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Bull, The

(Encyclopedia) Bull, The, English name for Taurus, a constellation.

Lee, George Washington Custis

(Encyclopedia) Lee, George Washington Custis, 1832–1913, Confederate general in the American Civil War, b. Fort Monroe, Va.; eldest son of Robert E. Lee. He served in the Corps of Engineers until May…

The Nautical Knot

The Question: I need to know about nautical knots. Before computers, how did sailors measure them? Why are they called "knots" in the first place…

Feiffer, Jules

(Encyclopedia) Feiffer, JulesFeiffer, Julesfīˈfər [key], 1929–, American cartoonist and writer, b. New York City. He began publishing a cartoon strip in the Village Voice in 1956, maintaining his…

Juan de Fuca Strait

(Encyclopedia) Juan de Fuca StraitJuan de Fuca Straitwän də fy&oomacr;ˈkə [key], inlet of the Pacific Ocean, 100 mi (161 km) long and 11 to 17 mi (18–27 km) wide, between Vancouver Island,…

Bieler, Manfred

(Encyclopedia) Bieler, ManfredBieler, Manfredmänˈfrĕt bēˈlər [key], 1934–, German dramatist and novelist. Among Bieler's plays, written for radio, are Die achte Trübsal [the eighth misery] (1960),…

Selkirk, Alexander

(Encyclopedia) Selkirk, AlexanderSelkirk, Alexandersĕlˈkərk [key], 1676–1721, Scottish sailor whose adventures suggested to Daniel Defoe the story of Robinson Crusoe (1719). In 1704, as a sailing…

cornflower

(Encyclopedia) cornflower, common herb (Centaurea cyanus) of the family Asteraceae (aster family). It is a garden flower in the United States but a weed in the grainfields of Europe. It is called…

Williams, Ephraim

(Encyclopedia) Williams, Ephraim, 1715–55, American soldier, founder of Williams College, b. Newton, Mass. After several years as a sailor, he lived in Massachusetts and took part in defending the…