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Villaraigosa, Antonio

(Encyclopedia)Villaraigosa, Antonio vēˌyärīgōˈsä [key], 1953–, American politician, b. Los Angeles as Antonio Villar; he changed his name in 1987 when he married Corina Raigosa. A liberal Democrat and labo...

Cech, Thomas Robert

(Encyclopedia)Cech, Thomas Robert chĕk [key], 1947–, American microbiologist, b. Chicago, grad. Univ. of California, Berkeley. A professor at the Univ. of Colorado, he discovered that RNA could function as enzym...

Baze, Russell Avery

(Encyclopedia)Baze, Russell Avery, 1958–, Canadian-American jockey, b. Vancouver, Canada. He rode primarily at tracks in N California. In 2006 he surpassed Laffit Pincay, Jr.'s record for career wins, and in 2008...

Bierstadt, Albert

(Encyclopedia)Bierstadt, Albert bērˈstät [key], 1830–1902, American painter of Western scenery, b. Germany. After traveling and sketching throughout the mountains of Europe, he returned to the United States. H...

Santa Clara, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Santa Clara sănˈtə klârˈə [key], city (1990 pop. 93,613), Santa Clara co., W Calif.; inc. 1852. Part of the Silicon Valley high-technology manufacturing complex, the city produces a variety of e...

shrike

(Encyclopedia)shrike or butcher bird, predatory songbird found in most parts of the world except Australia and South America. The plumage of the European and North American species is mostly gray, black, and white;...

Miocene epoch

(Encyclopedia)Miocene epoch mīˈəsēn [key], fourth epoch of the Tertiary period in the Cenozoic era of geologic time (see Geologic Timescale, tablegeologic timescale, table), lasting from around 24.6 to 5.1 mill...

Christmasberry

(Encyclopedia)Christmasberry or toyon tōˈyən [key], evergreen tree or shrub (Photinia arbutifolia) of the family Rosaceae (rose family), found on the Pacific coast of North America. Its white flowers are followe...

Engelbart, Douglas Carl

(Encyclopedia)Engelbart, Douglas Carl, 1925–2013, American engineer and inventor, b. Portland, Oreg., Ph.D Univ. of California, Berkeley, 1955. He was a radar technician in the navy during World War II and an ele...

Horton, Lester

(Encyclopedia)Horton, Lester, 1906–53, American modern dancer, choreographer, and teacher, b. Indianapolis. Moving to California in 1928, Horton formed his own company in Los Angeles and also performed in theater...