.
Submitted by: Brigitte Juan, Assistant Reference Librarian
Q. I just watched "The Blob" (the 1958 camp sci-fi movie) and was wondering what the blob was made of.
A. All the movie trivia books I referenced seem to want to ignore the existence of that movie so I had to resort to the internet for the answer. A collector of Sci-fi props now owns 'The Blob' and he says it is made of silicone manufactured by Union Carbide. It is not cherry- colored jell-o as some people have described it. If you have access to the internet you may want to read the rest of his interesting story.
Source: The Man Who Owns "The Blob". www.horror-wood.com/blob.htm
Submitted by: Kate Carroll, Reference Asstistant
Q. How do appraisers determine the value of an antique?
A. According to Emyl Jenkins, a longtime antique appraiser and author of Emyl Jenkins Appraisal Book , a rule of thumb appraisers use is age + condition + quality + rarity = value. One must also add into that mix demand because tastes in antiques change as do styles in clothing. Also when giving an appraisal there are three types which may be given: insurance, auction and retail value.
Source: Stealing in Style (chapter 8) by Emyl Jenkins.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/roadshow/tips/value/
Submitted by: Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q.Q. What is Sjogren's Syndrome?
A. Sjogren's Syndrome, often called "dry mouth," is the second most common rheumatic disorder after rheumatoid arthritis. It is characterised by diminished tears and saliva and dryness of the mouth. The cause is not known but it is thought to be an autoimmune disorder that is more common in women than in men. For additional information contact your doctor, the local library or the Sjogren Syndrome Foundation at www.sjogrens.org or
Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation, Inc.
8120 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
1-800 475-6473
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases 7th edition
Submitted by Maureen Delovio, Reference Librarian
Q. Can you still use a food product after the sell-by or use-by date and what is the difference?
A. There are two main dating methods for food products. "Open Dating" uses a stamped calendar date and is typically found on perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. "Closed" or "coded" dating is primarily found on shelf products like cans of boxes of food. There are no Federal regulations requiring product dating except for baby formula and some infant foods.
There are four typical dating types: "Sell-By", "Best if Used By (or Before)", "Use-By", "Closed or coded dates":
- A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
- A "Best if Used By (or Before)" date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
- A "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
- "Closed or coded dates" are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.
Except for "use-by" dates, product dates are not necessarily suggestions for home storage and use. Even if the date expires during home storage, a product should be safe to eat so long as it is handled properly and kept a maximum 40° F.
Source: United States Department of Agriculture: Food Safety and Inspection Service. (June 2001). "Facts Sheets: Food Labeling - Food Product Dating". Refer to http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Food_Product_Dating/index.asp for additional information.
Submitted by Brigitte Juan, Assistant Reference Librarian
Q. Does a biannual grow twice a year or once every two years?
A. Good question. According to Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary a biannual occurs twice a year. A biennial occurs every two years.
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. Where was Marshmallow Fluff invented?
A. Marshmallow Fluff was invented in Sommerville, Massachusetts by Archibald Query around 1915. He made batches of it in his kitchen and sold it door to door until wartime shortages forced him to stop. After the war he sold the recipe to H. Allen Durkee and Fred L. Mower for five hundred dollars. The product started to be manufactured from their factory (Durkee-Mower) in East Lynn in 1929.
Sources: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink In America by Andrew F. Smith, 2004. And www.marshmallowfluff.com
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. Who are the current representatives in Congress for RI and how much money do they make?
A. The U.S. Senators for RI are Lincoln D. Chafee and Jack Reed. The Representatives are: Patrick J. Kennedy ( District 1) and James R. Langevin (District 2).
Senators and Representatives both receive the same salary of $165,200. In January 2007 it will increase to $168,500.
Source: Rhode Island Government Owner's Manual 2005-2006. published by the Office of the Secretary of State Matthew A. Brown
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. What is the origin of the word cemetery?
A. Cemetery is derived from the Greek for dormitory, a place where one sleeps. "Cemetery is first recorded in English in 1387, over a century after burial ground (ca. 1250). Graveyard isn't recorded until the early 19th century."
Source: The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins, 3rd Ed. By Robert Hendrickson, 2004.
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. Who puts the Gideon bibles in hotel rooms?
A. The bibles are placed by a Christian business and professional men's association called Gideon's International. The Gideon's were established more than 100 years ago and they have been placing bibles in hotel rooms almost from that time.
Source: "History of the Gideon Bible", PageWise, Inc. http://ky.essortment.com/gideonbible_rcwz.htm
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. What is the word for the three dots used to replace words in a sentence?
A. … ellipsis or ellipsis periods.
Source: Punctuate It Right, 2nd Edition by Harry Shaw, 1993
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. Why are left-handers called southpaws?
A. The origin of the word comes from the game of baseball. Major league ballparks are designed with the batter facing east, so the afternoon sun will be behind his back making it easier to see the ball as it is pitched. The pitcher would be facing west, his left arm to the south. Therefore if he is left-handed, he's pitching with his "south paw".
Source: Dictionary of Word Origins: A History of the Words, Expressions, and Cliches We Use by Jordan Almond
Submitted by: Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. I've heard that sea salt and kosher salt are better for you than table salt. Is this true?
A. Nutritionally speaking they are the same. The primary difference is their taste and texture. Gourmet cooks, and many other people prefer the taste of kosher salt in cooking because it usually has no additives. Sea Salt is preferred because different minerals in it give it a more subtle flavor.
Also you need not worry about iodine deficiency because iodine is readily available in other foods including dairy products and seafood. More of a concern health wise is the amount of salt or sodium in the diet. Most experts recommend between 1,500 -2,400 milligrams a day for healthy adults.
Source: © 1998-2006 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sea-salt/AN01142
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. Who are the standing Justices on the Supreme Court?
A. The Chief Justice is John G. Roberts, Jr. (Sept.2005). The Associate Justices are: John Paul Stevens (Dec. 1975), Antonia Scalia (Sept. 1986), Anthony M. Kennedy (Feb. 1988),David H. Souter (Oct. 1990), Clarence Thomas (Oct. 1991), Ruth Bader Ginsberg (Aug. 1993), Stephen G. Breyer (Aug. 1994) and Samuel A. Alito Jr. (Jan. 2006).
Source: Washington Information Directory, 2006-2007 (page 514).
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. I have seen road signs in Middletown and Providence that have a red, white and blue shield, also the letters W3R. Also sometimes the words Washington and Rochambeau. Do you have any idea what they are all about?
A. The signs represent the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. 'W' for Washington and the '3R's for the rest.
Briefly the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route commemorates the joint efforts of the French, under the command of General Rochambeau, and the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. W3R traces the campsites and the pathways traveled during the three-year presence of the French Expeditionary Force, depicting their march south to the climatic battle of Yorktown and then their return north.
As for the signs in our state, the RI Rochambeau Historic Highway Commission is working with RIDOT to place 100 wayfinding road signs along the W3R in RI. The website said that the signs would be in place for the June 16th - 18th 2006 celebration.
Source: http://www.w3r-us.org/Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
Submitted by Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
Q. Who are the Rhode Island Supreme Court Justices?
A. There are four Justices and a Chief Justice. Currently, the Chief Justice and the four Justices are:
- Chief Justice Frank J. Williams - appointed Chief Justice 2001.
- Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg - appointed 1997.
- Justice Francis X. Flaherty - appointed 2003.
- Justice Paul A. Suttell - appointed 2003
- Justice William P. Robinson - appointed 2004.
Source: Judiciary of Rhode Island's website http://www.courts.state.ri.us/supreme/faq.htm
Submitted by Maureen Delovio, Head of Reference Department
Q. I recently learned that March by Geraldine Brooks won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. What are the criteria for being nominated and winning?
A. The Pulitzer Prize (pronounced PULL-it-sir NOT PEW-lit-sir) for Fiction has been awarded since 1948 for distinguished fiction in book form by an American author, preferably dealing with American life. The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (established by Columbia University in 1971) replaced the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel which was awarded between 1918 and 1947.
The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction is one of six categories in Letters and Drama. There are a total of 21 Pulitzer categories. In 20 of the categories the winners receive a $10,000 cash award and a certificate. Only the winner in the Public Service category of the Journalism competition is awarded a gold medal.
There are no set criteria for the judging of the Prizes. The definitions of each category are the only guidelines. It is left up to the Nominating Juries and The Pulitzer Prize Board to determine exactly what makes a work "distinguished."
Source: The Pulitzer Prizes, http://www.pulitzer.org
Submitted by Brigitte Hopkins, Reference Librarian
Q. Why is Rhode Island called the "Ocean State"?
A. Ocean State became Rhode Island's Official License Plate Nickname when it was adopted on July 8, 1971. It began to appear on non-commercial license plates in 1972, replacing the former nickname "Discover". The term was created to help promote tourism. The 400 plus miles of coastline includes inland extensions of the Narragansett Bay; all Rhode Islanders live within a 30 minute drive of the Atlantic Ocean or Narragansett Bay.
Source: Rhode Island Office of the Secretary of State. "Know Rhode Island History And Facts About The Ocean State", www.sec.state.ri.us/library/riinfo/riinfo/knowrhode and Rhode Island Government Online. "Facts & History", http://www.ri.gov/facts/history.php
Submitted by Brigitte Hopkins, Reference Librarian
Q. When did the first Christmas tree appear?
A. There is no record of when the first Christmas tree came into existence. The first historical references of a Christmas tree appeared in the early 16th century in Latvia and Estonia. The first decorated Christmas tree in America was in the German Moravian church in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in 1747. However, the "tree" was not an evergreen but the "European style of wooden pyramids covered with evergreen boughs (p. 25)". Accounts of the use of a real evergreen Christmas tree began to show up around 1820. And the mostly widespread reference of a Christmas tree was published in 1832 in Boston mentioning the use of the top of a young fir tree.
Source: Snyder, Phillip. V., (1976) The Christmas Tree Book: The History of the Christmas Tee & Antique Christmas tree Ornaments.
Submitted by Brigitte Hopkins, Reference Librarian
Q. Was there a coal mine in Garden City?
A. There was a coal mine off Reservoir Avenue and Saccanosset Hill as early as 1839. (American Indian translation for Saccanosset is "black earth place".) The Seekonk Facing Company mined graphite in 1875 and by 1885 the New York Carbon Company was extracting 30 tons of coal a day. Various companies attempted to mine the area until 1913. After that, it was owned by the Graphite Mines Corporation until a fire in 1922. Garden City's retail and residential building, which had begun in 1948, flourished in the 1950's as the coal mine slowly shut down. The mine finally closed in 1959 when the first and last fatal accident occurred and closed it for good. The old mine shaft was located where the current Newport Creamery now stands.
Sources: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission. September 1980. Cranston, Rhode Island: Statewide Historical Preservation Report P-C-1. Polichetti, Barbara. July, 26, 1999. "For young veterans' families, the new suburbia personified the essential American Dream". Providence Journal. pg. C. 01. and American Indian Place Names in Rhode Island: Present & Past. http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/IndianPlaceNames8.html
Submitted by Brigitte Hopkins, Reference Librarian and Kate Carroll, Reference Assistant
