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What is the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a U.S. government agency established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (also called the Dodd-Frank Act) in the wake of the 2007–08 financial crisis. The role of the CFPB is to review the practices of...
The natural appeal of green burials Save money and help the planet.As more consumers weigh the environmental and health consequences of traditional funeral practices, green burials have naturally been attracting more interest. Unlike ordinary burials, which often involve embalming fluids, concrete vaults, and nonbiodegradable caskets...
30 Rock 30 Rock, a critically acclaimed American television sitcom that aired on the NBC (National Broadcasting Co., Inc.) network from 2006 to 2013. The series, created by the American comedy writer and actor Tina Fey, is based on Fey’s experiences as a head writer and performer on Saturday Night Live, a...
To be, or not to be To be, or not to be, opening line of a monologue spoken by the character Hamlet in Act III, scene 1, of William Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy Hamlet (c. 1599–1601). Often referred to as a soliloquy, the speech technically does not meet that term’s strictest definition—that is, a monologue delivered...
stochastic terrorism Stochastic terrorism, the repeated use of hate speech or other vilifying, dehumanizing rhetoric by a political leader or other public figure that inspires one or more of the figure’s supporters to commit hate crimes or other acts of violence against a targeted person, group, or community. In legal...
Boeing 777 The Boeing 777 is a family of wide-body twin-engine commercial jet aircraft with variants for both passenger and cargo transportation. The 777 was first flown on June 12, 1994, and commercial service commenced on June 7, 1995. It is the world’s largest two-engine jet (twin jet), and more than 1,200...
Trinity Rodman Trinity Rodman is an American professional football (soccer) player who is a forward for the Washington Spirit in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and is on the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT). She was the NWSL Rookie of the Year in 2021, and in 2022 she received a four-year...
fediverse Fediverse, decentralized group of social media platforms in which each independent platform can interact freely with any other platform that is part of the group. Users from one platform can therefore accrue followers and connect with others who are using a different platform. The name fediverse is...
occult Occult, a term that was originally used in Latin to designate the hidden or unseen properties of things and that, since the 16th century, has also been used to characterize religious traditions that include belief in unseen forces or that otherwise behave in a secretive or mysterious manner....
Ugadi Ugadi, Hindu festival celebrating the new year in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka. In Maharashtra and Goa states it is known as Gudi Padwa. Ugadi is celebrated on the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra (March–April) following the South Indian Amavasyant calendar,...
list of dynasties of ancient Egypt Egyptian kings were first divided into their traditional dynasties by an Egyptian priest named Manetho about 300 bce. Manetho gave each of these dynasties a number, starting with the unification of Egypt and ending when Egypt fell to the Persian king Artaxerxes III. Scholars have discovered the...
Neeraj Chopra Neeraj Chopra is an Indian track-and-field athlete who shot to fame after earning a gold medal at the 2016 IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, and further secured his position as a leading athlete by winning the men’s javelin throw event at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, held in 2021...
Joseph Acaba Joseph Acaba is an American astronaut who, over three spaceflights to the International Space Station (ISS), has spent 306 days in space. He is part of the Artemis team of astronauts who are eligible to fly to the Moon in the mid-2020s. Timeline of Joseph Acaba’s life Acaba received a bachelor’s...
Simon Harris Simon Harris is an Irish politician who, on April 9, 2024, became the youngest taoiseach (prime minister) in the country’s history. Harris is also the leader of Ireland’s Fine Gael party. He previously served as a legislator and as the country’s health minister. Harris was born in the coastal town...
taoiseach Taoiseach, head of government of Ireland. The office of taoiseach (prime minister) was created by the Irish constitution of December 29, 1937. Executive power in the Irish government is vested in the taoiseach, who heads the cabinet and presides over its meetings. The taoiseach must be a member of...
Pauling on periodic law American theoretical physical chemist Linus Carl Pauling (1901–94) is the only person to have won two unshared Nobel Prizes. His first, a Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1954), was awarded for research into the nature of the chemical bond and its use in elucidating molecular structure; the second, a...
Who has won the most NCAA women’s basketball championships? In 1982 the first NCAA women’s basketball champion was crowned, as Louisiana Tech defeated Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), 76–62. The title came more than 40 years after the first men’s championship was awarded, and it was widely seen as a turning point in women’s...
The Radicalism of Impressionism When you look at Impressionist paintings, with their depictions of middle-class leisure and their pleasing palettes, it can be easy to forget that in the 19th century the artists who made them were radicals. Like the Realists before them, the Impressionists broke from prevailing academic...
Who has won the most NCAA men’s basketball championships? Since 1939 the NCAA has been crowning a men’s basketball champion. It is one of the most coveted titles in college sports, and the championship tournament has become must-see TV in the United States. The first winner was Oregon, which defeated Ohio State in a closely contested game, 46–43. Since...
Nayib Bukele Nayib Bukele is the iron-fisted president of El Salvador (2019– ), who has unabashedly styled himself as the “world’s coolest dictator” and the country’s “philosopher king.” He first gained attention as the young mayor of the capital city of San Salvador (2015–18) before ascending to the...
geothermal power Geothermal power, form of energy conversion in which geothermal energy—namely, steam tapped from underground geothermal reservoirs and geysers—drives turbines to produce electricity. It is considered a form of renewable energy. While humans have long made direct use of geothermal energy as a source...
The Perils of an Early Spring A brief discussion of how the trend toward an earlier onset of spring affects natural cycles in plants and animals....
Finance 101 for widows: What to do when a spouse dies Grieve, reflect, assess, thrive. Regardless of the extent of your financial and estate planning, the emotional impact of a spouse’s death is something few people are prepared for. Even so, during this difficult time, choices—including decisions about money—need to be made. It’s not easy, but there...
What is an elder law attorney, and when do you need one? Estate planning, retirement, health care, and more.With people enjoying increasingly long lifespans, the need for specialized legal assistance in matters related to aging and elder care is growing. Elder law attorneys, sometimes called elder care lawyers, play a crucial role in helping older adults...
King Crimson King Crimson, English rock band known for its bold and uniquely dramatic style and for helping lay the foundation for the genre of progressive rock in the late 1960s and into the ’70s. King Crimson—which formed in 1968 and continued, despite multiple hiatuses and changes in lineups, until...
Impressionism: A Timeline The Impressionists staged their first exhibition in Paris in 1874 amid a transforming landscape—quite literally, as the French capital had just undergone a years-long reconstruction (1853–70) to modernize the medieval city. The country, too, was shifting. Its loss in the Franco-German War (1870–71)...
Orinoco crocodile Orinoco crocodile, (Crocodylus intermedius), large species of crocodile native to grasslands, forests, swamps, marshes, and other freshwater habitats in the Orinoco River basin in Colombia and Venezuela. The Orinoco crocodile is the largest living predator in South America and one of most...
the eight Impressionist exhibitions In the 19th century thousands of professional artists were working in Paris, but they had few places to exhibit their work. Aside from the occasional world’s fair, the only major locale at which an artist could show was the government-sponsored Salon. Originally established by Louis XIV, the Salon...
list of U.S. presidential elections in which the winner lost the popular vote The vast majority of adult citizens in the United States have the right to vote in local, state, and federal elections. Some of these elections are based on a plurality system—a candidate need only poll more votes than any other single opponent to win. The vote to elect the president of the United...
immunotherapy Immunotherapy, medical treatment in which the body’s own cells or chemicals are used to help the natural immune response work against disease. Immunotherapy is mainly used in the treatment of cancer, though it is also sometimes used to treat autoimmune diseases. Immunotherapy leverages the ability...
Tumblr Tumblr, social media microblogging site founded in 2007 by American Web developer David Karp. Tumblr is notable for its customizable interface, which allows for easy sharing of multiple forms of content, including images, text, music, and short-form blog posts, on users’ “tumbleblogs”—the site’s...
Sejong City Sejong City, city and planned capital, west-central South Korea. It is bordered to the east by Cheongju, North Chungcheong province; to the west by Gongju, South Chungcheong province; to the south by Daejeon; and to the north by Cheonan, South Chungcheong. Relocation of the country’s capital was...
Stellantis Stellantis, multinational automotive company formed in 2021 by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group (known legally as Peugeot S.A.). The company has 14 well-known automobile brands, including Dodge, Jeep, and Maserati. Stellantis is headquartered in Amsterdam. Chrysler was an American...
2024 Solar Eclipse FAQ What is an eclipse? An eclipse occurs when one celestial body passes in front of another and obscures it. On Earth we get two kinds of eclipses. There are solar eclipses, which happen when the Moon passes in front of the Sun. There are also lunar eclipses, which happen when Earth passes between the...
Zapruder film The Zapruder film is a 26-second, 8-mm, silent, color film shot by Abraham Zapruder that shows the assassination of U.S. Pres. John F. Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963. It is the only known film to capture the entirety of the shooting and has been the subject of intense scrutiny since the...
Do medical bills affect your credit? 5 things to know Adding insult to injury.Unforeseen health problems and medical emergencies can happen to anyone at any time. And if an emergency strikes close to home, perhaps the last thing on your mind is how your credit score will hold up. The good news—or at least the silver lining—is that medical debt can get...
How Old Is Earth? People and all other known forms of life inhabit one very old planet. In numerical terms, the best estimate of Earth’s age so far is that it is close to 4.6 billion years old. But what does that mean exactly? If one uses a human lifetime of 75 years as a measure, the time between Earth’s formation...
Iron Pillar of Delhi Iron Pillar of Delhi, pillar rising above the central courtyard of the Qūwat-ul-Islām mosque in the Quṭb Mīnār complex in Mehrauli, Delhi, that is famous for being relatively rust-free despite having been created more than 1,600 years ago, about 400 ce. The six-ton pillar was made during the Gupta...
Sophia Smith Sophia Smith is an American professional football (soccer) player who is considered one of the top athletes in the sport. Smith plays in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) as a forward on the Portland Thorns Football Club (FC) in Oregon and is a member of the U.S. Women’s National Team...
10 Must-Read Modern Poets Poetry is one of the world’s oldest and most adaptable art forms. A poem can be spoken, sung, read, or performed. It can take the form of a nursery rhyme, an epic, a ghazal, a tanka, a limerick, a film, or even a dance. English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge defined poetry as “the best words in the...
Summer of Love Basking under San Francisco’s summer sun, an immense kaleidoscope of youths thrummed with sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Yet the Summer of Love was so much more than that three-pronged cliché. Flowers, fashion, posters, theater, panhandling, commercialism, revolution, anarchy, freedom—all these and...
plasterer bee Plasterer bee, (family Colletidae), large family of bees with more than 2,500 species found worldwide. Their common name, which is often used to refer to the bees of the genus Colletes, is derived from the protective, cellophane-like material that females secrete and plaster to the walls of their...
ATM fees: Easy ways to avoid them with a little planning ATM fees can become a thing of the past.If you’ve ever used an ATM at a convenience store or supermarket, you may have paid a fee—and perhaps not a small one, either. Expected or not, those fees can add up if you use an ATM regularly. But it’s easy to avoid ATM fees if you understand how you incur...
Morelet’s crocodile Morelet’s crocodile, (Crocodylus moreletii), medium-sized crocodile species inhabiting forests and wetlands and coastal freshwater and brackish waterways in Belize, northern Guatemala, and states in Mexico bordering the Gulf of Mexico. The species is distinguished from others by the shape of its...
Save, spend, or invest: How to handle tax refunds and other financial windfalls To splurge, or not to splurge: That is the question.Whether it’s a refund you expected or a check out of the blue, finding money waiting in your mailbox can feel even better than finding a $20 bill in your jeans pocket. What will you do with this unexpected windfall? Before you spend it, it’s smart...
Bassirou Diomaye Faye Bassirou Diomaye Faye is a Senegalese politician and former tax inspector who became the president of Senegal in April 2024. Faye was raised in Ndiaganiao, where he attended Marie Médiatrice Catholic School. He later attended Lycée Demba Diop in Mbour, where he graduated in 2000. Faye went on to...
Eli Lilly and Company Eli Lilly and Company is one of the world’s largest research-based pharmaceutical and biomedical companies, known for the development and manufacture of a wide range of prescription medications for humans and animals. Among its best-known products are Cialis, a treatment for erectile dysfunction;...
2006 Lebanon War 2006 Lebanon War, (July 12–August 14, 2006), 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon of which the proximate cause was a cross-border attack by Hezbollah fighters that culminated with the kidnapping of a pair of Israeli soldiers and the killing of eight others. Hezbollah emerged in...
Malvin Gray Johnson Malvin Gray Johnson was an American artist who was one of the first African Americans to paint in the Cubist style. Malvin Gray Johnson used techniques derived from his studies of African sculpture to create paintings that depict the daily lives of Black people. Although Johnson’s work was much...
Stacks of Wheat (Sunset, Snow Effect) Stacks of Wheat (Sunset, Snow Effect), one of a series of paintings that French artist Claude Monet created between 1890 and 1891 depicting heaps of grain behind his house in Giverny, France. Comprising 25 canvases, the series as a whole tracks the effect that light, both in various seasons and...
default For a bond, mortgage, auto loan, or other lending agreement, the borrower (“issuer,” in the case of a bond or other fixed-income security) is said to be “in default” if they fail to deliver a scheduled payment of interest and/or principal. It’s a major risk when investing in fixed-income...
A guide to managing divorce and your finances Financial decoupling.Going through a divorce can be complicated and frustrating. After all, there’s a lot to untangle when you and your spouse’s lives—and finances—have been entwined for some time. Add kids, and there’s another layer of complexity (and emotion) to consider. As you move forward with...
The Child’s Bath The Child’s Bath, oil-on-canvas painting created in 1893 by American artist Mary Cassatt during her mature period. The work depicts an intimate and tender moment between a woman and a child without indulging in excessive sentimentality. Like much of Cassatt’s work in the early 1890s, The Child’s...
Women and retirement: Longevity increases poverty risk Don’t outlive your money.When we talk about the gender pay gap, one thing that sometimes gets overlooked is how it affects women later in life. Women are more likely than men to live in poverty during what should be their golden years. And ironically, the general longevity that women experience...
Dynamic pricing: Fair market, surge, or gouge? The invisible hand in plain sight.In February 2024, Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner announced that the fast food chain would be testing a “dynamic pricing” strategy starting in 2025. The (mostly negative) public response, particularly on social media where the topic went viral, was swift and harsh. Several...
Pope Francis: A Life in Pictures Known for his humble demeanor and his policies of reform, Pope Francis ushered in a new era of leadership of the Roman Catholic Church when he was elected to the papacy in March 2013. Francis is the first pope from the Western Hemisphere, the first from South America (Argentina), and the first from...
Ron Kovic Ron Kovic is a Vietnam War veteran, activist, and author who became a leading antiwar figure in the 1970s. Kovic had been wounded and paralyzed during his service in the war. In 1976 he detailed his experiences in the best-selling memoir Born on the Fourth of July, which was adapted into an Academy...
covenant marriage Covenant marriage, type of marriage contract, currently available in three U.S. states, that imposes relatively strict requirements for entering into and ending a marriage as compared to standard marriage contracts in other states. Notably, signatories to a covenant marriage forgo the possibility...
Piper Kelly Piper Kelly is an American speed climber and a rising star in the sport. Kelly has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics and is considered one of the athletes to watch. Kelly was born to Stephanie Kelly and John Kelly and raised in Indianapolis. She began rock climbing at a gym with her father and...
Shilese Jones Shilese Jones is an American gymnast who has won six world championship medals. Her signature event is the uneven bars, though she has enjoyed success in all disciplines. Known for her perseverance, Jones has had to overcome injuries, personal loss, and professional setbacks. Jones grew up in...
How to Watch an Eclipse Safely Earth, the Sun, and the Moon are coming into alignment. A solar eclipse will be happening near you. What do you need to do to view the eclipse safely? The first thing to know is you should not look directly at the Sun. You may think that much of the Sun is going to be covered where you are. Surely,...
There Will Be Blood There Will Be Blood, American period drama film released in 2007 that was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and is loosely based on the first 150 pages of Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel Oil! The film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as silver prospector-turned-oilman Daniel Plainview, who...
list of the smallest countries by area How small is small? For some of the world’s countries, the answer is very, very small, even teeny tiny. Vatican City holds the title as the world’s smallest country, with an area of just 0.17 square mile (0.44 square km). As a point of comparison, the largest country in the world, Russia, is almost...
periodical cicada Periodical cicada, (genus Magicicada), genus of seven species of cicadas known for their unusual highly synchronized life cycles and raucous choruses. Periodical cicadas are native to the eastern and midwestern United States but are not present aboveground every year. In what are among the longest...
How to buy solar panels for your home Sun-thing worth considering.Federal and (depending on where you live) state incentives make installing solar panels on the roof of your house a fairly affordable, money-saving home improvement project. Not only will you reduce your monthly energy bills—perhaps even to zilch—but you may also recoup...
What is a value chain, and how can you use it to make better investment decisions? It’s what links supply to success.Imagine two brands of home coffee makers. Both appliances go through similar steps in their production. Yet, according to customer reviews, one makes better coffee than the other. Regardless of their cost—whether one is more expensive than the other or whether both...
BMX BMX, cycle sport in which participants ride bicycles that are specialized for performance on dirt tracks built with features such as rollers, jumps, and banked curves or that are specialized for stunt riding. BMX includes recreational and off-road riding as well as competitive BMX racing and BMX...
return on investment (ROI) Return on investment (ROI) is a percentage that represents the net profit or loss (i.e., earnings) on an investment over a certain period of time. In order to calculate ROI, you must first find the net profit or loss. Take the current or final value of your investment—including all the interest,...
Home improvement projects that pay for themselves Updates that add real value to your home.Remodeling your home may get you more money when you sell it, although some projects offer a better return on investment (ROI) than others. Replacing the roof could add big bucks to your home’s bottom line, whereas, depending on where you live, installing an...
Stock market trading time frames: Aligning strategy and personality Only time will tell … but how much time?If you’re an active trader of stocks, commodities, forex—or any tradable asset, really—consistent profitability is the holy grail. Other than the style you use—technical analysis versus following the fundamentals, for example—one of your most important...
How Does a Double-Helix Staircase Work? The Château de Chambord is an immense castle in France’s Loire River valley that boasts a treasure trove of stunning artworks and architectural wonders. One of the most impressive of these is a 16th-century double-helix staircase, located at the heart of the château, that allows visitors to ascend...
Audrey Tang Audrey Tang is a prolific Taiwanese software developer who became both the youngest and the first transgender and nonbinary member of the Taiwanese government’s cabinet. Tang has championed efforts to integrate technology into government functions and to promote governmental transparency. Tang was...
Eclipses in 2024, 2025, and 2026 Eclipses are of two kinds: solar and lunar. Solar eclipses occur when the Moon comes between the Sun and Earth. Such eclipses are either total, when the Moon completely blocks the Sun; annular, when the Moon is far from Earth and so covers the central part of the Sun, allowing the narrow ring of...
Marianne Williamson Marianne Williamson is an American author, politician, and spiritual leader who was initially best known for her role as a New Age self-help guru, author, and speaker. She was later known for seeking the Democratic nomination for president for the 2020 election and again for the 2024 election....
National Recording Registry National Recording Registry, list of audio recordings selected for preservation by the head of the U.S. Library of Congress in consultation with the National Recording Preservation Board. Every year, 25 recordings that are deemed to be, in the words of the National Recording Preservation Act of...
Need financial help? Finding and working with a credit counselor You need a credit counselor who really gets you.What’s it like to work with a credit counselor? How do you find one (and how do you know if you’ve found the right one for you)? If you’re just learning about the credit counseling process, then perhaps you’re already pondering these questions. Credit...
Bankruptcy, credit counseling, and debtor education: 6 things to know Bankruptcy is a right, but also a responsibility.If you’re thinking about declaring bankruptcy, then you’ll need to know something about credit counseling, because it’s typically required before and after the bankruptcy filing process. Bankruptcy-related credit counseling is highly regulated at...
What is credit counseling and how does it work? Take 7 steps to manage your debt—with expert assistance.If you have debt, it’s easy for your obligations to become unmanageable. You may be feeling stressed—that’s relatable!—but you may be able to find some relief through credit counseling. A credit counselor can provide you with crucial support...
Chris Evert: A Life in Pictures From her first professional match at age 15 until her retirement 20 years later, Chris Evert had a tennis career that was nothing short of remarkable. Here are just a few of her accomplishments: Discover more about professional tennis’s most-winning...
Lana Del Rey Lana Del Rey is an American singer-songwriter known for pairing glamorously morose musical themes with classic Americana and a nostalgic, cinematic visual style. Del Rey’s songs typically focus on relatable, melancholic experiences wrapped in a cultural pastiche of Hollywood’s golden era. The...
Linda Cardellini Linda Cardellini is a versatile actress who rose to prominence portraying teenager Lindsay Weir in the cult-classic coming-of-age television series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000). She is also known for playing eccentric art instructor Judy Hale in the dark comedy-drama series Dead to Me (2019–22) and...
Operation Torch Operation Torch, major Allied amphibious operation in French North Africa during World War II. It began on November 8, 1942, with the landing of 107,000 British and U.S. troops at Casablanca, Morocco, and the Algerian cities of Algiers and Oran. French authorities concluded an armistice with the...
Quetzalcoatlus Quetzalcoatlus, genus made up of two species of giant pterosaurs classified in the family Azhdarchidae, which contains some of the largest known flying animals. Both species lived during the Maastrichtian Age (72.1 million to 66 million years ago) of the Cretaceous Period. One of them,...
The Japanese Footbridge The Japanese Footbridge, oil-on-canvas painting by Claude Monet of the Japanese-style footbridge that was the focal point of his garden at Giverny, France. The structure was one of his favorite subjects, and he painted it over and over again, catching it in different moods and lights. Unlike the...
President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), public health initiative launched by the United States in 2003 to coordinate an international response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), authorized by U.S. Pres. George W. Bush, marked a major step...
Satoshi Nakamoto Satoshi Nakamoto is the presumed pseudonym used by the person (or persons) who helped develop the first Bitcoin software and introduced the concept of cryptocurrency to the general public via the paper “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” (2008). Nakamoto was the first to solve the...
Brat Pack Brat Pack, the name of a group of actors who starred alongside one another in several coming-of-age films throughout the 1980s. The term was originally disparaging, though it came to be embraced by some fans. The members of the Brat Pack vary depending on which source is consulted, but they...
What’s the difference between river otters and sea otters? While river otters and sea otters might appear similar at first glance, the two exhibit many striking differences beyond their aquatic habitats. Although the term sea otter refers to only one species—Enhydra lutris—river otter applies to multiple species in the genus Lontra, which includes the...
reticulated python Reticulated python, (Malayopython reticulatus), species of giant constricting snake belonging to the python family, Pythonidae, and known for being the longest living snake in the world, with the largest recorded individual measuring 10 meters (32.8 feet) in length. The reticulated python inhabits...
Rayssa Leal Rayssa Leal is a professional skateboarder who won the silver medal in street skateboarding at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (delayed until 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), becoming at age 13 one of the youngest medalists in the history of the Games and the youngest Olympic medalist from Brazil....
Ghostbusters Ghostbusters, American comedy film, released in 1984, that was produced and directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Combining elements of science fiction and horror, Ghostbusters brought together the irreverent sensibility of the late-night sketch-comedy television...
Indian Lok Sabha elections of 2024 More than 968 million voters have registered ahead of India’s 2024 general election, for which voting will be held in seven phases between April 19 and June 1. This election will decide the majority party in the Lok Sabha (“House of the People”), India’s lower house of parliament. The election will...
history of Indonesia History of Indonesia, a survey of notable events and people in the history of Indonesia. Located off the coast of mainland Southeast Asia in the Indian and Pacific oceans, Indonesia was formerly known as the Dutch East Indies (or Netherlands East Indies). Although Indonesia did not become the...
The Artists Mistaken for Impressionists Impressionism is known for its interest in depicting scenes of modern life as well as its aim to render the effects of light as the eye sees them, frequently by using relative colors. An example of relative color is illustrated in Claude Monet’s Stacks of Wheat (End of Summer) (1890/91), in which...
sport climbing Sport climbing, a type of rock climbing in which climbers ascend a route that is equipped with preplaced permanent bolts, rather than placing temporary bolts as they climb and removing them on their descent, as is done in traditional rock climbing. It is a form of free climbing, meaning that upward...
Thriller Thriller, studio album by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson, released on November 30, 1982. The album had a monumental impact on popular music and became the top-selling album of all time, a title it continues to hold more than 40 years after its release. Produced by Jackson and Quincy...
6 key strategies for a debt management program Because debt collection is never any fun.Are you looking to design a debt management program? Perhaps one of your goals is to avoid the debt collection process. A debt management program that accomplishes your money objectives may involve some combination of financial planning, debt restructuring,...
How debt collection affects your credit score—and steps you can take A light at the end of the credit report tunnel.If you’re facing debt collection, then you may be concerned about how unpaid debts can affect your credit score. Debt collection is usually detrimental, but the good news is that the negative effects don’t last forever. You have options—both during and...
What everyone should know about debt collection A road map for the process.If you’re wondering about debt collection and how it works, then you may have gotten yourself into a financial pickle. Life happens—and sometimes your debt obligations exceed your repayment capacity. Understanding the nuances of debt collection is important for every...
Getting maximum value from downsizing: Declutter for fun and profit Simplify, simplify.If yours is like many American households, you may have more things hiding in your cupboards, closets, or basement than you know what to do with. If you’re staying put, the clutter may be a mere annoyance. But if you plan on moving, that’s when things get real: You have to figure...
presidencies in British India: Bombay, Madras, and Bengal Presidencies in British India: Bombay, Madras, and Bengal, in British India, provinces under the direct control and supervision of, early on, the East India Company and, after 1857, the British government. The three key presidencies in India were the Madras Presidency, the Bengal Presidency, and...
Quit India Movement Quit India Movement, mass protest movement during 1942–43 against the colonial British raj’s political and military control of India. The movement, which took place against the backdrop of World War II, was initially planned by Mahatma Gandhi and his followers in the Indian National Congress...
American crocodile American crocodile, (Crocodylus acutus), moderately large species of crocodile inhabiting forests and freshwater environments, as well as brackish and marine intertidal environments, in Florida, Central America, northern South America, and several Caribbean islands. This species has the largest...
The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning The Boulevard Montmartre on a Winter Morning, one of fourteen oil-on-canvas paintings by French artist Camille Pissarro of Boulevard Montmartre, one of Paris’s grandest thoroughfares. He painted this series of Parisian views between the winter and spring of 1897 from his rented room in the Grand...
tarantula hawk Tarantula hawk, (genus Pepsis), genus of about 130 species of spider wasps that paralyze spiders to feed their larval young. Tarantula hawks are found on every continent except Europe and Antarctica and are especially common in the southwestern United States through Central America. The tarantula...
Shrinkflation: Inflation hiding in plain sight There’s less there than meets the eye.There sure is a lot of air in this bag of chips. A “fun size” candy bar was a lot more fun when we were kids. That new “easier-to-hold” sports drink bottle is the same height, but thinner in the middle. And why is Fluffy suddenly doing her “I’m hungry” meow two...
10 Organisms Named for David Attenborough With his signature voice and familiar demeanor, naturalist David Attenborough has been hailed as one of the greatest broadcasters of our time. A passionate environmentalist and educator, Attenborough has inspired and informed viewers all over the globe with his engaging and emotive nature shows and...
Natalie Diaz Natalie Diaz is an American poet who won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for poetry for her book Postcolonial Love Poem (2020). She is also a Native language activist working to revitalize the Mojave language. Diaz grew up in the Fort Mojave Indian Village, on the Fort Mojave Indian Reservation, which...
Freddie Freeman Freddie Freeman is a professional baseball player and star first baseman whose successful career track makes him a likely future candidate for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. A sweet-swinging left-handed hitter and an outstanding fielder, he has also been called the “friendliest man in...
Sophie Pascoe Sophie Pascoe is a New Zealand swimmer and the country’s most successful Paralympian, having won a total of 19 Paralympic medals. She has competed in four Paralympic Games, a major international sports competition for athletes with disabilities comparable to the Olympic Games. For Paralympic...
spectacled caiman Spectacled caiman, (Caiman crocodilus), species of alligator-like reptiles common to swamps, other wetlands, and waterways in Central America and northern South America. The spectacled caiman takes its name from its most prominent distinguishing feature, a bony ridge between the eyes that resembles...
10 ways the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act protects you You may have debt, but you also have rights.One of the most important features of the U.S. debt collection process is that debtors—and creditors, too—have well-defined rights. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) was first signed into law way back in 1977 (and most recently updated in...
geothermal heat pump A geothermal heat pump (GHP) is a heating and cooling system that takes advantage of the relatively stable moderate temperature conditions within the first 300 meters (1,000 feet) below Earth’s surface to heat a building in the winter and cool it in the summer. Unlike boilers or furnaces, GHPs do...
Cabaret Cabaret, acclaimed stage musical by composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb that explores the decadence of Berlin during the Weimar Republic amid the rising threat of Nazism. Set in a seedy cabaret called the Kit Kat Klub in 1929–30, the innovative musical tells the story of two doomed romances...
Jimmer Fredette Jimmer Fredette is an American basketball player who was a scoring sensation at Brigham Young University (BYU) and went on to play six seasons in the NBA. He experienced a career resurgence after transitioning to 3×3 basketball in 2022. Fredette starred on the U.S. team that won a gold medal at the...
chatbot Chatbot, computer program designed to have interactive or automated conversation with humans. Rudimentary chatbots were first developed in the mid-to-late 20th century and became more technically sound and widely available in the late 2010s and early 2020s, especially as artificial intelligence...
Dividend aristocrats and kings: Investing for the long haul Royal dynasties of dividend growth.As an investor, you may be looking for stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that can provide you with a little extra value over the long term. If you’re planning to hold shares of a company for the long haul, you might want to consider looking at the S&P 500...
3 liquidity ratios: Assessing short-term financial viability A liquid moat to pay the note and stay afloat.Measuring a company’s liquidity ratio is like checking a car’s fuel or electricity gauge. Even a zippy Lamborghini or top-of-the-line Tesla won’t get you to your destination if it runs short of juice. Likewise, if a company runs out of cash—or assets to...
What is private credit? A guide to direct lending Diversifying in the alternative debt market.When investors look to yield-bearing assets in the alternative debt universe, it’s usually to pursue higher yields compared with traditional debt and fixed-income securities, and to achieve a deeper level of diversification beyond conventional stocks and...
What is a living will, and why do you need one? Don’t make your loved ones guess your wishes. In the realm of health care planning, few documents hold as much weight and significance as a living will. This legal document is a type of advance directive that allows you to specify your preferences for medical treatment in the event that you become...
9 (Lives of) Famous Cat Lovers Cats are among the most beloved pet animals in the world. Second only to dogs as the most common pet of choice, cats are cherished by their human companions for their unique personalities, their helpfulness in keeping away pests, and their beauty and intelligence. As Chinese artist and activist Ai...
Rafah Rafah, city along the border of the Gaza Strip and Egypt that, for most of the 20th and into the 21st century, has been bisected with an eastern half in the Gaza area and a western half in Egypt. It includes the only border crossing into and out of the Gaza Strip—designed for the passage of people...
The Blair Witch Project The Blair Witch Project, American horror film, released in 1999, that popularized “found footage”—a cinematic technique in which some or all of a narrative film’s shots are presented as if they were recordings of nonfiction events. The film was written and directed by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo...
Valerie Adams Valerie Adams is a retired shot-putter and Olympian who was virtually undefeated in the major international competitions in her sport between 2006 and 2014. She competed in five Olympic Games, earning gold medals in two. Adams also earned gold medals in three Commonwealth Games and several IAAF...
The Home Depot, Inc. The Home Depot, Inc. is the largest retail home improvement and construction supply company in the world, with more than 2,300 stores in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company was established in 1978, and today employs nearly 475,000 workers. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. HD...
Sergeant Stubby Sergeant Stubby was a stray dog whose heroic service during World War I (1914–18) saved lives and even led to the capture of a German spy. He was the unofficial mascot for the 102nd Infantry, 26th “Yankee” Division, and is the first dog to be promoted to the rank of sergeant in the U.S. Army. When...
Iron Dome Iron Dome, short-range mobile air defense system developed for Israel by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, with additional support from Raytheon. First deployed in 2011, Iron Dome constitutes the innermost layer of the tiered Israeli air defense network. The 2006...
Neo-Babylonian empire Neo-Babylonian empire, ancient Middle Eastern empire with its capital at Babylon. It dominated much of Southwest Asia from shortly after its founding in 626 bce until the defeat of its final king by the Persian king Cyrus the Great in 539 bce. Memory of this empire was preserved through the...
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), U.S. law that regulates the handling of Indigenous human remains and cultural items. Passed in 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) requires federal agencies and institutions that receive money...
lo-fi music Lo-fi music, genre of music production in which a recording is intentionally rendered to include imperfections, such as harmonic distortion, background noise, or other anomalous sounds. Such irregularities are normally filtered out of professional recordings, since they generally are undesirable....