407 résultats pour "members"

• Criminal Punishment.

  In the United States and Canada, younger offenders may be sentenced to highly regimented, military-style correctional programs known as boot camps. Generally,offenders volunteer to participate in boot camp programs to avoid other types of incarceration. At boot camps, officials subject offenders to strict discipline and physicaltraining. They also provide educational or vocational programs. Boot camps serve as an alternative to traditional, long-term incarceration and attempt to train offenderst...

• Ant - biology.

  The workers of many ant species carry a stinger within the hind end of the gaster. These ants use the stinger to defend against their enemies. In some species, workerants lack a stinger but use the tip of their gaster to squirt or dab poison at other small animals and when fighting battles with other ants, fending off predators, or killinginsects or other animals that they use as food. III PHYSIOLOGY Ants have a rigid, external skeleton called an exoskeleton that gives the soft, inner body its...

• Buddhism.

  Although never actually denying the existence of the gods, Buddhism denies them any special role. Their lives in heaven are long and pleasurable, but they are in thesame predicament as other creatures, being subject eventually to death and further rebirth in lower states of existence. They are not creators of the universe or incontrol of human destiny, and Buddhism denies the value of prayer and sacrifice to them. Of the possible modes of rebirth, human existence is preferable, because thedeitie...

• Cyprus - country.

  40,000 cubic meters (1.4 million cubic feet) of salt water into fresh water per day, opened at Dhekelia in 1997, and a second larger plant opened at Larnaca in 2001. III PEOPLE OF CYPRUS The combined population of the Greek and Turkish sectors (2008 estimate) is 792,604. The overall population density is 86 persons per sq km (222 per sq mi). About69 percent of the island’s inhabitants live in urban areas. Greek-speaking Cypriots make up approximately 85 percent of the population. About 12 perc...

• Czech Republic - country.

  enforcement of environmental regulations. Environmental considerations have also led some government officials to promote nuclear energy as a key source of powerfor the country’s future. The Czech Republic produces most of its energy by burning domestic coal. Much of the coal burned is low quality with a high ash and sulfur content—a key componentof acid rain—producing high levels of air pollution. Forests in the Czech Republic are among the most seriously affected by acid rain in all of Europe....

• Ghana - country.

  times of depressed cacao prices, Ghana has significantly increased exports of timber to generate needed revenue. In 1988 Ghana initiated a conservation plan called the Forest Resource Management Project. In 1989 Ghana restricted the export of 18 tree species, and in 1994 thecountry banned the export of raw logs. About 4.8 percent (1997) of the country’s land is officially protected, but illegal logging threatens Ghana’s remaining forests. Deforestation, overgrazing, and periodic drought have led...

• Nicaraguan Revolution.

  Directorate. Within a year Robelo and Violeta Chamorro left the junta, and the Council of State was reorganized to guarantee an overwhelming Sandinista majority.Elections were postponed, restrictions were placed on the media, and relations with the Roman Catholic Church became increasingly tense. Two non-Sandinistasreplaced Robelo and Chamorro on the junta, but they had little power, and the government’s relations with opposition political parties and the private business sectordeteriorated. A D...

• Soyuz - astronomy.

  Since 1978, citizens of Czechoslovakia, France, Mongolia, Cuba, the United Kingdom, and about 20 other countries have flown on Soyuz spacecraft. In March 1995,American astronaut Norman E. Thagard flew in Soyuz-TM 21 to Mir; he returned to Earth in July 1995 on the U.S. space shuttle Atlantis. The collapse of the Soviet Union left Russia with less money and fewer resources for spaceflight programs than in the past. Nevertheless, Russia managed to keep theMir space station continuously staffed wit...

• John Adams.

  the British authorities. The royal governor, aware of Adams's ability and growing influence, offered him the post of advocate general in the admiralty court. Adams declined the appointment,recognizing it as a bribe to bring him over to the side of the British government. A3 Adams and the Boston Massacre Adams generally supported the popular resistance to the British government, but he did not condone violence or mob action. Adams was greatly disturbed by theBoston Massacre of 1770, an incident...

• John Adams

  the British authorities. The royal governor, aware of Adams's ability and growing influence, offered him the post of advocate general in the admiralty court. Adams declined the appointment,recognizing it as a bribe to bring him over to the side of the British government. A3 Adams and the Boston Massacre Adams generally supported the popular resistance to the British government, but he did not condone violence or mob action. Adams was greatly disturbed by theBoston Massacre of 1770, an incident...

• John Adams - U.

  the British authorities. The royal governor, aware of Adams's ability and growing influence, offered him the post of advocate general in the admiralty court. Adams declined the appointment,recognizing it as a bribe to bring him over to the side of the British government. A3 Adams and the Boston Massacre Adams generally supported the popular resistance to the British government, but he did not condone violence or mob action. Adams was greatly disturbed by theBoston Massacre of 1770, an incident...

• Marriage.

  In many traditional societies, marriage typically involved transfers of property from the parents to their marrying children or from one set of parents to the other. Thesecustoms persist in some places today and are part of the tradition of arranged marriages. For example, in some cultures the bride’s parents may give property (knownas a dowry) to the new couple. The practice of giving dowries has been common in countries such as Greece, Egypt, India, and China from ancient times until thepresen...

• Medical Ethics.

  medical profession. In recent years, however, the field of medical ethics has struggled to keep pace with the many complex issues raised by new technologies for creating and sustaininglife. Artificial-respiration devices, kidney dialysis, and other machines can keep patients alive who previously would have succumbed to their illnesses or injuries.Advances in organ transplantation have brought new hope to those afflicted with diseased organs. New techniques have enabled prospective parents to con...

• Uzbekistan - country.

  E Environmental Issues The evaporation of the Aral Sea is one of the worst ecological disasters in the world. The Aral has shrunk so much that it now holds only about one-fifth the volume ofwater it held in 1960. The shrinkage is due to irrigation withdrawals from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya, a practice that began on a massive scale in the early 1960s aspart of the Soviet Union’s ill-conceived drive to increase cotton yields in Central Asia. Growing cotton in the naturally arid and saline soil...

• French Revolution.

  B2 Assembly of Notables and Estates-General To pressure the parlements into accepting the plan, Calonne decided to gain prior approval of it from an Assembly of Notables—a group of hand-picked dignitaries hethought would sympathize with his views. But Calonne had badly miscalculated. Meeting in January 1787, the assembly refused to believe that a financial crisis reallyexisted. They had been influenced by Necker’s argument that state finances were sound and suspected that the monarchy was only...

• French Revolution .

  B2 Assembly of Notables and Estates-General To pressure the parlements into accepting the plan, Calonne decided to gain prior approval of it from an Assembly of Notables—a group of hand-picked dignitaries hethought would sympathize with his views. But Calonne had badly miscalculated. Meeting in January 1787, the assembly refused to believe that a financial crisis reallyexisted. They had been influenced by Necker’s argument that state finances were sound and suspected that the monarchy was only...

• Political Parties.

  In both Britain and the United States, competition between political parties undermined traditional conceptions of politics rooted in classical and Christian notions ofvirtue and public service. According to this tradition, political leaders should act according to a model of virtue that involved placing the common good above theinterests of a fraction of the society. Leaders acting to benefit only themselves or a narrow portion of the society were considered corrupt. However, party competitionr...

• Jean Chrétien.

  In 1969, when Chrétien introduced policy proposals based on this principle, indigenous peoples reacted with such hostility that he ultimately had to withdraw theproposals. Despite this and other clashes with indigenous leaders, Chrétien continued to work at improving the government relations with them. By the time he left theDepartment of Indian and Northern Affairs in 1974, he had earned their respect and appreciation for his efforts. Following the 1974 election, Trudeau appointed Chrétien pres...

• Jean Chrétien - Canadian History.

  In 1969, when Chrétien introduced policy proposals based on this principle, indigenous peoples reacted with such hostility that he ultimately had to withdraw theproposals. Despite this and other clashes with indigenous leaders, Chrétien continued to work at improving the government relations with them. By the time he left theDepartment of Indian and Northern Affairs in 1974, he had earned their respect and appreciation for his efforts. Following the 1974 election, Trudeau appointed Chrétien pres...

• Kenya - country.

  threatens fish and other water life in the lake by depriving them of oxygen. Kenya is well known for its game parks—including Masai Mara Game Park and Tsavo National Park in the south, and Marsabit National Reserve in the north—whichattract large numbers of tourists and much revenue. Conservation of wildlife within reserves has thus received high priority. About 13 percent (2007) of Kenya’s totalland is protected. There are 229 (2004) threatened species in Kenya. Threatened habitats include the...

• Supreme Court of the United States.

  The Constitution does not specify formal qualifications for membership on the Supreme Court. From the beginning, though, justices have all been lawyers, and mostpursued legal and political careers before serving on the Court. Many justices served as members of Congress, governors, or members of the Cabinet. One president,William Howard Taft, was later appointed chief justice. Some justices came to the Court from private law practice, and others were appointed from positions as lawprofessors. Man...

• East Timor - country.

  members are designated by the Superior Council for the Judiciary. This council is the organ of management and discipline of judges and is responsible for judiciaryappointments, transfers, and promotions. VI HISTORY Timor was a destination on ancient Chinese trade routes and was particularly known for its sandalwood. The Portuguese began colonizing Timor in the early 16thcentury as European trade and influence expanded in the region. They exploited Timor for its forest products and spices, and...

• Library of Congress.

  manuscripts, books, and films. The Digital Library’s eventual goal is to make available 80 million items from the Library of Congress’s collection that are not easilyavailable elsewhere. V ORGANIZATION AND FUNDING The librarian of Congress serves as the director of the institution. Tradition, politics, and strong personalities have shaped the function of this office. Although the Libraryof Congress was established in 1800, the office of librarian was not created until passage of a law in 1802....

• Vladimir Lenin I INTRODUCTION Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924), Russian revolutionary leader and theorist, who presided over the first government of Soviet Russia and then that of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

  with Japan ( see Russo-Japanese War). A string of military defeats and the strains placed on society by the war made for a tense atmosphere in Saint Petersburg, and by the beginning of 1905 various segments of Russian society, including students and liberal members of the nobility, were calling for political reform. When an unarmedcrowd of workers marched to the city’s Winter Palace on January 9 (or January 22, in the Western, or New Style, calendar) to submit a petition to Emperor Nicholas II,s...

• Vladimir Lenin.

  with Japan ( see Russo-Japanese War). A string of military defeats and the strains placed on society by the war made for a tense atmosphere in Saint Petersburg, and by the beginning of 1905 various segments of Russian society, including students and liberal members of the nobility, were calling for political reform. When an unarmedcrowd of workers marched to the city’s Winter Palace on January 9 (or January 22, in the Western, or New Style, calendar) to submit a petition to Emperor Nicholas II,s...

• Vladimir Lenin .

  with Japan ( see Russo-Japanese War). A string of military defeats and the strains placed on society by the war made for a tense atmosphere in Saint Petersburg, and by the beginning of 1905 various segments of Russian society, including students and liberal members of the nobility, were calling for political reform. When an unarmedcrowd of workers marched to the city’s Winter Palace on January 9 (or January 22, in the Western, or New Style, calendar) to submit a petition to Emperor Nicholas II,s...

• Berlin - geography.

  boroughs of Wedding and Tiergarten. Other important central areas include Kreuzberg and Friedrichshain, now united as the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg borough, andPrenzlauer Berg, now incorporated as a part of the Pankow borough. Tiergarten contains a large wooded park, a zoo, and a variety of public monuments as well as the large, modern Congress Hall and the Reichstag building, which wasbuilt from 1884 to 1894. The Reichstag and the surrounding area have undergone renovation to accommodate the Bun...

• Switzerland Facts and Figures.

  Other 1 percent LanguagesGerman (official), French (official), Italian (official), Romansch, English, and others NOTE: Romansch, a Romance language, is spoken by less than 1 percent of the Swiss population, chiefly in the canton of Graubünden. Religious affiliationsRoman Catholic 44 percent Protestant 41 percent Muslim 3 percent Nonreligious 7 percent Other 5 percent HEALTH AND EDUCATIONLife expectancy Total 80.7 years (2008 estimate) Female 83.7 years (2008 estimate) Male 7...

• Chad - country.

  B Industries The processing of cotton and cottonseed oil and the manufacturing of peanut oil are major industries in Chad. Modern meatpacking plants have been established inN’Djamena and Sarh. The fishing industry furnishes fresh, dried, and smoked fish for domestic use and export. Petroleum mining and processing are increasinglyimportant industries in Chad. Gold and natron, a mineral used to make soap, glass, paper, and medicines, are also mined. Forestry is important in the south. The outputo...

• Belize - country.

  Education is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14. Attendance at primary schools was nearly universal in 2002–2003, but only 78 percent of children ofsecondary school age were enrolled in school. Higher education is available at colleges in Belize City and Corozal. The literacy rate of 93 percent is one of the highest inLatin America. C Government Belize is governed under a constitution that became effective at independence in 1981. Belize recognizes the British monarch as its o...

• Sierra Leone (country) - country.

  commodities such as palm oil, palm kernels, coffee, cacao, ginger, kola nuts, and piassava (palm fibers) are grown for export. Cattle, goats, and sheep are raised, andthe fishing industry is of increasing importance. B Mining Gem and industrial diamonds are the leading mineral products of Sierra Leone. In 2004, 309,390 carats of gem-quality diamonds were produced. Rutile, a titanium oreof which Sierra Leone has one of the world’s largest deposits, and bauxite are also mined in large quantities....

• Comoros - country.

  Since 1981 the currency has been the Comorian franc. The Comorian franc had a fixed exchange rate with the French franc of 50 to 1 until 1994, when the rate was changed to 75 Comorian francs to 1 French franc. In 2006, the Comorian franc exchanged at an average of 392 to U.S.$1. Transport between the islands is mostly by air, and there is an international airport at Hahaia on Njazidja where jets can land. Road networks have been built betweenmost of the main island settlements, but the mountai...

• W. L. Mackenzie King. I INTRODUCTION W. L. Mackenzie King (1874-1950), tenth prime

  V SECOND TERM AS PRIME MINISTER By the election of 1925 most of the rifts in the Liberal Party were healed. Little had been achieved by King's government except for some tariff reduction and thereorganization of Canadian railroads, but no mistakes had been made. The real issue of the election was the personalities of the party leaders, King and the brilliant butarrogant Conservative, Arthur Meighen. The Conservatives swept English-speaking Canada, and they won 116 seats. The Liberals won 101, a...

• Liberia - country.

  West Atlantic, or Kwa linguistic groups. D Education Education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 15. However, a scarcity of educational facilities means that few Liberians progress beyondprimary school. Almost all children of primary school-age attend school, but the figure drops to 23 percent (1999–2000) for secondary school-age children. Just 60percent of the population was literate in 2005. Higher education is provided by the University of Liberia (1862), in Monro...

• Wilfrid Laurier.

  The Manitoba schools were the main issue in the 1896 election. Although the Catholic clergy campaigned against him, Laurier argued in Québec that he would obtainbetter terms for the Catholics by negotiating directly with the provincial government of Manitoba. “Hands off Manitoba” was an effective slogan in the other provinces aswell. A second issue was corruption in the Conservative Party, as a series of scandals had rocked the Bowell administration. Israel Tarte, a former Québec conservativewho...

• Wilfrid Laurier - Canadian History.

  The Manitoba schools were the main issue in the 1896 election. Although the Catholic clergy campaigned against him, Laurier argued in Québec that he would obtainbetter terms for the Catholics by negotiating directly with the provincial government of Manitoba. “Hands off Manitoba” was an effective slogan in the other provinces aswell. A second issue was corruption in the Conservative Party, as a series of scandals had rocked the Bowell administration. Israel Tarte, a former Québec conservativewho...

• Kansas City (Missouri) - geography.

  Major institutions of higher education in Kansas City are a branch (established in 1929) of the University of Missouri, Avila College (1916), Rockhurst College (1910),DeVry Institute of Technology (Missouri) (1931), and the Kansas City Art Institute (1885). Schools in neighboring suburbs include Park University (1875), in Parkville,and William Jewell College (1849), in Liberty. Baptist, Nazarene, and Methodist theological schools are also located in the area. Midwest Research Institute, one of t...

• Slavery in the United States - U.

  tripled, from about 1.2 million to almost 4 million in 1860. The natural growth of the slave population meant that slavery could survive without new slave imports. Natural population growth also hastened the transition from an African to an African American slave population. By the 1770s, only about 20 percent of slaves in thecolonies were African-born, although the concentration of Africans remained higher in South Carolina and Georgia. After 1808 the proportion of African-born slavesbecame tin...

• From Bush v.

  legal requirements. This case has shown that punch card balloting machines can produce an unfortunate number of ballots which are not punched in a clean, complete way by the voter.After the current counting, it is likely legislative bodies nationwide will examine ways to improve the mechanisms and machinery for voting. B The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States unless and until the state legislature chooses astatewide...

• Women's Rights.

  In 1840 Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton traveled to London to attend the World Anti-Slavery Convention. Upon arrival, however, the women were barred fromparticipating in the conference and forced to sit behind a curtain. This experience of discrimination inspired them to organize the first women’s rights convention. Thisconvention met in Seneca Falls, New York, on July 19 and 20, 1848. The Seneca Falls Convention attracted more than 200 women and approximately 40 men. For theconvention,...

• Laos - country.

  by the year 2025. About one-quarter of Laos’s people live in mountainous regions. The rest live in upland valleys or on the flood plains of the Mekong and its tributaries.Just over three-quarters of the population live in rural areas, although the proportion of people living in urban areas is steadily increasing. Vientiane is the capital and largest city of Laos. Louangphrabang, the former royal capital, is an increasingly popular tourist destination. Other major cities are theregional capitals...

• Egyptian Art and Architecture - USA History.

  The kings of the 1st Dynasty (2920 BC-2770 BC) were buried in the cemetery of their ancestors at Abydos in southern Egypt. Their burial sites were built of mud brick (bricks baked in the sun) and consisted of two parts: a tomb in the desert where the king was buried, and a rectangular funerary enclosure at the desert's edge, whererituals were performed. A pair of stone slabs called stelae marked the tombs and bore the name of the royal occupant. In the 2nd Dynasty (2770 BC-2649 BC), most r...

• Meerkat Meerkats, also known as suricates, are small members of the mongoose family that live in Africa.

• Tortoise Tortoise, common name for members of a family of turtles that live entirely on land.

• Feudalism I INTRODUCTION Feudalism, contractual system of political and military relationships existing among members of the nobility in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages.

  lord”; thus, it was not rebellion for a subvassal to fight against his lord’s lord. In England, however, William the Conqueror and his successors required their vassals’vassals to take oaths of fealty to them. B Duties of a Vassal Military service in the field was basic to feudalism, but it was far from all that the vassal owed to his lord. When the lord had a castle, he might require his vassals togarrison it, a service called castle-guard. The lord also expected his vassals to attend his cour...

• Yukon Territory - Facts and Figures.

  GOVERNMENTProvincial governmentPremier Dennis Fentie Legislature Legislative Assembly 18 members National representationMembers of the Canadian Senate 1 Members of the Canadian House of Commons 1 ECONOMYGross domestic product (GDP, in Canadiandollars) C$1.5 billion (2006) Income per capita 31,526 (2001 estimate) GDP by economic sectorAgriculture, forestry, and fishing 0.4 percent (2004) IndustryConstruction 9.4 percent (2004) Manufacturing 0.2 percent (2004) Mining 6 perc...

• Northwest Territories - Facts and Figures.

  GOVERNMENTProvincial governmentPremier Joseph Handley Legislature Legislative Assembly 19 members National representationMembers of the Canadian Senate 1 Members of the Canadian House of Commons 1 ECONOMYGross domestic product (GDP, in Canadiandollars) C$4.2 billion (2006) Income per capita 36,645 (2001 estimate) GDP by economic sectorAgriculture, forestry, and fishing 0.5 percent (2004) IndustryConstruction 8.7 percent (2004) Manufacturing 0.2 percent (2004) Mining 53.5...

• Nunavut Territory - Facts and Figures.

  GOVERNMENTProvincial governmentPremier Paul Okalik Legislature Legislative Assembly 19 members National representationMembers of the Canadian Senate 1 Members of the Canadian House of Commons 1 ECONOMYGross domestic product (GDP, in Canadiandollars) C$1,184 million (2006) Income per capita 28,215 (2001 estimate) GDP by economic sectorAgriculture, forestry, and fishing 0.1 percent (2004) IndustryConstruction 16.1 percent (2004) Manufacturing 0.1 percent (2004) Mining 2.5 p...

• Manitoba - Facts and Figures.

  Infant mortality rate 7 deaths per 1,000 live births (2005 estimate) Health-care expenditure per capita 4,406 Canadian dollars (2004 estimate) Adult population with high school diploma 79 percent (2001 estimate) GOVERNMENTProvincial governmentPremier Gary Doer Legislature Legislative Assembly 57 members National representationMembers of the Canadian Senate 6 Members of the Canadian House of Commons 14 ECONOMYGross domestic product (GDP, in Canadiandollars) C$45 billion (2006)...

• New Brunswick - Facts and Figures.

  Infant mortality rate 4 deaths per 1,000 live births (2005 estimate) Health-care expenditure per capita 3,865 Canadian dollars (2004 estimate) Adult population with high school diploma 84 percent (2001 estimate) GOVERNMENTProvincial governmentPremier Shawn Graham Legislature Legislative Assembly 55 members National representationMembers of the Canadian Senate 9 Members of the Canadian House of Commons 10 ECONOMYGross domestic product (GDP, in Canadiandollars) C$25 billion (2006)...