Answer Person coerced into the health care reform debate August 27, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Culture, Government , comments closedi intend to make this brief because i know you are a very busy. my friend and i were arguing the core concept of socialism vs. capitalism. he said that if there is no incentive for profit, then no one would do anything (no doctors, lawyers etc…) i have no rebuttal for this argument. i am aware that taking a loss for the better good, like fire dept. and police as well as education is an acceptable loss, but he claims that if everything is private then everything is more efficient and so forth. is there a way i can convince myself and him that a society can exist without the desire for profit and still be efficient (everyone goes to work).
Actually, there are millions of rebuttals to that argument in this country alone. Ask your professor, librarian, fire fighter, or police officer what motivates them to go to work everyday. I’d be surprised if any of them said it was to pay for their Bentley.
I’d say your friend’s argument, that no one would do anything without the incentive of profit, is cynical. What’s more, it sounds like your friend is making a veiled (and lazy) argument against health care reform. If you include fire and police service, as well as education, in your list of services worth paying for with tax money for the common good, why not health care too? Tell your friend that making the leap from adding health care to the common good list to making everything socialized is deceptive at best. In so many ways, health care is more important than any of the other three (fire service, police protection, education).
Unique features of architecture on Duke University’s West Campus August 27, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Duke , comments closedDear Answer Person,
It’s me again…I asked you a few months ago about the story behind the crests and shields of other universities that adorn various West Campus buildings, but due to some technical glitch, your answer was missing from the suggestion book. Now I’ve graduated and am far, far away from Duke, and the only way that my curiosity regarding the matter of the university crests will be satisfied is if you answer my question on your blog!
As you might know, Answer Person was on a much needed hiatus for several months. So thanks for your patience.
The crests and shields you refer to actually make the buildings on West Campus some of the most unique academic buildings in the South. They represent institutions with significant similarities to Duke’s association, purpose, and ideal. So, for example, the seals of Haverford College (a Quaker institution) and Millsaps College (a Methodist institution) decorate the southern elevation of the West Union Building. These hark back to Duke’s origins as Union Institute, the academy in Randolph County, NC founded by Methodists and Quakers. For a complete list of all represented institutions, I refer you to the appendix of William M. Blackburn’s The Architecture of Duke University (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1936, 1939).
What do students like about the Libraries? August 12, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Duke Libraries , comments closedDuke rated as the 3rd best for college libraries. Can you tell me what the students like best about your library? Just trying to get some ideas for our library.
You’re referring to The Princeton Review survey in 2009 (actually, Duke University Libraries ranked 4th in the 2010 survey). When the Libraries held its celebration reopening Perkins Library floors 2-4 and lower floor 1 last August, a student government leader spoke about the “Top Ten Reasons Why we Dukies Love our Library.”
One of the things she noted was the variety of high quality and inspiring study spaces: from individual study carrels and group study rooms to soft seating and traditional reading rooms, the Libraries has a space to meet everyone’s needs. Nearly 6M volumes and a staff dedicated to public service are both highly valued by our students, and the annual student-organized and funded themed cocktail party each February continues to be extremely popular. And perhaps most importantly, she said that “the collaborative energy and spirit of Duke is more visible in the library than anywhere else on campus.”
Check out our new virtual tour of the library, produced by our staff.
Chongivity Activity August 3, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Culture, Lobby Book , comments closedWhat is a Chongivity Activity? [3556C]
Actions peculiar to chonga, this generation’s Valley Girl. As intelligent as their predecessors, they are also fiercely dedicated to the peaceful resolution of disagreements.
Sense of entitlement August 3, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Duke, Lobby Book , comments closedDoes the amount that I’m paying for this education give me a right to a sense of entitlement? I realize it’s not like paying for a toaster or some other consumable, but I feel as though I am the client here, and deserve to be treated as such. Legitimate? [3551A]
[written in answer space: Nah]
Magic Eight Ball says: “Concentrate and ask again.”
Origins of modern rap music August 3, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Culture, Lobby Book , comments closedWhat are the origins of modern rap music? [3549A]
[written in answer space: Old skool rap?]
Word up.
Using the Biddle Rare Book Room August 3, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Duke Libraries, Lobby Book , comments closedHow do I look at the books in the Rare Book Room? Do I need special permission? [3553A]
[written in answer space: Te Amo, mi Cielo!]
The Biddle Rare Book Room is maintained by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, which arranges for volunteers and students to staff the RBR for a limited number of hours throughout the week during the academic year. Patrons who want to use or view any of the materials must come first to the research room at Perkins 103. There is information about using the collections on the Libraries’ website. Anyone with a valid photo ID may come in to register and use materials.
Where did all the cats come from? August 3, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Just silly, Lobby Book , comments closedWhere did all the cats come from? [3555B]
All the cats come from all the momma cats, silly. You should know that by now.
Great books August 3, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Library resources, Literature, Lobby Book, Study , comments closedWhy is the Great Gatsby such a good book? How about Catch 22? I’m not even an English major and I think they’re great. [3557C]
One doesn’t need to major in English to appreciate great works of literature. One mark of great writing is its impact on future writers. Another is the work’s ability to transcend cultures and time. Shakespeare, for instance, is still read today for these reasons (and all the great car chase scenes!).
The Great Gatsby is about unrestrained materialism and immorality (sound familiar?) and is cited by many authors as a major influence. Catch-22 is outstanding because it illustrates the absurdity of war, a point that apparently needs to be made over and over again. Furthermore, it features an outstanding anti-hero. If you like Catch-22, I highly recommend an earlier example of an anti-hero in a novel about the absurdity or war, Jaroslav Hasek’s The Good Soldier Svejk [891.86 H346AE].
Prattle all the way to the bank August 3, 2009
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Graduation requirements, Lobby Book, Study , comments closedWhy do Pratt people have to do 3 times as much work as Trinity people? [3554A]
The library is one of those places on campus where all students can come together in harmony to pursue academic excellence. The gateway between Perkins and Bostock Libraries quite literally links Engineering (represented by CIEMAS) and Arts and Sciences (represented by the academic quad).
However, since your question suggests you might be a Pratter, I would point out two facts: first, the university requires that students in both Pratt and Trinity successfully complete a total of at least 34 course credits; second, a recent article at CNNmoney.com (”Most lucrative college degrees,” 24 July 2009) claims that “engineering diplomas account for 12 of the 15 top-paying majors.” The article, quoting a 2008 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, which tracks college graduates’ job offers, suggests that recent engineering graduates can expect an initial salary up to double that of their humanities counterparts.
