Why do stars twinkle? We see the stars through the atmosphere. Their light passes through miles of constantly moving pockets and streams of air, which distort the image we get. The distortions are…
(Richard Marin)actor, comedianBorn: 7/13/1946Birthplace: Los Angeles In 1969 Marin met a nightclub owner in Vancouver named Tommy Chong. Together they formed the comic duo Cheech and Chong, whose…
(Encyclopedia) Ghelderode, Michel deGhelderode, Michel demēshĕlˈ də gĕldərōdˈ [key], 1898–1962, Belgian dramatist. He wrote in French and is noted for his colorful and avant-garde plays. He lived in…
(Encyclopedia) Flavin, DanFlavin, Danflāˈvĭn [key], 1933–96, American sculptor, b. New York City. In the early 1960s, Flavin experimented with fluorescent lights, bending them into complex, angular…
(Encyclopedia) Verga, GiovanniVerga, Giovannijōvänˈnē vĕrˈgä [key], 1840–1922, Italian novelist, b. Sicily. He abandoned the study of law for literature and wrote several novels of passion in the…
(Encyclopedia) Erie Railroad, rail transportation line designed to connect the mouth of the Hudson River with the Great Lakes region. The New York and Erie RR Company was enfranchised and…
(Encyclopedia) Yankee, term used by Americans generally in reference to a native of New England and by non-Americans, especially the British, in reference to an American of any section. The word is…
(Encyclopedia) sarcophagussarcophagussärkŏfˈəgəs [key] [Gr.,=flesh-eater], name given by the Greeks to a special marble found in Asia Minor, near the territory of ancient Troy, and used in caskets.…
(Encyclopedia) PompeiiPompeiipŏmpāˈ, Ital. pōmpĕˈē [key], ancient city of S Italy, a port near Naples and at the foot of Mt. Vesuvius. Possibly an old Oscan settlement, it was a Samnite city for…
Dogs Bringing home your new dog What Next? So you've taken the plunge and adopted a dog of your own. Congratulations! But what do you do now? No doubt you're excited and looking forward to…
