WideJewel

Estate Agent Finchley

2006-07-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

Lets Go has been an established Estate Agent Finchley since 1994 specializing in Lettings, Management and Sales.Our offices are in the heart of North Finchley enabling us to focus on our main areas where we have unrivalled local knowledge and specialise in property for sale Finchley,North, East, West and Central Finchley, property for sale North Hendon, property for sale North Whetstone, property for sale Golders Green and property for sale Woodford Park. We also cover property for sale Barnet

Ansgar, Saint

2006-01-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

Of noble birth, Ansgar entered the Benedictine abbey of Corbie in Picardy, where he was educated. After 823 he taught in the monastic school at Corvey (“New Corbie”), Westphalia, where

Minamoto Shitago

2005-11-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

Although he was a descendant of the emperor Saga and was a member of the powerful Minamoto clan, Shitago was barred from high political position because he did not belong to the Fujiwara family, which controlled the government. Instead he devoted himself to scholarly and literary pursuits and became recognized

Zambezi River, Physiography

2005-07-27T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Zambezi rises out of a marshy bog near Kalene Hill, Zambia, about 4,800 feet (1,460 metres) above sea level, and flows some 20 miles before entering Angola, through which it runs for more than 175 miles. In this first section of its course, the river is met by more than a dozen tributaries of varying sizes. Shortly after reentering Zambia, the river flows over the Chavuma Falls and enters

Fuseli, Henry

2005-07-23T02:10:00.000-07:00

Fuseli was reared in an intellectual and artistic milieu and initially studied theology. Obliged to flee Zürich because of political entanglements, he went first to Berlin, and then settled in London in 1764. He was encouraged

Stefánsson, Davíd

2005-07-07T23:40:00.000-07:00

Stefánsson came of a cultured yeoman family and was brought up with a love for his homeland, its literature, and its folklore. He frequently journeyed abroad but lived most of his life in the town of Akureyri, where he was a librarian (1925–52). He wrote a powerful

Ayers Rock

2005-07-06T04:11:00.000-07:00

Also called Uluru giant monolith, one of the tors (isolated masses of weathered rock) in southwestern Northern Territory, Australia. It is perhaps the world's largest monolith. The monolith, which the Aboriginals of the region call Uluru, is composed of arkosic sandstone, which changes colour according to the attitude of the Sun. The rock is most impressive at sunset, when it is coloured

Annelid, Critical appraisal

2005-07-06T04:10:00.000-07:00

Most authors accept the annelids as having three major classes: Polychaeta, Oligochaeta, and Hirudinea. Older systems would place the polychaetes and oligochaetes under the class Chaetopoda because both groups possess setae. Other systems would join the oligochaetes and leeches in a single class, called the Clitellata, because both groups possess a clitellum

Thousand Days, The War Of A

2005-06-15T21:25:00.000-07:00

The Liberal Party represented coffee plantation owners and import-export merchants who favoured a laissez-faire economic policy. Largely excluded from participation in government after the Conservative victory

Norbert Of Xanten, Saint

2005-06-03T06:15:00.000-07:00

Norbert was ordained in 1115. Failing to reform his peers at the collegiate church of Xanten, he traveled throughout France and

Monarch Butterfly

2005-05-17T15:50:00.000-07:00

(Danaus plexippus), a familiar member of the milkweed butterfly family Danaidae (order Lepidoptera), distributed throughout the world but concentrated mainly in North, Central, and South America. The monarch's wingspan averages 90 to 100 millimetres (about 4 inches). The distinctive coloration of the reddish-brown wings, marked by black veins and a black

Malakal

2005-05-15T21:30:00.000-07:00

Town, east-central Sudan. It lies along the right bank of the White Nile just below the latter's confluence with the Sobat River, 430 miles (690 km) south of Khartoum. The Junqali project, a joint Sudanese-Egyptian plan aimed at increasing agricultural production, diverts the waters of the White Nile from the As-Sudd swamps by means of a 224-mile (360-kilometre) canal that starts from the

Han River

2005-05-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

Wade–Giles romanization Han Shui, Pinyin Han Shui, one of the most important tributaries of the Yangtze River of China. It has a total length of about 952 mi (1,532 km). The Han Shui rises in the Shen-ch'iung Shan (mountains), part of the Mi-t'sang Shan in the north of Ning-ch'iang County in the extreme southwest of Shensi Province. Its upper stream is known successively as the Yü-tai Ho, the Yang Shui, and, below Mien-hsien, the Mien Shui. At Han-chung

Oats

2005-03-15T03:38:00.000-08:00

The wild oat was first found in western Europe, apparently as

Kubovy, Aryeh Leon

2005-03-14T23:05:00.000-08:00

After settling in Israel (1948), Kubovy served that country in diplomatic posts in Czechoslovakia, Poland, and several South American countries. He was chairman of Yad Vashem (Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority)

Kamerlingh Onnes, Heike

2005-03-11T06:25:00.003-08:00

From 1871 until 1873 Kamerlingh Onnes studied and worked at Heidelberg

Kamerlingh Onnes, Heike

2005-03-11T06:25:00.002-08:00

From 1871 until 1873 Kamerlingh Onnes studied and worked at Heidelberg

Kamerlingh Onnes, Heike

2005-03-11T06:25:00.001-08:00

From 1871 until 1873 Kamerlingh Onnes studied and worked at Heidelberg

Kamerlingh Onnes, Heike

2005-03-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

From 1871 until 1873 Kamerlingh Onnes studied and worked at Heidelberg

Basil, Liturgy Of Saint

2005-03-07T05:01:00.000-08:00

The Liturgy of St. Basil, of which two versions - the Alexandrian and the

Ayler, Albert

2005-03-06T14:17:00.000-08:00

As a boy, Ayler studied saxophone with his father, with whom he played duets in church. In his mid-teens he played in rhythm-and-blues bands, and as a young alto saxophonist in Cleveland, he mastered the bop style

Chatham

2005-03-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

Town, Northumberland county, eastern New Brunswick, Canada. It lies near the mouth of the Miramichi River opposite Newcastle, 84 miles (135 km) north-northwest of Moncton. Founded about 1800 by Francis Peabody, it was probably named in honour of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham. It has pulp and paper mills, foundries, and shipyards and is a lumber-shipping and salmon-fishing port. In the

Argentina, The Pampas

2005-03-04T18:15:00.000-08:00

The Pampas region was originally inhabited by Indians such as the Querand�, who reportedly did not practice agriculture but were fishers and hunters who used bolas for entangling fleet-footed guanacos and rheas. Fierce attacks by the Querand� forced Spanish settlers in Buenos Aires to flee upriver to Asunci�n in 1541. After Buenos Aires reemerged in 1580, the Spanish showed

Aurangzeb

2005-03-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

Aurangzeb's reign falls into two almost equal parts. In the first, which lasted until about 1680, he was a capable Muslim monarch of a mixed Hindu-Muslim empire and as such was generally disliked for his ruthlessness but feared and respected for his vigour and skill. During this period he was much occupied with safeguarding the northwest from Persians and Central Asian

Antiope

2005-03-02T22:24:00.000-08:00

In Greek legend, the mother, by the god Zeus, of the twins Amphion and Zethus. According to one account, her beauty attracted Zeus, who, assuming the form of a satyr, took her by force. Pregnant, she escaped the threats of her father by running away and marrying Epopeus, king of Sicyon; she was later brought back and imprisoned by her uncle Lycus. On the way back from Sicyon, or after

France, History Of, Economy, society, and culture in the 14th and 15th centuries

2005-02-28T02:11:00.000-08:00

The long war, fought almost entirely in France, benefited few but the captains and peculators; it injured almost everyone. Even the best disciplined companies lived off the land, so that French peasants and defeated townsfolk in effect paid the expenses of both sides; and undisciplined mercenary bands were a wearisome scourge in times of truce after the middle of

Arduino, Giovanni

2005-02-27T14:47:00.000-08:00

From an early age, Arduino showed an interest in mining, establishing a reputation throughout northern Italy

Ambrose, Stephen Edward

2005-02-26T06:36:00.000-08:00

American biographer and historian (b. Jan. 10, 1936, Decatur, Ill. - d. Oct. 13, 2002, Bay St. Louis, Miss.), wrote some three dozen books on U.S. history. His later works were populist in tone, celebrating the achievements of ordinary people. In 2002 he was accused of plagiarism, but in his defense he argued that he had cited sources for his material. Ambrose earned a B.S. degree in history from the University

Pyrophyllite

2005-02-25T08:43:00.000-08:00

Very soft, pale-coloured silicate mineral, hydrated aluminum silicate, Al2(OH)2 Si4O10, that is the main constituent of some schistose rocks. The most extensive commercial deposits are in North Carolina, but pyrophyllite is also mined in California, Canada, and South Africa. Talclike foliated masses occur in the Urals, in Switzerland, and in other localities. For detailed

Pocahontas

2005-02-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

Matoaka, whose pet name was

Fyodor Ii

2005-02-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

The son of Boris Godunov (reigned 1598 - 1605), Fyodor received an excellent education and was well acquainted with state affairs when his father unexpectedly died and he ascended the Russian throne (April 13 [April 23], 1605). His rule was immediately challenged, however, by the first False

Samothrace

2005-02-22T17:55:00.000-08:00

Modern Greek �Samothr�ki, � Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea off the Thracian coast, included in the nom�s (department) of �vros. The 69-sq-mi (178-sq-km) island is geologically complex, consisting chiefly of ancient granites, clayey deposits, and softer volcanic materials. Hot springs are located near the north coast. Near its centre the island rises to 5,250 ft (1,600 m) in Korif� Feng�ri (Fen�ri Peak), the highest

Insurance, Government regulation

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

The insurance business is subject to extensive government regulation in all countries. In European countries insurance regulation is a mixture of central and local controls. In Germany central authority over insurance regulation is provided by the Federal Insurance Supervisory Authority (BAV), which exercises tight control of premiums, reserves, and investments

Latin Language

2005-02-20T01:04:00.000-08:00

Originally spoken by small groups of people living along the lower Tiber River, Latin spread with the increase of Roman political power, first throughout Italy and then throughout most of western and southern Europe and the central and western Mediterranean

Levine, James

2005-02-19T13:26:00.000-08:00

As a piano prodigy Levine made his debut in 1953 with the Cincinnati Orchestra. He studied piano with Rosina Lh�vinne and conducting with Jean Morel at the Juilliard School in New York City. In 1965 George Szell invited him to become the assistant

Forage

2005-02-18T23:53:00.000-08:00

Vegetable food of wild or domestic animals. In agriculture, harvested, processed, and stored forage is called silage (q.v.).

Sta�l, Germaine De

2005-02-17T03:42:00.000-08:00

In full �Anne-Louise-Germaine Necker, Baronne (baroness) de Sta�l-Holstein�, byname �Madame de Sta�l� French-Swiss woman of letters, political propagandist, and conversationalist, who epitomized the European culture of her time, bridging the history of ideas from Neoclassicism to Romanticism. She also gained fame by maintaining a salon for leading intellectuals. Her writings include novels, plays, moral and political essays, literary

Patristic Literature, Monastic literature

2005-02-14T04:31:00.000-08:00

Both Anthony (c. 250 - 355), the founder of eremitical, or solitary, monasticism in

Lockout

2005-02-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

In the United States, lockouts became a common

Mason, John Mitchell

2005-02-12T06:22:00.000-08:00

Mason developed a plan for theological education and in 1804 founded a seminary of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in New York City. He believed that the

Rocky Mountains

2005-02-11T08:11:00.000-08:00

Two nontechnical, abundantly illustrated descriptions of the Rocky Mountains are William S. Ellis and Dick Durrance II, The Majestic Rocky Mountains (1976); and Bryce S. Walker et al., The Great Divide (1973, reissued 1985), covering the landforms, plant life, and early exploration of the American Rockies. The mountains are also treated in Mel Griffiths and Lynnell Rubright, Colorado: A Geography (1983); and American West, The Magnificent Rockies: Crest of a Continent (1973). Dennis Glick, Mary Carr, and Bert Harting, An Environmental Profile of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (1991), compiles baseline information on the ecological processes and components of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem and discusses how the ecosystem's future is affected by current and proposed resource development plans. David V. Harris and Eugene P. Kiver, The Geologic Story of the National Parks and Monuments, 4th ed. (1985), chapters 8 - 11, covers the geologic history and special features of U.S. parks and monuments in the northern, middle, and southern Rockies and on the Colorado Plateau. Lawrence M. Ostresh, Jr., Richard A. Marston, and Walter M. Hudson, Wyoming Water Atlas (1990), although specifically about Wyoming water resources, treats issues that are typical throughout the Rocky Mountain region.

Ahram, Al-

2005-02-09T01:53:00.000-08:00

It was founded in 1875 by two Lebanese-Christian brothers, Salim and Bishara Takla. As a daily from 1881, the paper became famous for its independence and objectivity, despite British censorship and control, and for its coverage of international

Dance

2005-02-08T07:10:00.000-08:00

Dance is a powerful impulse, but the art of dance is that impulse channeled by skillful performers into something that becomes intensely expressive and that may delight

Earth, Matching continental outlines

2005-02-07T02:27:00.000-08:00

Early geographers making maps of the South Atlantic Ocean were probably the first to notice the similarity of the outlines of South America and Africa and to wonder if these two continents might have been together at one time. It was not until the early 20th century, however, that Alfred Wegener of Germany used the geography of the Atlantic coastlines, along with geologic

Ramcaritmanas

2005-02-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

(�Sacred Lake of the Acts of Rama�), version, written in a dialect of Hindi, of the Sanskrit epic poem the Ramayana, one of the masterpieces of medieval Hindu literature and a work with significant influence on modern Hinduism. Written in the 16th century by the poet Tulsidas (q.v.), the poem is distinguished both by its great expression of love for a personal god and by its exemplification

Orange River

2005-02-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

River in southern Africa, one of the longest rivers on the continent and one of the longest south of the Tropic of Capricorn. After rising in the Lesotho Highlands, less than 125 miles (200 kilometres) from the Indian Ocean, the river flows to the Atlantic Ocean in a generally westerly direction for some 1,300 miles. The Orange traverses the veld region of South Africa, after which

Cataract

2005-02-04T23:18:00.000-08:00

In medicine, opacity of the crystalline lens of the eye. If the opaque areas are minute, scattered dots (a condition known as blue dot cataract, or punctate cataract) or if only the periphery of the lens is affected (this type, called coronary cataract, is said to affect 25 percent of the population), there may be no appreciable diminution of vision. In instances of cataracts

Saffarid Dynasty

2005-02-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

Iranian dynasty of lower class origins that ruled a large area in eastern Iran. The dynasty's founder, Ya'qub ebn Leys as-Saffar (�the coppersmith�), took control of his native province, Seistan, around 866. By 869 he had extended his control into northeastern India, adding the Kabul Valley, Sind, Tocharistan, Makran (Baluchistan), Kerman, and Fars to his possessions; with the overthrow

Triberg

2005-02-02T14:19:00.000-08:00

In full� Triberg Im Schwarzwald, � city, Baden-W�rttemberg Land (state), southwestern Germany. It lies along the Gutach River, northeast of Freiburg im Breisgau. Situated in a gorgelike valley among tall pinewoods near Triberg Falls, the highest (535 feet [163 m]) waterfall in Germany, Triberg is one of the oldest Black Forest resorts and is noted for its beneficial climate and its winter-sports facilities. The

Zahlah

2005-02-01T08:29:00.000-08:00

Also spelled �Zahl�, � town, central Lebanon. It lies on the eastern slopes of the Lebanon Mountains, at an elevation of 3,150 feet (960 m) above sea level. An agricultural market centre for the broad al-Biqa' Valley, it is also a popular summer resort on the Beirut - Damascus railroad. Zahlah is noted for its fruits, vineyards, and arrack (a type of alcoholic beverage). Pop. (1985 est.) 200,000.

Bradley, Lydia Moss

2005-01-31T17:01:00.000-08:00

American philanthropist who founded and endowed Bradley University in Peoria. Early in life she demonstrated qualities of determination and ability. In May 1837 she married Tobias S. Bradley and moved with him to Peoria, where over the next three decades he prospered in land and banking. His death in 1867 left unbegun their plan to endow an educational

China, The chariot

2005-01-30T08:43:00.000-08:00

The light chariot, with 18 to 26 spokes per wheel, first appeared, according to the archaeological and inscriptional record, around 1200 BC. Glistening with bronze, it was initially a prestigious command car used primarily in hunting. The 16 chariot burials found at Hsiao-t'un raise the possibility of some form of Indo-European contact with China, and there is little doubt that the

Murrumbidgee River

2005-01-29T04:59:00.000-08:00

Major right-bank tributary of the Murray River, rising on the western slope of the Eastern Highlands (20 mi [32 km] north of Kiandra), in southeastern New South Wales, Australia. It flows at first southeastward and then, after a remarkable fishhook bend, directly northward through the Australian Capital Territory. At Yass it trends westward, being joined by the Lachlan between

Biblical Literature, Nature and significance

2005-01-28T07:24:00.000-08:00

General articles and notes in The Oxford Annotated Bible (1962), The Jerusalem Bible (1966), and the Genesis volume of The Anchor Bible, by E.A. Speiser (1964); E. H. Gombrich, The Story of Art, 12th rev. ed. (1972); Abraham J. Heschel, Man Is Not Alone (1951), a classic statement of modern Judaism; Erich Auerbach, Mimesis: Dargestellte Wirklichkeit in der abendl�ndischen Literatur (1946; Eng. trans., Mimesis: The Representation of Reality in Western Literature, 1953), a classic work; William R. Mueller, The Prophetic Voice in Modern Fiction (1959), religious themes interpreting Joyce, Camus, Kafka, Faulkner, Greene, and Silone; Nathan A. Scott, Jr. (ed.), The Tragic Vision and the Christian Faith (1957), essays by 12 writers on faith and the tragic dimension of existence; James Barr, The Scope and Authority of the Bible (1981), questions the divine inspiration of biblical texts.

Bohr Atomic Model

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

Description of the structure of atoms, especially that of hydrogen, proposed (1913) by the Danish physicist Niels Bohr. The Bohr model of the atom, a radical departure from earlier, classical descriptions, was the first that incorporated quantum theory and was the predecessor of wholly quantum-mechanical models. The Bohr model and all of its successors describe the properties

Madox, Thomas

2005-01-26T11:04:00.000-08:00

Madox studied common law (though not called to the bar) and was clerk in the office of the Exchequer, later working in the augmentation

Guadalcanal

2005-01-25T23:59:00.000-08:00

Largest island of the Solomon Islands, southwestern Pacific Ocean. With an area of some 2,047 square miles (5,302 square km), it is of volcanic origin with a mountainous spine (Kavo Range) that culminates in Mount Makarakomburu (8,028 feet [2,447 m]), the highest point in the country. Many short, rapid streams, including the Mataniko, Lunga, and Tenaru, tumble from the wooded mountains to the coast,

Biblical Literature, Exodus and conquest

2005-01-24T08:46:00.000-08:00

According to biblical tradition, the clan migrated to Egypt because of a famine in the land of Canaan, were later enslaved and oppressed, and finally escaped from Egypt to the desert east of the Isthmus of Suez under a remarkable leader, Moses. The account - a proclamation, celebration, and commemoration of the event - is replete with legendary elements, but present-day

Spratly Islands

2005-01-23T00:54:00.000-08:00

Before 1970 the main significance attached to the islands

Kulhwch And Olwen

2005-01-22T02:15:00.000-08:00

Welsh �Culhwch Ac Olwen � (c. 1100), Welsh prose work that is one of the earliest-known Arthurian romances. It is a lighthearted tale that skillfully incorporates themes from mythology, folk literature, and history. The earliest form of the story survives in an early 14th-century manuscript called The White Book of Rhydderch, and the first translation of the story into modern English was made by Lady

Kazanluk

2005-01-21T04:21:00.000-08:00

Greek �Seuthopolis, � town, central Bulgaria. It lies in the Kazanluk basin, 2 miles (3 km) north of the Tundzha River. The area is famous for its roses, which are made into attar of roses for the perfume industry. This industry, which developed in the 17th century, now uses approximately 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares) and includes the growing of lavender, peppermint, and pyrethrum. The town is an ancient craft centre;

Biblical Literature, The Zealots

2005-01-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

The Zealots were revolutionaries who plotted actively against the Roman oppression. That the Pharisees did not react in this way was perhaps because of their belief in Providence: what happens is the will of God, and their free will is expressed in the context of trust and piety in conjunction with an eschatological hope of winning God's Kingdom through obedience

Argenteuil

2005-01-19T20:07:00.000-08:00

Town, Val-d'Oise d�partement, �le-de-France r�gion, France. It lies along the north bank of the Seine River, northwest of Paris. The town's name comes from silver (argent) deposits exploited there by the Gauls. Argenteuil grew up around a convent that was founded there in the 7th century and of which Charlemagne's daughter Th�orade may have been an early abbess. H�lo�se, of the

Murfreesboro

2005-01-18T06:41:00.000-08:00

City, seat (1811) of Rutherford county, central Tennessee, U.S., on the West Fork Stones River, about 30 miles (50 km) southeast of Nashville. Settled near the end of the American Revolution and originally named Cannonsburgh, it was established in 1811 on a land tract donated by a Revolutionary War soldier, Colonel William Lytle, and named for a friend, Colonel Hardy Murfree. From 1819 to 1825 Murfreesboro

Jehoram

2005-01-17T10:36:00.000-08:00

Jehoram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel and king (c. 849 - c. 842 BC) of Israel, maintained close relations with Judah. Together with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, Jehoram unsuccessfully attempted to subdue a revolt of Moab against Israel. As had his father, Jehoram later endeavoured to recover Ramoth-gilead from Hazael, king of Damascus. In this

San Andres Mountains

2005-01-16T04:59:00.000-08:00

Segment of the southern Rocky Mountains, extending southward parallel to the Rio Grande for 150 miles (241 km), through Socorro, Sierra, and Do�a Ana counties in southern New Mexico, U.S. Spanish missionaries named the mountains for Saint Andrew, the disciple of Jesus. Salinas Peak (9,040 feet [2,755 metres]) is the highest point in the range. The mountains are dry and barren and include the White

Mikan, George

2005-01-15T21:03:00.000-08:00

Mikan received his undergraduate and legal education at

Einstein's Mass - energy Relation

2005-01-14T00:16:00.000-08:00

In physical theories prior to that of special relativity, mass and energy were viewed as distinct entities. Furthermore, the energy of a body at rest could be assigned an arbitrary

Gaillard, Ch�teau

2005-01-13T20:47:00.000-08:00

(French: �Saucy Castle�), 12th-century castle built by Richard the Lion-Heart on the Andelys cliff overlooking the Seine River in France; substantial portions of it still stand. Ch�teau Gaillard, the strongest castle of its age, guarded the Seine River valley approach to Normandy. Skillfully designed and executed, with the base of the keep carved out of the natural

Augsburg

2005-01-12T02:38:00.000-08:00

Traces of an Early Bronze Age settlement have been found at the site. The town was founded as a Roman colony

Ear, Human, Auditory ossicles

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

Crossing the middle-ear cavity is the short ossicular chain formed by three tiny bones that link the tympanic membrane with the oval window and inner ear (Figure 2). From the outside inward they are the malleus (hammer), the incus (anvil), and the stapes (stirrup). The malleus more closely resembles a club than a hammer, and the incus looks more like a premolar tooth with uneven

Indian Hemp

2005-01-10T21:24:00.000-08:00

Also called �Hemp Dogbane� (species Apocynum cannabinum), North American plant of the dogbane family Apocynaceae (order Gentianales). It is a branched perennial that grows up to 1.5 m (5 feet) tall and has smooth opposite leaves and small greenish white flowers. Indians used the fibres from the stem to make bags, mats, nets, and cordage. Its milky juice, or latex, yields rubber, and the dried roots of Indian

Paarl

2005-01-09T04:26:00.000-08:00

Town, Western Cape province, South Africa, east of Cape Town, on the Groot-Berg River between the Paarl Mountain and the Drakenstein Range. Settled in 1688 by Huguenots, who introduced viticulture, it is still known for its vineyards and wine making; it also produces citrus fruits, tobacco, and olives. Manufactures include cigarettes, textiles, and processed foods. Paarl is

Azathioprine

2005-01-08T05:22:00.000-08:00

Immunosuppressive drug that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and to suppress the body's rejection of transplanted organs. By inhibiting several enzymatic pathways required for the synthesis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), azathioprine decreases the number of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) that can migrate to inflammatory sites. Leukopenia (an

Azov

2005-01-07T04:44:00.000-08:00

Formerly �Azak, or Tana, � town, Rostov oblast (province), southwestern Russia. It lies on the left bank of the Don River, 4 miles (7 km) east of the Sea of Azov. The Greek colony of Tanais, the first known major city in the region, was founded there in the 6th century BC. It changed hands and was renamed several times over the ensuing centuries. It became the Genoese colony of Tana (established 1316 - 22), which in 1471 was captured

Kagwa, Sir Apolo

2005-01-06T22:01:00.000-08:00

A devout Anglican, Kagwa was a leader of the Protestant faction in the civil wars of the Ganda people (1888 - 92). He became katikiro when King Mwanga returned to the throne in 1890 and grew increasingly powerful

Irish Sea

2005-01-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

Irish �Muir �ireann� arm of the North Atlantic Ocean that separates Ireland from Great Britain. The Irish Sea is bounded by Scotland on the north, England on the east, Wales on the south, and Ireland on the west. The sea is connected with the Atlantic by the North Channel between Northern Ireland and Scotland and by St. George's Channel between the southeastern tip of Ireland and southwestern

Rocky Mountains, Environmental concerns

2005-01-04T19:50:00.000-08:00

Serious problems have arisen as a result of timber harvesting, grazing, oil exploration, mining, and reservoir operations in the Rockies. Logging and oil exploration have been responsible for accelerated slope erosion, both from the operations themselves and from the access roads built to reach them. Erosion has stripped away the often thin soil cover and caused

California Aqueduct

2005-01-03T17:32:00.000-08:00

Principal water-conveyance structure of the California State Water Project, U.S., running from the Sacramento River Delta east of San Francisco, south through the San Joaquin Valley, and over the summit of the Tehachapi Mountains, a distance of 273 mi (440 km). At this point it divides into east and west branches, the former terminating some 444 mi from the delta. Sizes of channels

Emecheta, Buchi

2005-01-02T15:30:00.000-08:00

Emecheta was married at age 16 and immigrated with her husband to London in 1962. The problems she encountered in London during the early 1960s provided background for the books that are called her immigrant novels. Her first two books,

Croghan, George

2005-01-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

Migrating from Ireland in 1741, Croghan settled on the western

Tribune

2004-12-31T15:11:00.000-08:00

Military tribunes (tribuni militum) were originally infantry commanders. Under the early republic there were six to a legion; some were appointed by the consuls (chief executives) or military commanders, and others were elected by the people. Under the empire (after 27 BC) the military tribunate was a preliminary

Fabius Ambustus, Quintus

2004-12-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

He and two other Fabii were sent as ambassadors to the Gauls while a Gallic army was besieging Clusium. After Quintus Fabius involved his group in a skirmish, the offended Gauls demanded that Rome surrender the culprits to them. By

Fa-hsiang

2004-12-29T13:46:00.000-08:00

School of Chinese Buddhism derived from the Indian Yogacara school. See Yogacara.

Andreini, Giovambattista

2004-12-28T06:56:00.000-08:00

Andreini began his stage career with the Compagnia dei Gelosi founded by his parents, but about 1601 he formed his

Eurodollar

2004-12-26T15:27:00.000-08:00

A United States dollar that has been deposited outside the United States, especially in Europe. Foreign banks holding Eurodollars are obligated to pay in U.S. dollars when the deposits are withdrawn. Dollars form the largest component of all currencies in which such deposits are held and which are generally known as Eurocurrency. The name originated in the early

Quincy

2004-12-25T16:13:00.000-08:00

City, Norfolk county, eastern Massachusetts, U.S., on Boston Harbor, just southeast of Boston. In 1625 the site, which was settled by Captain Wollaston, was given the name Mount Wollaston, and a short time afterward, under the leadership of Thomas Morton, it was renamed Merry Mount; in 1627 Morton, an anti-Puritan, was exiled for celebrating May Day. Set off from Braintree and incorporated

Hoorne, Filips Van Montmorency, Graaf Van

2004-12-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

A gentleman-in-waiting at the court of the Holy Roman emperor Charles V,

Arts, Islamic, Turkish

2004-12-23T16:41:00.000-08:00

In Turkey, the adoption of Western forms began in the 1920s. Of major importance in modern Turkish literature was Orhan Veli Kanik, who combined perfect technique with �Istanbulian� charm. His work is sometimes melancholy, sometimes frivolous, but always convincing. He strongly influenced a group of poets whose names are connected with the avant-garde literary magazine

Power Shovel

2004-12-22T07:39:00.000-08:00

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

Mitra, Ramon

2004-12-21T14:46:00.000-08:00

Philippine politician (b. 1928, Palawan, Phil. - d. March 20, 2000, Manila, Phil.), was a prominent politician, a pro-democracy activist, and an outspoken critic of the 1966 - 86 regime of Philippine Pres. Ferdinand Marcos. After working as a journalist and diplomat, Mitra served in the House of Representatives in the 1960s and was elected to the Senate in 1971. After Marcos imposed martial law in the Philippines

Durrell, Gerald Malcolm

2004-12-20T00:09:00.000-08:00

British naturalist (b. Jan. 7, 1925, Jamshedpur, India--d. Jan. 30, 1995, St. Helier, Jersey), gained international stature among conservationists for his pioneering yet sometimes controversial role in preserving and breeding endangered species by housing them in zoos with the intention of eventually returning them to the wild. He was also a prolific author, producing more than 35 amusing

Earth, Absolute measurements

2004-12-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

The most fundamental and straightforward method of measuring g is to measure directly the acceleration of a body falling in a vacuum toward Earth, but until the mid-1900s timing systems of sufficient accuracy were simply not available. All older absolute measurements were based on measuring the period of swing of some form of physical pendulum. The period of a simple

Kirk, Sir John

2004-12-18T00:32:00.000-08:00

The son of a clergyman, Kirk studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, served on the civil medical staff in the Crimean War, and was appointed in February 1858 physician and naturalist for Livingstone's

Aribau, Buenaventura Carles

2004-12-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

After working in Madrid at the banking establishment of Gaspar Remisa (1830 - 41), Aribau became the director of the treasury and financial secretary to the royal household. Animated by a deep patriotism,

Kabul

2004-12-16T17:42:00.000-08:00

Persian �Kabol � capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It lies along the Kabul River at an elevation of about 5,900 feet (1,800 metres) in the east-central part of the country. The nation's cultural and economic centre, the city lies in a triangular valley between the two steep Asmai and Sherdawaza mountain ranges. Roads connect it with most other areas of Afghanistan, with Uzbekistan to the north,

Ringk�bing

2004-12-15T15:07:00.000-08:00

Amt (county), Denmark, covering a rectangular area (1,874 square miles [4,853 square km]) that is bounded by the smooth dune and lagoon coast of western Jutland between Nissum Bay in the north and Ringk�bing Fjord in the south, and extending about 40 miles (65 km) inland. The soil is mainly sandy and poor with tracts of unreclaimed heath but supports mixed agriculture. The principal cities,

Ustinov, Sir Peter

2004-12-14T16:23:00.000-08:00

Ustinov's grandfather was a Russian officer in the czar's army who was exiled because of his religious beliefs. �It is for that reason,� Ustinov later said, �that I am addressing you today in English.� His father was a respected British

Sard And Sardonyx

2004-12-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

Translucent, light- to dark-brown varieties of the silica mineral chalcedony, historically two of the most widely used semiprecious stones. Sard and its close relative carnelian have been used in engraved jewelry for centuries. Sard (from Sardis, the ancient capital of Lydia) was originally called sardion, which included both sard and carnelian until the Middle

Music

2004-12-12T10:26:00.000-08:00

In 1994 several pioneers of free improvisation were especially newsworthy. Anthony Braxton (see BIOGRAPHIES) was one of two jazz artists to receive a MacArthur Foundation fellowship during the year. Only a fraction of his music had been documented on recordings, so the appearance of Composition No. 96 (Leo), played by an orchestra directed by Braxton, was welcome even if it