Gregory Lenoir Allman; b. Dec. 8, 1947, Nashville), Berry Oakley (in full

Forbin, Claude De

2005-02-25T22:46:00.000-08:00

After becoming an experienced seaman, he went on a French mission to the king of Siam, whom he served as grand admiral for two years (1685–87). Returning to France as commandant of a frigate

Einhard

2005-02-25T05:54:00.000-08:00

Einhard was educated after 779 in the monastery of Fulda; his brilliance was soon recognized, and he was sent to Charlemagne's Palace School at Aachen

Mayon Volcano

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

Active volcano, southeastern Luzon, Philippines, dominating the city of Legaspi. Called the world's most perfect cone, it has a base 80 miles (130 km) in circumference and rises to 7,943 feet (2,421 m) from the shores of Albay Gulf. Popular with climbers and campers, it is the centre of Mayon Volcano National Park (21 square miles [55 square km]). There are large abaca plantations on its lower slopes.

Tiglath-pileser I

2005-02-24T04:28:00.000-08:00

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

Anthimus Vi

2005-02-23T04:45:00.000-08:00

In about 1840 Anthimus, a monk of a monastery on

Overbeck, Johann Friedrich

2005-02-23T00:40:00.000-08:00

In 1806 Overbeck entered the Academy of Vienna, where, disappointed in the academic approach to teaching, he and Franz Pforr in 1809 founded the Lucas Brotherhood. They sought to revive

Condom

2005-02-22T09:46:00.000-08:00

Contraceptive device consisting of a sheath that fits over the penis and that is intended to prevent the escape of semen into the vagina. It is made of very thin, flexible rubber or a rubberlike plastic (latex). The condom has long been used as protection against venereal infections and other sexually transmitted diseases, and by the 17th century it was utilized as a contraceptive

Puerto Lempira

2005-02-22T06:45:00.000-08:00

Town, northeastern Honduras. The town lies on an islet that forms part of Tánsin Island, facing the main passage into the Caratasca Lagoon. Fishing is the major economic activity of the area, and the town has a shrimp-packing plant. The shallow, swampy nature of the lagoon and the dense jungle vegetation of the hinterland have precluded the development of a port. An airfield

Strangford Lough

2005-02-21T23:47:00.000-08:00

Irish Loch Cuan inlet of the Irish Sea between Ards and Down districts, Northern Ireland. The lough (lake) is about 16 miles (26 km) long and 4 miles (6 km) wide, with a very narrow entrance, which cuts across the northeast-southwest trend of the rocks in the area. The edges of the lough are characterized by many drumlins, or long oval mounds, which are also seen in submerged form in the lough. Strangford

Elhuyar (y De Suvisa), Fausto (d')

2005-02-21T16:55:00.000-08:00

Spanish chemist and mineralogist who in partnership with his brother Juan José was the first to isolate tungsten, or wolfram (1783), though not the first to recognize its elemental nature. After teaching at Vergara, in Spain (1781–85), Fausto accompanied his brother to several European colleges, including the Freiberg (Saxony) School of Mining and the

Almanac

2005-02-21T00:26:00.000-08:00

Book or table containing a calendar of the days, weeks, and months of the year; a record of various astronomical phenomena, often with weather predictions and seasonal suggestions for farmers; and miscellaneous other data. An almanac provides data on the rising and setting times of the Sun and Moon, the phases of the Moon, the positions of the planets, schedules of high

Qabbani, Nizar

2005-02-20T03:42:00.000-08:00

Syrian poet and diplomat (b. March 21, 1923, Damascus, Syria--d. April 30, 1998, London, Eng.), was one of the most widely read Arab poets of the 20th century. Written in simple but eloquent language, his verses, some of which were set to music, won him the hearts of countless Arabic speakers throughout the Middle East and Africa. Qabbani, who was born into a middle-class merchant family, was also the

Masaka

2005-02-19T20:28:00.000-08:00

Town, southern Uganda, situated about 80 miles (130 km) southwest of Kampala (the national capital), at an elevation of 4,300 feet (1,310 m). Roads connect it with Mbirizi, Lyantonde, and Mbarara. It is a market town and important commercial centre for the surrounding rich coffee-growing area. Its industries produce processed meat and fish, beverages, footwear, furniture, bakery products, glass,

Narni

2005-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

Latin Narnia, town, Terni provincia, Umbria regione, central Italy, situated on a hilltop above the Nera River. It originated as the Umbrian Nequinum (later Narnia, after the Roman conquest) and was the birthplace of Pope John XIII (10th century), the Roman emperor Nerva (1st century), and the condottiere Erasmo da Narni (15th century). The town's ruined castle dates from the 14th century; the Palazzo

Arabia, Geology

2005-02-19T00:10:00.000-08:00

The bulk of Arabia consists of two main geomorphological areas: the Arabian shield in the west; and sedimentary areas dipping away from the shield to the northeast, east, and southeast into the great basin consisting of lower Iraq, the Persian Gulf, and the eastern part of the Rub' al-Khali (the Empty Quarter) desert. The eastern edge of the shield curves eastward from the

France, History Of, Foreign relations

2005-02-17T23:09:00.000-08:00

France assumed a more active role in the politics of Christian Europe from the end of the 12th century. Philip Augustus led French contingents on the most fully international of the great Crusades (1190–91), although, having once demonstrated his energy in that work of piety, he could not afterward be persuaded to renew his vow. He preferred, through dynastic schemes and opportunism,

Norito

2005-02-17T18:33:00.000-08:00

In the Shinto religious practices of Japan, words, or prayer, addressed by worshipers to a deity. The efficacy of prayer is founded on the concept of koto-dama, the spiritual power that resides in words. According to ancient belief, beautiful, correct words bring about good, whereas ugly, coarse language can cause evil. Accordingly, norito are expressed in elegant, classical

Furniture, Early Middle Ages

2005-02-17T03:29:00.000-08:00

With the collapse of the Roman Empire during the 4th–5th centuries, Europe sank into a period in which little furniture, except the most basic, was used: chairs, stools, benches, and primitive chests were the most common items. Several centuries were to pass before the invading Teutonic peoples evolved forms of furniture that approached the Roman standard of domestic

Tasmania

2005-02-16T21:07:00.000-08:00

J.L. Davies (ed.), Atlas of Tasmania (1965), offers comprehensive map coverage with detailed commentary. The Tasmanian Year Book (biennial) is the most comprehensive single reference. C.F. Burrett and E.L. Martin (eds.), Geology and Mineral Resources of Tasmania (1989), is also useful. Margaret Stones and Winifred Curtis, The Endemic Flora of Tasmania, 6 pt. (1967–76), is a definitive study, beautifully illustrated. W.A. Townsley, The Government of Tasmania (1976), is a good political guide. The great 19th-century history is by John West, The History of Tasmania, 2 vol. (1852, reissued in 1 vol., 1971); its successor is by Lloyd Robson, A History of Tasmania, 2 vol. (1983–91), who has also written A Short History of Tasmania (1985). Outstanding historical monographs include Peter Bolger, Hobart Town (1973); Geoffrey Blainey, The Peaks of Lyell, 4th ed. (1978), on copper mining; and Marilyn Lake, A Divided Society: Tasmania During World War I (1975). P. Conrad, Down Home: Revisiting Tasmania (1988, also published as Behind the Mountain: Return to Tasmania, 1989), is an account by an intellectual aghast at the oddities of his native spot.

Nara

2005-02-16T13:21:00.000-08:00

City, Nara ken (prefecture), southern Honshu, Japan. The city of Nara, the prefectural capital, is located in the hilly northeastern edge of the Nara Basin, 25 miles (40 km) east of Osaka. It was the national capital of Japan from 710 to 784—when it was called Heijo-kyo—and retains the atmosphere of ancient Japan. The city is most noted for the many ancient Japanese Buddhist buildings and artifacts

Amberg

2005-02-16T06:30:00.000-08:00

City, Bayern Land (Bavaria state), southeastern Germany, on the Vils River, in the foothills of the Franconian Jura and Bayernwald (Bavarian Forest), southeast of Nürnberg. First mentioned in 1034, it was a court town with considerable trade (in iron and tinplate) and industry in the 14th–16th century. The ducal residence (until 1621) and the capital (until 1810) of the Upper Palatinate, it had many

Huascar

2005-02-16T02:29:00.000-08:00

Huascar succeeded his father in 1525 but was given only part of the empire (Cuzco), while about one-fifth of it (Quito)

World War Ii, The Eastern Front, October 1943April 1944

2005-02-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

By the end of the first week of October 1943, the Red Army had established several bridgeheads on the right bank of the Dnepr River. Then, while General N.F. Vatutin's drive against Kiev was engaging the Germans' attention, General Ivan Stepanovich Konev suddenly pushed so far forward from the Kremenchug bridgehead (more than halfway

Aalto, Alvar

2005-02-14T09:36:00.000-08:00

Aalto's commissions after 1950, in addition to being greater in number, were more varied and widely dispersed: a high-rise apartment building in Bremen, W.Ger. (1958), a church in Bologna, Italy (1966), an art museum

Conant, James B.

2005-02-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

Conant received his A.B. and Ph.D. (1916) degrees from Harvard and, after spending a year in the research division of the chemical warfare service during World War I, returned to Harvard as instructor

Ramillies, Battle Of

2005-02-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

The battle was fought at the village of Ramillies, 13 miles north of Namur (in modern Belgium), between a 62,000-man Allied army under Marlborough and a 60,000-man

Tlaxcala

2005-02-13T03:57:00.000-08:00

Inland plateau estado (“state”), central Mexico, bordered by the states of Puebla on the northeast, east, and south; by México on the west; and by Hidalgo on the northwest. The smallest Mexican state, its 1,551-square-mile (4,016-square-kilometre) territory has a mean elevation of 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and a cool, healthful climate, but frequent winter frosts are injurious to local agriculture. The state

Dyer, John

2005-02-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

British poet chiefly remembered for “Grongar Hill” (1726), a short descriptive and meditative poem, in the manner of Alexander Pope's “Windsor-Forest,” in which he portrays the countryside largely in terms of classical landscape. The poet describes the view from a hill overlooking the vale of Towy

Conservation, The Antarctic Treaty

2005-02-11T20:35:00.000-08:00

The Antarctic continent remained unknown and unexplored during the period when most other parts of the world were being claimed and colonized by European powers. Uninhabited and, until recently, of little or no value to any country, Antarctica never became an area for international dispute. Although segments of the continent and sub-Antarctic islands have been

Ammons, A.r.

2005-02-11T05:35:00.000-08:00

A 1949 graduate of Wake Forest College (now University), Ammons worked as an elementary school principal and as a glass company executive before turning his full attention to literature. From 1964 to 1998 he taught

Haldi

2005-02-10T10:12:00.000-08:00

The national god of the ancient kingdom of Urartu, which ruled the plateau around Lake Van, now eastern Turkey, from about 900 to about 600 BC. Haldi was represented as a man, with or without wings, standing on a lion; in the absence of religious texts his attributes are otherwise unknown. A Urartian temple at ancient Musasir dedicated to Haldi and to the goddess Bagbartu, or Bagmashtu,

Procter & Gamble Company

2005-02-10T08:36:00.000-08:00

The company was formed in 1837 when William Procter, a British candlemaker, and James Gamble, an Irish soapmaker, merged their businesses in Cincinnati. The chief ingredient for both products was animal fat, which was readily available in the hog-butchering