WaitingFeather

Auliye-ata

2005-11-18T05:50:00.000-08:00

Kazak Zhambyl, also spelled Dzhambul , or Dzambul city, southern Kazakstan. It lies at the junction of the Talas River and the Turk-Sib Railway. Auliye-Ata is one of the oldest towns of Kazakstan. It stands on the site of the ancient city of Taraz, which flourished as a stop along the Silk Road until it was destroyed by Mongol armies in the 13th century. A new town called Auliye-Ata was established on the site by the emirs of Kokand

Macaulay, Catharine

2005-07-28T23:25:00.000-07:00

Former union of garment and apparel workers in the United States and Canada. It was formed in 1976 by the merger of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA), a large union representing workers in the men's clothing industry, with the Textile Workers Union of America, a smaller union founded in 1939. The ACWA was originally formed when militant elements within the United

Sable Island

2005-07-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

Gently curving sandbar in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, 110 mi (180 km) southeast of Cape Canso. It is treeless, about 20 mi long and 1 mi wide, and comprises the exposed portion of a vast shoal on the outer edge of the continental shelf. Gradually shrinking in size and shifting slowly eastward, the island, because of unexpected shallows, has been the scene of

Saalfelden

2005-07-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

Also called Saalfelden Am Steinernen Meer, town, Bundesland (federal province) Salzburg, west central Austria, at the southwest foot of the Steinernes Meer (Sea of Stones) Mountains, near the Saalach River southwest of Salzburg. An old market town, it is also a winter and summer resort and makes leather goods and beer. There are several castles nearby, including the 14th-century Schloss Lichtenberg. The late Gothic

Calcareous Sponge

2005-07-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

Any of a class (Calcispongiae, or Calcarea) of sponges characterized by skeletons composed of calcium carbonate spicules (needlelike structures). Calcareous sponges occur mainly on the rocky bottoms of the continental shelves in temperate, shallow waters; they are usually dull in colour. Most are small, seldom exceeding 15 cm (6 inches).

Cinna, Lucius Cornelius

2005-07-06T01:00:00.000-07:00

After serving in the Social War (90–88), Cinna became consul in 87. When Sulla left Rome to fight Mithradates VI, king of Pontus, in the East, Cinna repealed Sulla's laws and threatened him with prosecution. Cinna's proposed revival of a bill of Publius Sulpicius Rufus (for the equal distribution of the newly enfranchised

Florentine Diamond

2005-06-29T01:20:00.000-07:00

Clear, pale-yellow stone weighing 137 carats; of Indian origin, it was cut as a double rose with 126 facets. Once owned by Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, who lost it when he fell in battle in 1477, the stone came into the possession of Pope Julius II and the Medici family early in the 16th century. Maria Theresa of Austria acquired it through her marriage (1736) to the Duke of Tuscany, and it subsequently

Uijongbu

2005-06-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

City, Kyonggi do (province), north western South Korea. Uijongbu lies 12 miles (20 km) north of Seoul. Its name, meaning “the Cabinet” in old Korean, derives from its being the temporary site of the Cabinet office during the Choson (Yi) dynasty (1392–1910). The city was formerly the market centre for agricultural products grown in the surrounding area. It developed rapidly after the Korean War (1950–53) as

Aznar, José María

2005-06-03T03:20:00.000-07:00

In 1975, during Spain's transition to democracy, José Marí

Conductive Ceramics

2005-05-31T21:50:00.000-07:00

In addition to the well-known physical properties of ceramic materials—hardness, compressive strength, brittleness—there is the property of electric resistivity. Most ceramics resist the flow of electric current, and for this reason ceramic materials

Cabarrus, François, Conde De

2005-05-17T00:55:00.000-07:00

Cabarrus originally settled in Madrid as a soap manufacturer but soon became conspicuous within a circle of enlightened reformers who advised the king. His ideas were crucial in the creation of the first Spanish central bank in 1783. He also was involved

Girl Groups

2005-05-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

Primarily American female vocal groups popular from the early to the mid-1960s, the period between the heyday of early rock and roll and the British Invasion. The girl group era produced a clearly identifiable hybrid of gospel, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, and quirky pop. The high-pitched, husky, teen-girl sound of acts such as the Ronettes and the Supremes epitomized the ebullient

Sanibel Island

2005-05-13T16:04:00.000-07:00

Sanibel Island

Amphipod

2005-03-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

Any member of the invertebrate order Amphipoda (class Crustacea) inhabiting all parts of the sea, lakes, rivers, sand beaches, caves, and moist (warm) habitats on many tropical islands. Marine amphipods have been found at depths of more than 9,100 m (30,000 feet). Freshwater and marine beach species are commonly known as scuds; those that occupy sand beaches are called

Lippershey, Hans

2005-03-11T14:10:00.000-08:00

On Oct. 2, 1608, he formally offered his invention, which he called a kijker (�looker�), to the Estates of Holland for use in warfare. The Estates granted him 900 florins for the instrument but required its modification into a binocular device. His telescopes

Ampicillin

2005-03-07T03:47:00.000-08:00

Drug used in the treatment of various infections, including otitis media (middle ear infection), sinusitis, and acute bacterial cystitis. Ampicillin (or alpha-aminobenzylpenicillin) is a semisynthetic penicillin, one of the first such antibiotics developed. Similar in action to penicillin G but more effective against gram-negative bacteria, ampicillin is more

Eadric Streona

2005-03-06T11:50:00.000-08:00

Little is known of Eadric's origins. His appointment to the office of ealdorman was probably an attempt by Ethelred to unite south-central England under one command. He is generally considered

Price Index

2005-03-04T23:28:00.000-08:00

Measure of relative price changes, consisting of a series of numbers arranged so that a comparison between the values for any two periods or places will show the average change in prices between periods or the average difference in prices between places. Price indexes were first developed to measure changes in the cost of living in order to determine the wage increases

Jansen, Daniel

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

Jansen grew up in a family of skating enthusiasts and competed in his first meets at the age of four. At the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia (now in Bosnia and Herzegovina), he was the youngest skater

Asbest, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-03-02T16:41:00.000-08:00

city, Sverdlovsk oblast (province), west-central Russia. It lies in the eastern foothills of the middle Ural Mountains. Developed from the settlement of Kudelka, founded in 1720 around the first Russian discovery of asbestos - from which it takes its name - it became a city in 1933. Asbestos production from the Bazhenovo deposit has been carried on since the 1880s. A century later the

Vitamin D

2005-03-02T08:27:00.000-08:00

The most important of these sterols are 7-dehydrocholesterol, formed by metabolic processes in animals, and ergosterol (q.v.), present in vegetable oils. The action of sunlight converts these two compounds,

Kuba

2005-03-01T22:19:00.000-08:00

Kuba cultivate corn (maize), cassava, millet, peanuts (groundnuts), and beans as staples. They grow raffia and oil palms, raise corn as a cash crop, and hunt and fish. They have kept aloof from modern life, and few have emigrated or engage

Asbestos, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-03-01T07:39:00.000-08:00

town, Estrie region, southern Quebec province, Canada. Asbestos lies near the Southwest Nicolet River, 95 miles (153 km) southwest of Quebec city. Its economy traditionally depended almost entirely on asbestos mining and the manufacture of asbestos products. One of the mines - the Jeffrey open-pit mine - is the largest asbestos mine in the world. Electrical equipment and wood

Br�hl, Heinrich, Graf Von (count Of)

2005-02-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

Rising rapidly under Augustus II the Strong,

Asbestos, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-28T14:46:00.000-08:00

any of several minerals that readily separate into long, flexible fibres. Chrysotile, the fibrous form of the mineral serpentine, is the best-known type and accounts for about 95 percent of all asbestos in commercial use. It is a hydrous magnesium silicate with the chemical composition of Mg3Si2O5(OH)4. The other types all belong to the amphibole group of minerals and include

Antarctic Circumpolar Current

2005-02-27T14:59:00.000-08:00

Also called �West Wind Drift, � surface oceanic current encircling Antarctica and flowing from west to east. Affected by adjacent landmasses, submarine topography, and prevailing winds, the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is irregular in width and course. Its motion is further complicated by continuous exchange with other water masses at all depths. The volume of transport south of latitude

Asbestosis, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-27T00:09:00.000-08:00

lung disease that is caused by the prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibres. A type of pneumoconiosis, it is found primarily among workers whose occupations involved asbestos, principally mining, construction, and the manufacture of insulation, fireproofing, cement products, and automobile brakes. The disease is not limited solely to asbestos workers but is also

Asbj

2005-02-26T23:39:00.000-08:00

Closely united in their lives and work, the two men are rarely named separately. They met as youths in 1827 and became �blood

La Noue, Fran�ois De

2005-02-26T14:59:00.000-08:00

La Noue became a Protestant in 1558 and soon began fighting for the Huguenot cause. Wounded at Fontenay (1570), he had one arm replaced by an iron device and was thereafter nicknamed Bras-de-Fer (�Arm of Iron�). After the Peace of

Amphibole

2005-02-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

The fundamental building block of all silicate mineral structures is the silicon-oxygen tetrahedron (SiO4)4-. It consists of a central silicon atom surrounded by four oxygen atoms in the shape of a tetrahedron. The essential characteristic of the amphibole structure is a double chain of corner-linked silicon-oxygen tetrahedrons that extend indefinitely parallel

Asbury, Francis, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-25T00:32:00.000-08:00

After limited schooling Asbury was licensed as a local preacher, and at the age of 21 he was admitted to the Wesleyan Conference. For four years

Robbins (of Clare Market), Lionel Charles Robbins, Baron

2005-02-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

Robbins was educated at the University of London and the London School of Economics (LSE). After periods of teaching at New College, Oxford, and LSE, he was appointed professor of economics at the latter university in 1929, a position he held until 1961. Robbins was influenced

Asbury Park, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-24T08:48:00.000-08:00

city, Monmouth county, eastern New Jersey, U.S. The city lies along the Atlantic Ocean coast in the midst of a string of seaside communities. It was founded in 1871 by James A. Bradley, a New York manufacturer, who named it for the Reverend Francis Asbury, founder of Methodism in the United States. A spectacular ship disaster (September 1934) killed 122 persons when the Morro Castle caught

Eisstockschiessen

2005-02-23T18:00:00.000-08:00

Teams consist of four players and one substitute. The rink is 28 metres (30.8 yards) long and 3 m (3.3 yd) wide. Players slide (shoot) cylindrical Eisst�cken (�ice stocks�) down the rink, aiming

Ascanian Dynasties, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

Albert the Bear (see Albert I under Albert [Brandenburg]) was the first to raise the family's rank from that of

Ascanius, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-22T15:07:00.000-08:00

in Roman legend, son of the hero Aeneas and traditional founder of Alba Longa, probably the site of the modern Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. In different versions, Ascanius is placed variously in time. Those set earlier cite the Trojan Creusa as his mother. After the fall of Troy, Ascanius and Aeneas escaped to Italy, where Aeneas subsequently founded Lavinium, the parent

Resorcinol

2005-02-22T02:36:00.000-08:00

Also called �m-dihydroxybenzene� phenolic compound used in the manufacture of resins, plastics, dyes, medicine, and numerous other organic chemical compounds. It is produced in large quantities by sulfonating benzene with fuming sulfuric acid and fusing the resulting benzenedisulfonic acid with caustic soda. Reaction with formaldehyde produces resins used to make rayon and nylon amenable

Alba, Fernando �lvarez De Toledo Y Pimentel, 3er Duque De

2005-02-21T23:44:00.000-08:00

Alba was born into a rich family

Ascari, Alberto, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-21T16:23:00.000-08:00

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

Animals, Master Of The

2005-02-20T18:26:00.000-08:00

Supernatural figure regarded as the protector of game in the traditions of early hunting peoples. The name was actually devised by Western scholars who have studied such hunting societies. In some traditions, the master of the animals is believed to be the ruler of the forest and guardian of all animals; in others, he is the ruler of only one species, usually a large

Ascariasis, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-20T09:15:00.000-08:00

infection of humans and other mammals caused by the intestinal roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Infection follows the ingestion of Ascaris eggs that have contaminated foods or soil. In the small intestine the larvae are liberated and migrate through the intestinal wall, reaching the lungs, where they may produce a host sensitization that results in lung inflammation

Mamou

2005-02-19T23:31:00.000-08:00

Town, west-central Guinea. Located on the Conakry-Kankan railway and at the intersection of roads from Kindia, Dalaba, Dabola, and Faranah, Mamou was founded in 1908 as a collecting point on the railroad from Conakry (125 miles [201 km] southwest). It is the chief trading centre for the rice, cattle, citrus fruits, bananas, tomatoes, and mangoes raised in the surrounding agricultural area.

Ascaris, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-19T10:26:00.000-08:00

any of a genus of worms (order Ascaridida, class Nematoda) that are parasitic in the intestines of various terrestrial animals, chiefly herbivores. They are typically large worms characterized by a mouth surrounded by three lips. The species Ascaris lumbricoides is probably the most familiar parasite in humans. An almost identical worm, often called A. suum, occurs

Ascension, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-18T23:46:00.000-08:00

British island in the South Atlantic Ocean, with an area of 34 square miles (88 square km). It is a dependency of the colony of St. Helena, 700 miles (1,100 km) to the southeast. Except on the heights of Green Mountain (2,817 feet [859 m]), where fruit, vegetables, and livestock are raised, the island is mostly a desert of extinct volcanic craters and extensive lava flows. There are no surface streams. Nineteenth-century

Lapse, Doctrine Of

2005-02-18T01:56:00.000-08:00

In Indian history, formula devised by Lord Dalhousie, governor-general of India (1848 - 56), to deal with questions of succession to Hindu Indian states. It was a corollary to the doctrine of paramountcy, by which Great Britain, as the ruling power of the Indian subcontinent, claimed the superintendence of the subordinate Indian states and so also the regulation of their

Ascension, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

in Christian belief, the ascent of Jesus Christ into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection (Easter being reckoned as the first day). According to the first chapter of The Acts of the Apostles, after appearing to the Apostles on various occasions during a period of 40 days, Jesus was taken up in their presence and was then hidden from them by a cloud, a frequent biblical

Paleo-siberian Languages, Phonological features

2005-02-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Typical phonological features of the Paleo-Siberian languages are postvelar consonants (i.e., sounds that are formed farther back in the mouth than /k/ and usually represented as q), vowel harmony of various kinds (e.g., the alternation of e and i in the form for �my' in Nivkh �e-rla �my harpoon' and �i-rly �my sky'), consonant alternations (e.g., the alternation between b, v, and f in Nivkh bal

Asceticism, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

(from Greek askeo: �to exercise,� or �to train�), the practice of the denial of physical or psychological desires in order to attain a spiritual ideal or goal. Hardly any religion has been without at least traces or some features of asceticism.

Ancient Greek Civilization

2005-02-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

The period following Mycenaean civilization, which ended in about 1200 BC, to the death of Alexander the Great, in 323 BC. It was a period of political, philosophical, artistic, and scientific achievements that formed a legacy with unparalleled influence on Western civilization.

Chasles, Michel

2005-02-15T19:03:00.000-08:00

French mathematician who, independently of the Swiss German mathematician Jakob Steiner, elaborated on the theory of modern projective geometry, the study of the properties of a geometric line or other plane figure that remain unchanged when the figure is projected onto a plane from a point not on either the plane or the

Asch, Sholem, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

One of the 10 surviving children of a poor family, Asch was educated at Kutno's Hebrew school. In 1899 he went to Warsaw, and in 1900 he published his highly praised first story - written, as was a cycle

Aschaffenburg, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

city, Bavaria Land (state), south-central Germany. It lies on the right bank of the canalized Main River near the mouth of the Aschaff River and at the foot of the forested Spessart (mountains), 20 miles (35 km) southeast of Frankfurt. Originally a Roman settlement, it came under the jurisdiction of the electors of Mainz in about 982 and was chartered in 1173. In 1292 a synod was held there, and in

Dimbleby, Richard

2005-02-14T06:10:00.000-08:00

Dimbleby was the son

Ascham, Roger, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-13T22:39:00.000-08:00

As a boy of 14, Ascham entered the University of Cambridge, where he later took his M.A. and was elected a fellow of St. John's and appointed reader in Greek. The new Renaissance enthusiasm for the classics, especially

Pontevedra

2005-02-13T02:56:00.000-08:00

Provincia, northwestern Spain, smallest of the four provinces of the comunidad aut�noma (�autonomous community�) of Galicia. It is mountainous, with an Atlantic coastline deeply indented by the picturesque r�as bajas (inlets) of Arosa, Pontevedra, and Vigo. Numerous traditional fiestas held throughout the province contribute, with the scenic beauty and fine beaches,

Aschersleben, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-12T03:28:00.000-08:00

city, Saxony-Anhalt Land (state), Germany. It is situated on the northern edge of the Unter Harz (Lower Harz) Mountains, southwest of Magdeburg. Probably founded in the 11th century, it was chartered in 1266 and was the ancestral seat of the Ascanians, an influential German family who derived their name (Latinized) from the town. It passed to the bishops of Halberstadt in 1315 and Brandenburg

Biogeography

2005-02-12T02:56:00.000-08:00

Strictly speaking, biogeography is a branch of biology, but physical geographers have made important contributions, particularly in the study of flora. The classification of vegetation

Aschoff, Karl Albert Ludwig, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-11T06:03:00.000-08:00

German pathologist who recognized the phagocytic (capable of engulfing bacteria and other substances) activity of certain cells found in diverse tissues and named them the reticuloendothelial system (1924). He also described (1904) the inflammatory nodule (called Aschoff's bodies, or nodules) in heart muscle

Maban Languages

2005-02-11T00:38:00.000-08:00

Group of related languages spoken in the border area of Chad, The Sudan, and the Central African Republic. The Maban languages form a branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family. Maba (also called Bura Mabang) is the largest Maban language in terms of number of speakers (more than 250,000). Other members of the group include Karanga, Kibet, Massalat, Masalit (Massalit), Marfa, and Runga.

Ascites, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-10T06:41:00.000-08:00

accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, between the membrane lining the abdominal wall and the membrane covering the abdominal organs. The most common causes of ascites are cirrhosis of the liver, heart failure, tumours of the peritoneal membranes, and escape of chyle (lymph laden with emulsified fats) into the peritoneal cavity. In patients having liver

Asclepiadaceae, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

the milkweed family of the flowering-plant order Gentianales, including more than 280 genera and about 2,000 species of tropical herbs or shrubby climbers, rarely shrubs or trees. Most members of the family have milky juice, flowers with five united petals, podlike fruits, and, usually, tufted seeds. The silky-haired seeds are drawn out of their pods by the wind

Cardiovascular System, Nervous control of the heart

2005-02-09T01:35:00.000-08:00

Nervous control of the heart is maintained by the parasympathetic fibres in the vagus nerve (parasympathetic) and by the sympathetic nerves. The vagus nerve is the cardiac inhibitor, and the sympathetic nerves are the cardiac excitors. Stimulation of the vagus nerve depresses the rate of impulse formation and atrial contractility and thereby reduces cardiac

Tapestry, 15th century

2005-02-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

The greatest tapestries of the 15th century were produced in the Flemish cities of Arras, Tournai, and Brussels. In the first half of the century it was Arras that particularly prospered under the patronage of the dukes of Burgundy. Duke Philip the Good (1396 - 1467) had a specially designed building erected in the city to allow for better conservation of his tapestry collection.

Asclepiades Of Bithynia, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

He opposed the humoral doctrine of Hippocrates and instead taught that disease results from constricted or relaxed conditions of the solid particles, a doctrine derived from the atomic

Norbert Of Xanten, Saint

2005-02-07T16:48:00.000-08:00

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

Asclepigenia, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

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

After the death of her father, Plutarchus, Asclepigenia was active in perpetuating the eastern version of Platonism, in cooperation with her brother, Hiero. Upon the succession of Proclus as head of the school at Athens, Asclepigenia instructed him in the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle. She

Asclepius, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-06T06:46:00.000-08:00

Greek �Asklepios, �Latin �Aesculapius, � Greco-Roman god of medicine, son of Apollo (god of healing, truth, and prophecy) and the nymph Coronis. The Centaur Chiron taught him the art of healing. At length Zeus (the king of the gods), afraid that Asclepius might render all men immortal, slew him with a thunderbolt. Homer, in the Iliad, mentions him only as a skillful physician; in later times, however, he was honoured as a

Jacksonville

2005-02-06T01:25:00.000-08:00

City, Morgan county, west-central Illinois, U.S. Laid out in 1825 as the county seat and named in honour of Andrew Jackson, it soon acquired a distinctive educational, institutional, and religious character, which it largely retains. Illinois College (founded there in 1829 and affiliated with the United Church of Christ) was the first in the state to graduate a college class. Other

Wagner, Richard

2005-02-05T14:09:00.000-08:00

For a realistic analysis of Wagner's complex character, see Ernest Newman, The Life of Richard Wagner, 4 vol. (1933 - 47). Ronald Taylor, Richard Wagner: The Life, Art and Thought (1979), emphasizes the historical background of his life; Charles Osborne, Wagner and His World (1977), is a brief introductory biography. Important sources include The Diary of Richard Wagner, ed. by Joachim Bergfeld (1980); Cosima Wagner's Diaries, ed. by Martin Gregor-Dellin and Dietrich Mack (1978 - ); and Wagner's Mein Leben, 2 vol. (1870 - 81; Eng. trans., My Life, 1911). See also the official German and English biographies by C.F. Glasenapp, Das Leben Richard Wagners, 6 vol. (1894 - 1911); and W.A. Ellis, Life of Richard Wagner, 6 vol. (1900 - 08). Robert W. Gutman, Richard Wagner: The Man, His Mind and His Music (1968), is a largely hostile biography. An analytical introduction to Wagner's music dramas is Ernest Newman, The Wagner Operas (1949; republished with the title Wagner Nights, 1950). A detailed study of Wagner's development as a musical dramatist is Jack M. Stein, Richard Wagner and the Synthesis of the Arts (1960). A.O. Lorenz, Das Geheimnis der Form bei Richard Wagner, 4 vol. (1924 - 33), provides an exhaustive bar-by-bar analysis of the musical construction of his major works. George Bernard Shaw, The Perfect Wagnerite, 4th ed. (1922, reprinted 1967), which has much of value to say about the social, political, and economic ideas behind The Ring; Jungian interpretation of the same work is Robert Donington, Wagner's Ring and Its Symbols, 2nd ed. (1969).

Ascoli, Graziadio Isaia, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-05T06:42:00.000-08:00

Ascoli did not receive any formal higher education, but he wrote his first major work, on Oriental languages, in 1854. While serving as a professor

Crab

2005-02-04T22:40:00.000-08:00

Unlike those of other decapods (e.g., shrimp, lobster, crayfish), crabs' tails are curled

Ascoli Piceno, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-04T02:41:00.000-08:00

city, capital of Ascoli Piceno provincia, Marche regione, central Italy. Ascoli Piceno lies at the confluence of the Tronto and Castellano rivers. The ancient centre of the Picenes (early inhabitants of the Adriatic coast), it was conquered in the 3rd century BC by the Romans, who knew it as Asculum Picenum. After 1006 the city was ruled by its bishops and successive feudatories

Thompson, Edward Herbert

2005-02-03T11:35:00.000-08:00

Though lacking formal training in archaeology, Thompson was an enthusiastic antiquarian. In 1879 he published a paper suggesting that Mayan civilization may have originated

Ascomycetes, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-03T06:16:00.000-08:00

The sac fungi are separated into subgroups based on whether asci arise singly or are borne in one of several types of fruiting structures, or ascocarps, and

Jackrabbit

2005-02-02T17:15:00.000-08:00

Any of several North American species of hare (genus Lepus).

Ascot, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-02T01:39:00.000-08:00

locality, Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority, geographic and historic county of Berkshire, England, known for its racecourse on Ascot Heath. The Royal Ascot meeting (initiated in 1711 by Queen Anne) lasts four days each June and is traditionally attended by the British sovereign. A major social and fashion event, it has lent its name to the ascot, a type of broad neck

Asela, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-02-01T17:09:00.000-08:00

also spelled �Asella, or Assela, � town, south-central Ethiopia. It lies west of Mount Chilalo on a high plateau overlooking Lake Ziway in the Great Rift Valley. The town is an important trading centre for the surrounding livestock and lumbering region. An all-weather road connects it with Nazret to the north. Pop. (1989 est.) 40,175.

Blackfish

2005-02-01T16:25:00.000-08:00

Name given to various dark-coloured fishes, including the tautog (see wrasse), bowfin, Alaska blackfish (qq.v.), and black sea bass (see sea bass). Also known as blackfish are the pilot whale (q.v.), a mammal; Orthodon microlepidotus, a California minnow; the black ruff (Centrolophus niger), a European deep-sea rudderfish; and several Australian food fishes.

Aselli, Gaspare, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-31T07:15:00.000-08:00

Aselli became professor of anatomy and surgery at the University of Pavia and practiced at Milan. His discovery of the lacteals (lymph vessels that take up the end products of fat digestion from the intestine) occurred

Ramathibodi I

2005-01-31T01:35:00.000-08:00

Little is known of Ramathibodi's early career, but he is thought to have been related to the ruling family of the principality of Lop Buri and to have married the daughter of the ruler of U Thong (now Suphan Buri) in central Siam. He succeeded to the throne of U Thong in about 1347 and moved

Turgovishte

2005-01-30T14:31:00.000-08:00

Also spelled �Targovi

Aseret Yeme Teshuva, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-30T01:52:00.000-08:00

English �Ten Days of Penitence� the first 10 days of the Jewish religious year. See yamim nora'im.

Smith, Joseph, Iii

2005-01-29T18:36:00.000-08:00

Smith was a boy of 11 when his father was murdered by a mob, and he did not go to Utah with Brigham Young's group but remained in Nauvoo, Ill., with his mother and a group of followers

Asgard, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-29T10:30:00.000-08:00

Each important god had his own palace in Asgard, and many Germanic peoples believed that

Swamp Eel

2005-01-28T17:39:00.000-08:00

Any of about 15 species of slim, eel-like fish comprising the order Synbranchiformes. Swamp eels, unrelated to true eels (Anguilliformes), are found in fresh and brackish waters of the tropics. They appear to be related to the order Perciformes. They range from about 20 to 70 centimetres (8 to 28 inches) in length and either are scaleless or have very small scales. The dorsal and anal

Carnivore

2005-01-27T11:54:00.000-08:00

For general information on the biology of the carnivores, see E.P. Walker et al., Mammals of the World, 3 vol. (1964), in which each genus is described and illustrated, along with a brief summation of its biology. The taxonomy of carnivores is discussed in G.G. Simpson, �Principles of Classification and a Classification of Mammals,� Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 85 (1945), a classic work on classification, followed by most recent mammalogists; and H.J. Stains, �Carnivores and Pinnipeds,� in S. Anderson and J.K. Jones, Jr. (eds.), Recent Mammals of the World: A Synopsis of Families (1967). F.E. Beddard, Mammalia (1902, reprinted 1958), is a definitive early work on mammalian anatomy. The paleontology of the Carnivora is summarized in two works by A.S. Romer: Vertebrate Paleontology, 3rd ed. (1966), fundamental to an understanding of fossil forms, and Notes and Comments on Vertebrate Paleontology (1968), containing additional information not found in the general text. Books devoted to particular subgroups of the carnivores include A. Denis, Cats of the World (1964), an excellent summary of the status of all members of the Felidae; C.J. Harris, Otters (1968), a fine summary of the status of the otters around the world; H.E. Hinton and A.M.S. Dunn, Mongooses: Their Natural History and Behaviour (1967), which contains much interesting information that is difficult to find elsewhere, except in scattered literature; R.J. Harrison et al. (eds.), The Behavior and Physiology of Pinnipeds (1968), an excellent summation of knowledge on these aquatic carnivores; and V.B. Scheffer, Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses: A Review of the Pinnipedia (1958), a major work on the taxonomy of the Pinnipedia.

Ash Wednesday, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-27T00:09:00.000-08:00

in the Christian church, the first day of Lent, occurring 6 1/2 weeks before Easter (between February 4 and March 11, depending on the date of Easter). In the early Christian church, the length of the Lenten celebration varied, but eventually it began 6 weeks (42 days) before Easter. This provided only 36 days of fast (excluding Sundays). In the 7th century, 4 days were added before the first Sunday

Welded Tuff

2005-01-26T03:38:00.000-08:00

Rock composed of compacted volcanic ejecta (see tuff).

Asante , The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-25T15:56:00.000-08:00

Although some Asante now live and work in urban centres,

Hatteras Abyssal Plain

2005-01-25T11:07:00.000-08:00

Submarine plain forming the floor of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. It lies east of the North American continental shelf between the southern United States and Bermuda, extending about 900 mi (1,450 km) from north to south, with an average width of 300 mi. The plain comprises the western part of the North American Basin and is separated from the Nares Abyssal Plain to the southwest

Nigeria

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

Officially �Federal Republic of Nigeria � country located on the coast of western Africa. It has an area of 356,669 square miles (923,768 square km). It is bordered to the north by Niger, the east by Chad and Cameroon, the south by the Gulf of Guinea, and to the west by Benin. Nigeria is not only large in size - it is larger than the U.S. state of Texas - it is also Africa's most populous country. Nigeria has a diverse geography, with climates ranging

Asante Empire, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-24T02:19:00.000-08:00

In their struggle against the suzerain state of Denkyera and lesser neighbouring

Pamirs, Animal life

2005-01-23T06:02:00.000-08:00

The high tablelands of the eastern Pamirs are the prime breeding area of the mountain goat and the argali (Marco Polo) wild sheep; occasional sightings of blue sheep and urial are reported. Ibex are common where human activity is minimal, and markhor inhabit the lower ranges between the Panj and Vakhsh rivers. Brown bear feed on the abundant marmots, as do wolves. Relatively

Ghazal

2005-01-22T19:27:00.000-08:00

The ghazals by 'Umar ibn

Maurice, Saint

2005-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

Their story was recorded in the Passio martyrum Acaunensium (�The Passion of the Martyrs of Agaunum�), by the 5th-century French bishop St. Eucherius, who believed

Ashbee, Charles Robert, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

After education at Wellington College and King's College, Cambridge, and while actively involved in the social work of Toynbee Hall, Ashbee was articled to the architect

Dome

2005-01-20T17:40:00.000-08:00

In geology, any large or elliptical structure formed by the fractureless upwarping of rock strata. It is a type of anticline that lacks clear-cut elongation and that slopes outward in all directions from the highest point. Typical examples of such a dome can be found in the Black Hills of South Dakota in the western United States. Where strata plunge more or less uniformly

Ashbery, John, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-20T08:06:00.000-08:00

Ashbery graduated from Harvard University in 1949 and received a master's degree from Columbia University (N.Y.) in 1951. After working as a copywriter in New York City (1951 - 55), he lived in Paris until 1965, contributing art criticism to the Paris edition of the New York Herald-Tribune and to

World War I, The Balkan front, 1918

2005-01-19T23:53:00.000-08:00

At Salonika the Allies' politically ambitious but militarily ineffective commander in chief, General Sarrail, was replaced at the end of 1917 by General Guillaumat, who was in turn succeeded in July 1918 by General L.-F.-F. Franchet d'Esperey, who launched a major offensive in September with six Serbian and two French divisions against a seven-mile front held by only one Bulgarian

Ashbourne, The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Saivism, and Saktism

2005-01-19T15:06:00.000-08:00

town (�parish�), Derbyshire Dales district, administrative and historic county of Derbyshire, England. Ashbourne is a centre for the surrounding agricultural districts and for tourists visiting nearby Dovedale and the Manyfold Valley. Its buildings include the Church of St. Oswald, dating from 1241 and possessing an octagonal spire (212 feet [65 metres]). The oldest of the famous