ASK!

Image is retrieved from:

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/superman_movies

According to ‘Eat This Not That!’ by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding: “The food sources that feature calcium most prominently are sesame seeds, plain or vanilla soymilk, low-fat yogurt, cooked spinach, part-skim mozzarella cheese, raw tofu and cream cheese.

Calcium is a mineral found in bones and teeth. Calcium keeps bones strong and healthy, promotes efficient function of the nerves and muscles as well as helps blood clotting.”

Reference:
Zinczenko, David, . Eat this, not that! the best (& worst!) foods in america!. [Emmaus, Pa.] : Rodale, c2009.

If you want to read more on the topic, here are books that you can check out at our libraries.

All Rights Reserved, John Wiley, c2004.

The calcium key : the revolutionary diet discovery that will help you lose weight faster by Michael Zemel, Bill Gottlieb
Publisher: Hoboken, N.J. : John Wiley, c2004.
Call No.: English 613.25 ZEM -[HEA]
Click here to check for item availability

All Rights Reserved, Simon & Schuster Source, 2001.

Eat, drink, and be healthy :by the Harvard Medical School guide to healthy eating by Walter C. Willett
Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster Source, 2001.
Call No.: English 613.2 WIL -[HEA]
Click here to check for item availability

All Rights Reserved, Maidstone : Amalgamated Book Services, 1999.

Super calcium counter : the essential guide to building strong bones by Harris McIlwain and Debra Fulghum Bruce
Publisher: New York : Kensington ; Maidstone : Amalgamated Book Services, 1999.
Call No: English 613.285 MAC -[HEA]
Click here to check for item availability

All websites are last accessed on 20 Aug 2010. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Answered by Ms Lynn Koh, Associate Librarian, Adult and Young People’s Services

Image is retrieved from:

http://www.myplacetoo.com/index7.html

According to National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), and eHow’s April Sanders, not all kites require a tail to stablilise them when suspended in midair. Kites fly because of their resistance to the wind and how they force the air to move around them. However, a kite tail stabilises the flight of a kite because it creates drag, lifting the front of a kite and exposing that side to the wind so that the kite moves upwards and less so sideways.

In turbulent airflow, the tail functions as a stabilising force because it adds resistance or drag. In the face of strong winds, the kite is balanced by the forces acting on it, such as from the wind, the size and shape of the kite, its tail and the person flying it. The drag is also dependent on the density of the air which is lower when the elevation is high. There is a formula behind this and if you are interested, you can read more from the website below.

Reference:
NASA. (2008). Kite Drag Equations. Retrieved Aug 18, 2010, from NASA, http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/kitedrag.html

Sanders, A. How Does a Kite Work? Retrieved Aug 18, 2010, from eHow.com, http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4586488_a-kite-work.html

If you want to read more on the topic, here are books that you can check out at our libraries.

All Rights Reserved, Firefly Books, c2007.

Kites : flying skills and techniques, from basic toys to sport kites by Rosanne Cobb
Publisher: Richmond Hill, Ont. : Firefly Books, c2007.
Call No.: English 796.158 COB -[REC]
Click here to check for item availability

All Rights Reserved, David & Charles, 2004.

The kite making handbook compiled by Rossella Guerra, Giuseppe Ferlenga
Publisher: Newton Abbot : David & Charles, 2004.
Call No.: English q629.13332 KIT
Click here to check for item availability

All Rights Reserved, Konemann, c1999.

The magnificent book of kites : explorations in design, construction, enjoyment & flight by Maxwell Eden
Publisher: Cologne : Konemann, c1999.
Call No: English 629.13332 EDE
Click here to check for item availability

All websites are last accessed on 20 Aug 2010. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Originally answered by Ms Felicia Chan
Librarian, Children’s Services

About 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is water-covered. The vast majority of water on the Earth’s surface, over 96 percent, is saline water in the oceans. But it is the freshwater resources, such as the water in streams, rivers, lakes, and ground water that provide people (and all life) with most of the water they need everyday to live. Water sitting on the surface of the Earth is easy to visualize, and your view of the water cycle might be that rainfall fills up the rivers and lakes.

Just how much water is there on (and in) the Earth? Here are some numbers you can think about:

1. The total water supply of the world is about 333 million cubic miles (mi3) (a cubic mile is an imaginary cube measuring one mile on each side), or 1,386 million cubic kilometers (km3). A cubic mile of water equals more than 1.1 trillion gallons. A cubic kilometer of water equals about 264 billion gallons.

2. If all of Earth’s water (oceans, icecaps and glaciers, lakes, rivers, ground water, and water in the atmosphere was put into a sphere, then the diameter of that water ball would be a bit less than 1,400 kilometers across, a bit more than the distance between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana.

3. About 3,100 mi3 (12,900 km3) of water, mostly in the form of water vapor, is in the atmosphere at any one time. If it all fell as precipitation at once, the Earth would be covered with only about 1 inch of water.

4. The 48 contiguous United States receives a total volume of about 4 mi3 (17.7 km3) of precipitation each day.

5. Each day, 280 mi3 (1,170 km3)of water evaporate or transpire into the atmosphere.

6. If all of the world’s water was poured on the United States, it would cover the land to a depth of 90 miles (145 kilometers).

7. Of the freshwater on Earth, much more is stored in the ground than is available in lakes and rivers. More than 2,000,000 mi3 (8,400,000 km3)of freshwater is stored in the Earth, most within one-half mile of the surface. Contrast that with the 60,000 mi3 (250,000 km3) of water stored as freshwater in lakes, inland seas, and rivers. But, if you really want to find freshwater, the most is stored in the 7,000,000 mi3 (29,200,000 km3) of water found in glaciers and icecaps, mainly in the polar regions and in Greenland.

Source: ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthhowmuch.html
(Last accessed: 16 August 2010)

Check out the following books on water:

(All Rights Reserved, PowerKids Press, 2009)

Oceans of the World
by Sandy Roydhouse
Call Number: J English 551.46 ROY
Click here to check for item availability.

Water
by Geoff Barker
Call Number: Y English 553.7 BAR
Click here to check for item availability.

Water : Discover Science Through Facts and Fun
by Gerry Bailey and Steve Way
Call Number: J English 553.7 BAI
Click here to check for item availability.

Originally answered by Shahada Selamat
Associate Librarian
Children’s Services

There is a difference between the two – the Netherlands, short for the Kingdom of the Netherlands refers to the country, while Holland – actually, North and South Holland – are two provinces out of the 12 provinces that make up the country.

However, the two names are commonly used interchangeably and this could be due to historical reasons. Holland used to be just one province during the days of the United Provinces (1581-1795), where a few provinces in the region came together to form the precursor to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and most of the nation’s governmental and commercial power was concentrated there. Hence foreigners came to think of the Netherlands and Holland as one and the same.

Though the right term for the country would be the Netherlands, matters are not helped by the country’s national tourism board also using the term Holland to refer to the entire country and in its tourism website address. Some encyclopaedias and books also refer to ‘Holland’ as another name for the Netherlands, further contributing to the common use of both terms to refer to the country.

Sources:

Name: Factiva.com
Source: The Arizona Republic
Title: Holland not the same as Netherlands
Author: Clay Thompson
Publisher: The Arizona Republic
Issue Information: 1 March 2007
Description: What is the difference between Holland and the Netherlands?
Last accessed date: 14 Jul 2010

Name: Factiva.com
Source: The Daily Express
Title: Your questions answered
Publisher: Express Newspapers
Issue Information: 4 November 2006
Description: Is there any difference between Holland and The Netherlands, or are they different terms for the same country?
Last accessed date: 14 Jul 2010

Name: Factiva.com
Source: Boston Herald
Title: Good question; It’s time to brush up on geography by going Dutch
Author: Beth Teitell and Roger Michel
Issue Information: 1 November 1998
Description: “Q: There are questions you just can’t ask after the third grade, and I’ve been carrying one around for 30 years – are Holland and the Netherlands different countries? And who exactly are the Dutch? Please help me with my secret shame!”
Last accessed date: 14 Jul 2010

You may also wish to refer to the following sources for more information on the Netherlands and her history.

Web Resources

Source: http://www.holland.com/global/aboutholland/history/
Title: History – History – The Official Website of The Netherlands Board …
Last accessed date: 14 Jul 2010

Source: http://www.minbuza.nl/en/You_and_the_Netherlands/
About_the_Netherlands/Highlights_of_Dutch_History
Title: Highlights of Dutch History – MinBuza.nl
Last accessed date: 14 Jul 2010

Source: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/
travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/
europe/netherlands/
Title: Country Profile: Netherlands
Last accessed date: 14 Jul 2010

 Answered by Ms Lynn Koh, Associate Librarian, Adult and Young People’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 instead of sending a comment

Students performing at the 1966 National Day Parade
Source: www.nhb.gov.sg

National Day Parade, 9 August 1967
Source: www.nationalartgallery.sg

August marks a very special month in Singapore’s history as Singapore holds its national day celebrations on 9 August every year.

9 August is a significant date because on 9 August 1965, Singapore broke away from Malaysia and became a fully independent country. Prior to this, on 27 May 1961, the Malayan Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman proposed merger between Singapore, Malaya and other British colonies like Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia for political and economic reasons.

However, due to political differences that later led to 2 racial riots in Singapore in 1964, as well as economic incompatability, on 7 August 1965, the leaders of Malaysia and Singapore signed the separation agreement and on 9 August 1965, Singapore became a fully independent country.

This year, Singapore will celebrate its 45th year of independence and the National Day celebrations and parade will be held at the Padang where the first National Day Parade (NDP) was held. The theme this year is ‘Live Our Dreams, Fly Our Flag’ as the organizers hope that Singaporeans will “reflect upon the nation’s achievements and be inspired to work towards their own dreams”.

Do catch the parade and the celebrations in action if you have a chance!

For more information on this year’s NDP celebrations, do log on to the NDP official website :
http://www.ndp.org.sg

Sources:
1) The Living Past
2) NDP 2010 Official Website: www.ndp.org.sg

Posted By:

Ms Chen Wanying
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services