PresentFlag

serviced offices

2006-11-01T15:30:00.000-08:00

Office planet have a huge database of serviced offices throughout the UK. serviced offices provide an affordable and hassle free office solution

Peter

2005-03-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

Chosen

Dog, Jackals

2005-03-16T16:23:00.000-08:00

There has been some disagreement over the years about whether the jackal is a true canid, but the four known varieties are now thought to be part of the same genus. Jackals are native from southeastern Europe into southern Asia, India, and Africa. The best-known variety is the golden jackal, which is a shimmery rust-gold in colour. Jackals are fleet-footed

Adams, John

2005-03-16T02:33:00.000-08:00

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

Uber Cup

2005-03-14T13:27:00.000-08:00

Trophy representing the women's world championship in the sport of badminton. The cup was contributed by Mrs. H.S. Uber, former English champion, in 1956 for a series of women's international team competitions to be held every three years.

Fibula

2005-03-13T21:56:00.000-08:00

(Latin: “brooch”), outer of two bones of lower leg or hindlimb, probably so named because the other bone, the tibia, and the fibula together resemble an ancient brooch, or pin. In humans the head of the fibula is joined to the head of the tibia by ligaments and does not form part of the knee. The base of the fibula forms the outer projection (malleolus)

Argyll, Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl Of, Lord Campbell, Lorne, And Kintyre

2005-03-13T18:57:00.000-08:00

In his youth Campbell studied abroad but returned to Scotland in 1649. He fought at Dunbar (Sept. 3, 1650) and, after the Battle of Worcester, joined the Royalist leader Glencairn in the Highlands. Ultimately he fell foul of

Bacan

2005-03-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Bachan, or Batjan, island, Maluku Utara kabupaten (North Molucca regency), Maluku propinsi (province), Indonesia, one of the northern Moluccas in the Molucca Sea. The islands of Kasiruta to the northwest, Mandioli to the west, and about 80 other islets compose the Kepulauan Bacan group. With an area of about 700 sq mi (1,800 sq km), Bacan is mountainous in the south, rising to 6,926 ft (2,111 m), relatively level and lower

Lag Ba-'omer

2005-03-11T02:20:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Lag B'omer, or Lag Be-omer, a minor Jewish observance falling on the 33rd day in the period of the counting of the 'omer (“barley sheaves”); on this day semimourning ceases and weddings are allowed. The origin of the festival is obscure. Among many traditions, one has it that manna first fell from heaven on this day; another tradition claims that a plague that raged among the followers of Rabbi Akiba ben

Calvus, Gaius Licinius Macer

2005-03-10T02:54:00.000-08:00

Calvus was a son of the annalist Licinius Macer. As an orator he was the leader of a group who opposed the florid Asiatic school, taking the simplest Attic orators as their model. Of his speeches, 21 are mentioned, the most famous being those delivered against Publius Vatinius,

Rochester

2005-03-08T23:36:00.000-08:00

City, seat of Olmsted county, southeastern Minnesota, U.S., situated at the confluence of three tributaries of the Zumbro River, in a mixed-farming region, 75 miles (121 km) south of Minneapolis. The site, which originally served as a camping ground for wagon trains, was settled in 1854 and named for Rochester, N.Y. Its growth has been stimulated to a great degree by the Mayo Medical Center,

Line-and-wash Drawing

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

Also called Pen-and-wash Drawing, in the visual arts, a drawing marked out by pen or some similar instrument and then tinted with diluted ink or watercolour. In 13th-century China, artists used transparent ink washes to create delicate atmospheric effects. The line-and-wash technique was practiced in Europe from the Renaissance, and in the early 15th century Cennino Cennini gave detailed instructions

Divination, Inductive divination

2005-03-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

To speculate that inductive divination from natural phenomena must be very old—i.e., that it arose from an early intimate acquaintance with nature—is tempting but inaccurate. In fact, there is little evidence that preliterate peoples viewed nature as a system, and this is particularly true in respect to astral observation. Divination from the skies is concerned

Papal States

2005-03-05T14:08:00.000-08:00

As early as the 4th century, the popes had acquired considerable property around Rome (called

Turaco

2005-03-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

Turacos are remarkable for their coloration. Some are predominantly gray, brown, and white, but the 10 species of the

Academy Award

2005-03-02T22:29:00.000-08:00

Ronald Bergan, Graham Fuller, and David Malcolm, Academy Award Winners (1994), is a lavishly illustrated chronological account. Emanuel Levy, And the Winner Is : The History and Politics of the Oscar Awards, new expanded ed. (1990), not only provides historical information but also compares the Oscars to other film awards and discusses the impact of winning an award. Charles Matthews, Oscar A to Z: A Complete Guide to More than 2,400 Movies Nominated for Academy Awards (1995), lists alphabetically the films nominated in the picture, performances, direction, design, and music categories and provides plot synopses, biographies, and other information. Robert Osborne, 65 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards, 2nd ed. (1994), is the chronological history presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Richard Shale (compiler), The Academy Awards Index (1993), is an easy-to-search reference. Mason Wiley and Damien Bona, Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards, 10th anniversary ed. (1996), is a comprehensive social history but includes many unverified rumours and anecdotes.

Apponyi, Albert, Gróf (count)

2005-03-02T13:50:00.000-08:00

Born into an ancient and famous family, he was the son of Count György Apponyi, who was leader of the Progressive Conservatives and chancellor from 1846 to 1848. Entering the Hungarian Parliament in 1872, Apponyi remained

Spontaneous Combustion

2005-03-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

The outbreak of fire without application of heat from an external source. Spontaneous combustion may occur when combustible matter, such as hay or coal, is stored in bulk. It begins with a slow oxidation process (as bacterial fermentation or atmospheric oxidation) under conditions not permitting ready dissipation of heat—e.g., in the centre of a haystack or a pile of

Carter, Don

2005-02-28T16:48:00.000-08:00

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

Nguyen Tri Phuong

2005-02-27T23:57:00.000-08:00

The son of a provincial administrator, Nguyen Tri Phuong entered the military service and distinguished himself by repelling the Siamese invasion

Biblical Literature, Early theories about the Synoptic problem

2005-02-26T23:38:00.000-08:00

Since the 1780s, Matthew, Mark, and Luke have been referred to as the Synoptic Gospels (from synoptikos, “seen together”). The extensive parallels in structure, content, and wording of Matthew, Mark, and Luke make it even possible to arrange them side by side so that corresponding sections can be seen in parallel columns. John Calvin, the 16th-century Reformer, wrote a commentary

Steel Drum

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

Tuned gong made from the unstoppered end and part of the wall of a metal shipping drum. The end surface is hammered concave, and several areas are outlined by acoustically important chiseled grooves. It is heated and tempered, and bosses, or domes, are hammered into the outlined areas. The depth, curvature, and size of each boss determine its pitch. The drums are struck

Agrippa Von Nettesheim, Heinrich Cornelius

2005-02-23T21:19:00.000-08:00

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

Väki

2005-02-23T20:33:00.000-08:00

Supernatural power believed by the Baltic Finns to reside in those natural sites, objects, and animals that for various reasons attracted popular attention and inspired strong emotional attachments. Väki was often conceived of as an impersonal power, akin to the Polynesian mana, but it also referred to the agents of the power, diffuse spiritual entities that frequent

San Fernando De Apure

2005-02-22T18:40:00.000-08:00

City, capital of Apure estado (“state”), west-central Venezuela, on the Apure River. A Llanos (plains) port, it is vulnerable to flooding during the rainy season, despite its great distance from the sea, because it has an elevation of only 200 feet (60 m). Live cattle, beef, and cattle hides are the city's leading products. It is a port of call for small boats on both the Orinoco and the Apure

Rama Ii

2005-02-20T00:26:00.000-08:00

The second ruler (1809–24) of the present Chakkri dynasty, under whose rule relations were reopened with the West and Siam began a forward policy on the Malay peninsula. A gifted poet and dramatist, Rama II wrote a famous version of Inao, dramatic version of a popular traditional story, as well as episodes of

Rausing, Gad Anders

2005-02-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

Swedish industrialist (b. May 19, 1922, Bromma, near Stockholm, Swed.—d. Jan. 28, 2000, Lausanne, Switz.), was the son of the developer of a sealed, laminated paperboard beverage box that did not require refrigeration and thus revolutionized the milk and juice industries. Rausing (with his younger brother, Hans) built the family business, Tetra Pak (later Tetra Laval Group), from a small Scandinavian

Arabia, History Of, Postwar Arabia, to 1962

2005-02-19T15:35:00.000-08:00

The post-World War I settlement and centralization of power in the hands of Yahya, Ibn Sa'ud, and the British gave Arabia a large measure of internal peace and external security, which endured until 1962. A new factor in the 1930s was the discovery of immense quantities of petroleum in the deserts. In Bahrain oil was struck in June 1932. The American-owned Arabian Standard Oil Company (later

Guadalupe

2005-02-15T20:37:00.000-08:00

Town, Cáceres province, in the Extremadura comunidad autónoma (“autonomous community”), southwestern Spain. It lies on the southeastern slopes of the Guadalupe Mountains near the Guadalupejo River east of Cáceres city. The town is famous for its monastery, which had its origins as a small hermitage built in the early 14th century on the spot where a shepherd had found

Yin-yang

2005-02-13T13:27:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Yinyang, Japanese In-yo, in Eastern thought, the two complementary forces, or principles, that make up all aspects and phenomena of life. Yin is conceived of as earth, female, dark, passive, and absorbing; it is present in even numbers, in valleys and streams, and is represented by the tiger, the colour orange, and a broken line. Yang is conceived of as heaven, male, light, active, and penetrating; it is present

Pachisi

2005-02-12T20:03:00.000-08:00

Also called Ludo, or Parcheesi, board game, sometimes called the national game of India. Four players in opposing partnerships of two attempt to move pieces around a cross-shaped track. Moves are determined by throws of cowrie shells or dice. Each player has four pieces, which begin at the centre space, move down the middle track nearest the player, and counterclockwise around the outer track of the

Fayette

2005-02-12T03:26:00.000-08:00

County, southwestern Pennsylvania, U.S., bounded to the north by Jacobs Creek; to the east by Laurel Hill, the Youghiogheny River, and Youghiogheny River Lake; to the south by Maryland and West Virginia; and to the west by the Monongahela River. It consists of a hilly region on the Allegheny Plateau that rises to the Allegheny Mountains in the east (including Chestnut Ridge).

Ibn Al-ash'ath

2005-02-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

A member of the noble tribe of Kindah of the old aristocracy, Ibn al-Ash'ath was at first friendly toward the Umayyad authorities but then began to smart under the governance of the plebeian administrators. Styling himself Nasir al-mu'minim (Helper of the Believers) in opposition

Ricercare

2005-02-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Ricercar (Italian: “to seek out”), plural Ricercari, musical composition for instruments in which one or more themes are developed through melodic imitation; it was prominent in the 16th and 17th centuries. The earliest ricercari, which were for the lute, appeared in 1507. Well-suited to the technical capabilities of the lute, they mixed passages in chordal style, running scale passages, and alternation of high and low phrases

China, The Khitan

2005-02-09T01:41:00.000-08:00

To the north at the time of the Wu-tai rose the seminomadic but largely pastoral Khitan, who were related to the eastern Mongols. The word Khitan (or Khitai) is the source of Cathay, the name for North China in medieval Europe (as reported by Marco Polo), and of Kitai, the Russian name for China. The Khitan founded the Liao Empire (907–1125) by expanding from the border of Mongolia into

Byzantium

2005-02-08T06:47:00.000-08:00

Later Constantinople , modern Istanbul ancient Greek city on the shore of the Bosporus; also, an alternative name for the Byzantine Empire, which had its capital at Constantinople. See also Istanbul.

Sunderland, Henry Spencer, 1st Earl Of, Baron Spencer Of Wormleighton

2005-02-05T07:49:00.000-08:00

Born to great wealth, he was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford (M.A., 1636), and succeeded his father as Baron Spencer in 1636. A firm Royalist, he served as Charles I's negotiator in the early years of the conflict with Parliament—a conflict that evolved into the Civil Wars. On June 8, 1643, he

Chac

2005-02-04T11:09:00.000-08:00

Like other major Mayan gods, Chac also appeared as four gods, the Chacs. The four gods were associated with the points of the compass and their colours: white, north; red, east; black, west; and yellow,

Adams, Louisa

2005-02-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

Following her husband's death in 1848, Louisa continued to live in Washington, where she died in 1852. In an unprecedented mark of respect for a former first lady, Congress adjourned for her funeral so that members could pay their respects. She was buried beside her husband and his parents at the First Church in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Vairocana

2005-02-03T01:24:00.000-08:00

Some Buddhists regard Vairocana, or Mahavairocana, as a being separate from the five “self-born” Dhyani-Buddhas, one of whom is known as Vairocana (see Dhyani-Buddha). Among the Shingon sect of Japan, he is the chief object of reverence and is regarded as the source

Walking

2005-02-01T01:36:00.000-08:00

Activity that ranges from a competitive sport, usually known as race walking, to a primary and popular form of outdoor recreation and mild aerobic exercise.

Turda

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

City, Cluj judet (county), west-central Romania, on the Aries River. Turda was first a Dacian settlement (Dierna) and later a Roman castrum (Potaissa), around which grew a municipium and later a colony. On the outskirts of the city are the salt mines worked in Roman times. In the Middle Ages, Turda was the meeting place of the Transylvanian Diet. The city is now an important industrial

Kahn, Herman

2005-01-30T04:02:00.000-08:00

Kahn graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1945. Over the next three years he worked for several aircraft-manufacturing companies and completed his master's degree at the California Institute of Technology.

Packaging

2005-01-29T21:32:00.000-08:00

Though the origins of packaging can be traced to the leather, glass, and clay containers of the earliest Western commercial ventures, its economic significance has increased dramatically since the start of the Industrial Revolution. Packages on the contemporary market

Saicho

2005-01-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

A priest at the age of 13, Saicho was sent to China to study in 804 and returned with the highly eclectic Tendai (T'ien-t'ai in Chinese) teachings. Unlike other Buddhist sects then in existence in Japan, the Tendai sect taught that there could be meaning and value in

Aidoo, Ama Ata

2005-01-27T11:27:00.000-08:00

Aidoo began to write seriously while an honours student at the University of Ghana (B.A., 1964). She won early recognition with a problem play, The Dilemma of a Ghost (1965), in which a Ghanaian student returning

Nathdwara

2005-01-26T23:35:00.000-08:00

Town, southern Rajasthan state, northwestern India, just south of the Banas River. Connected by road with Udaipur and close to the Malvi rail junction, Nathdwara is a place of Hindu pilgrimage; it contains a 17th-century Vaishnavite shrine that is one of the most famous in India. Within the temple is a celebrated image of the god Krishna, popularly said to date to the 12th century

Frederick Viii

2005-01-24T23:07:00.000-08:00

Frederick served in the disastrous Danish–German War of 1864, which lost the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg for Denmark. He then assisted his father, Christian IX, in affairs of state. In 1907, as king, he formed a commission to draft a partial home rule bill for Iceland, but nothing came of it. Frederick VIII's popularity

Rollinia

2005-01-24T05:10:00.000-08:00

Genus of 65 tropical American trees and shrubs belonging to the family Annonaceae (order Magnoliales). Many have edible fruits similar in flavour and appearance to those of the genus Annona. Two species (R. mucosa and R. pulchrinervis), both called biriba by some authorities, are cultivated for their fruit. Most species of Rollinia are spined or segmented, green-skinned,

Ta'liq Script

2005-01-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

In Arabic calligraphy, cursive style of lettering developed in Iran in the 10th century. It is thought to have been the creation of Hasan ibn Husayn 'Ali of Fars, but, because Khwajah 'Abd al-Malik Buk made such vast improvements, the invention is often attributed to him. The rounded forms and exaggerated horizontal strokes that characterize the ta'liq letters were derived primarily

Anders, Wladyslaw

2005-01-21T13:53:00.000-08:00

After service in the Russian army during World War I, Anders entered the armed forces of the newly reconstituted Polish

Kerner, Justinus Andreas Christian

2005-01-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

After the death of his father (1799), Kerner worked in a cloth factory until he was able to study medicine at Tübingen. There he met Uhland and spent most of his time reading and writing poetry. He became

Polding, John Bede

2005-01-19T19:44:00.000-08:00

Polding joined the Benedictine Order in 1811 and was ordained priest in 1819. Consecrated bishop, he arrived at Sydney in 1835. There he divided his territory into missionary districts and swiftly provided them with priests, churches, and

Salih, 'ali 'abd Allah

2005-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

Salih attended the local Qur'anic school and joined the army at age 16. Four years later, on September 26, 1962, he led a military coup that replaced the Islamic monarch of North Yemen with

Shields, Carol

2005-01-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

Shields grew up in the United States and in 1957 graduated from Hanover College in Indiana. That same year she married and moved to Canada. After taking a course in creative

Saint Augustine Grass

2005-01-16T22:14:00.000-08:00

Saint Augustine grass is cultivated as a lawn grass in some areas

Cern

2005-01-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

Byname of Organisation Européene pour la Recherche Nucléaire, formerly (1952–54) Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire, English European Organization for Nuclear Research, international scientific organization established for the purpose of collaborative research into subnuclear physics (also called high-energy, or particle, physics). The organization operates expressly for research of a “pure scientific and fundamental character,” and the results of its experimental and theoretical work are made generally available. Headquarters

Frey, Adolf

2005-01-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

As a biographer Frey showed a predilection for rich character studies in the manner of the 19th-century realists. Because he knew many writers and painters when he was a professor

Alba Fucens

2005-01-13T02:12:00.000-08:00

Modern Albe ancient fortified town at the foot of Mount Velino, Italy. It was originally a town of the ancient Marsi people but was occupied by a Latin colony about 303 BC. It was situated on a hill with three distinct summits, all of which were enclosed within the walls. Its strong position made it important in the Social War and in the civil wars of the 1st century BC; state prisoners of the Romans

Ficino, Marsilio

2005-01-11T16:50:00.000-08:00

Ficino was the son of a physician who was acquainted

Chacao

2005-01-11T00:14:00.000-08:00

City, northwestern Miranda state, northern Venezuela. The city, in a valley in the central highlands, was formerly a commercial centre in an agricultural area producing coffee, corn (maize), sugarcane, and fruit. With the growth of the national capital, it has become a residential and commercial part of the Caracas metropolitan area. Highways and expressways connect

Davao City

2005-01-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

City, southeastern Mindanao Island, Philippines. It lies at the mouth of the Davao River near the head of Davao Gulf. It is the leading regional centre for southeastern Mindanao and encompasses about 50 small ports in its commercial sphere. Pakiputan Strait, formed by offshore Samal Island, shelters both Santa Ana, an urban port servicing small vessels, and the deepwater

Einstein, Alfred

2005-01-08T19:56:00.000-08:00

Einstein was born into a family of scholars (Albert Einstein was his cousin), and, as a young man, studied law for a year before completing his doctorate (1903) in musicology and composition at the University of Munich. As the first editor (1918–33) of the Zeitschrift für Musikwissenschaft (“Journal

Ambo

2005-01-07T02:39:00.000-08:00

In the Christian liturgy, a raised stand formerly used for reading the Gospel or the Epistle, first used in early basilicas. Originally, the ambo took the form of a portable lectern. By the 6th century it had evolved into a stationary church furnishing, which reflected the development and codification of the Christian liturgy. By the Byzantine and early Romanesque

Paleoclimatology

2005-01-06T18:22:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Palaeoclimatology, scientific study of the extended climatic conditions of past geologic ages. Paleoclimatologists seek to explain climate variations for all parts of the Earth during any given geologic period, beginning with the time of the Earth's formation. Many related fields contribute to the field of paleoclimatology, but the basic research data are drawn mainly from geology

Abdul Razak Bin Hussein, Tun Haji

2005-01-06T11:29:00.000-08:00

A lawyer by training, Abdul Razak joined the civil service in 1950, entered politics in 1955, and was a key figure in gaining his country's independence from Britain in 1957. As deputy prime minister and defense minister (1957–70) and as minister

Aquarium

2005-01-03T00:12:00.000-08:00

Receptacle for maintaining aquatic organisms, either freshwater or marine, or a facility in which a collection of aquatic organisms is displayed or studied.

Amaravati

2005-01-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Amaravathi, town, east-central Andhra Pradesh state, southern India. Situated on the Krishna River, it was an ancient Buddhist centre in the region. Its monasteries and university attracted students from throughout India and the Far East. The Buddhist stupa at Amaravati was one of the largest in India, though only traces of it now remain. Amaravati is known for the relief sculptures

Rif

2005-01-02T11:10:00.000-08:00

Also called Rif Mountains, Arabic Er-Rif, mountain range of northern Morocco, extending from Tanger (Tangier) to the Moulouya River valley near the Moroccan-Algerian frontier. For the greater part of its 180-mile (290-kilometre) length, the range hugs the Mediterranean Sea, leaving only a few narrow coastal valleys suitable for agriculture or urban settlement. The higher peaks, including Mount Tidirhine, which at

Dionysius Of Alexandria, Saint

2004-12-31T16:13:00.000-08:00

A Christian convert, Dionysius studied in Alexandria at the catechetical school headed by Origen, whom in 231/232 he was elected to succeed. In 247/248 he became bishop of Alexandria. During the persecution (250–251) of Christians by the Roman emperor

Mondego River

2004-12-30T13:36:00.000-08:00

Portuguese Rio Mondego, largest of the exclusively Portuguese rivers, rising at 4,675 feet (1,425 m) on the northern slopes of Mount Estrela and flowing southwestward for 137 miles (220 km) to the Atlantic Ocean. It has a drainage basin of 2,615 square miles (6,772 square km). A sandbar prohibits navigation above Figueira da Foz, though small craft can sail 52 miles (84 km) upstream to Foz Dão; the river is tidal to Montemor-o-Velho (12 miles

Christianity, The schism of 1054

2004-12-30T13:00:00.000-08:00

The greatest schism in church history occurred between the church of Constantinople and the church of Rome. While 1054 is the symbolic date of the separation, the agonizing division was six centuries in the making. The friction was ignited by several issues. The Eastern Church sharply disagreed when the Western Church introduced into the Nicene Creed the doctrine

Abdülhamid Ii

2004-12-28T16:44:00.000-08:00

A son of Sultan Abdülmecid I, he came to the throne at the deposition of his mentally

Neoprene

2004-12-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

The neoprenes,

La Salle, Saint Jean-baptiste De

2004-12-26T21:38:00.000-08:00

Of noble birth, La Salle was ordained priest in 1678 and devoted himself to education of the poor. He helped to establish

Arabic Alphabet

2004-12-26T18:36:00.000-08:00

Second most widely used alphabetic writing system in the world (the Latin alphabet is the most widespread). Originally developed for writing the Arabic language and carried across much of the Eastern Hemisphere by the spread of Islam, the Arabic script has been adapted to such diverse languages as Persian, Turkish, Spanish, and Swahili. Although it probably developed

Tulunid Dynasty

2004-12-24T00:44:00.000-08:00

First local dynasty of Egypt and Syria to exist independently of the 'Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad, ruling 868–905. Its founder, Ahmad ibn Tulun, a Turk, arrived in Egypt in 868 as vice governor and promptly (868–872) established a military and financial foothold in the province by organizing an independent Egyptian army and securing the management of the Egyptian and Syrian treasuries. Insufficient

Amidah

2004-12-23T08:01:00.000-08:00

Argun River

2004-12-23T00:07:00.000-08:00

Chinese (Pinyin) Ergun He or (Wade-Giles) O-erh-ku-na Ho

Fish-finder

2004-12-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Also called Netsonde, in commercial fishing, high-frequency sonar device for locating schools of fish. It transmits sound waves downward and receives echoes from the bottom of the sea, or from intervening schools of fish, also indicating distance from ship to fish. Two different types are used, one of which is a simple “echo sounder” that points directly downward from the ship and indicates

Pemba Island

2004-12-20T18:58:00.000-08:00

Arabic Jazirat Al-khudrah, island in the Indian Ocean, lying 35 miles (56 km) off the coast of East Africa, opposite the port of Tanga, Tanzania. The island embraces 380 square miles (984 square km) and is 42 miles (67 km) long and 14 miles (22 km) wide. As the Arabic name, which means “Green Island,” suggests, it is more fertile than its sister island, Zanzibar, which lies 30 miles (48 km) to the southwest. Pemba is the world's leading producer

Mesopotamia, History Of, Adad-nirari III and his successors

2004-12-20T03:32:00.000-08:00

Shamshi-Adad V died while Adad-nirari III (810–783) was still a minor. His Babylonian mother, Sammu-ramat, took over the regency, governing with great energy until 806. The Greeks, who called her Semiramis, credited her with legendary accomplishments, but historically little is known about her. Adad-nirari later led several campaigns against the Medes and also against Syria and

Ear, Human, Vestibular system

2004-12-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

The vestibular system is the apparatus of the inner ear involved in balance. It consists of two structures of the bony labyrinth, the vestibule and the semicircular canals, and the structures of the membranous labyrinth contained within them (Figure 3).

Beissel, Conrad

2004-12-17T00:07:00.000-08:00

The posthumous son of a German baker, Beissel experienced a religious conversion at the age of 27 and migrated to America in 1720. He joined the Dunkers in Pennsylvania (1724) but withdrew from them when he became convinced that the day of worship should be the

Pacific League

2004-12-16T05:11:00.000-08:00

One of the two leagues of professional baseball teams in Japan (the other being the Central League). The Pacific League was founded in 1950. It has six teams, some of whose names and hometown designations have changed over the years. The league consists of the Chiba Lotte Marines, Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, Kintetsu Buffaloes, Nippon Ham Fighters, Orix Blue Wave, and Seibu Lions. The

Avitus

2004-12-15T11:54:00.000-08:00

Born of a distinguished Gallic family, Avitus was a son-in-law of the Christian writer Sidonius Apollinaris, whose poetry is an important source for our knowledge of him. By taking advantage of his great influence with the Visigoths who were settled at Toulouse, Avitus was able in 451 to persuade their king, Theodoric I, to join the Roman general Aetius

Judaism, The making of the Kabbala (c. 11501250)

2004-12-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

It was in these circumstances that, starting around 1150, manifestations of markedly theosophic ideologies appeared in the south of present-day France (in the regions of Provence–Languedoc–Roussillon). Two types can be distinguished at the outset, which are very different as to their manner of appearance, their form, and their content.

Jammu And Kashmir, The foothills

2004-12-13T13:32:00.000-08:00

The foothills of the Himalayas, rising from about 2,000 to 7,000 feet (600 to 2,100 metres), form outer and inner zones. The outer zone consists of sandstones, clays, silts, and conglomerates, influenced by Himalayan folding movements and eroded to form long ridges and valleys (duns). The inner zone consists of more massive sedimentary rock, including red sandstones of Miocene age (about 5.3 to

Thun Und Hohenstein, Friedrich, Count (graf) Von

2004-12-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

After the suppression of the 1848–49 revolutions in Germany and Austria, Thun, an astute politician, headed

Sarada Script

2004-12-11T16:54:00.000-08:00

Writing system used for the Kashmiri language by the educated Hindu minority in Kashmir and the surrounding valleys. It is taught in the Hindu schools there but is not used in printing books. Originating in the 8th century AD, Sarada descended from the Gupta script of North India, from which Devanagari (q.v.) also developed. The earliest inscriptions in Sarada script, found

Afonso Iv

2004-12-11T16:03:00.000-08:00

Afonso IV was the son of King Dinis and of Isabella, daughter of Peter II of Aragon. Afonso resented his father's generosity toward two illegitimate sons and in 1320 demanded to be given power, remaining in open revolt until May 1322. His mother reconciled them, but the conflict broke out again. When Dinis died, Afonso succeeded to

Stainless Steel

2004-12-10T17:44:00.000-08:00

Any one of a family of alloy steels usually containing 10 to 30 percent chromium. In conjunction with low carbon contents, chromium imparts remarkable resistance to corrosion and heat. Other elements such as nickel, molybdenum, titanium, aluminum, niobium, copper, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and selenium may be added to increase corrosion resistance to specific environments,

Furphy, Joseph

2004-12-09T19:37:00.000-08:00

The son of Irish immigrants, Furphy worked as a thresher, teamster, and gold miner before settling down in 1884 at his brothers'

Pitchblende

2004-12-07T22:16:00.000-08:00

Amorphous, black, pitchy form of the crystalline uranium oxide mineral uraninite (q.v.); it is one of the primary mineral ores of uranium, containing 50–80 percent of that element. Three chemical elements were first discovered in pitchblende: uranium by the German chemist Martin Klaproth in 1789, and polonium and radium by the French scientists Pierre and Marie Curie in 1898. Deposits,

Alaca Hüyük

2004-12-07T01:40:00.000-08:00

Ancient Anatolian site northeast of the old Hittite capital of Hattusa at Bogazköy, north-central Turkey. Its excavation was begun by Makridi Bey in 1907 and resumed in 1935 by the Turkish Historical Society. Inside a sphinx gate, traces of a large Hittite building were discovered. Below the Hittite remains was a royal necropolis of 13 tombs dating from about 2500 BC. Although material

Eurypterid

2004-12-06T18:27:00.000-08:00

Frequently referred to as giant scorpions, most eurypterids were small animals, although Pterygotus

Cosby, Bill

2004-12-05T10:19:00.000-08:00

Cosby left high school without earning his diploma and joined the U.S. Navy in 1956. While enlisted he passed a high school equivalency exam, and after his discharge he received an athletic scholarship to Temple

Cartouche

2004-12-04T04:11:00.000-08:00

In architecture, ornamentation in scroll form, applied especially to elaborate frames around tablets or coats of arms; by extension, the word is applied to any oval shape or even to a decorative shield, whether scrolled or not. The term is also used for an oval frame enclosing the hieroglyphs of the name of an Egyptian sovereign, as well as for the amulet of similar design

Andrew, Saint

2004-12-02T09:27:00.000-08:00

In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Peter and Andrew—whose Greek name means “Manly”—were called from their fishing by Jesus to follow him, promising that he would make them fishers of men. With Saints Peter, James, and John,

Gondophernes

2004-12-02T01:44:00.000-08:00

Gondophernes was first known from the apocryphal