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Copernican system

(Encyclopedia) Copernican system, first modern European theory of planetary motion that was heliocentric, i.e., that placed the sun motionless at the center of the solar system with all the planets,…

Evans, Bill

(Encyclopedia) Evans, Bill, 1929-80, American jazz pianist and composer, b. Plainfield, N.J., as William John Evans, Southeastern Louisiana Univ. (B.…

Favre, Brett

(Encyclopedia) Favre, Brett (Brett Lorenzo Favre)Favre, Brettfärv [key], 1969–, American football player, b. Gulfport, Miss. As starting quarterback at the Univ. of Southern Mississippi he led the…

Elijah

(Encyclopedia) ElijahElijahēlīˈjə [key] or EliasElijahēlīˈəs [key] [both: Heb.,=Yahweh is God], fl. c.875 b.c., Hebrew prophet in the reign of King Ahab. He is one of the outstanding figures of the…

Mercer, Johnny

(Encyclopedia) Mercer, Johnny (John Herndon Mercer)Mercer, Johnnymûrˈsər [key], 1909–76, American lyricist and songwriter, b. Savannah, Ga. Mercer, who was one of American popular music's most…

National Security Agency

(Encyclopedia) National Security Agency (NSA), an independent agency within the U.S. Dept. of Defense. Founded by presidential order in 1952, its primary functions are to collect and analyze…

LL Cool J

(Encyclopedia) LL Cool J , 1968- , African-American rapper and actor, b. Queens, N.Y., as James Todd Smith. Smith had a tragic upbringing, with his…

Paterno, Joe

(Encyclopedia) Paterno, Joe (Joseph Vincent Paterno)Paterno, Joepətûrˈnō [key], 1926–2012, American football coach, b. Brooklyn, N.Y. A former quarterback at Brown Univ., he joined (1950) the…

Malaspina, Alejandro

(Encyclopedia) Malaspina, Alejandro or AlessandroMalaspina, Alejandro or Alessandroälāhänˈdrō mäläspēˈnä; älās-sänˈdrō [key], 1754–1810, Italian-Spanish naval officer and explorer, b. Mulazzo, Italy…

Lao Tzu

(Encyclopedia) Lao TzuLao Tzulou dzə [key], fl. 6th cent. b.c., Chinese philosopher, reputedly the founder of Taoism. It is uncertain that Lao Tzu [Ch.,=old person or old philosopher] is historical.…