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Most Recent 15 Questions Answered

Question 1:

Would you please clarify the differences between the two versions of Satanism (the hedonistic one vs. the devil-worshipping one) and why the former is referred to as Satanism? Thanks a million.

Answer :

Dear Extravagant Thanker, QB was raised in the wilds of QBLand and never had the experience of attending a church, so she was delighted to answer your question and educate her readers and herself. To begin with, "the hedonistic one" to which you refer seems to QB to be the Church of Satan, founded by Anton LeVay in 1969. Those in the church, whose membership is closely guarded and whose numbers are unknown but estimated to be few, profess interest in "not 'good' versus 'evil,' but that constant interchange between a need for conventionality and a need for risk-taking by those few who are compelled to explore the murky regions" (http://www.churchofsatan.com/home.html). The hedonistic element appears in the first tenet of the Nine Satanic Statements, written by the group's founder, which proclaims that "Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence!" (http://www.churchofsatan.com/home.html). The reason why this church's philosophy would become colloquially known as "Satanism" is quite simple: that is the term that those in the church use to describe themselves, as seen on their self-maintained website. Onto the next group you mentioned. QB has been so bold as to assume that by "the devil-worshipping one," you were referring to any organization of those who worship the Judeo-Christian Satan, meaning Adversary. QB could find no evidence of a sect that genuinely worshipped that particular devil. The closest she could come was Luciferianism and the Church of Satan; however, neither group worships the Christian Devil. According to the Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements, "belief in an actual devil, whether supernatural or otherwise, is unnecessary, and is increasingly explicitly rejected... Satan is a representation not a personal being" (115). This secularization of Satan is not a new phenomenon. An encyclopedia called "Witchcraft Today" notes that "Satan had been made a heroic figure, a rebel against arbitrary authority and injustice, by Western poets and writers since the Reformation; so that modern literature-based Satanism is not at all a worship of evil, but a neo-Gnostic fighting against systemic injustice in the cosmos" (103). Well, golly. QB's in a bit of a bind, because she was asked to illuminate the differences between two groups, one of which doesn't seem to exist. QB is going to go out on a limb and surmise that your hope was that she would point out that Satanists do not do the things for which they are renown in B movies and popular culture, such as kill puppies, kill children, or kill children with puppies. Fear not, Thanker In The Extravagant Style, QB's got your back. In fact, the ninth Satanic Rule Of The Earth states, "Do not harm little children" (www.churchofsatan.com/home.html). The other rules do not commend violence except in instances of self-defense, so big children have nothing to worry about, either. QB hopes that this research has cleared things up for you, and for any other readers who might have been a bit perplexed as to the true nature of Satanism. Keep the questions coming! Nondenominationally yours, QB

Sources :

Witchcraft Today: An Encyclopedia of Wiccan and Neopagan Traditions Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luciferianism www.churchofsatan.com/home.html

Call Number :

299L587w 299.03En19

Location :

Undergraduate Library Reference Collection

Date Answered :

8/30/2008

Question 2:

Is there a question that QB has never been asked that QB would really like to answer? If so, what is that question?

Answer :

Dear Curious, QB was quite happy to get your question! While no one has ever asked about artists’ books, QB has been eager to write about them, and to offer readers examples of these books in our very own University Library. For those who have not heard of these books, QB found this definition in Stephen Bury’s "Artists’ Books": "Artists’ books are books or book-like objects, over the final appearance of which an artist has had a high degree of control; where the book is intended as a work of art in itself... In practice, this definition breaks down as artists challenge it, pushing the book format in unexpected directions" (1). Bury goes on to assert that writers and visual artists alike benefit from this format because the form and content can be as closely wedded or as firmly divorced as the artist would like. QB has found this opinion to be true in QB’s own bookmaking ventures: despite gluing QB to book in ways unprecedented, QB was able to create a text that quite literally unfolded as QB had imagined. Thankfully, QB is not the first nor the only one to make these books. Johanna Drucker’s "The Century of Artists’ Books" posits that this format did not evolve until the 20th century, and suggests that the format has been a frequent tool of activists due to the lack of need for a publisher. If this brief definition has piqued your curiosity, check out the books listed below for further reading, and further viewing. Inextricably glued to an accordion-fold book insert, QB

Sources :

References: Stephen Bury, “Artists’ Books” Architecture And Art Library 700B959a Johanna Drucker, “The Century of Artists’ Books” Architecture And Art Library 709.04D84c Renee Riese Hubert and Judd D. Hubert, “The Cutting Edge of Reading: Artists’ Books” Architecture And Art Library 709.04H863c Martin Parr and Gerry Badger, “The Photobook: A History” Architecture And Art Library 770.9P246p v.1 Artists’ books (try searching the Subject Heading “Artists’ books” for more): Sadness because the video rental store was closed & other stories Oak Street Facility (Request Only) 759.13K848s Cowboy Junkies XX Music Library ML 421.C68A3 Installation view Main Stacks Q.709.73M175i Punzocortante: a sharp object with ability to cut, generally used as a weapon Main Stacks 709.85T635p

Call Number :

See above

Location :

See above

Date Answered :

6/12/2008

Question 3:

Other than complex, how would you describe Michael Finnissy's piano music?

Answer :

Dear Finnissy Aficionado, First QB must say that she never refers to music as “complex.” To do so reeks of post-modern pretention that seems bound and determined to say as much as possible without in fact saying anything at all. It seems a disservice to QB to attempt to explain music through words, since to QB the very essence of music is to escape the limitations of language. Music transcends the world in which we inhabit and gives voice to ideas, thoughts and emotions, which we cannot fully express through the written word. However, for centuries music critics have managed to make a living writing about music, and so QB will endeavor to emulate their example and express the inexpressible. For those readers who may not be familiar with Michael Finnissy, a brief biographical sketch. Finnissy is an English composer, born in 1946. He studied at the Royal College of Music under Bernard Stevens and Humphrey Searle, and he also studied under Roman Vlad. He has taught at Winchester College, the University of Sussex and the Royal Academy of Music in London, as well as has served as president for the International Society for Contemporary Music. In addition to both performing and composing piano music, Finnissy also composes vocal and instrumental ensemble pieces. Now, to get to your question. QB would describe Finnissy’s piano music as harsh, jarring, dissonant, grating, unlyrical and all together displeasing to the ear. QB is a devoted follower of classical music and was brought up with the lyrical strains of Chopin, Beethoven, Vivaldi, Brahms and Liszt filling the house. The music of these great composers exquisitely expresses the range of human emotion in a beautifully melodic language that feeds the soul and fills the heart. In QB’s opinion, Finnissy is unpalatable. Yet, she will acknowledge that many listeners both appreciate and are moved by Finnissy’s works. Critics have described Finnissy’s music as having a “severe uncompromising quality” with “tough angular textures” (Baker 593). Ivan Hewitt of the Telegraph states that “His music reflects the genuine difficulty a composer or any creative artist has nowadays in finding a positive relationship to the society in which he or she works.” For Hewitt, it is the rawness of Finnissy’s work that is its allure. “Finnissy is one of those awkward English visionaries like William Blake or John Bunyan, whose rough edges are a measure of their burning convictions. “ (Hewitt) So dear reader, in the end QB believes that the importance of the matter is not necessarily on how one describes the music, but rather that one gains something from the experience of listening to the music.

Sources :

Hewitt, Ivan. "The Arts Column: Michael Finnissy" Telegraph. 16 March 2006. "Michael Finnissy." The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 6th Ed. 1980. Ed. Stanley Sadie. “Michael Finnissy.”Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of 20th Century Classical Musicians. Ed. Laura Kuhn. 1997.

Call Number :

780.3 G91m 780.922 S154b

Location :

Undergrad

Date Answered :

6/2/2008

Question 4:

Q: Does this library have access to programs/audios that can teach a foreign language (for example the Igbo language of Nigeria)? If not where can I find a place that does?

Answer :

Dear Language Enthusiast, QB has investigated your question and found quite a few linguistically titillating services offered right here on campus and around the ol’ C.U. The Undergraduate Media Collection in the Undergraduate Library contains a smattering of introductory language tapes. So if you are interested in Mandarin Chinese, this might be the place to visit. Unfortunately, no Igbo. In addition, the Modern Languages Library, located in the Main Library, also houses a number of instructional tapes, just behind the desk. The skill levels vary and many of them are designed to work in tandem with an accompanying textbook such as the jauntily titled Oxford Take Off in Italian. QB would also like to point out the possibly more expansive (and perhaps friendlier to the novice) collection of language tapes and CD’s that can be found at both the Urbana Free Library and the Champaign Public Library. After much searching QB is very sorry to inform you that no language tapes can be found here on campus which specifically teach the Igbo language. But, being a mysterious library persona, QB would feel remiss in not pointing out the large collection of language books available in the Modern Language Library, the Main Stacks, and elsewhere on campus, including The Igbo English Dictionary: A Comprehensive Dicitonary of the Igbo Language with an English-Igbo Index and Learn Igbo as a Second Language. However, if you are interested in African languages other than Igbo, QB happily directs you to the Center for African Studies here on campus which offers elementary and advanced classes each fall and spring semester in languages including Bamana, Lingala, Swahili, Wolof, and Zulu. Also the Center for African Studies and the Department of Linguistics present the Summer Cooperative African Language Institute, offering condensed summer courses in a number of African languages including (drum roll, please) Elementary Igbo. Ka Odi, QB

Sources :

Agu-Ofodile, Modesta Chinyere. Learn Igbo as Second Language: For Junior Secondary One. Ibadan: During Ventures, 1997. Echeruo, Michael J.C. The Igbo English Dictionary: A Comprehensive Dicitonary of the Igbo Language with an English-Igbo Index. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998. Di Stefano, Anna and Batelli-Kneale, Tania. Oxford take off in Italian. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. Undergraduate Library http://www.library.uiuc.edu/ugl/ Modern Language Library http://www.library.uiuc.edu/mdx/ Champaign Public Library http://www.champaign.org/ Urbana Free Library http://urbanafreelibrary.org Center for African Studies http://www.afrst.uiuc.edu/ Summer Cooperative African Language Institute: http://scali.afrst.uiuc.edu/

Call Number :

496.33282421Ag5l1997 4960332321Ec43i

Location :

Date Answered :

9/13/2007

Question 5:

What does "horny" and "morning wood" mean in Latin?

Answer :

Dear Woody, Thanks for your question. Neither "horny" nor "morning wood" are Latin words, so they mean nothing in Latin. Did you want a translation of these words into Latin? "Morning" used as an adjective is "matutinus," while "wood," as a substance, is "lignum." "Horny" is "corneus." Good luck with your wooing! QB

Sources :

Simpson, D.P. Cassell's Latin Dictionary. Cassell & Company Limited, 1959.

Call Number :

473 C2721977

Location :

Undergrad Reference

Date Answered :

9/10/2007

Question 6:

Where can I get lyrics and music for Italian music?

Answer :

Dear Interested In Italian: QB is pleased to say that there are many ways to approach your question if you have no particular genre in mind. Judging from your inquiry, maybe you are not sure if it is Italian folk music you are looking for. Maybe you’re an opera singer and really want to hear Luciano Pavaroti’s posthumous work or discover a contemporary jazz musician. Or maybe it is your personal mission to track down some Italian liturgical music. No matter what your interests, you can see just how broad the topic of Italian music is. In the case that you’re open to the idea of serendipitous discovery, QB thinks that your first stop might be the University of Illinois Music Library Homepage—sort of your home base for information a la Italian music. This website is packed full of valuable information: you can make a note of that! You may just find exactly what you’re looking for at the Italian Music Homepage located at http://ospiti.cilea.it/music/entrance.htm, an impressive collection of Italian music resources in many formats. Here, you will find links to a detailed and impressive list of musicians, sound recordings of Italian jazz, blues, classical, Hebrew, rock and dance music, and even a repertoire of related information including Italian music magazines, live performances, and vocal pieces. If vocal music is your forte, you may be as thrilled as I was to discover the “Lied And Art Song Texts Page” that is also accessible from the Music Library homepage at: http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/. It was certainly music to my ears when I realized that you can even search over 19,800 vocal pieces with translations in—you guessed it—Italian (including many others!). In addition to the above mentioned resources, iTUnes (http://www.apple.com/itunes/), Rhapsody (http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html), and MP3.com (http://www.mp3.com/)are also convenient online resources that may accommodate you in your search; but keep in mind that some of these resources, such as Rhapsody, require a user account and a monthly access fee. Also, you may decide to browse the sound recordings at your friendly University Music library. Hopefully, QB’s suggestions have been key in helping you as begin your search! May you find harmony along your journey! QB has spoken and will now rest.

Sources :

Italy. Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense, Milano. “The Italian Music Homepage.”Feb. 2001. http://ospiti.cilea.it/music/entrance.htm iTunes. http://www.apple.com/itunes/ MP3.com. http://www.mp3.com/ Rhapsody. http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

9/6/2007

Question 7:

Where can I get lyrics and music for Italian music?

Answer :

Dear Interested In Italian: QB is pleased to say that there are many ways to approach your question if you have no particular genre in mind. Judging from your inquiry, maybe you are not sure if it is Italian folk music you are looking for. Maybe you’re an opera singer and really want to hear Luciano Pavaroti’s previous or posthumous work or discover a contemporary jazz musician. Or maybe it is your personal mission to track down some Italian liturgical music. No matter what your interests, you can see just how broad the topic of Italian music is. In the case that you’re open to the idea of serendipitous discovery, QB thinks that your first stop might be the University of Illinois Music Library Homepage—sort of your home base for information a la Italian music. This website is packed full of valuable information: you can make a note of that! You may just find exactly what you’re looking for at the Italian Music Homepage located at http://ospiti.cilea.it/music/entrance.htm, an impressive collection of Italian music resources in many formats. Here, you will find links to a detailed and impressive list of musicians, sound recordings of Italian jazz, blues, classical, Hebrew, rock and dance music, and even a repertoire of related information including Italian music magazines, live performances, and vocal pieces. If vocal music is your forte, you may be as thrilled as I was to discover the “Lied And Art Song Texts Page” that is also accessible from the Music Library homepage at: http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/. It was certainly music to my ears when I realized that you can even search over 19,800 vocal pieces with translations in—you guessed it—Italian (including many others!). In addition to the above mentioned resources, iTUnes (http://www.apple.com/itunes/), Rhapsody (http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html), and MP3.com (http://www.mp3.com/)are also convenient online resources that may accommodate you in your search; but keep in mind that some of these resources, such as Rhapsody, require a user account and a monthly access fee. Also, you may decide to browse the sound recordings at your friendly University Music library. Hopefully, QB’s suggestions have been key in helping you as begin your search! May you find harmony along your journey! QB has spoken and will now rest.

Sources :

Italy. Biblioteca Nazionale Braidense, Milano. “The Italian Music Homepage. Feb. 2001. http://ospiti.cilea.it/music/entrance.htm iTunes. http://www.apple.com/itunes/ MP3.com. http://www.mp3.com/ Rhapsody. http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

9/6/2007

Question 8:

Where can I get lyrics and music for Italian music? (Ode to Pavaroti)

Answer :

Dear Interested In Italian: QB is pleased to say that there are many ways to approach your question if you have no particular genre in mind. Judging from your inquiry, maybe you are not sure if it is Italian folk music you are looking for. Maybe you’re an opera singer and really want to hear Luciano Pavaroti’s previous or posthumous work or discover a contemporary jazz musician. Or maybe it is your personal mission to track down some Italian liturgical music. No matter what your interests, you can see just how broad the topic of Italian music is. In the case that you’re open to the idea of serendipitous discovery, QB thinks that your first stop might be the University of Illinois Music Library Homepage—sort of your home base for information a la Italian music. This website is packed full of valuable information: you can make a note of that! You may just find exactly what you’re looking for at the Italian Music Homepage located at http://ospiti.cilea.it/music/entrance.htm, an impressive collection of Italian music resources in many formats. Here, you will find links to a detailed and impressive list of musicians, sound recordings of Italian jazz, blues, classical, Hebrew, rock and dance music, and even a repertoire of related information including Italian music magazines, live performances, and vocal pieces. If vocal music is your forte, you may be as thrilled as I was to discover the “Lied And Art Song Texts Page” that is also accessible from the Music Library homepage at: http://www.recmusic.org/lieder/. It was certainly music to my ears when I realized that you can even search over 19,800 vocal pieces with translations in—you guessed it—Italian (including many others!). In addition to the above mentioned resources, iTUnes (http://www.apple.com/itunes/), Rhapsody (http://www.rhapsody.com/home.html), and MP3.com (http://www.mp3.com/)are also convenient online resources that may accommodate you in your search; but keep in mind that some of these resources, such as Rhapsody, require a user account and a monthly access fee. Also, you may decide to browse the sound recordings at your friendly University Music library. Hopefully, QB’s suggestions have been key in helping you as begin your search! May you find harmony along your journey! QB has spoken and will now rest.

Sources :

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

9/6/2007

Question 9:

What was the cause of death of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone?

Answer :

Thank you for your question. QB is always interested in mystery and intrigue. Adolphe Sax was born in the small town of Dinant, Belgium in 1814. His father was an artisan of brass and woodwind instruments. He was commissioned by King William I to make musical instruments for the Belgian army. As was common during this time, young Adolphe followed in his fathers footsteps as an accomplished instrument maker. At the age of 15 he entered two flutes and an ivory clarinet into an international competition which won him respect as an instrument maker. At age 20 he reinvented the bass-clarinet, which became a standard part of the woodwind group. In 1841 Sax moved to Paris, France and began working on a series of brass instruments the saxhorn, which was an improvement on the bugle which replace the keys with valves; the saxotromba a hybrid between a bugle and a trumpet; and the saxophone which was patented in 1846. He invented it for use in both orchestras and concert bands. He was praised by his contemporaries and decorated with prizes from many international competitions. He suggested to the French government that they incorporate his instruments into their military bands, thus eliminating the need for French horns and bassoons. After a competition in front of 20,000 people, his instruments were adopted for use in the French military bands However, rival instrument makers were jealous of his success and the business they were loosing to this young artist and thus attacked the legitimacy of Sax’s patents. They kept him wrapped up in a series of litigation for much of his lifetime. Sax was forced into bankruptcy twice in 1858 and 1871. He survived by teaching music lessons in Paris and selling his instrument. He was struck by lip cancer in 1853 but made a complete recovery. He died a poor man in Paris on February 4, 1894. The saxophone fell out of use after his death and did not become popular again until it was discovered by U.S. Jazz musicians in the 1920s. If you want more information on Adolphe Sax check out Adolphe Sax and his Saxophone by Léon Kochnitsky available in the UIUC Music Library.

Sources :

"Adolphe Sax." Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians®, Centennial Edition. Nicolas Slonimsky, Editor Emeritus. Schirmer, 2001. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2007. http://galenet.galegroup.com.proxy2.library.uiuc.edu/servlet/BioRC Sax, Adolphe [Antoine Joseph] (6 Nov. 1814, Dinant, Belgium - 4 Feb. 1894, Paris). (2003). In The Harvard Biographical Dictionary of Music. Retrieved September 04, 2007, from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/4373775

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

9/5/2007

Question 10:

What was Vachel Lindsay's impact on his audience when he performed his poems?

Answer :

Dear Poetry Fan, A natice of Springfield, Illinois, poet and artist Vachel Lindsay was apparently also quite a performer. He enjoyed immense popularity, in part due to his poetry readings, which various critics describe as "dramatic," "fiery," and "unforgettably impressive." As one eye-witness wrote, "he threw back his head, closed his eyes, and began to croon, chant, and proclaim." His aim was to return poetry to its vernacular roots, so he read in small villages across America, making several trips- on foot, no less- across the country to perform his verse. Catherine Seeyle calls him a poet out of place in his time: "a 20th century troubadour who toured the country reciting his poems to hugely enthusiastic audiences, a propagandist for America whose exhortations were clothed in bombast, naivete, sentimentality, and theatrics" ("Vachel Lindsay: Overview" in Literary Resource Center). How were his performances received? It sounds like people enjoyed him as entertainment, not as art. They were readily amused by his booming voice and wild gesticulations, but not taken in by his patriotism and pacifism ( see "Vachel Lindsay" in the Oxford Ency of American Lit). You can read more about him in the sources listed below, and you might also check out the UIUC English department's Modern American Poetry Site, which has a page on his performances: http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/lindsay/performer.htm

Sources :

Literature Resource Center MagillOnLiterature Plus JSTOR *Oxford Ency of American Literature

Call Number :

* Q810.3 Ox25 v.2

Location :

*Undergrad

Date Answered :

7/26/2007

Question 11:

I’m in a class and we’re learning a lot about Zeus. He had many extramarital relations outside of Hera. Do you think he had an STDs? Were they around back then? Were condoms available back then?

Answer :

Zeus certainly was active. He had at least five marriages -- to Metis, Themis, Mnemosyne, Hera (his sister) and Hebe (his daughter) -- and many extramarital relations. It is hard to give an exact number because there is some disagreement as to the paternity of some, but Zeus fathered at least 41 children. Zeus took many forms to seduce both goddesses and mortal women including appearing as himself, as one woman’s absent husband, as a mortal, as several different animals -- a bull, a cuckoo, a white swan, a satyr, and a white heifer -- and as different material forms -- a cloud, a flame, and a rock -- among others. Hypocritically Zeus did not condone such promiscuity or deception in his mates: he turned Callisto into a she-bear for her lack of chastity. Meanwhile, Hera, his most famous wife and the one he appeared to be married to the longest, was not oblivious to her husband’s affairs. She was jealous and spent much of her time punishing his mistresses and the children Zeus had fathered outside of their relationship. Hera and Zeus were thus often in conflict with each other and this antagonism created many of the ancient mythological stories we hear to this day. As a Greek God, Zeus did not have any STDs. As Greek Mythology dictates, Pandora (the first woman) opened a jar of diseases as a punishment to mortals from Zeus -- and therefore Zeus appeared to be immune. While Zeus seemed unconcerned about contracting illnesses, he may have been concerned about population control: one Homeric hymn implies that Zeus permitted the Trojan War because there were too many people. STDs in Ancient Greece Mythological stories reference what could be considered sexually transmitted diseases -- diseases that resulted after some debauchery, but there is no clear description of these encounters and if they were caused by sexual contact. The more common implication is that a disease was inflicted on those who upset the gods for amoral behavior -- a thought pattern that permeated society throughout the industrial revolution, and we still see evidence of it today. While AIDs was not discovered until the 20th century, herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea have plagued humans for much of written history. It is more difficult, however, to determine if these disease occurred back in Ancient Greece; we have little documentation and medicine was practiced differently. There is strong evidence, however, that herpes existed in Ancient Greece due to a very detailed description mentioned in the Hippocratic corpus and it. The description matches the shape of the herpes blisters and the times they flare up. The evidence for syphilis and gonorrhea is less certain. Some scientists believe, syphilis existed before humans did, the microbes forming a symbiotic relationship with humans, and was therefore in Ancient Greece. Others think the disease evolved over time and did exist in Ancient Greece, although perhaps not in a sexually transmittable form. However, syphilis leaves lesions on bone tissue and there has been no evidence from archeology and there are no written documents or oral traditions that indicate its existence at that time. Gonorrhea also has uncertain status in the ancient world. It doesn’t leave any evidence in the bone and it’s symptoms (urinary discomfort, joint aches, skin and eye problems) could be indicative of other diseases as well. There are clear descriptions of these symptoms in Ancient Greece but not necessarily concrete evidence that they are indeed Gonorrhea. Contraception in Ancient Greece There were many types of contraceptives used in Ancient Greece, but they were mostly topical or oral drugs designed to prevent (or abort) pregnancy, not prevent disease. For women, pomegranates were a widely used contraceptive as well as silphium, a tree grown in Cyrene. It does not seem to exist today, however, plants in related species have displayed effective contraceptive qualities in human and animal testing. For men, certain plants were used to prevent erections and to reduce sperm production -- recent tests show that many of these plants did have this effect. Barrier methods, such as condoms, were not used in Ancient Greece. Condoms, although of varying materials and varying rates of reliability for preventing pregnancy and STDs, have been in existence since 1350 B.C.E. in Egypt. These early condoms were most likely made of animal intestines. Linen condoms were described to be in use in the 1500s. The first vulcanized rubber condoms were produced in the 1840s. Originally these rubber condoms were made of crepe rubber. Since the 1930s they have been made of latex. In the 1950s and 1960s, antibiotics were found to cure most STDs (e.g. syphilis and gonorrhea) and the pill was used for contraception, therefore condom use declined until the 1980s when AIDS became an epidemic. While latex condoms are not 100% effective against AIDS, they are the best protection available, second only to abstinence. Lambskin and other natural fiber condoms can be effective at preventing pregnancy but do NOT prevent STDs. Those who are Greek Gods in the bedroom may be reminded that they do not have Zeus’s powers of disease and population control the morning after. Therefore, us mortals will have to rely on abstinence or safe sex to prevent STDs. McKinley Health Center and the Oasis in the basement of the Union both have stations where students can pick up free condoms and other contraceptive products. McKinley can also provide assistance for those who think they might be pregnant or might have an STD.

Sources :

Goddesses, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity Human Sexuality: An Encyclopedia, 306.703 H88 The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, Q 306.703 In8 Encyclopedia of Sex (Dr. Ruth), 306.703 En192 Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece, Q 938.003 En193 Encyclopedia of Greco-Roman Mythology, 292.1303 D645e Disease in the Ancient Greek World, 610.901 G889m:E

Call Number :

Sources on contraception in the 306.703 area Sources on Ancient Greece in the 938s Sources on Greek Mythology in the 292s Sources on the history of medice and disease in the 610s See detailed call numbers for each source above.

Location :

Goddess, Whores, Wives, and Slaves: Women in Classical Antiquity, full text online (see the online catalogue) Disease in the Ancient Greek World found in the History Philosophy Newspaper Library All others in the Undergrad Library Reference Collection

Date Answered :

7/12/2007

Question 12:

What was Vachel Lindsay's impact on his audience when he performed his poems?

Answer :

Dear Poetry Fan, A native of Springfield, Illinois, poet and artist Vachel Lindsay was apparently also quite a performer. He enjoyed immense popularity, in part due to his poetry readings, which various critics describe as "dramatic," "fiery," and "unforgettably impressive." As one eye-witness wrote, "he threw back his head, closed his eyes, and began to croon, chant, and proclaim." His aim was to return poetry to its vernacular roots, so he read in small villages across America, making several trips, on foot, no less, across the country to perform his verse. Catherine Seeyle calls him a poet out of place in his time: "a 20th-century troubadour who toured the country reciting his poems to hugely enthusiastic audiences, a propagandist for America whose exhortations were clothed in bombast, naivete, sentimentality, and theatrics" ("Vachel Lindsay: Overview" in Literary Resource Center). How were his performances received? It sounds like people enjoyed him as entertainment, not as art. They were readily amused by his booming voice and wild gesticulations, but not taken in by his patriotism and pacifism (see "Vachel Lindsay" in the Oxford Ency of American Lit). You can read more about him in the sources listed below, and you might also check out the UIUC English department’s Modern American Poetry Site, which has a page on his performances: http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/lindsay/performer.htm

Sources :

Literature Resource Center MagillOnLiterature Plus JSTOR Oxford Ency of American Literature

Call Number :

Q810.3 Ox25 v.2

Location :

Undergraduate Reference Collection UIUC Online Databases

Date Answered :

6/4/2007

Question 13:

When did "emo" come into existence? Is it even a real musical genre? Or is it just a term to describe sad people? (p.s. I am not emo.)

Answer :

Thanks for asking sk8r boi, The first time Emo appears in the title of a Rolling Stone article is 2002: "The Getup Kid’s Emo Americana." A 2003 review of "Nothing Feels Good: Punk Rock, Teenagers and Emo" in Rolling Stone by reviewer Kirk Miller describes the attributes of Emo: "Chris Carrabba is open, expressive, conflicted and brilliant -- everything Emo is supposed to be about." Sadly, and depressingly, that was about the high point for emo music, as it is now a fairly pejorative term. A 2006 quote box, "Who hates emo most?" (12/28/2006) from Rolling Stone features various quotes of famous artists whose distaste/hatred for Emo is unquenchable. Using the old librarian workhorse, _The Oxford English Dictionary_, I search the term "Emo" and find it first used as the term "emo-core," defined thusly: "A style of popular music originating in the United States in the mid 1980s, derived from hardcore punk music and characterized by emotional, usually introspective lyrics. Also: the subculture or style associated with this music." The etymology of the word emo is definitively stated as originating from the word emotional. Curiously, the word is fist found in text format from a 1992 usenet posting: "1992 Fugazi's Members' Old Bands & Crap in alt.music.alternative (Usenet newsgroup) 12 May, This is such a wonderful band one of the originators of the ‘emo-core’ sound. Brendan was rumored to break into tears on stage as he sang." (Usenet: (as defined by _the Oxford English Dictionary_) A communication system that enables users to subscribe to newsgroups on the Internet or other networks; these newsgroups (and their members) collectively. Initiated in 1979, as a Unix-based system, at Duke University, N. Carolina.) There is a cross listing in this dictionary then to an entry for emo which is described as the shortened word for emo-core. The first textual accounting was also from a usenet group: "1993 Champaign Hardcore. What?!? in alt.music.hardcore (Usenet newsgroup) 9 Dec., Check the latest MRR concerning their new album. Great emo from Indiana." To recap: Emo was first emo-core and very underground, followed by popularity and overexposure, and now it now wanes in popularity and draws criticism and ire for percieved non-toughness. Apparently the measure of "cool" and "with-it" in the middle-late 00’s is acting really, really, tough and satanic and ironic or something... Peace man, QB

Sources :

Emo, Emocore, Usenet. Oxford English Dictionary Online. (Accessed through Online Reference Collection: (http://www.library.uiuc.edu/rex/erefs/)) Edwards, G. (2002). The get up kid's emo americana. Rolling Stone, (90), 38. Miller, K. (2003). Nothing feels good: Punk rock, teenager and emo (book). Rolling Stone, (93), 110-110. Who hates emo most?(2006). Rolling Stone, (1016), 67-67.

Call Number :

Location :

Date Answered :

3/30/2007

Question 14:

What Roman presented a treatise that philosophically pointed to the existence of God monotheistically?

Answer :

Dear Roman-lover, I had the notion that whoever this person was, it might possibly be a stoic. I got the notion by searching the Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2006) index for Roman Philosophy. I rounded up the following suspects: Cicero, Marcus Tullius, Lucretius, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, and the school of Stoicism. Stoicism seemed as good a bet as any. (That is right, I guessed, in an educated manner...) The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy describes Stoicism as having made proofs regarding the existence of God. In addition: 'The capstone of Stoic philosophy was an ethic of the consolations of identification with the impartial, inevitable, moral order of the universe. It is an ethic of self-sufficient, benevolent calm, with the virtuous peace of the wise man rendering him indifferent to poverty, pain, and death, so resembling the spiritual peace of God.' I wondered if I could locate find a stoic who wrote a treatise on the existence of god. I searched JSTOR (one of the sweetest databases I know of) and found in the article 'Seneca’s Idea of God' the following quote: 'It is evident that he maintained firmly the Stoic doctrine of the absolute identity of God and the universe. Seneca’s God was neither spirit only nor matter only, but possessed all the attributes of both.' Furthermore, Henry Burton concludes his essay on Seneca’s philosophy thusly: 'As a philosophic and scientific thinker he ascribed to God oneness with all that exists, eternity and infinity, rationality and supremacy, uniform and purposive activity; his lofty ideals of character and conduct lead him to endow God with every moral perfection; while with religious faith he looked up to him as the father of men in devout submission to his wise and perfect will.' Sounds pretty gosh darned monotheistic to me!

Sources :

1) Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Index of 'Roman Philosophy' 2) The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy 'Stoicism' 3)Burton, H. F. (1909). Seneca's idea of god. The American Journal of Theology, 13(3), 350-369.

Call Number :

1) Q103 En192 2006

Location :

1) Undergrad Reference 2)http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t98.e2255 3)JSTOR

Date Answered :

3/3/2007

Question 15:

I wonder the letter "W" as it is know, it is read as a "double-u." Actually, it is combined with "double v," not "double u." Even though it's "double-v", why it's called "double-u (you)". (u= letter "u", v= letter "v") Thank you. Nurettin

Answer :

Dear Nurettin, "W" [pronounced ‘double-you’] is the 23rd letter of the modern Roman alphabet, which is used for English. Originally the Romans had no letter that represented the phoneme /w/, which was represented in Old English. (Old English can be considered the earliest stage of the present English language.) Therefore, in the 7th century Roman scribes wrote uu for /w/. In the 8th century, uu was adopted for the sound /w/ in continental Europe. Then in 1066, English adopted the sound in the written form that we see today w (which looks more like 2 v’s). Some early printers sometimes used vv because they did not have the letter w in their typesets. Therefore, the English pronounciation of double-u, for what looks like a double v is to represent the former identity of the u and the v. Spanish joins English in pronouncing "w" doble u and French actually does call "w" double-v. -QB

Sources :

"W" Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. Ed. Tom McArthur. Oxford University Press, 1998. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign. 26 January 2007 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t29.e1293 "OLD ENGLISH1 " Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. Ed. Tom McArthur. Oxford University Press, 1998. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign. 26 January 2007 http://www.oxfordreference.com/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t29.e878

Call Number :

Location :

Oxford Reference Online, English Language Reference

Date Answered :

1/31/2007

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