GreatBottle

Insurance, Group annuities

2005-04-04T21:30:00.000-07:00

An annuity in the literal sense is a series of annual payments. More broadly it may be defined as a series of equal payments over equal intervals of time. A life annuity, a subclass of annuities in general, is one in which the payments are guaranteed for the lifetime of one or more individuals. A group annuity differs from an individual annuity in that the annuity payments

Wolffish

2005-04-04T21:05:00.000-07:00

Any of nine species of large, long-bodied blennies of the family Anarhichadidae (order Perciformes), found in northern Atlantic and Pacific waters. Wolffishes are much larger than most other blennies, the largest species growing to a length of about 2.3 m (7.5 feet). Wolffishes have a large head and a long, tapered body surmounted by a single, long dorsal

Karankawa

2005-04-04T03:18:00.000-07:00

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

China, The Hsi (Western) Chin (AD 265316/317)

2005-04-02T06:52:00.000-08:00

This was a period of relative order and prosperity, a short interlude between the turbulent age of the San-kuo and the devastating barbarian invasions. The empire had been nominally reunited (AD 280), and for a short time the central government attempted important fiscal and political reforms, mainly intended to curb the great families, which threatened the ruler's authority.

Khorram-dinan

2005-04-02T04:10:00.000-08:00

The doctrinal beliefs of the Khorram-dinan are not altogether clear. Although the sect accepted the general principles of Islam, its members also believed in transmigration of the soul and placed special emphasis on the

Usufruct

2005-04-02T03:54:00.000-08:00

In Roman-based legal systems, the temporary right to the use and enjoyment of the property of another, without changing the character of the property. This legal concept developed in Roman law and found significant application in the determination of the property interests between a slave held under a usus fructus (Latin: “use and enjoyment”) bond and a temporary master.

Sinkiang, Uygur Autonomous Region Of, Relief

2005-04-01T22:13:00.000-08:00

In the north the Northern Highlands extend in a semicircle along the Mongolian border.

Strangles

2005-03-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

Horse disease caused by Streptococcus equi, a bacterium that invades nasal and throat passages and forms abscesses in lymph nodes and other parts of the body. It is one of a group of diseases called distemper of horses. Young horses are most susceptible to it, and outbreaks of the disease usually occur where a number of horses are stabled. Mortality is low. Treatment

Strangles

2005-03-30T16:33:00.000-08:00

International organization founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and world trade. Members in the late 1990s included Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United

Kerry, John

2005-03-30T07:39:00.000-08:00

Kerry wrote The New War: The Web of Crime That Threatens America's Security (1997) and A Call to Service (2003).

Qatar, Government

2005-03-29T14:40:00.000-08:00

The emir's power is constrained

Seton, Ernest Thompson

2005-03-28T23:47:00.000-08:00

Seton was raised in North America, his family having emigrated to Canada in 1866. Drawn to nature, Seton resisted his family's attempt to make an artist of him. He gained experience as a naturalist by trailing and

Flanders

2005-03-27T17:16:00.000-08:00

Flemish Vlaams , formally Flemish Region , Flemish Vlaamse Gewest region that comprises the northern half of Belgium. Flanders was created in 1995 in the reorganization of Belgium's provincial administration along ethnic-linguistic lines. It includes the Flemish-speaking provinces of Antwerp, East Flanders, Limburg, Flemish Brabant, and West Flanders (qq.v.). The Brussels-Capital Region lies within but is administratively separate

Duarte, Juan Pablo

2005-03-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

Duarte, who was sent to Europe for his education (1828–33), became determined to free the eastern part of Hispaniola from Haitian domination. On his return to the island he and several other patriots

Clapper

2005-03-25T03:40:00.000-08:00

Clappers

Alexander Iii

2005-03-24T20:01:00.000-08:00

Russian in full Aleksandr Aleksandrovich emperor of Russia from 1881 to 1894, opponent of representative government, and supporter of Russian nationalism. He adopted programs, based on the concepts of Orthodoxy, autocracy, and narodnost (a belief in the Russian people), that included the Russification of national minorities in the Russian Empire

World War I, The German invasion

2005-03-24T13:58:00.000-08:00

For the smooth working of their plan for the invasion of France, the Germans had preliminarily to reduce the ring fortress of Liège, which commanded the route prescribed for their 1st and 2nd armies and which was the foremost stronghold of the Belgian defenses. German troops crossed the frontier into Belgium on the morning of August 4. Thanks to the resolution of a middle-aged

Aymaran Languages

2005-03-22T07:43:00.000-08:00

A group of South American Indian languages spoken over a fairly large region in the southern Peruvian highlands and adjacent areas of Bolivia. Some scholars classify the Aymaran group and the Quechuan group together in the Quechumaran stock. See Quechuan languages.

Sokol

2005-03-22T04:42:00.000-08:00

City and river port, centre of Sokol rayon (sector), Vologda oblast (province), northwestern Russia. The port lies along the Sukhona River. Before the Russian Revolution of October 1917 it was the site of only two small factories, but it grew rapidly in the early Soviet period and was incorporated in 1932. Today it is a centre of paper, woodworking, and food industries and has a

Croce, Benedetto

2005-03-21T22:34:00.000-08:00

Historian, humanist, and foremost Italian philosopher of the first half of the 20th century.

Fredericia

2005-03-20T03:06:00.000-08:00

City and port, Vejle amtskommune (county commune), eastern Jutland, Denmark, on the Little Strait, there bridged to Fyn (Funen) island. Founded and chartered in 1650 by Frederick III as a fortress to defend Jutland, it enjoyed special privileges, including freedom of worship and exemption from taxes. After a destructive siege in 1849, the Danes drove off the allied Prussians and

Aesthetics, The contributions of the ancient Greeks

2005-03-20T00:10:00.000-08:00

The two greatest Greek philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, shared a sense of the importance of aesthetics, and both regarded music, poetry, architecture, and drama as fundamental institutions within the body politic. Plato notoriously recommends the banning of poets and painters from his ideal republic and in the course of his argument provides an extended theory

Shimodate

2005-03-20T00:03:00.000-08:00

City, Ibaraki ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan, situated on a tributary of the Kokai River. Shimodate was a cotton textile centre during the Tokugawa era (1603–1867). The construction of railways during the Meiji era (1868–1912) connected the city with Mito (east) and Utsunomiya (northwest). It is now a major commercial and transport centre producing electrical appliances. Pop. (1990) 66,030.

Art, African, Ekoi

2005-03-18T14:32:00.000-08:00

The Ekoi peoples (Anyang, Boki, Ejagham, Keaka, and Yako) are best known for their large, skin-covered masks, which have two or even three faces, and for their smaller headpieces, which represent a head or an entire figure. The headpieces and masks have metal teeth, inlaid eyes, and frequently pegs to represent hair, which, alternatively, may be carved in elaborate coils. They

Quebec, Battle Of

2005-03-17T07:34:00.000-08:00

(December 31, 1775), in the American Revolution, unsuccessful American attack on the British stronghold. In the winter of 1775–76, American Revolutionary leaders detached some of their forces from the Siege of Boston to mount an expedition through Maine with the aim of capturing Quebec. On December 31, 1775, under General Richard Montgomery and Colonel Benedict Arnold, an inadequate force

Agonism

2005-03-16T14:09:00.000-08:00

Ethologists believe that the most general and probably

Tadoba National Park

2005-03-15T20:25:00.000-08:00

National park in Maharashtra state, western India. Extending over an area of 45 square miles (117 square km), the park consists of dense forests of sal (Shorea), margosa, mahua, and mango, interspersed with lakes and plains; stretches of bamboo thickets are found around Tadoba Lake, for which the park is named. It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1935 and declared a national park

Bunner, Henry Cuyler

2005-03-14T18:53:00.000-08:00

Educated in New York City, Bunner served on the staff of the Arcadian, at 22 becoming assistant editor and later editor of Puck until his death. He developed Puck from a new, struggling comic weekly into a powerful social and political

Bavand Dynasty

2005-03-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

The origins and early years of the dynasty

Producer Goods

2005-03-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

Also called intermediate goods in economics, goods manufactured and used in further manufacturing, processing, or resale. Producer goods either become part of the final product or lose their distinct identity in the manufacturing stream. The prices of producer goods are not included in the summation of a country's gross national product (GNP), because their inclusion would involve double counting

Japan

2005-03-12T06:25:00.000-08:00

On June 9 in Tokyo, Crown Prince Naruhito married Masako Owada (see BIOGRAPHIES), a career woman from the Foreign Ministry. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko began an unprecedented four-day visit to Okinawa on April 23 to pay respect to nearly 200,000 soldiers and civilians killed in the Pacific war. After the empress collapsed on October 20, her 59th birthday, the only medical information

Grito De Dolores

2005-03-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Hidalgo was involved in a plot against the Spanish colonial government, and, when the plot was betrayed, he decided to act immediately. After arming the people, he addressed them from the pulpit,

Conservation, The Antarctic Treaty

2005-03-11T00:38:00.000-08:00

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

Plains Indian

2005-03-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Indians of the North American Great Plains are popularly regarded as the typical American Indians. They were essentially big-game hunters, the buffalo being a primary source of food and equally important as a source of materials for clothing,

Powhatan

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

Confederacy of at least 30 Algonkian-speaking North American Indian tribes that once occupied most of what is now tidewater Virginia, the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, and possibly southern Maryland. The confederacy had been formed by and named for a powerful chief, Powhatan, shortly before the colonial settlement of Jamestown in 1607. The tribes of the confederacy

Brecon Beacons National Park

2005-03-09T00:30:00.000-08:00

Welsh Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog national park in southern Wales, occupying 519 square miles (1,344 square km) of mountains, moors, forests, pastureland, lakes, and the broad Usk valley. The easternmost highlands in the park are the Black Mountains (old red sandstone) of Powys county, lying east of the River Usk between Abergavenny and Hay-on-Wye, with their highest point at Waun Fach, elevation 2,660 feet (811 metres). Centrally

Blood Group

2005-03-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

Classification of blood based on inherited differences (polymorphisms) in antigens on the surfaces of the red cells. Inherited differences of white cells, platelets, and plasma proteins also constitute blood groups, but they are not included in this discussion.

Azikiwe, Nnamdi

2005-03-07T02:25:00.000-08:00

Azikiwe received much of his early education in the United States (1925–34). In 1934 he went to the Gold Coast (now Ghana), where he worked as a newspaper editor before returning to Nigeria in 1937. There he founded a chain of newspapers and also became directly involved

Orléans, Louis-philippe-robert, Duc D' (duke Of)

2005-03-06T13:13:00.000-08:00

The eldest son of Louis-Philippe-Albert, comte de Paris, and great-grandson of King Louis-Philippe, Orléans was banished from France in 1886 as a threat to the republican regime. Returning in 1890, he was arrested and given a prison sentence but was released after a few months

Byzantine Chant

2005-03-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

Monophonic, or unison, liturgical chant of the Greek Orthodox church during the Byzantine Empire (330–1453) and down to the 16th century; in modern Greece the term refers to ecclesiastical music of any period. Although Byzantine music is linked with the spread of Christianity in Greek-speaking areas of the Eastern Roman Empire, it probably derives mostly from Hebrew and early

Allahabad

2005-03-05T08:34:00.000-08:00

City, southern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. It is situated at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna (Jumna) rivers. Allahabad stands on the site of ancient Prayag, a holy city that was comparable in fame to Varanasi (Benares) and Haridwar. Prayag's importance in the ancient Buddhist period of Indian history is attested to by the inscriptions on the Pillar of Asoka. The pillar

Periodic Law, Elucidation of the periodic law

2005-03-04T23:23:00.000-08:00

Detailed understanding of the periodic system has developed along with the quantum theory of spectra and the electronic structure of atoms, beginning with the work of Bohr in 1913. Important forward steps were the formulation of the general rules of the old quantum theory by William Wilson and Arnold Sommerfeld in 1916, the discovery of the exclusion principle by Wolfgang

France, Flag Of

2005-03-03T07:21:00.000-08:00

Under the ancien régime, France had a great number of flags, and many of its military and naval flags were elaborate and subject to artistic variations. The royal coat of arms, a blue shield with three golden fleurs-de-lis, was the basis for the state flag. After the Bourbons came to power, this shield was generally displayed against a background of the Bourbon dynastic

Schenectady

2005-03-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

Local Mohawk Indians were involved in the

Tiffany, Charles Lewis

2005-03-01T22:33:00.000-08:00

Tiffany went to New York City in 1837 and with John B. Young opened a stationery and fancy-goods store, which soon expanded to offer jewelry and silverware as well. It became Tiffany, Young, & Ellis in 1841; in 1848 the firm began to manufacture jewelry, and in 1850 they

Karat

2005-03-01T14:25:00.000-08:00

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

Interlochen

2005-02-27T23:43:00.000-08:00

Interlochen is best known as the home of the Interlochen

Ku Yen-wu

2005-02-27T09:09:00.000-08:00

Pinyin Gu Yanwu one of the most famous of the Ming dynasty loyalists, whose rationalist critiques of the useless book learning and metaphysical speculations of the neo-Confucian philosophy (that had been the underpinning of the Chinese empire for almost 1,000 years) started a new trend in scholarship during the Ch'ing

China, The Plateau of Tibet

2005-02-27T01:47:00.000-08:00

This great massif occupies about one-fourth of the whole country. A large part of the plateau lies at elevations above 13,000–15,000 feet. The border ranges of the plateau are even higher, with individual peaks rising to heights of 23,000–26,000 feet. The interior slopes of these border mountains, as a rule, are gentle, while the exterior slopes are very steep. In its eastern and southern periphery,

Karaikal

2005-02-26T21:15:00.000-08:00

The area was part of the Cola empire in the 10th century,

Abegg, Richard Wilhelm Heinrich

2005-02-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

Abegg became professor of chemistry at the University of Breslau, Ger. (now Wroclaw, Pol.), in 1897 and two years later gained

Taaffe, Eduard, Count (graf) Von

2005-02-26T01:29:00.000-08:00

Taaffe, who was of Irish descent

Caddy

2005-02-24T23:52:00.000-08:00

Container for tea. A corrupt form of the Malay kati, a weight of a little more than a pound (or about half a kilogram), the word was applied first to porcelain jars filled with tea and imported into England from China. Many caddies made from silver, copper, brass, pewter, and other decorative materials, such as veneers of tortoiseshell or ivory on wood, were made in the 18th

Pen, International

2005-02-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

International organization of writers. The original PEN was founded in London in 1921 by the English novelist John Galsworthy, and it has since grown to include writers worldwide. The name PEN is an acronym standing for “poets, playwrights, editors, essayists, and novelists.” International PEN promotes international intellectual exchanges and goodwill among writers.

Integration

2005-02-23T16:56:00.000-08:00

With a and b called the limits of integration, is

Vigo, Jean

2005-02-22T20:17:00.000-08:00

French film director whose blending of lyricism with realism and Surrealism, the whole underlined with a cynical, anarchic approach to life, distinguished him as an original talent. Although he completed only three feature films and one short, Taris (1931), before his early death, his films produced great public reaction. A Jean Vigo Prize is

Isinglass

2005-02-22T13:11:00.000-08:00

Sired by Isonomy and foaled by Dead Lock, he was owned by H. McCalmont and trained by J. Jewitt. After winning three races in 1893, as a two-year-old, ridden by Tom Loates, he won the Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby, and

Mcmurtry, Larry

2005-02-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

McMurtry was educated at North Texas State College (now University; B.A., 1958) and Rice University (M.A., 1960). He was an instructor at Texas Christian University (1961–62), a lecturer in English and creative writing

Kwahu Plateau

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

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

Malacostracan, The nervous system and sensory organs

2005-02-19T21:49:00.000-08:00

The malacostracan central nervous system consists, in primitive forms, of a ventral nerve cord and ganglia within each body segment. The supraesophageal ganglion innervates the eyes, antennules, and antennae, and the subesophageal ganglion innervates the mouthparts of the head region. In amphipods and anomuran decapods the ganglia of abdominal segments are

Bhagirathi River

2005-02-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

River in West Bengal state, northeastern India, forming the western boundary of the Ganges (Ganga) Delta. A distributary of the Ganges, it leaves that river just northeast of Jangipur, flows south, and joins the Jalangi at Nabadwip to form the Hooghly River after a total course of 120 miles (190 km). Until the 16th century, when the Ganges shifted eastward to the Padma, the Bhagirathi formed

Tyrconnell, Rory O'donnell, 1st Earl Of, Baron Of Donegall

2005-02-18T21:56:00.000-08:00

The second son of Hugh MacManus O'Donnell, he allied with his younger brother Hugh Roe, who transferred his authority as chief to Rory upon leaving for Spain. In 1602 Rory gave his allegiance to the English lord deputy and, in the following summer, went with Hugh

Switzerland, Transportation

2005-02-18T08:49:00.000-08:00

The large-scale technical undertakings of modern highway

Turkish Literature

2005-02-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

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

Portugal, Pre-Roman, Roman, Germanic, and Muslim periods

2005-02-16T21:29:00.000-08:00

The earliest human remains found in Portugal are Neanderthal-type bones from Furninhas. A distinct culture first emerges in the Mesolithic middens of the lower Tagus valley, dated about 5500 BC. Neolithic cultures entered from Andalusia. There are varied types of beehive huts and passage graves: agriculture, pottery, and the working of soft metals followed by the same

Cuckoopint

2005-02-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

The cuckoopint grows from a whitish rootstock, which

Alcuin

2005-02-15T08:06:00.000-08:00

Anglo-Latin poet, educator, and cleric who, as head of the Palatine school established by Charlemagne at Aachen, introduced the traditions of Anglo-Saxon humanism into western Europe. He was the foremost scholar of the revival of learning known as the Carolingian Renaissance. He also made important reforms in the Roman

Wankel Engine

2005-02-14T16:40:00.000-08:00

Type of internal-combustion rotary engine distinguished by an orbiting triangular rotor that functions as a piston. See gasoline engine.

Alcuin

2005-02-13T03:56:00.000-08:00

Also called spiny anteater any of three species of peculiar egg-laying mammals from Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea that eat and breathe through a bald, tubular beak protruding from a dome-shaped body covered in spines. Echidnas have beady eyes and mere slits for ears, and at the end of their beaks are two small nostrils and a tiny mouth. Electroreceptors in the skin

Tobruk

2005-02-13T01:45:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Tubruq port, northeastern Libya. It was the site of Antipyrgos, an ancient Greek agricultural colony, and thereafter of a Roman fortress guarding the Cyrenaican frontier. The town later became a way station on the coastal caravan route. Because it is Libya's only natural harbour, Tobruk was occupied by the Italians as early as 1911 and was subsequently used as a naval and air base

Grayling

2005-02-12T18:31:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1879) of Crawford county, north-central Michigan, U.S., on the Middle Branch of the Au Sable River, one of the most celebrated trout streams in the Midwest, 52 miles (84 km) east of Traverse City. Named for the once plentiful grayling, the city developed as a resort for summer and winter sports. Nearby are the Hartwick Pines, North Higgins Lake, and South Higgins Lake state parks

Kagame, (abbé) Alexis

2005-02-12T09:47:00.000-08:00

Kagame, the son of a deputy chief of the Tutsi people, was baptized in 1928 and ordained a priest in 1941. His considerable activity before and after taking his doctorate at the Pontifical Gregorian University

Dendrochronology

2005-02-12T07:45:00.000-08:00

Also called tree-ring dating the scientific discipline concerned with dating and interpreting past events, particularly paleoclimates and climatic trends, based on the analysis of tree rings. Samples are obtained by means of an increment borer, a simple metal tube of small diameter that can be driven into a tree to get a core extending from bark to centre. This core is split in the laboratory,

Narragansett

2005-02-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Town (township), southeastern Washington county, southern Rhode Island, U.S., at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. The Pettaquamscutt River (north) and Point Judith Pond (south) form the western boundary of the town, which includes the village of Narragansett Pier and the fishing villages of Galilee and Jerusalem. Near Galilee is Point Judith Lighthouse (1816), an important

Rabe, David

2005-02-10T05:28:00.000-08:00

Rabe was educated at Loras College, Dubuque (B.A., 1962), and Villanova University, Pennsylvania (M.A., 1968). He completed his graduate studies

Nagaland, The people

2005-02-09T14:42:00.000-08:00

The Nagas, classified among the Indo-Asiatic peoples, form more than 20 tribes, as well as numerous subtribes, each having a specific geographic distribution. Though sharing many cultural traits, these tribes have maintained a high degree of isolation and lack cohesion as a single people. The Konyaks are the largest tribe, followed by the Aos, Tangkhuls, Semas, and Angamis.

Celery-top Pine

2005-02-08T23:51:00.000-08:00

Also called Adventure Bay Pine (species Phyllocladus asplenifolius), slow-growing ornamental and timber conifer of the family Podocarpaceae, native to temperate rain forests of Tasmania at elevations from sea level to 750 m (2,500 feet). The tree is shrubby at high elevations but may grow to 18 m (60 feet) and occasionally 30 m (100 feet) in lower areas. The irregularly arranged branches bear

Aetolia And Acarnania

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

Most of Acarnania

Medicine, History Of, Early Greece

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

The transition from magic to science was a gradual process that lasted for centuries, and there is little doubt that ancient Greece inherited much from Babylonia and Egypt, and even India and China. Twentieth-century readers of the Homeric tales the Iliad and the Odyssey may well be bewildered by the narrow distinction between gods and men among the characters

Hussite

2005-02-05T22:16:00.000-08:00

Any of the followers of the Bohemian religious reformer Jan Hus, who was condemned by the Council of Constance (1414–18) and burned at the stake. After his death in 1415 many Bohemian knights and nobles published a formal protest and offered protection to those who were persecuted for their faith. The movement's chief supporters were Jakoubek of Stríbro (died 1429), Hus's successor as preacher

Biblical Literature, The Assumption of Moses

2005-02-05T06:49:00.000-08:00

The Assumption of Moses originally contained apocalyptic material—no longer extant—in the form of a legend. According to Origen, the dispute between the archangel Michael and the devil for the body of Moses was narrated in the Assumption of Moses. This legend, which has parallels in the rabbinic literature, probably formed the end of the Assumption of Moses, the first

Boieldieu, François-adrien

2005-02-05T03:37:00.000-08:00

In Rouen he studied under the organist Charles Broche and composed two operas and numerous piano sonatas, remarkable for their form, which constitute the first important body of piano works by a French composer. In 1796 he settled in Paris,

Arequipa

2005-02-03T18:26:00.000-08:00

Departamento (formed 1822) and región, southern Peru, bounded to the southwest by the Pacific Ocean. Its arid coastal and montane landscapes are cut intermittently by streams flowing from glaciers in the Andes Mountains. Irrigated coastal crops include cotton, rice, sugarcane, and olives. Corn (maize), potatoes, leeks, hot peppers (rocotos), and asparagus are cultivated in

Essex

2005-02-03T15:49:00.000-08:00

County, northeastern New York state, U.S. It comprises a mountainous region bounded by the Ausable River to the northeast, Vermont to the east (Lake Champlain constituting the border), Lake George to the southeast, and the Hudson River to the southwest. Other waterways include the Cold, Chubb, Bouquet, and Boreas rivers and Schroon and Paradox lakes; Lake Tear of the Clouds

Kamehameha V

2005-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Succeeding to the throne on the death of his younger brother, Kamehameha IV, he immediately revealed his intention to rule with a strong hand, refusing at his inauguration to take the oath to maintain the existing, comparatively liberal constitution. After calling and dismissing a constitutional

Itajubá

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

City, southern Minas Gerais estado (“state”), Brazil. It lies along the Sapucaí River, in the Mantiquiera Mountains, at 2,769 feet (844 m) above sea level. It was made the seat of a municipality in 1848 and given city status in 1862. Although basically a textile centre, it has other industries and serves a region of agriculture (coffee, rice, corn [maize], and sugarcane) and cattle ranching. Goods are

Haarlemmermeer

2005-02-01T05:26:00.000-08:00

Gemeente (commune), Noord-Holland provincie, The Netherlands, occupying the reclaimed Haarlem Lake, which was drained between 1840 and 1852. There is a network of roads and ditches at right angles within the enclosing canal and dike. The population is concentrated in the villages of Hoofddorp, Nieuw-Vennep, Badhoevedorp, and Zwanenburg, which are situated along the dike and

Naga

2005-01-31T19:30:00.000-08:00

City, southeastern Luzon, Philippines. It is situated along the Bicol River, south of San Miguel Bay. Founded in 1573 as Nueva Caceres by the Spaniards, it is the site every September of a festival in honour of Nuestra Señora de (“Our Lady of”) Peñafrancia, the patroness of the Bicol Peninsula. Naga has a large cathedral and is the seat of a bishopric. The University of Nueva Caceres

Wesak

2005-01-30T15:25:00.000-08:00

Also spelled Vesak, Sanskrit Vaishakha, Pali Vesakha most important of the Theravada Buddhist festivals, commemorating the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha. The event is observed on the full-moon day of the lunar month Vesakha, which falls in April or May. The day is observed as a public holiday in many Southeast Asian countries. It is marked by special devotional services and various deeds intended to be

Anna

2005-01-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

Daughter of Ivan V (reigned 1682–96) and niece of Peter I the Great (reigned 1682–1725), Anna was married to Frederick William, ruler of the Baltic seacoast duchy of Courland, on Oct. 31 (Nov. 11), 1710. Although her husband died on the journey to Courland after their wedding in St. Petersburg, Anna remained at Mitau (now Jelgava,

Tegal

2005-01-29T22:02:00.000-08:00

Kotamadya (municipality) and port Jawa Tengah provinsi (“province”), central Java, Indonesia, located on the Java Sea about 160 miles (257 km) east-southeast of Jakarta. Roads and railway link it with Cirebon on the west, Semarang on the east, and Kroya and Yogyakarta on the south and southeast. Its population is mostly Javanese, and Islam is the dominant religion. Tegal is a centre for

Trade, Terms Of

2005-01-29T10:28:00.000-08:00

Relationship between the prices at which a country sells its exports and the prices paid for its imports. If the prices of a country's exports rise relative to the prices of its imports, one says that its terms of trade have moved in a favourable direction, because, in effect, it now receives more imports for each unit of goods exported. The terms of trade, which depend on

France, History Of

2005-01-29T05:42:00.000-08:00

In time, opinion

Spandau

2005-01-27T14:10:00.000-08:00

District of Berlin, Germany, on the Havel River at the mouth of the Spree. Originally the site of a Sorbian (Wendish) fortress, Spandau became German c. 1230 and was granted civic rights in 1232. It was incorporated into Berlin in 1920. The citadel (1560–94, including the 12th-century Julius Tower) is one of the oldest well-preserved Italian-style Renaissance fortifications in northern Germany,

Dacke War

2005-01-26T14:14:00.000-08:00

Led by Nils Dacke, an outlaw, the peasants of the province of Småland took up arms against the King in the spring of 1542 in protest against the royal

Brian

2005-01-26T11:42:00.000-08:00

In 976 Brian became king of a small state, later called Dál Cais, and also king of Munster, whose Eóghanachta rulers had been defeated (964) by Brian's half brother. Brian destroyed first the Eóghanachta septs and then the Northmen, constructing a fleet to drive them from the Shannon. Under his rule Munster

Costa Rica, Flag Of

2005-01-25T07:49:00.000-08:00

Like other parts of the United Provinces of Central America, Costa Rica originally flew the federal flag of blue-white-blue stripes with a coat of arms in the centre. Adopted when Central America freed itself from Mexico in 1823, it drew its design inspiration from the flag of Argentina, one of the earliest Spanish colonies to proclaim independence. Even after the five

Spaniel

2005-01-24T16:03:00.000-08:00

The cocker spaniel is a small dog standing 14 to 15 inches (36 to 39 centimetres) and weighing 22 to 29 pounds (10 to 13 kilograms). Compact and sturdily built, it has a rounded head, floppy ears, and

Earwax Impaction

2005-01-24T14:38:00.000-08:00

Filling of the external auditory canal with earwax, or cerumen. Normally the wax produced by skin glands in the outer ear migrates outward. If the earwax is produced too rapidly, it may become hardened and accumulate, thus plugging the outer ear canal and preventing sound passage to the tympanic (eardrum) membrane. This hearing impairment is painless. Impacted earwax

Hafez

2005-01-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

About 1368–69 Hafez fell out of favour at the court and did not

GreatBottle

Insurance, Group annuities

Wolffish

Karankawa

China, The Hsi (Western) Chin (AD 265316/317)

Khorram-dinan

Usufruct

Sinkiang, Uygur Autonomous Region Of, Relief

Strangles

Strangles

Kerry, John

Qatar, Government

Seton, Ernest Thompson

Flanders

Duarte, Juan Pablo

Clapper

Alexander Iii

World War I, The German invasion

Aymaran Languages

Sokol

Croce, Benedetto

Fredericia

Aesthetics, The contributions of the ancient Greeks

Shimodate

Art, African, Ekoi

Quebec, Battle Of

Agonism

Tadoba National Park

Bunner, Henry Cuyler

Bavand Dynasty

Producer Goods

Japan

Grito De Dolores

Conservation, The Antarctic Treaty

Plains Indian

Powhatan

Brecon Beacons National Park

Blood Group

Azikiwe, Nnamdi

Orléans, Louis-philippe-robert, Duc D' (duke Of)

Byzantine Chant

Allahabad

Periodic Law, Elucidation of the periodic law

France, Flag Of

Schenectady

Tiffany, Charles Lewis

Karat

Interlochen

Ku Yen-wu

China, The Plateau of Tibet

Karaikal

Abegg, Richard Wilhelm Heinrich

Taaffe, Eduard, Count (graf) Von

Caddy

Pen, International

Integration

Vigo, Jean

Isinglass

Mcmurtry, Larry

Kwahu Plateau

Malacostracan, The nervous system and sensory organs

Bhagirathi River

Tyrconnell, Rory O'donnell, 1st Earl Of, Baron Of Donegall

Switzerland, Transportation

Turkish Literature

Portugal, Pre-Roman, Roman, Germanic, and Muslim periods

Cuckoopint

Alcuin

Wankel Engine

Alcuin

Tobruk

Grayling

Kagame, (abbé) Alexis

Dendrochronology

Narragansett

Rabe, David

Nagaland, The people

Celery-top Pine

Aetolia And Acarnania

Medicine, History Of, Early Greece

China, The Hsi (Western) Chin (AD 265316/317)