Frank, Jacob

Frank often traveled in the Balkans and there met followers of Shabbetai. An uneducated visionary,

Mercury Poisoning

Harmful effects of various mercury compounds on body tissues and functions. Certain modern industrial and biological processes concentrate mercury compounds to dangerous levels. Mercury is used on a substantial scale in numerous industries, such as the manufacture of chemicals, paints and various household items, pesticides, and fungicides. In addition to

Arts, Islamic, Architectural decoration

Early Islamic architecture is most original in its decoration. Mosaics and wall paintings followed the practices of antiquity and were primarily employed in Syria, Palestine, and Spain. Stone sculpture existed, but stucco sculpture, first limited to Iran, spread rapidly throughout the early Islamic world. Not only were stone or brick walls covered with large panels

Iceland, The status of women

Outwardly the feminist movement may seem uniquely strong in Iceland. A woman, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, served as president of the republic for four terms (1980–96), enjoying great popularity. A Women's Alliance has been represented in the parliament since 1983. However, the Icelandic president typically is not influential in politics, and the Women's Alliance has yet to participate

Coin, Switzerland

The coinage of Switzerland illustrates its varying fortunes. First there was the gold money of the Merovingian kings, among whose mints were Basel, Lausanne, St. Maurice-en-Valais, and Sitten (Sion). The silver deniers that Charlemagne made the coinage of the empire were issued by fewer mints. The dukes of Swabia began to strike at Zürich in the 10th century, and the empire

Mahasanghika

Its emergence about a century after the death of the Buddha (483 BC) represented the first major schism in the Buddhist community. Although traditional accounts of the second council, at Vaisali (now in Bihar state), attribute

Tare

Also called  Darnel,   noxious weed of the ryegrass (q.v.) genus Lolium.

Manchester Ship Canal

Waterway opened in 1894 linking Eastham, Merseyside, Eng., to the city of Manchester. The canal made Manchester accessible to large oceangoing vessels. It is 36 miles (58 km) long, 45–80 feet (14–24 m) wide, and varies in depth from 28 to 30 feet (about 9 m); it has five locks.

Ansett Transport Industries Limited

Ansett (Sir Reginald since 1969) began in 1931 with a motorcar passenger service in the Western District of the state of Victoria. In 1936 he founded the airline company for service between Melbourne and Hamilton. After World War II the company began new interstate

Lancet Window

Narrow, high window capped by a lancet, or acute, arch. The lancet arch is a variety of pointed arch in which each of the arcs, or curves, of the arch have a radius longer than the width of the arch. It takes its name from being shaped like the tip of a lance. The lancet window is one of the typical features of the Early English (13th century) period in Gothic architecture.

Man Ray

The son of an artist and photographer, he grew up in New York City, where he studied architecture, engineering, and art, and became a painter. As early as 1911, he took up the pseudonym of Man