(Encyclopedia) Home Owners' Loan Corporation (HOLC), former U.S. government agency established in 1933 to help stabilize real estate that had depreciated during the depression and to refinance the…
(Encyclopedia) Spence, Thomas, 1750–1814, English agrarian socialist. A forerunner of the single taxers (see single tax), he devised a scheme by which the parishes would assume ownership of the land…
(Encyclopedia) Berle, Milton, 1908–2002, American entertainer, b. New York City as Milton Berlinger. Berle first performed in vaudeville and on (1939–48) radio. His great success, however, came as…
(Encyclopedia) Bori, LucreziaBori, Lucreziabôˈrē [key], 1887–1960, Spanish soprano, whose real name was Borja (Ital. Borgia). She made her debut (1908) in Rome as Micaela in Carmen, later sang Manon…
(Encyclopedia) Boyd, Ernest, 1887–1946, American critic and author, b. Dubin, Ireland. In the British consular service, he resigned in 1920 and settled in New York City, where he became an important…
(Encyclopedia) NostradamusNostradamusnŏsˌtrədāˈməs [key], 1503–66, French astrologer and physician, whose real name was Michel de Nostredame. He is reputed to have effected remarkable cures during…
(Encyclopedia) Moretto, IlMoretto, Ilēl mōrĕtˈtō [key], c.1498–1554, Italian painter, whose real name was Alessandro Bonvicino. He was a leading representative of the Brescian school. While following…
(Encyclopedia) tortoiseshell, horny, translucent, mottled plates covering the carapace of the tropical hawksbill turtle. The plates, too thin for most purposes in their original form, are usually…
(Encyclopedia) Alain-FournierAlain-FournierälăN-f&oomacr;rnyāˈ [key], 1886–1914, French novelist, whose real name was Henri Alban Fournier. He was killed in action during World War I. His single…