In what year will Quidditch enter the Olympics? Will Harry Potter still be limber enough to compete? If I were to begin my own training now for this eventuality, what techniques would you recommend? [3346A]
In the same year that fantasy football is accepted. Harry Potter will probably be a little over the hill to participate. The techniques you need to be familiar with involve handling a broom, so sweep up your room right now!
Where is the Love? [3345C]
It’s either in your heart, or simply where you find it. Either way, it’s not trying to hide from you; it’s just up to you to acknowledge it. On the 1969 album entitled Happy Trails by Quicksilver Messenger Service, they devote an entire side to reworkings of Bo Diddley’s song “Who Do You Love?,” with variations such as “When You Love,” “Where You Love,” “How You Love,” and “Which Do You Love.” This may provide insight.
Are there circulation numbers (volume) available for Perkins and/or the other Duke libraries? I’m curious to see how many books are checked out each year. [3345B]
To give you a ballpark idea, here are numbers, excluding reserves, for 2004-2005 (Initial Loans / Totals) for all Duke Libraries: 390,086 / 534,244 ; Perkins System + Divinity: 322,381 / 443,383 ; Ford: 29,209 / 36,625 ; Law: 24,370 / 36,166 ; Med Center: 14,126 / 18,070. “Perkins System” includes Lilly, Music, Vesic, Biology, Chemistry. For Perkins only (not branches or professional schools): (Loans / Renewals / Totals) for 2004-05: 164,020 / 80,271 / 244,291 ; for 2005-06: 142,333 / 79,721 / 222,054.
Where’s the best place to have sex in the library? [3345A]
There are some comfortable chairs and clean carpeting right near the main entrance across from the Circulation desk, next to those big picture windows looking through to the Von der Heyden Pavilion. This is the best place from the standpoint of people who will read about it in the Chronicle’s police report and who will have a good story to tell after you’ve been expelled.
Is gelatin still made with animal bones? Like when they put gelatin in children’s cereals, is that vegetarian/kosher?I guess it’s really a question of what is the least expensive if they are still using animal bones, right?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: True gelatin is protein-based and rendered from the skin, cartilage, bone, etc. of animals. Yes, it is still used. There are also gelling agents sometimes called vegetable gelatins, such as pectin, derived from plants, although these are carbohydrate-based and not chemically related to animal gelatins. Kosher gelatin just has to come from the right animals.
It’s not clear whether it’s more a cost issue (it may be) or just what works best as a gelling agent for a particular appliction. The labels on food should give some indication of the derivation (e.g., pectin, carrageenan, or agar indicates vegetable derivation). If it says “gelatin,” I’d assume that it’s animal-based.
I am going to be working on Capital Hill this summer, and I need to refresh on some of the hot button political issues. Are there any sources you know of that provide thorough, but not book length, policy briefs. Something in the 40-80 page range would be ideal. Also, the less partisan the better. Thanks!
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: For international affairs, you might try the CIAO database. There’s a “policy briefs” choice in the menu at the left to browse, or you can use the Search interface and check “policy brief” as the collection to search.
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) writes digested summaries of major issues at the request of the US Congress. You can search for the CRS Reports 2004-present in the Lexis/Nexis Congressional database (go to advanced search). Many older ones are in the library catalog and located on microfiche or film in the Public Documents dept (you can ask there for help).
Really, lots of think tanks have such reports, some more partisan than others, so you’ll have to look into the nature of the organization. The Rand Corporation reports in the Public Documents department (in the library catalog) may suit your needs.
This is the kind of question that is best asked at the Perkins Reference desk. There is a Public Policy subject librarian, and others for other subjects that you’re interested in.
where did the following line come from? if it doesn’t exist and i made it up, where is one kinda like it?
“compass pointing to nothing save starry passion”
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: In a letter to Charles Sampas, dated December 27, 1949, Jack Kerouac stated that Lowell, Massachusetts (his hometown), “like Winesburg Ohio or Asheville North Carolina or Fresno California or Hawthorne’s Salem, is always the place where the darkness of the trees by the river, on a starry night, gives a hint of that inscrutable *future* Americans are always longing and longing for. And when they find that future, not till then they begin looking *back* with sorrows, and an understanding of how man haunts the earth, pacing, prowling, circling in the shades, and the intelligence of the compass pointing to nothing in sight save starry passion … strange, is strange, how we be-dot infinity with our thoughts and poor rooftops, and hometown, then go away forever.” (Charters, Ann, ed. Jack Kerouac: Selected Letters, 1940-1956. New York: Viking, 1995. p. 221.)
Kerouac is commenting to Sampas, a columnist for the Lowell newspaper, about the upcoming publication of his first novel, *The Town and the City*, which is based on his experiences in Lowell.
The ellipsis is in the quote, so I suppose it was in Kerouac’s letter.
why does it bother me so much that the work i do for a living isn’t saving the world? i mean, i should be happy with the money i’m making and find other ways to save the world. right?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: You can give all of the money you make to a worthy cause and live in a tent in the woods. Maybe that will make you happier (and maybe not).
What happened to the comfy chairs on the 2nd floor of the Bostock/Perkins walkway? I can no longer take a nap/study. The black block tables are still present but no chairs. Why is this? My study spot was the walkway and without those chairs the space is even more limited. It is messing up the entire rotation that is known as my life. Please fix this.
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: There was a manufacturing problem with the springs or stuffing in the backs which was causing irregular wear. They were removed only temporarily for renewal and by the time you read this they should be back and your life will be back in harmony. Chairs will be refurbished in small groups, and after one group returns then it’ll be another group’s turn.
You do need to try to be a little flexible in your routine, however, and search out other study spots when something like this comes up. You’ll find change thrust upon you for your entire life, so flexibility will make you happier.
jokes that start with “What’s the deal with”?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: They’re the real deal.