Girls June 5, 2006
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentWhen are they going to get attractive girls at this school?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: I’m sure that when the girls see you they ask the same questions about boys at this school.
Marijuana June 5, 2006
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Medicine , comments closedHas it been proven that marijuana is more unhealthy than alcohol or tobacco? For example, there is a consensus that cigarette smoking causes cancer. Is there a similar consensus regarding the risks of marijuana?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: We librarians (and AP is one of them) aren’t supposed to discuss medical issues. You might want to explore the fine MedLine Plus web site, although you won’t get alternative viewpoints there such as what you might get at the websites of NORML or the American Medical Marijuana Association. MedLine Plus links to material from the National Library of Medicine, as well as to “trusted” sources such as the Mayo Clinic and various medical professional societies.
I don’t know about more or less unhealthy than alcohol or tobacco, but from many of the sites (and even from alternative sites), there appears to be some agreement in the carcinogenic effect of the tars (particulates) in the smoke, and also that it’s dangerous, for instance, to operate heavy machinery while under the influence of cannibis (you knew that, right?).
Will going to school in california make me a resident of california? June 5, 2006
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentI am a resident of North Carolina, but I am going to grad school in California and I plan on bringing my car. 1) Will I have to become a citizen of California in order to register my car? 2) Will I be able to become a citizen of California solely by virtue of attending graduate school there?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Are you just worried about being identified as a Californian? “Citizen” refers to nationality, not the specific place you live within the country. Where you live is “residency,” and whether you’re a resident or not depends on which state agency is involved. The basic rule is that the agency will want you as a resident if they can get more money from you that way, or as a non-resident if they can get more money from you that way.
If you get a driver’s license, bank account, change your car registration, register to vote, etc., you’re on your way to becoming a resident. I guess you are one to the election commission and the DMV. Some students in California will illegally continue to register their cars out-of-state, like at their parents’ address, to benefit from cheaper fees or less-stringent pollution inspection, and I suppose that could get you in trouble. The answer to your question (1) is that you just have to get an address to register your car. See this page at the CA DMV: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9.htm
But to get in-state tuition at a state university, there are much more stringent residency requirements, so you’ll need to check with the specific school. You need to show that you plan on making California your permanent home, and it generally takes at least year of good intentions. It doesn’t count to just be a student, despite licenses and registrations, and leaving for the summer will kill your chances. So, the answer to your question (2) is No. Please read closely this Berkeley web site: http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Residency/legalinfo.html
Lebron and Michael June 5, 2006
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentWho would win in a one-on-one matchup between Lebron James and Michael Jordan, each at age 23 (Lebron in the future and Jordan in the past, obviously)?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: On the basketball court or in advertising? I guess we’ll never know, will we? But seriously, James is maturing quickly as a player and got an earlier professional start so it might be a pretty good matchup.
Decrease the a/c in Bostock/Perkins/Lilly June 5, 2006
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Duke Libraries, Technology , comments closedIt’s really cold in here! I’ve got a long sleeve shirt, a hoodie, and I’m about to put on a coat. After about three hours in here my fingernails start to turn purple. It is about 84 degrees outside and about 50 degrees inside the libraries. Why does it need to be so cold? I’m freezing! I’m sure the school could save some electricity if they cut back.
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Maybe someday when all of the Perkins and Bostock library complex is renovated, the heat and A/C will be more uniform. Maybe. Some rooms and areas always do seem extra cold. I’ll pass your comment on to building maintenance people, but remember that on the library homepage, under “Request forms A-Z,” there’s a Building Maintenance form you can use to complain. You’ll need to specify the offending area(s).
television June 5, 2006
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentAre there really only seven words you cannot say on television (or radio) in the US? What aren’t you allowed to say?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: No, there are a lot more. The seven just comes from a famous 1973 George Carlin monologue. See the wikipedia entry on “Seven Dirty Words”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_dirty_words or “F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F.C.C._v._Pacifica_Foundation
You will find listed there those seven words, as well as a discussion of other bad words, or just do a sloppy Google search. One or two of the seven seem to be OK today, even on broadcast TV.
For a dry discussion of this, you can see the famous 1978 Supreme Court decision, 438 U.S. 726: http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=438&invol=726
