Thai musical instruments

Originally asked on 03/09/2007:

i would like to gather info about both vietnam musical instruments where one I was told is a fiddle.they are don bau and don gao. THANK YOU.

Thank you for using ASK!

The Dan Bau or Ðàn bau is a string instrument of the plucking variety. There is only one string which when plucked produces notes in a tonal range up to 3 octaves. It is commonly made of wood or bamboo.
You can read more about the instrument via the following links:
- http://www.dantranh.com/danbau.html
- http://www.vnstyle.vdc.com.vn/vim/english/music_instument/chordophone_Bau_monocord.html
- http://www.viettouch.com/vnmusic/vietnam_music_instruments.html

The Dan Gao or Ðàn gáo is a string instrument of the bowing variety. It has two strings and you are not wrong to say it is similar to a fiddle. This instrument is made of wood or bamboo for its bridge and coconut shell for its resonator.
You can read more about the instrument via the following links:
- http://www.vnstyle.vdc.com.vn/vim/english/music_instument/chordophone_Ho_fiddle.html
- http://www.viettouch.com/vnmusic/vietnam_music_instruments.html
- http://dantranh.com/dannhi.html

(all above sites last accessed 04 Sept, 2007. For the above weblinks, you are advised to please click through to the respective site's main page to read their Terms & Conditions for use of the site before continuing.)

You may refer to the following titles available at our Public Libraries for further reading.

Title Musical instruments / by Judy L. Hasday.
Author Hasday, Judy L., 1957-
Publisher Philadelphia : Chelsea House Publishers, 1999.
Call number: J 784.19 HAS

Title Musical instruments around the world / Meryl Doney.
Author Doney, Meryl, 1942-
Publisher London : Franklin Watts, 2002.
Call number: J 784.19 DON

Title Musical instruments around the world / Godfrey Hall.
Author Hall, Godfrey.
Publisher Hove : Wayland, c1995.
Call number: J 784.19 HAL

You can check availability of the above titles via our online catalogue http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg

We hope your query has been answered.

Do contact us again if further assistance is required.

I have recieve an email from my friend telling me that the planet Mars will be at its closes to earth in this Aug to Sep. Is it true? (via Stomp)

Thank you for your enquiry. This phenomenon of close encounters between Earth and Mars is what astronomers call "perihelic oppositions". When this happens, Mars appears 6 times larger and 85 times brighter than it ordinarily does. This last happened on 27 August 2003 and the next time it will occur is in the year 2287.

Every planet orbits the Sun on its own elliptical path. As Earth is closer to the Sun than Mars, its path is shorter and hence it moves around more quickly than Mars (Earth takes 365 days while Mars takes 687 Earth-days). According to space.com, "Earth is catching up with Mars each day, like a race car driver heading into Turn 1 on the inside, preparing to lap a sputtering competitor for the umpteenth time. When the pass occurs, Earth and Mars will be on the same side of the Sun, all three objects lined up in a row..... These orbital points slowly change their directions in space over thousands of years. They are presently evolving toward alignment, so, when they do get nearly aligned and when Mars and Earth pass near the key points at the same time, then a truly close approach occurs. " (Source: http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/mars_orbit_030121-1.html)

You can find out more about this phenomenon at these websites:
(i) "Approaching Mars", from NASA.gov - [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/watchtheskies/18jun_approachingmars.html]
(ii) "Mars, Earth Drawing Closer Together", from FOXNews.com - [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,294138,00.html]
(iii) ""Mars Closest to Earth in 50,000 Years", from space.about.com - [http://space.about.com/cs/mars/a/marsclose.htm]
all sites last accessed 04 Sept, 2007.
(For the above weblinks, you are advised to please click through to the respective site's main page to read their Terms & Conditions for use of the site before continuing)

With regards to the email you received, it has been widely documented as a hoax usually sent out every year in the month of August.
Reference: "Mars Close to Earth Email", from space.about.com - [http://space.about.com/library/weekly/blmarsclose.htm], and
"Mars, Earth Closest Approach in Recorded History", from hoax-slayer.com - [http://www.hoax-slayer.com/mars-earth-close.html]

I hope this answer satisfies you. Feel free to email us for further queries.
Thank you for using ASK! service.

Why do MRTs have an extra set of tracks in between the ones used? (via Stomp)

Thank you for your enquiry.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Mass Rapid Transit, the "Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East and Tanah Merah stations were built with a third middle track for off-service trains to stop at before they return to their depots, but the last two are now used as termini for the North South Line and the Changi shuttle, respectively." (source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore) ) , last accessed 03 Sept '07.

In addition, according to SMRT, the stations with three tracks are interchange stations. For example, Jurong East station has three tracks - one heading towards the north (Marina Bay via Woodlands), one to the east (Pasir Ris) and one to the west (Boon Lay). For the Ang Mo Kio station, it acts as a holding stop for trains which are faulty and hence withdrawn to the Ang Mo Kio train depot.

You may also wish to contact SMRT via their general enquiries hotline 1800-3368 900 for further clarification.

Thank you for using ASK! service.

What does the national anthem mean? (via Stomp)

Thank you for your enquiry. Please find the following information for your reference.

(taken from Singapore Infomap at http://www.sg)

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

The national anthem, together with the national flag and the state crest, reflect Singapore's identity as a nation. The anthem echoes the enduring hope and spirit of Singaporeans to make progress. It rallies us together to succeed.

The Origin
The national anthem was written in the wake of nationalism during 1956-57. Its composer, the late Encik Zubir Said, had written it on the basis of two words, "Majulah Singapura" which means "Onward Singapore". It was launched on 3 Dec 1959 together with the national flag and the state crest, at the installation of the new head of state, the Yang di-Pertuan Negara. Upon Singapore's independence in 1965, "Majulah Singapura" was adopted as the republic's national anthem.

Its Meaning and Lyrics
The national anthem was originally written in Malay. The lyrics are provided as follows.

MAJULAH SINGAPURA
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura

ONWARD SINGAPORE
(English Translation)
We, the people of Singapore
Together march towards happiness
Our noble aspiration
To make Singapore a success
Let us all unite
In a new spirit
Together we proclaim
Onward Singapore
Onward Singapore

[source: http://www.sg/explore/symbols_anthem.htm], last accessed 03 September 2007.

Thank you for using our ASK! service.

What cause us to wear glasses when we look or use the computer or television for a long period of time

Thank you for using our ASK! service.

You asked what causes us to become short-sighted when we use the computer or television for a long period of time. The short answer to this is because of increased time spent focused on a close object, which causes the eye to get "stuck" in the close-up focus position and can no longer focus on distant objects. Therefore it is not just computers or television that causes short-sightedness but any form of activity that involves focusing the eye on a close object, for example, reading in poor lighting.

You may refer to the following titles available at our Public Libraries for a more in-depth understanding of myopia.

Title Clear vision : childhood myopia, a guide for concerned parents : & myopia lasik surgery, your questions answered / Dr Tony Ho.
Author Ho, Tony, 1958-
Publisher Singapore : I Care Publishing, 2001.
Call number: q617.755 HO -[HEA]

Title A patient's guide to myopia and myopia treatment / [chief author, Gerard Chuah ; contributors, Monica Lim ... et al.].
Author Chuah, Gerard, 1964-
Publisher Singapore : Effective Health Corp., 2004.
Call number: 617.755 CHU -[HEA]

Title 18 steps to myopia control / by Tony Ho.
Author Ho, Tony, 1958-
Other Title Eighteen steps to Myopia control
Publisher Singapore : I Care Pub., c1997.
Call number: 646.726 HO

Title The eye book : a complete guide to eye disorders and health / Gary H. Cassel, Michael D. Billig, Harry G. Randall.
Author Cassel, Gary H., 1953-
Publisher Baltimore, MD : Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.
Call number: 617.7 CAS -[HEA]

You can check availability of the above titles via our online catalogue http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg

We hope your query has been answered.

Do contact us again if further assistance is required.

Ventriloquism in Singapore

Originally asked on 03/09/2007:

Dear Sir/Madam

I have tried to search for 'Ventriloquism' on singapore's yahoo web but the results for it was quite limited. May i know where in singapore do offer 'Ventriloquism' as a course?

Also, what are the special needs oraganisation in singapore besides Dyslexia and Autism? is there any central portal that collates all the information about this area and the relevant organisations' websites?

Thank you very much and have a nice day! =)

Thank you for using our ASK! service.

You enquired on, (i) whether there are any ventriloquism courses available in Singapore, and (ii) special needs organizations in Singapore.

For the first part of your query, we were not able to find any trainers providing ventriloquist training in Singapore. However, we would suggest the following:
(a) Approach any of the leading entertainment companies in Singapore to enquire if they would be willing to take in an apprentice to train;
(b) Make use of the following internet resources:
- http://www.ventriloquism101.com/
- http://www.ehow.com/how_2063606_become-ventriloquist.html
- http://www.ventriloquists.net/ (all sites last accessed 3rd Sept 2007)
NB1: For the above weblinks, you are advised to please click through to the respective site's main page to read their Terms & Conditions for use of the site before continuing
NB2: Do note that NLB is not in any way promoting any of these vendors or in collaboration with them.

(c) Refer to the below book resources, available at our Public Libraries:
Title: Ventriloquism made easy / Kolby King
Author: King, Kolby
Publisher: Mineola, N.Y. : Dover Publications, c1997
Call Number: 793.89 KIN -[REC]
(Copy is only available at library@esplanade and status as of now is not on loan).

Title: Extraordinary jobs in entertainment / Alecia T. Devantier and Carol A. Turkington.
Author: Devantier, Alecia T.
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : Ferguson, c2006.
Call Number: Y 791.023 DEV

You can check availability of the above titles and make reservations via our online catalogue http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg


As to the second part of your query, if by "central portal" you mean government organizations, these special needs group would fall under the purview of the Ministry of Community, Youth and Sports. Their website [www.mcys.gov.sg] links to the Disability Portal [www.disability.org.sg] which is jointly run by MCYS and the National Council of Social Services (NCSS).
The official websites for Dyslexia and Autism are [www.das.org.sg] and [www.autism.org.sg].

We hope your queries have been answered. Appreciate if you could fill in the feedback form appended below.

Do contact us again via ASK! if further assistance is required.

Voltages of light bulbs

Thank you for using ASK! enquiry service.

You enquired about the various voltages of light bulbs in Singapore.

There are different types of bulbs for different lights or lamps. Some examples include halogen bulbs, incandescent, Light-emitting diodes (LED) and xenon bulbs. Hence, there are many variants of bulbs available depending on the device it is for.

As to your question on the voltage of light bulbs, you may find this explanation useful:
"One watt is the power produced by a current of 1 ampere under a pressure of 1 volt. When you buy an electric light bulb, you may notice that it is marked with a voltage number and the number of watts- indicated as W100 or W60 or W25 as the case may be. A 100-watt bulb will give you more light than a 60-watt bulb. It will also use up more electrical power."
(Taken from e-database go.grolier.com, last accessed on 01 August 2007.)

Perhaps you would like to clarify what device or electrical equipment you are referring to before we can narrow down the light bulb voltage/wattage.

Meanwhile, you may wish to refer to the following resources for detailed explanation on light bulbs:

Online
1) "How Light Bulbs Work", from home.howstuffworks.com/light-bulb.htm

2) "Incandescent light bulb", from Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb
[please note that wikipedia can be edited by members of the public and so information found there may not be entirely accurate.]
(both sites last accessed on 02 August 2007)

Books
1) Title The science of a light bulb / Neville Evans.
Author Evans, Neville.
Publisher Hove : Wayland, 1999.
Call no.: J 621.32 EVA

2) Title The lightbulb / Joseph Wallace ; foldout illustration by Toby Welles.
Author Wallace, Joseph E.
Publisher New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1999.
Call no.: J 621.32 WAL

3) Title Electricity and the lightbulb / James Lincoln Collier.
Author Collier, James Lincoln
Publisher New York : Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, c2006.
Call no.: JR 621.32 COL For Reference Only (only available at Bishan, Jurong and Woodlands libraries)

To check the availability of the above titles, please use our online catalogue at http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

I hope the above satisfies your enquiry. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to email us.

Pies (via Stomp)

Originally asked on 01/08/2007:

I like eating pies very much. Nothing seems to match those days of NAAFI (those who remember just opp. Deveshire Road). Any recommendations for good pies eatery places? Does anyone have the receipe on making of Shepperd Pies? Thanking all in advance.

Thank you for your enquiry on the best pies in Singapore.

Through a survey of some local online forums such as sgforums.com, hardwarezone.com and ohgenki.com, we have collated a number of outlets which you may wish to patronise. (Please note that NLB is not promoting any of these outlets or collaborating with them in any way.)
1) Don - Your Personal Pie Club
www.donpieclub.com.sg
reviewed here: ieatishootipost.blogspot.com/search/label/Pie (both sites last accessed on 1 August 2007)

2) Polar chicken pies
www.polarpuffs-cakes.com

3) Chicken pies from M Hotel

4) Big Ben's pies from Opera Estate
www.bigbensplace.com.sg

5) Boulevard Pies along Joo Chiat Road
442 Joo Chiat Road. Tel: 6345 2108

You may wish to visit them to found out for yourself which is the best.

You also asked for a recipe for Shepherd's Pie. Do note that different countries will have different recipes for this classic dish. Here is one taken from an Australian website:
Classic shepherd's pie

Preparation Time 10 minutes

Cooking Time 65 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, halved, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, trimmed, finely chopped
500g lamb mince
2 tbs plain flour
500ml (2 cups) beef stock
1 dried bay leaf
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs tomato paste
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
4 (about 200g each) desiree potatoes, peeled, chopped
40g butter
125ml (1/2 cup) milk
Melted butter, to brush
Method
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add lamb mince and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until lamb changes colour.
Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until combined. Add stock, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile: cook potato in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Return to the pan with the butter. Use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth. Add milk and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Spoon lamb mixture into a 2L (8-cup) capacity ovenproof baking dish. Top with mashed potato and use a fork to spread over lamb mixture. Brush with butter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until mashed potato is golden brown. Serve immediately
Source
Australian Good Taste - August 2005 , Page 69
Recipe by Sarah Hobbs

source: www.taste.com.au/recipes/2335/classic+shepherds+pie (last accessed on 1 August 2007)
The following website has a plethora of recipes of shepherd's pie: homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blcass5.htm (last accessed on 1 August 2007)

In addition, you may be interested in these recommended books on pies:

Title Easy peasy sweetie pie : truly scrumptious treats for kids who love to bake / Mary Contini.
Author Contini, Mary.
Publisher London : Ebury, 2000.
Call no.: J 641.5 CON

Title Classic essential pies.
Other Title Pies
Publisher [Hong Kong] : Periplus, c1996.
Call no.: 641.8652 CLA -[COO]

Title Traditional puddings & pies : delicious desserts for every occasion / consultant editor, Linda Fraser.
Publisher London : Lorenz Books, 1995.
Call no.: 641.86 TRA -[COO]

Title Pies & puddings.
Publisher Cologne : Konemann, 1993.
Call no.: 641.8652 PIE -[COO]

To check the availability of the above titles, please use our online catalogue at http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

I hope the above satisfies your enquiry. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to email us.

Why do some birds fly in a V-formation while migrating?

Thank you for using ASK! enquiry service.

You asked why birds fly in a v-formation during migration. This is due to aerodynamics. Scientists believe there are two reasons why birds fly in this way. Firstly, the shape of the formation reduces the drag force that each bird experiences if they are flying alone. The second reason is that this formation allows the birds to communicate more easily. The v-formation provides the birds with good visual contact of each other in order to keep the flock together. For a more detailed explanation you may go to Aerospaceweb.org website where this information was extracted from (last accessed 1 August 2007).

In addition, you may be interested in the following books which provide further information:
1) Title Nature's flyers : birds, insects, and the biomechanics of flight / David E. Alexander ; foreword by Steven Vogel.
Author Alexander, David (David E.)
Publisher Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, c2002.
Call no.: 573.798 ALE

2) Title The secrets of animal flight / Nic Bishop.
Author Bishop, Nic, 1955-
Publisher Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1997.
Call no.: J 591.1 BIS

3) Title Ride the wind : airborne journeys of animals and plants / by Seymour Simon ; illustrated by Elsa Warnick.
Author Simon, Seymour.
Publisher San Diego : Browndeer Press, c1997.
Call no.: J 591.52 SIM

To check the availability of the titles, please use our online catalogue at http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

I hope the above satisfies your enquiry. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to email us.

Books for 3+yr olds & 5yr olds

Originally asked on 01/08/2007:

Hello…



I would like to find out if you could recommend me any good English & Chinese books for 5yr olds & 3+yr olds please?



Thank you.

Thank you for using ASK! enquiry service.

The following are some recommended English and Chinese titles for children aged 3 - 5 years old:

ENGLISH
1) Books by Laurence & Catherine Anholt - one of the world's most successful author/illustrator teams and among the 100 Most Borrowed Authors from Libraries. Their books have won numerous awards include the prestigious Nestle Smarties Gold Award.
i) Title Chimp and Zee's words and pictures / Catherine and Laurence Anholt.
Author Anholt, Catherine.
Publisher London : Frances Lincoln Children's, 2006.
Call no.: JP 428.1 ANH

ii) Title Babysitter bear / Catherine and Laurence Anholt.
Author Anholt, Catherine.
Publisher London : Puffin Books, 2004.
Call no.: JP ANH

iii) Title Foolish Jack and the bean stack / written by Laurence Anholt ; illustrated by Arthur Robins.
Author Anholt, Laurence.
Publisher Minneapolis, Minn. : Compass Point Books, c2004.
Call no.: JS ANH


2) Books by Eric Carle - acclaimed author and illustrator of popular picture books for young children
Some titles include:
i) Title Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? / by Bill Martin, Jr. ; pictures by Eric Carle.
Author Martin, Bill, 1916-
Publisher London : Hamish Hamilton, 1997.
Call no.: JP MAR -[BA]

ii) Title The very hungry caterpillar / by Eric Carle.
Author Carle, Eric.
Publisher London : Puffin, 2003.
Call no.: JP CAR -[BA]

iii) Title The tiny seed / Eric Carle.
Author Carle, Eric.
Publisher Natick, MA : Picture Book Studio : Distributed in USA by Alphabet Press, c1987.
Call no.: JP 582 CAR


CHINESE
1) The Wo Hui Du series- There are several parts in this series.
1st Part- Sheng zi(vocabulary)
There are 10 Books in this part

Some books in this part:
i) Title Jia ting wu pin / [bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Mi Xue].
Publisher Singapore : Yu miao shu shi, 2005.
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 JTW -[BA]

ii) Title Dong wu / [bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Wu Qinglin].
Publisher Singapore : Yu miao shu shi, 2005.
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 DW -[BA]

iii) Title Yan se / [bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Wu Qinglin].
Publisher Singapore : Yu miao shu shi, 2005.
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 YS -[BA]

2nd Part-Ju Zi( Sentence)
There are 12 books in this part

Some books in this part:
i) Title Zao can / bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Su Fei, Wu Qinglin.
Publisher Xinjiapo : Yu miao you jiao, 2004.
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 ZC -[BA]

ii) Title Chi shui guo / bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Su Fei, Wu Qinglin.
Publisher Xinjiapo : Yu miao you jiao, 2004
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 CSG -[BA]

iii) Title Wo men yi qi wan / bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Su Fei, Wu Qinglin.
Publisher Xinjiapo : Yu miao you jiao, 2004.
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 WMY -[BA]

3rd Part-Jian Dan de Shu
There are 12 books in this part

i) Title Zuo jia wu , kan dian shi / bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Su Lin.
Publisher Xinjiapo : Yu miao shu shi, 2005.
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 ZJW -[BA]

ii) Title Yun dong yuan / bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Su Lin.
Publisher Xinjiapo : Yu miao shu shi, 2005.
Call No: JP Chinese 495.1 YDY -[BA]

4th Part: Gu Shi(Stories)

There are 12 books in this part
Title Xiao niao de jia / bian zhe, Su Zhaorong, Zhang Huijun ; hui tu, Shu Lin.
Publisher Xinjiapo : Yu miao shu shi, 2005.
Call No: JP Chinese XND -[BA]

2) Nao Nao/Yang Yang De Gu Shi/series
Call No: J SING XND

To check the availability of these titles, please use our online catalogue at http://www.nlb.gov.sg/

You may also wish to visit the children's section at any of our Regional Libraries where there are resources such as book lists available.

Hope the above information will be of help to you. If you have further queries, feel free to email us again.