“How many piercings and tattoos does Natasha Kai have?” This inquiry required a follow-up by the Newton Falls Public Library staff, as we weren’t familiar with the lady in question. The patron informed us that Natasha is a soccer player. She is also a member of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and 2008 gold medal winner. Checking the library’s catalog showed that Mia Hamm is the only female soccer player about whom we have a book.
The online search began with finding out more about Natasha Kai, a 25-year-old from Hawaii. The Team USA website [http://soccer.teamusa.org] states that she has 19 tattoos. The U.S. Soccer site [http://ussoccer.com] concurs, noting her famous ‘sleeve’ tattoo and the newest one which is stars on the back of her neck.
ESPN Soccer [http://soccernet.espn.go.com] mentions her multiple piercings but does not give a count. None of the previously mentioned websites gives any information about her piercings, though we can see from the photograph on the U.S. Soccer site that both ears and her bottom lip are pierced. Other than several websites mentioning facial piercings, none gave an exact number for us to tell our patron. However, the staff did learn some very interesting information about Natasha, whose full name is Natasha Kanani Janine Kai. The oldest child of her father who is a professional singer/performer at the Polynesian Cultural Center of Oahu and Hawaiian history teacher and her mother who is also a teacher, she is the first player from Hawaii to play on the Women's National Team and a Women's World Cup Team. There is a very interesting online video with Natasha from USSoccer.com on You Tube [www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrs-0L6NNcc]; she speaks about playing soccer and her family.
Tattoos are a subject about which other patrons often make inquiries, especially those considering ideas for their body art. The library’s collection has several books on the topic, including The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting a Tattoo by John Reardon, Tattoos and Body Piercing by Leanne K. Currie-McGhee, and Ink: the not-just-skin-deep guide to getting a tattoo and The Tattoo Encyclopedia: a guide to choosing your tattoo both by Terisa Green. Many considering tattoos look at the books on calligraphy for inspiration such as Chinese Calligraphy Made Easy: a structured course in creating beautiful brush lettering by Rebecca Yue and The Calligrapher's Bible: 100 complete alphabets and how to draw them by David Harris. One of the library’s many art books may also be a source of creative ideas for those considering getting a tattoo.
library heading
Monday, December 22, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Can Tropical Birds Survive in Ohio?
“I heard that birds like cockatiels and parakeets can’t survive outside in Ohio. Why not, they’re birds; they have feathers like the other birds and they do live in the wild somewhere.” The Newton Falls Public Library patron asking the question went on to explain that they are trying to catch a cockatiel which they spotted flying outside their home, and a few years ago her husband climbed the roof to have a parakeet land on his hand. The library staff hasn’t had a bird question since our insistent cardinal last spring so it was fun looking into this one.
Parakeets and cockatiels are both small parrots. In Cockatiels: everything about acquisition, care, nutrition, and diseases by Annette Wolter [p.60] it states that they are from Australia and are used to dry heat, where the temperatures can range from 86 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit in the day to below freezing at night. Slow changes in temperature do not bother them, but sudden drops can cause sickness and death. According to Birds for Dummies by Gina Spadafori and Brian L. Speer, what we commonly refer to as a parakeet is actually a budgerigar or budgie, also from Australia. The latter book gives advice on what to do if your bird escapes, including the hint to leave its cage outside with the door open as it may decide to return home. In the section on escaping birds, there is a note of encouragement to owners of missing birds to not give up hope as some birds are “found after months ‘on wing’” [p. 131].
Remembering that both budgerigars and cockatiels are wild birds as well as pets, the staff also examined some of the library’s collection of wild bird books including Birds of the World: a photographic guide and Birds--their life, their ways, their world. While the photographs in the first are fantastic, Birds--their life, their ways, their world has more detailed information including what they feed upon when not in captivity. Vegetables are the primary food of the parrots’ diet, though budgerigars seem to prefer seeds, and both will also eat some fruits, berries and insects. This would seem to answer our patron’s question in that some birds do manage to survive, as long as the changes in temperature are not too extreme and there are sources of acceptable food.
Parakeets and cockatiels are both small parrots. In Cockatiels: everything about acquisition, care, nutrition, and diseases by Annette Wolter [p.60] it states that they are from Australia and are used to dry heat, where the temperatures can range from 86 to 113 degrees Fahrenheit in the day to below freezing at night. Slow changes in temperature do not bother them, but sudden drops can cause sickness and death. According to Birds for Dummies by Gina Spadafori and Brian L. Speer, what we commonly refer to as a parakeet is actually a budgerigar or budgie, also from Australia. The latter book gives advice on what to do if your bird escapes, including the hint to leave its cage outside with the door open as it may decide to return home. In the section on escaping birds, there is a note of encouragement to owners of missing birds to not give up hope as some birds are “found after months ‘on wing’” [p. 131].
Remembering that both budgerigars and cockatiels are wild birds as well as pets, the staff also examined some of the library’s collection of wild bird books including Birds of the World: a photographic guide and Birds--their life, their ways, their world. While the photographs in the first are fantastic, Birds--their life, their ways, their world has more detailed information including what they feed upon when not in captivity. Vegetables are the primary food of the parrots’ diet, though budgerigars seem to prefer seeds, and both will also eat some fruits, berries and insects. This would seem to answer our patron’s question in that some birds do manage to survive, as long as the changes in temperature are not too extreme and there are sources of acceptable food.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
I Need a Form for . . .
“I need a form for the dissolution of my marriage.” “Do you have information on how to write a living will?” “I’m looking for a survivorship deed.” While the staff of the Newton Falls Public Library cannot give legal advice, we can direct people to resources which might assist them in making their decisions.
Some of the books are Ohio specific: Divorce in Ohio: a people's guide to marriage, divorce, dissolution, spousal support, child custody, child support, visitation rights by John Gilchrist and Ohio Forms and Transactions. Consider using How to Write Your Own Living Will by Edward A. Haman. This book includes detailed information for each state as well as forms, and the statutes and laws governing living wills. The online version of the Ohio Revised Code [http://codes.ohio.gov] also has some useful form guidelines. For example, “3701-62-04 Do-not-resuscitate identification” has information needed in case of a medical emergency. Couse's Ohio Form Book, in the library’s reference collection, has a variety of deed formats, including the statutory form of survivorship deed.
The library also has more general books available such as The Complete Book of Personal Legal Forms: + CD-ROM by Mark Warda, James C. Ray, 101 Law Forms for Personal Use by Ralph Warner & Robin Leonard and Everyday Legal forms and Agreements Made E-Z compiled by Mario D. German. There are books for such specific topics as starting and running a small business and non-profits, registering trademarks and copyrights, landlord and tenant agreements, child custody, and pre-nuptials.
These library resources are a place to begin getting information when dealing with legal questions, but in many cases it would be wise to also contact an attorney. For low income and senior Ohioans, Community Legal Aid Services, Inc. [http://www.communitylegalaid.org] is a non-profit law firm serving the legal needs of those in Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne Counties.
Some of the books are Ohio specific: Divorce in Ohio: a people's guide to marriage, divorce, dissolution, spousal support, child custody, child support, visitation rights by John Gilchrist and Ohio Forms and Transactions. Consider using How to Write Your Own Living Will by Edward A. Haman. This book includes detailed information for each state as well as forms, and the statutes and laws governing living wills. The online version of the Ohio Revised Code [http://codes.ohio.gov] also has some useful form guidelines. For example, “3701-62-04 Do-not-resuscitate identification” has information needed in case of a medical emergency. Couse's Ohio Form Book, in the library’s reference collection, has a variety of deed formats, including the statutory form of survivorship deed.
The library also has more general books available such as The Complete Book of Personal Legal Forms: + CD-ROM by Mark Warda, James C. Ray, 101 Law Forms for Personal Use by Ralph Warner & Robin Leonard and Everyday Legal forms and Agreements Made E-Z compiled by Mario D. German. There are books for such specific topics as starting and running a small business and non-profits, registering trademarks and copyrights, landlord and tenant agreements, child custody, and pre-nuptials.
These library resources are a place to begin getting information when dealing with legal questions, but in many cases it would be wise to also contact an attorney. For low income and senior Ohioans, Community Legal Aid Services, Inc. [http://www.communitylegalaid.org] is a non-profit law firm serving the legal needs of those in Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, and Wayne Counties.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)