Do you practice by finding the answers in the cross word puzzle?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Although Answer Person likes to do crossword puzzles, they are a poor training ground for the demands of the Suggestion Book. They are too confining (the answers are often proscribed and have to fit in those specific boxes), never involve solving the great problems facing AP’s constituency, and there is no opportunity for editorial (humorous?) interpretation.
Why hasn’t a group like the Green Party been able to successfully impliment Proportional Representation for the California Congress?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: The California Green Party seems to be pushing Instant Runoff Voting as its primary(!) electoral reform issue, not proportional representation (see http://cagreens.org/giwg/#democracy). The problem with PR (a.k.a. full representation), is that the concept is, for most voters, complicated and confusing. First, there are a lot of ideas on how it would be configured (by political parties, by ethnic groups, etc.); second, calculating the proportions can be very difficult and contentious. Just look at how much trouble we have at the national and state (Texas!) levels designating (proportional) voting districts!
At the Lilly Library on Sat., Oct. 18, 2003 at @ 5PM I stood directly in front of two of the people working at the front desk, one of whom told me they were busy and I would have to wait (she was putting stickers on books). So, I sat there and waited until she was finished. It seems to me that libray patrons should be the first priority of the staff who are assigned to being at the check-out desk. Making patrons wait while jobs which are not time critical, such as putting stickers on books, is disrespectful of the patrons and their time.
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Answer Person was not there, putting stickers on books or otherwise occupied, so AP could not time the delay or come to the rescue. I hope the inconvenience was not more than a minute or so. In any case, AP, and the Lilly Library administration, share your concern about the service we offer, and AP will send this on for further investigation. (10/18/2003 18:48:48)
Additional Response:
From all the staff at Lilly, I want to apologize for the inconvenience you experienced on Saturday. The student assistant you encountered putting stickers on books was assisting a patron that was in the library. The patron had brought a number of books to be checked out, including five that did not have barcodes. The activity you witnessed was the student barcoding the books for the patron. Barcoding can be time consuming, so I want to apologize for your wait. You should have been better informed about what the student was doing. We hope to see you at Lilly in the near future.
Kelley Lawton
Head, Lilly Library
Please make it faster. It jams up far more than any other online catalog I’ve used in recent years.
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: You are right. Over the last year or so we have struggled to deal with software architecture that is not up to the demands of Duke. So, although we try to keep it running at a reasonable pace, we are implementing a new, integrated library system, scheduled to debut July 2004. Check out the project at http://www.lib.duke.edu/its/diglib/ilstrans/.
How do they come up with names for perscription drugs?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Like cats, drugs often have more than one name. There is the formal, generic name, created by the company, perhaps derived from its major ingredient. Then, of course, there is the marketing name, derived from the masterful efforts of marketing departments to make the product seem all-powerful and absolutely essential. There have been problems with confusing names, especially sound-alikes, which may result in incorrect prescriptions. The FDA is aware of the situation; see, for example, “Evaluating Drug Names for Similarities: Methods and Approaches, Public Meeting” (“Meeting formerly called Minimizing Medication Errors – Evaluating the Drug Naming Process”), June 26, 2003 (http://www.fda.gov/cder/meeting/drugNaming.htm).
What happened to the course evaluation information on ACES? It used to be there and now it is gone. Is there somewhere else to get this information?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: There is an upgrade in the works, with a hoped for(!) ETA before registration for the spring semester. Let’s cut the grade on the project 10% for every day it is late.
Schools such as Harvard, Yale and Stanford have two week shopping periods at the beginning of each term where students have the chance to visit many classes to search for professors. Duke’s system is incredibly lame in comparison. They also have no caps on many of their courses, so you can more easily get into classes you want. Why doesn’t Duke have a similar system? Why does it work at these schools? How would a student go about changing this policy at Duke?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Interesting idea. Answer Person was under the misconception that Duke students are more motivated, focused, informed and prepared than undergrads at some of those other wanna be schools. However, you might want to purse your ideas with the University Registrar’s Office (103 Allen Bldg., 684-2813, registrar@duke.edu); DSG’s (684-DUKE) Academic Affairs Committee or its VP for Academic Affairs.
What is the holy grail? Was Jesus married?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: 1. Supposedly the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper, though the origin of the tale is uncertain. Perhaps that explains why Arthur’s knights had such a hard time finding it.
2. Other than to his career? No one has ever found a marriage certificate.
Answer Person, do you have been asked, or one that was the most fun to answer?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: It would be very, very hard to pick a favorite. I find myself constantly challenged, intrigued by range of inquiries, delighted to find the humor in situations, and so honored that people come to me for assistance in matters that mean so much to them.
Where in Durham can I get a keg of root beer? If not in Durham, where at all?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Greenshields Brewery & Pub in Raleigh (829-0214, http://www.greenshields.com/beers.htm#Root) specializes in regular beers, but they also brew their own root beer, and it is available in kegs. Not a common situation–glass predominates. Check out http://www.annoyances.com/rb/links.html for LOT’s of links to root beer makers, making your own, etc.