ASK!

ASK! about Anything & Everything

Enjoy reading war novels or politics-centric novels such as ‘The Firm’ by John Grisham?

Below are some non-fiction books on the topic of war and politics

Title: All the Presidents’ Men by Carl Bernstein, Bob Woodward

Call no.: 364.132BER

Title: Challenger revealed: an insider’s account of how the Reagan administration caused the greatest tragedy of the space age by Robin C. Cook

Call no.: 363.124COO

Title: 1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft & Debs –  the election that changed the country by James Chace

Call no.: 362.97CHA

Title: See no evil: the true story of a ground soldier in the CIA’s war on terrorism by Robert Baer

Call no.: 327.12BAE

Title: An army at dawn: the war in North Africa, 1942-1943 by Rick Atkinson

Call no.: 940.54ATK

Title: We were soldiers once – and young: La Drang, the battle that changed the war in Vietnam by Harold G. Moore & Joseph L. Galloway

Call no.: 959.70MOO

Originally answered by Ms Ng Kiak Peng , Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

 Posted by Yen Yen Toh, Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Pets & Animals

Ah Meng, the brightest star at the Singapore Zoo, passed away peacefully on 8 February 2008.  Many people, both young and old, bade their last goodbyes to Ah Meng at the memorial service held in the Singapore Zoo on Sunday, 10 February. Ah Meng had brought joy to many visitors, but she had also helped to raise awareness on the conservation of orang utans.

The orang utans are on the verge of extinction due to deforestation and poaching. As forests gave way to farming and logging, the orang utans lost their homes and source of food. On top of that, poachers killed the mother orang utans, snatched their babies and sold them as exotic pets to rich buyers. If deforestation and poaching do not stop,  the world’s largest natural orang-utan population may become extinct in 10 years.

Do you know? – Ah Meng was kept as a pet illegally for 11 years in Singapore until she was brought to the zoo in 1971.

Sources of information:

1) Passing of AH MENG (1960-2008). Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the Singapore Zoo web site: www.zoo.com.sg/ABOUT/NEWS/news08022008a.htm

2) Orangutans and the Rainforest. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the Orangutan Conservancy web site: www.orangutan.com/orangutans_avoid_pets.html

3) One minute to midnight. Retrieved February 25, 2008, from the UN Works web site: www.un.org/works/environment/animalplanet/ orangatang.html

Read these books to find out more:

Watching orangutans in Asia by Deborah Underwood
Publisher : Oxford : Heinemann Library, 2006.
Call No. : JP 599.88 UND

Orangutan baby by Monica Hughes
Publisher : Tunbridge Wells : Ticktock, 2006. 
Call No. : JP 428.6 HUG

Orangutans by Deborah Dennard
Publisher : Chanhassen, Minn.: NorthWord 2003. 
Call No. : J 599.88 DEN

Protect nature by Kay Barnham
Publisher : New York : Crabtree Pub. Co., c2008. 
Call No. : J 333.95 BAR

The dodo is dead and other questions about extinct and endangered animals by Andrew Charman
Publisher : London : Kingfisher, c2007. 
Call No. : J 591.5 CHA

All websites were last accessed on 25 February 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use.
All images were extracted from www.bn.com.

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Posted by Ms Adeline Tan
Librarian
Children’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment

ASK about Singapore

Bookcrossing is a world wide phenomenon. Anyone can join in this chain of free exchange of books. The concept of bookcrossing is that books will be left out in the wild, and anyone who chances upon the book, can pick it up to read. When that person has finished reading, leaves it out in the wild again, so that someone else can pick that book up! Books are literally crossing borders and seeing the world. (I still remember when I came across my first Bookcross novel: It was during my university days in Australia. I was heading home after classes, and there the book was, unassumingly, on the green-coloured bench across the university). Enough with the reminiscing..

In Singapore, this idea was introduced to the public on a larger scale by NLB. NLB launched BOOKCROSS@SG in July 2007, so it is still a relatively new idea to some Singaporeans. BOOKCROSS@SG operates similarly, except that in Singapore, there are ‘hotspots’ allocated to the releasing of books. Some of the ‘hotspots’ are Cafe Galilee located within some of the NLB branches, selected Cafe Cartel branches, and SMRT taxis. In future, when you visit these places, do keep a lookout for these books!

 BOOKCROSS@SG also organizes monthly gatherings for fellow booklovers, like you and me, to meet and share their literary loves. It was just in January that BOOKCROSS@SG organised a cool tour to uncover Singapore’s literary history. Read more about said tour here

To check what’s in store for the next meet-up, go to http://bookcross.sg

 To those who are already participating in Bookcross@SG, do share with us your experiences!

p.s Bookcrossing is the exchange of free books, so I appeal to the readers to release the books back to the ‘hotspots’ after perusing. Have fun bookcrossing!

 Posted by Yen Yen Toh, Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

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ASK about Singapore 

Singapore.

It was announced on 21 Feb 08 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Singapore has been awarded the bid to host the inaugural Youth Olympic Game in 2010. The committee voted 53 to 44 in favour of Singapore as the host city.

Check out news from the world about the nation’s win:
- Reuters
- People’s Daily Online China
- ESPN
- International World Games Association
- Channel NewsAsia
- International Olympic Committee

About the Youth Olympic Games
As the name suggests, the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) is exclusive to youths, for athletes aged 14 to 18. The 2010 games will be the first Youth Olympic Games. There are two editions, the Winter Youth Olympic Games and the Summer Youth Olympic Games, to be held in Moscow and Singapore respectively.

The YOG is the International Olympic Committee’s initiative to engage young people. It aims to bring together young athletes from around the world, convey to them the importance of sports and inculcate the spirit of the Olympics.

More Information
Books on the Olympic Games can be found under the call number 796.4, in the Recreation collection of libraries. Children’s books on the topic can also be found in the non-fiction section under the same number. Or do you want to find out which Singaporeans have competed in the Olympic Games before? Check out the book The Complete Who’s Who (1936-2004): Singapore Olympians (Call No.: SING 796.09225957).

Information is also accessible on the NLB e-Databases. For fact-finding, the recommended databases to use are:
- Grolier Online New Book of Knowledge
- Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Newsbank (for newspaper articles)

These databases can be accessed from your home PC via the NLB eResources website. You will need to create a digital library account before you can log into the eDatabases. Citrix Plugin may be required.

References:
International Olympic Committee, Youth Olympic Games (pdf), retrieved: 25 Feb 08, Available online: http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/
full_story_uk.asp?id=2227

Image: Channelnews Asia, Confetti fills the skies as Singaporeans celebrate the country’s win to host the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, retrieved: 25 Feb 08, http://www.channelnewsasia.com/
YOG/gallery_20080221204628.htm

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sginstead of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Pets & Animals

I went swimming with sharks last Saturday.

No, I didn’t have a death wish. Neither did I go swimming with a bunch of poker players. It was me in a tank with a bunch of sea creatures that could potentially kill me, such as jellyfish, stingrays, electric eels, tiger sharks…

Okay, I exaggerate. It was not so much a great white shark out for my blood than a docile, seemingly harmless baby blue one (not a baby blue-colored one but an infant blue shark), lying on the sea bed minding its own business while I posed next to it like a silly tourist.

Later on, I discovered to my chagrin that the apprehension I was feeling the day before over my first attempt at scuba diving was for nothing, as the tank I was swimming in was one with relatively harmless sea creatures, while there was another tank around the corner that had the truly menacing denizens of the sea, the like of which included puffer fish, hammerhead sharks and sawfish.

How fast I could have become fish food had I been in the other tank! A sting from a jellyfish releases thousands of mini harpoon-like cells that act to stun or poison its victim, whereas eels have strong jaws with sharp, pointed teeth perfect for chomping their prey to pieces.

This fish was my favorite of the lot at the aquarium. You have to wonder – did chainsaw makers get their inspiration from this creature of the deep?

 (Picture source: Smithsonian Marine Station)

If you’d like to indulge in more gruesome reads of ferocious fishes, you may wish to check these resources out at your nearest library:

Terror under the sea by Clare Oliver
Publisher : Tunbridge Wells : Ticktock Media, 2006.
Call No. : J 591.7 OLI

The truth about dangerous sea creatures by Mary M. Cerullo
Publisher : San Francisco : Chronicle Books, c2003.
Call No. : J 591.77 CER

The moray eel by Miriam J. Gross
Publisher : New York, N.Y. : Rosen Pub. Group’s PowerKids Press, 2006.
Series Title Weird sea creatures
Call No. : J 597 GRO

The stingray by Miriam J. Gross
Publisher New York, N.Y. : PowerKids Press, c2006.
Series Title Weird sea creatures
Call No. : J 597.3 GRO

Amazing fish of the world by Maliniah Lasius
Publisher Selangor Darul Ehsan, [Malaysia] : Penerbit Pan Earth Sdn. Bhd., 2007.
Series Title Amazing animals of the world
Call No. : J 597 MAL

Jellyfish by David C. King
Publisher : New York : Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, c2004.
Call No. : J 593.5 KIN

Ocean wildlife by Carole Garbuny Vogel
Publisher : New York : Franklin Watts, c2003.
Call No.: Y 591.77 VOG

All websites were last accessed on 20 February 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use.
All images were extracted from www.bn.com.

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Posted by Galvin Soh
Librarian
Children’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

ASK! Editor speaks

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and I’m sure all the couples out there are busy preparing for this special day (or not, if you’re the type who believes love should not be celebrated on one singled-out day…of which, I certainly am a member of ). Whether you are buying flowers, chocolates or that latest gizmo gadget for your significant other, it is best if it is done with the most sincerest of intentions and heart. I’d like to believe that only the true and faithful of loving thoughts will move your significant other to no end.

Being the curious librarian that I am, I did some research on this special holiday. Did you know that according to one of the legends about Valentine’s Day, a priest named Valentine wrote a letter to his jailer’s daughter, signing off as “from your Valentine”. Does that phrase sound familiar? Unfortunately, the same priest was “martyred about AD 270 by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus.”

Source: Valentine’s Day. (2008). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved February 13, 2008, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition: http://library.eb.com/eb/article-9074694

Another legend “contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.”

Source: The history of Valentine’s Day. Retrieved February 13, 2008, from The History Channel Web site: http://www.history.com/minisites/valentine/viewPage?pageId=882

Sigh, how romantic priests can be, even back in the olden times!

Here are some book recommendations on love during this Valentine season which you and your significant other can read and cuddle up to.

Fiction

Love in the time of cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Vintage, 2003
Summary: “While delivering a message to her father, Florentino Ariza spots the barely pubescent Fermina Daza and immediately falls in love. What follows is the story of a passion that extends over 50 years, as Fermina is courted solely by letter, decisively rejects her suitor when he first speaks, and then joins the urbane Dr. Juvenal Urbino, much above her station, in a marriage initially loveless but ultimately remarkable in its strength.”
Call No.: GAR / GAR -[MO]

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Summary: “This timeless satire on English manners traces the fortunes and foibles of a family of marriageable young women and their suitors.”
Call No.: AUS

P.S. I Love you by Cecelia Ahern
Publisher: London : Harper, 2007
Summary: “Holly couldn’t live without her husband Gerry, until the day she had to…But with the help of a series of letters her husband left her before he died and a little nudging from an eccentric assortment of family and friends, she learns to laugh, overcome her fears, and discover a world she never knew existed.”
Call No.: AHE / AHE -[MO]

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks
Publisher: New York, NY : Warner Books, 2000
Summary: “In Sparks’s latest sentimental tale, a 17-year-old boy in 1950s North Carolina finds all his expectations overthrown by the Baptist minister’s daughter.”
Call No.: SPA / SPA -[MO]

Non-fiction

The RoMANtic’s guide : hundreds of creative tips for a lifetime of love by Michael Webb
Publisher : New York : Hyperion, 1999
Summary: “Determined to make his wife the happiest woman on earth, Michael Webb “romanced” her so well her friends became jealous and asked the couple to pass on their tips for happiness. And so, in 1996, The RoMantic was born.”
Call No. : 646.78 WEB -[FAM]

101 ways to have true love in your life by Daphne Rose Kingma
Publisher : Boston, Mass. : Conari Press, 2006
Summary: “Whether you’re looking for love or looking to rekindle love, “Love Doctor” Daphne Rose Kingma saves the day or at least gives you the knowledge required to find, keep, and foster what nearly every one of us desires—true love.”
Call No. : 152.41 KIN

2,002 romantic ideas : special moments you can share with the one you love by Cyndi Haynes and Dale Edwards
Publisher : Avon, Mass. : Adams Media, c2006
Summary: “Think you’re out of ideas for romance? Think again! With this completely revised and updated edition by your side, you can tap into even more passion, pleasure, and romance than ever before.”
Call No. : 646.78 HAY -[FAM]

Don’t sweat the small stuff in love : simple ways to nurture and strengthen your relationships while avoiding the habits that break down your loving connection by Richard Carlson and Kristine Carlson
Publisher: London : Hodder & Stoughton, 2000
Call No.: 306.7 CAR

A cup of comfort for women in love : inspiratonal stories of true love and lifelong devotion / Edited by Colleen Sell
Publisher: Avon, Mass. : Adams Media, 2005
Summary: “A Cup of Comfort for Women in Love is a remarkable collection celebrating every stage of our most personal relationships, guaranteed to renew your faith in the power of love.”
Call No.: 306.7 CUP

The seven levels of intimacy : the art of loving and the joy of being loved by Matthew Kelly
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Simon & Schuster, 2007
Summary: “With profound insight and the use of powerful and relatable examples, The Seven Levels of Intimacy redefines the most important relationships in our lives and how we view our interactions with one another.”
Call No.: 158.2 KEL

So, when you’ve borrowed any of the books above, do get a cup of hot cocoa, grab your significant other and proceed to have a enjoyable reading time with him or her.

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

All websites were last accessed on 13 February 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use.
All book summaries were taken from book descriptions listed at www.amazon.com and www.bn.com.
All images were extracted from www.amazon.com and www.bn.com.

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Posted by Ms Elizabeth Lee
Librarian
Children’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment

ASK about Anything & Everything 

For such a simple matter, you really wonder why English has got to be so complicated. It’s convenient to express numbers by their numerical symbols (i.e. 1, 2, 3 …), but if you are preparing a formal piece of writing, rules apply as to whether the number should be spelled out.

Different sources however recommend different rules. Many acknowledge the various standards, and settle on the general recommendation that that whole numbers one to nine should be spelled out. This is the guideline used by Associated Press, Chicago. For larger digits, their numerical symbols are used.

Depending on what the number describes, you may not follow the rule all the time. Some guidelines are:
- If the sentence begins with a number, the number should be spelled out.
- Approximations are commonly spelled out.
- Be consistent. If the more than two numerals occur in the same sentence, or numbers that generally should be spelt out and those that need not be happen together, use numerical symbols for all.
- If the numbers are for different categories, you can spell some out. For e.g. (from Webster’s New World): “In the last twenty years, I’ve read 43 books, watched 391 movies, and listened to 1,412 records.” is correct.
- If two numbers occur consecutively, spell out the first number. E.g. (from Webster’s New World): “The ten 30-year-olds ran across the field.”

Numbers that need not be spelled out, unless they appear in the beginning of the sentence, are:
- Age
- Percentages and decimals
- Physical measurements (e.g. 5 kilograms)
- Money
- Dates (The numerical designations of centuries should however be spelt out. E.g. eighteenth century)

For books on grammar usage, check out the DDC number 428 in the General section of library shelves.

Sources:

- Michael,  “10 Rules for Writing Numbers and Numerals”, 30 Jul 2007, Daily Writing Tips, retrieved: 9 Feb 08, http://www.dailywritingtips.com/10-rules-for-writing-numbers-and-numerals/

- Fine, E. H., Josephson, J. P., More nitty-gritty grammar :  another not-so-serious guide to clear communication, Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press,  c2001: pg 120, 121

- Casagrande, J., Grammar snobs are great big meanies :  a guide to language for fun and spite, New York:  Penguin Books,  2006: pg 156-158

- Loberger, G. J, Webster`s New World English grammar handbook, Indianapolis, Indiana:  Wiley Pub.,  c2002: pg 260-261

Contributed by Ang Mei Jun, Librarian

Adult & Young People’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Health & Fitness

The answer to this question can be found in several of our books and here’s an excerpt from one titled ‘The Odd Body’ by Dr Stephen Juan (Call No. English 612 JUA – [HEA]) that talks about the process of process of how hairs turn white and why sometimes the person looks like he/she is having gray hairs.

Graying occurs when there is an age-related shutdown of the melanocytes, which usually occurs gradually over several years. Melanocytes, a protein-producing pigment cells, located at the hair roots and in the outer layer of the skin produce chemicals that determine the coloring of both hair and skin.

About a hundred hairs a day are lost from natural attrition. With age, the older dark hairs fall out leaving a greater proportion of newly created white hairs. As white hairs gain the majority, the grayness appears to increase. Thus, grayness is an optical illusion created by the mixture of the remaining dark hairs and the newer white hairs.

If you want to find out more information about graying hair, you can check out the following books

For Children:

Its true! your hair is dead by Diana Lawrenson
Publisher : Toronto : Annick Press, 2006
Call No. : J English 612.7 LAW

The amazing human body by Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone
Publisher : New York : Sterling Pub. Co., c2006
Call No. : J English 612 LEV

Why should I wash my hair? and other questions about healthy skin and hair by Louise Spilsbury
Publisher : Oxford : Heinemann Library, c2003
Call No. : J English 612.7 SPI

For Adults:

Going gray, looking great!: the modern woman’s guide to unfading glory by Diana Lewis Jewell
Publisher : New York, NY : Simon & Schuster, 2004
Call No. : English 646.72 JEW

The world of hair: a scientific companion by John Gray
Publisher : Basingstoke ; London : Macmillan, 1997
Call No. : English 646.724 GRA

All websites are last accessed on 10 February 2008. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
All images used are extracted from http://www.amazon.com
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Originally answered by Hafsah Yasin, Librarian, Children’s Services

Contributed by Felicia Chan, Librarian, Children’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.

If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Pets & Animals

I remember being asked a long time ago what cows drink—the answer is of course water except the first thing that comes to mind is milk, which also not wrong because baby cows do drink milk. However, that was a trick question by a playful friend.

So what do cows eat?

Cows definitely eat grass but they do not just eat grass, they eat hay, corn, barley, cottonseed and combinations of field grasses. For domestic cows, these food items are mixed into a kind of food ration called “Total Mixed Ration” or TMR and forms the basis of the cows’ main diet.

Cows that are kept in farms are fed up to eight times a day and they have four components in their digestive system to help them digest the food that they eat. Because of this, some people say that a cow has four stomachs.

Source:
MooMilk.com. Retrieved February 9, 2008, from The Story of Milk Web site: http://www.moomilk.com/tour.htm

If you want to find out more information about cows, you can check out the following books

For Children:

What happens at a dairy farm? by Kathleen Pohl
Publisher : Milwaukee, WI : Weekly Reader Early Learning Library, 2007
Call No. : JP English 637 POH

Grass to milk by Julie Murray
Publisher : Edina, Minn. : ABDO Pub. Co., c2007
Call No. : JP English 637 MUR

Cows and their calves by Margaret Hall
Publisher : Mankato, Minn. : Capstone Press, Pebble Books, c2004
Call No. : JP English 636.2 HAL

All websites are last accessed on 9 February 2008. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
All images used are extracted from http://www.amazon.com and http://www.bn.com.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Originally answered by Kheak Hui Hiang, Librarian, Children’s Services

Contributed by Felicia Chan, Librarian, Children’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.

ASK! about Science & Technology

The answer will surprise you: Yes, some fishes sleep.

Sleep is defined as ’a normal recurrent state of reduced responsiveness to external stimuli in vertebrates’. In laymen’s terms, it is an extended state of rest.

Many open-water fishes like blue sharks, mackerel, and herring, do not sleep. At night, they feed and swim through the waters constantly. During the day, they move less.

The opposite is true of fishes that live in the warm waters of a coral reef, such as parrotfish, angelfish, and butterfly fish. They swim around during the day. At night, they hide and rest among the reef at night. When the parrotfish sleeps, it secrets a mucus envelope around itself for protection. A tiny hole in the lining allows it to breathe.

Schools of many minnows, active during the day, disperse into shallow waters and do not move during the night.

Have you wondered, do fishes pee?

Check out other answers for this conundrum.

References:

Hine, Robert. “sleep.” The Facts On File Dictionary of Biology, Fourth Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Science Online. Facts On File, Inc. retrieved: 31 Jan 08, http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin= FDBF2623&SingleRecord=True.
 

Grolier Online New Book of Knowledge, http://go.grolier.com/, “Wonder Questions: Do fish sleep?”, retrieved: 31 Jan 08.

Tom F Ihde, “Do fish sleep?”, Newton Ask a Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory, Division of Educational Programmes, www.newton.dep.anl.gov, retrieved: 1 Feb 08, http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/
bio99/bio99047.htm

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

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If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sginstead of sending a comment.