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railroad ... Rajaratnam, Raj

railroad mode of land transportation in which flange-wheeled vehicles move over two parallel steel rails, or tracks, either by self-propulsion or by the propulsion of a locomotive. railroad coupling device by which a locomotive is connected to a following car and by which succeeding cars in a train are linked. The first couplings were chains with solid buffers to help absorb shock during braking. Later, spring buffers were introduced, with screw couplings that permit two vehicles to be brought ... railroad signal device designed to inform train-operating crews of conditions of the track ahead and to relay instructions as to speed and other matters. The earliest signals were flags and lamps indicating that the track was clear. The semaphore signal, with its three indications of "stop," "proceed with caution," and "all clear," ... Railroad Tycoon train business simulation game created by American game designer Sid Meier and the electronic game manufacturer MicroProse Software. The title debuted in 1990 and helped launch the successful Tycoon line of games. The game was praised for its unique premise, which combined attributes of SimCity with a healthy love for ... railways, national rail transportation services owned and operated by national governments. U.S. railways are privately owned and operated, though the Consolidated Rail Corporation was established by the federal government and Amtrak uses public funds to subsidize privately owned intercity passenger trains. Canada has several small privately owned railways, but its major passenger ... Raimondi, Marcantonio Italian Renaissance master of engraving whose production of more than 300 prints did much to disseminate the style of the High Renaissance throughout Europe, especially the work of Raphael. Raimundo, Don English Don Raymond archbishop and leading prelate of the 12th-century Spanish Christian church, whose patronage of the Toledan school of translators contributed greatly to medieval learning. Rain South Korean pop singer and actor known for his boyish good looks and smooth hip-hop dance moves. rain precipitation of liquid water drops with diameters greater than 0.5 mm (0.02 inch). When the drops are smaller, the precipitation is usually called drizzle. See also precipitation. rain shadow lee side of an orographic (mountainous) barrier, which receives considerably less precipitation than the windward side. See orographic precipitation. Rainald Of Dassel German statesman, chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, and archbishop of Cologne, the chief executor of the policies of the emperor Frederick I Barbarossa in Italy. Rainaldi, Carlo Baroque architect, one of the leading architects of 17th-century Rome, noted for the scenic grandeur of his designs. He collaborated with his father, Girolamo Rainaldi (q.v.), a distinguished architect who transplanted to Rome the north Italian Mannerist tradition of Pellegrino Tibaldi. Rainaldi, Girolamo Italian architect in the northern Italian Mannerist tradition, who became chief architect of Rome (in 1602) and of the papacy (1644). Rainborow, Thomas English soldier and republican who fought for Parliament during the English Civil Wars. rainbow series of concentric coloured arcs that may be seen when light from a distant source-most commonly the Sun-falls upon a collection of water drops-as in rain, spray, or fog. The rainbow is observed in the direction opposite to the Sun. Rainbow Bridge National Monument rainbow-shaped natural bridge of pink sandstone spanning a canyon 290 feet (88 metres) above a creek that winds toward man-made Lake Powell in southern Utah, U.S., near the Utah-Arizona boundary. The monument is located in the Navajo Reservation, where it lies on the northwestern flank of Navajo Mountain; it is ... rainbow trout (species Oncorhynchus mykiss), game fish of the family Salmonidae noted for its spectacular leaps and hard fighting when hooked. It has been introduced from western North America to many other countries. A brightly coloured fish of lakes and swift streams, it is covered with small black spots and has a ... Rainbow, The novel by D.H. Lawrence, published in 1915. The novel was officially banned after it was labeled obscene, and unsold copies were confiscated. Raine, Kathleen English poet, scholar, and critic noted for her mystical and visionary poetry. Rainer, Luise German-born film actress who was the first person to receive two Academy Awards for acting. Rainer, Yvonne American avant-garde choreographer and filmmaker whose work in both disciplines often featured the medium's most fundamental elements rather than meeting conventional expectations. Rainey, Joseph Hayne former American slave, the first black to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives (1870-79). Rainey, Ma American singer, the "mother of the blues," recognized as the first great black professional blues vocalist. rainforest luxuriant forest, generally composed of tall, broad-leaved trees and usually found in wet tropical uplands and lowlands around the Equator. Rainforest Alliance international organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity and promoting environmentally sustainable and socially just practices in the farming and forestry industries, primarily in rainforests, in over 60 countries. The organization was founded in 1986. It gives its "seal of approval" to certain consumer products, such as wood, paper, coffee, and bananas, ... Rainforest Regeneration in Panama Forest regeneration, following such events as forest clearing by humans or as part of a natural process, results from interactions among diverse groups of organisms and the environment. Depending upon factors such as survivorship, pollination, and seed production and dispersal, different tree species will be represented. Physical factors that can ... Rainier III, prince de Monaco 31st hereditary ruler of the principality of Monaco (1949-2005). He was the son of Prince Pierre, count de Polignac, and Princess Charlotte de Monaco, daughter of Louis II, prince de Monaco. Rainier became a Grimaldi (i.e., received his mother's family name) in accord with a sovereign ordinance of March 18, ... Rainier, Mount highest mountain (14,410 feet [4,392 metres]) in the state of Washington, U.S., and in the Cascade Range. It lies about 40 miles (64 km) southeast of the city of Tacoma, within Mount Rainier National Park. Rainis Latvian poet and dramatist whose works were outstanding as literature and for their assertion of national freedom and social consciousness. rainmaking any process of increasing the amount of precipitation discharged from a cloud. Primitive methods, such as rain dances or the throwing of pebbles into water, fail to produce rain. However, modern techniques of cloud seeding, such as efforts to coax precipitation from supercooled clouds (clouds containing liquid water droplets at ... Rains, Claude British motion picture and stage character actor noted for his smooth, distinguished voice, polished, ironic style, and intelligent portrayal of a variety of roles, ranging from villains to sympathetic gentlemen. Rainwater, James American physicist who won a share of the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1975 for his part in determining the asymmetrical shapes of certain atomic nuclei. Rainy Lake narrow lake astride the Canadian-U.S. border, between the U.S. state of Minnesota and the Rainy River district of northwestern Ontario, Can. It has an area of 360 square miles (932 square km), is about 50 miles (80 km) long, 35 miles (56 km) of which form the international boundary, and ... Raipur city, capital of Chhattisgarh state, central India. The community was founded in the 14th century by Rai Brahma Deo of the Ratanpur dynasty. It served as headquarters of the former Chhattisgarh princely states division and was constituted a municipality in 1867. Rais, Gilles de Breton baron, marshal of France, and man of wealth whose distinguished career ended in a celebrated trial for Satanism, abduction, and child murder. His name was later connected with the story of Bluebeard. raised work form of embroidery practiced in England in the 17th century, characterized by biblical and mythological scenes of padded plants, animals, birds, and the like in high relief. Panels, which were used as pictures or decorative coverings for mirror frames, caskets, and so on, were ornamented with padded flowers, fruit, and ... Raisen town, central Madhya Pradesh state, central India. The town lies at the foot of a spur of the Vindhya Range, on which stands an ancient sandstone fort with several palaces and a mosque. A strategic community in the history of eastern Malwa, Raisen was the 16th-century stronghold of Silhari, a ... raisin dried fruit of certain varieties of grape. Raisin grapes were grown as early as 2000 BC in Persia and Egypt, and dried grapes are mentioned in the Bible (Numbers 6:3) during the time of Moses. David (Israel's future king) was presented with "a hundred clusters of raisins" (1 Samuel 25:18), ... Raisin in the Sun, A American film drama, released in 1961, that was based on Lorraine Hansberry's acclaimed play about the urban African American experience. Raisin in the Sun, A drama in three acts by Lorraine Hansberry, first published and produced in 1959. The play's title is taken from "Harlem," a poem by Langston Hughes, which examines the question "What happens to a dream deferred?/Does it dry up/like a raisin in the sun?" This penetrating psychological study of a working-class ... raisin tree (species Hovenia dulcis), shrub or tree, of the buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae), native to East Asia and sometimes cultivated in other regions. It is so-named because the fruit resembles a raisin in size and colour. Raitt, Bonnie American singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose wide musical range encompassed blues, folk, rhythm and blues, pop, and country rock. Touring and recording with some of the leading session musicians and songwriters of her day, she became a successful recording artist in the 1970s but did not achieve stardom until 1990, ... Raj Quartet, The series of four novels by Paul Scott. The tetralogy, composed of The Jewel in the Crown (1966), The Day of the Scorpion (1968), The Towers of Silence (1971), and A Division of the Spoils (1975), is set in India during the years leading up to that country's independence from the ... Raja'i, Mohammad Ali Iranian politician who was prime minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran from 1980 to 1981. Rajagopalachari, Chakravarti the only Indian governor-general of independent India. He was a founder and leader of the Swatantra (Independent) Party in 1959. Rajahmundry city, eastern Andhra Pradesh state, southern India, lying at the head of the Godavari River delta. In 1449 Rajahmundry was captured by Kapileshvara, the Orissa ruler. In 1757 it was ceded to the British. A railway bridge over the Godavari, with 56 spans, is one of the longest railway bridges ... rajakariya traditional system of land tenure in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) until the early 19th century in which land was granted in exchange for services rendered. The services expected were of two kinds: (1) public works, such as road and bridge building or, in earlier days, the construction of irrigation works, ... Rajang River river in East Malaysia (northwest Borneo), rising in the Iran Mountains and flowing southwest to Kapit, where it turns westward to complete its 350-mile (563-kilometre) course to the South China Sea. Its large, swampy delta includes Beruit Island, with a lighthouse at Sirik Point. In a region almost totally dependent ... Rajapakse, Mahinda Sri Lankan politician who served as president of Sri Lanka (2005- ). Rajapalaiyam city, southwestern Tamil Nadu state, southeastern India, lying at the eastern foot of the Western Ghats. It is named for its Raju inhabitants, Telugu speakers who migrated there during the Vijayanagar (1336-1565) conquest. The city grew as a centre for cotton hand-looming and weaving. It has cotton mills and a ... Rajaratnam, Raj American investor who was convicted in 2011 of securities fraud and conspiracy in one of the largest prosecutions of insider trading (trading on information not available to the public) in U.S. history and the first such case to rely on evidence obtained from wiretaps (see electronic eavesdropping). As manager of ...