It's been raining ever so heavily for the last few weeks, and that has no doubt cast a gloom over many. Instead of trying to repel the cheerlessness, why not indulge in abit of "bleak lit"?

Take advantage of the grey, overcast skies and cold weather to snuggle up with one of Literature's favourite gothic horror maestros...Edgar Allan Poe.

Poe is an American writer and critic who is credited with refining the short story form and inventing the modern detective story, Poe has been denied the full respect due his accomplishments. The details of his life, rife with reports of gambling, drinking, addiction to opiates, and other profligate behavior, combined with his marriage to a 13-year-old cousin, have overshadowed his achievements, which include the publication of more than 350 poems, short stories, and critical reviews and essays, and his influence in creating a uniquely American form of literature, as well as his continuing influence on contemporary literature and culture.

Poe was born on January 19, 1809, Poe served two years in the army, with little hope of financial support from Allan, Poe worked to be expelled, and succeeded. After he left, he began his publishing efforts in earnest. His immediate literary influence was George Gordon, Lord Byron (1788–1824), whom he had emulated in wearing primarily black clothing and in his predilection toward melancholy subjects. Poe admired Byron both for his poetry and his rebelliousness. The influence of the Byronic personality and attitudes on Poe's work is found in his manner of dressing in dramatic black, as well as in letters, poems, and several tales. A few Poe characters are thinly veiled examples of the Byronic physiognomy and personality, most apparently in "The Assignation."

Check out today's featured eBook, an audio version, Classic Poe. This is an unabridged collection of some of his best works. This eBook is found in Overdrive, an eResource available for free through the NLB webpage, explore the thousands of other titles found here.

For lit buffs out there, be sure to check out Bloom's Literary Reference Online for a massive range of literary criticism essays by Poe and on Poe like this article by John Macinnon Robertson found here

Image reference: Taken from the image cover of "Classic Poe", Overdrive

Text reference:Critical Companion to Edgar Allan Poe. A Literary Reference to His Life and Work., Critical Companion. Bloom's Literary Reference Online

Posted by digitalk team at 04:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"I know I can be diva-ish sometimes, but I have to be in control. The nature of my life, the nature of what I do, is divadom, it really is.”

- Mariah Carey, Singer

Know by many as the Princess of Pop, Mariah Carey was born on the 27th March 1970, Huntingdon, New York and was raised there as well. She moved to the city immediately after graduating from high school and soon began writing songs with keyboard-player Ben Margulies. After appearing as a backing singer on a Brenda K. Starr record, she drew the attention of Tommy Mottola, the head of Columbia Records and subsequently head of Sony Music US whom she got married to eventually.

After marrying Mottola in a star-studded ceremony, Carey released her biggest-selling album to date, Music Box (1993)*, and had two further Number One singles, 'Hero' and 'Dreamlover'. Preceded by the festive hit 'All I Want for Christmas Is You' (1994), Daydream (1995) saw the singer begin to move away from pure pop and her worldwide audience grows. 'Fantasy' was only the second single to début at Number One in the US chart, while 'One Sweet Day', a duet with Boyz II Men, held on to the top spot for a record sixteen weeks, after which Carey began a lengthy world tour.

After her divorce from Mottola in 1997, her recordings took on a more soulful tinge. Butterfly* (1997), which was co-produced by Sean Puffy Combs, included the US chart-topper 'Honey'. In 1998 she recorded 'When You Believe', a duet with Whitney Houston, for the Prince of Egypt soundtrack and released #1's*, which collected together her thirteen US chart-toppers. In 1999 she released the hugely successful Rainbow.

Mariah Carey turns 38 today!

NLB has a wide range of e-Databases on Arts where you could read more about Mariah Carey!

Text Reference: Mariah Carey. (2001). In The Faber Companion to 20th Century Popular Music. Retrieved March 27, 2008, from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/4411898

Image Reference: Publico,27 Mar 2008,Portugal,Portuguese,Page: 56, Library.PressDisplay

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How much of our lives are determined by the people around us? More specifically, the people close to us.

No. Wait. Let me say that again. How much of our lives are determined by the people closest to us?

Not the people we're 'obligated', for lack of a better word, to be with (like our parents), but the people we choose especially to be close to.

Well, digging through our glorious collection of online journals (we've got a spanking collection, trust me) we found an interesting sociological article on the influence best friends and girl friends can have on a male adolescent's career aspirations and achievements, and whether this influence, 'encouragement' as they call it in the article is of the same nature as that of our parents.

This article makes for an interesting and thought-provoking read whose implications are far reaching.

But if you don't have the time for all that sociological jargon and statistics, we'll sum it up to you in a sentence: Sometimes our choices in life come back to nip us in the butt. Who we choose to trust and befriend determines how we choose.

Read the article at JSTOR which showcases a huge variety of scholarly journals on a whole plethora of subjects from folklore and philosophy to science.

Image reference: Photo taken by Yvan Cohen, 24 March 2007, Bangkok, Thailand. OnAsia

Posted by digitalk team at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"My travels led me to where I am today. Sometimes these steps have felt painful, difficult, but led me to greater happiness and opportunities.”

- Diana Ross, Singer cum Actress

Originally lead singer with the Supremes, Ross became the leading female black pop singer of the seventies, starring in films and cabaret as well as appearing regularly in the charts.

With the highly successful trio billed as Diana Ross and the Supremes by 1967, Motown Records founder Berry Gordy had already put the spotlight on the lead singer before the group disbanded at the end of 1969. Ross's first eponymous solo album (1970) was produced by Ashford and Simpson and included a Top Twenty hit in the lilting 'Reach out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)'. The singer's penchant for melodrama was given full rein on 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough', an American No. 1, previously recorded by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Ashford and Simpson provided a further Top Twenty hit in 'Remember Me' (1971) while 'I'm Still Waiting' was a British No. 1.

Today is the 64th Birthday of Diana Ross and let's all wish her a Happy Birthday!

NLB has a wide range of e-Databases on Arts where you could read more about Diana Ross!

Text Reference: Diana Ross. (2001). In The Faber Companion to 20th Century Popular Music. Retrieved March 26, 2008, from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/4413175

Image Reference: Decker, Ed and Ken Burke. "Ross, Diana." Contemporary Musicians. Ed. Angela Pilchak. Vol. 48. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 145-149. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. National Library Board Singapore. 26 Mar. 2008 .

Posted by digitalk team at 03:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Long hair minimizes the need for Barbers... "
-Albert Einstein

Science geeks know that hair is dead, so its a miracle that it supports thriving multi-billion dollar industries. The hair indeed is mighty.

TopNews Health did a survey that showed that altogether the women in Britain spent a whopping 27,722 pounds on hair-care products each year! Whichever way you put it, that's sky high. But there's no need to fret because there are much cheaper and more natural alternatives that can take your hair from dull to bling!

Since hair is dead, most of its nourishment does not come from within. Eating foods rich in Vitamin E (like almonds and other nuts) are great for maintaining the sheen of your hair, but this is not enough. Just like how the skin (by the way the uppermost layer of your skin is dead too!) needs a periodical dosage of moisturizing cream so does your hair. Conditioners can do the trick, but fantastic ones can be way too expensive while the more commercial kinds can contain too high a percentage of petroleum oils (think glycerine and propyl glycol) that make hair limp and lethargic.

One great way to get the gloss back into your hair is to try this great homemade hair mask:

Mix 2 whole eggs with four tablespoons of olive oil, work it into your hair concentrating on the ends Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes before rinsing. To increase the luxury factor add a few drops of your favourite essential oils. Tea tree and eucalyptus are great for itchy, oily or flaky scalps while rose and patchouli are extra moisturizing. Pull on a shower cap d leave in hair for 10 minutes or leave it on overnight for a more intensive treatment. Rinse well afterwards.

The protein in the egg is what does the trick. Proteins, in general are necessary for building cells and tissues in the body. The body uses protein as an essential ingredient in a wide range of body substances: hair, nails, skin, bones, blood, muscle, hormones, and enzymes. To create such a wide variety of substances, the body needs a variety of protein components called amino acids.

Olive oil too is a great way to get moisture back into hair, especially for those with frizzy fly-aways and split ends. Though inexpensive its one that many can swear by. Try it today.

Image reference: Cover Illustration from Elaine Neil's article "My Life With Hair", The Missouri Review - Volume 30, Number 4, 2007, pp. 8-22 - Article. Available online on Project Muse Scholarly Journals Online

Herald Sun, Australia, 18 March 2008, Library PressDisplay

Text reference: Gebo, Sue. "Nutrition." New Book of Popular Science. Grolier Online

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With fruits it seems, one can always judge by the way it looks if its worth one's try eating it. Today we introduce the lovely pomegrante with its ruby-crystal seeds.

Eating this fruit may be a pain but so are false eyelashes, yet polished divas don't ditch the falsies. The same goes for this amazing fruit that will do wonders for more than just your skin. Better still, technology has made it so much easier for the masses to consume this great fruit by extracting its juice (the stuff we really want) for us with no added preservatives or sugar. The good advice, as has been for ages still stands, the best way to eat your veggies and fruits is RAW, nothing is best than savouring the fruit just as it is.

The pomegeranate is abundant in Vitamin C and Potassium, the source of this--those ruby crystals, the jelly like seeds. One fresh pomegranate has 9 mg vitamin C and 399 mg potassium: 80 percent the potassium in one cup of fresh orange juice. Pomegranates aid in Potassium replacement. Because potassium is excreted in urine, potassium-rich foods are often recommended for people who are taking diuretic drugs (we don't even need to look at pharmeceutical drugs, alcohol and the caffeine in coffee are diuretics). Pomegranates also promote a lower risk of stroke by helping to lower blood pressure. According to data from the Harvard University Health Professionals Study, a long-running survey of male doctors, a diet rich in high-potassium foods such as bananas (these can be high in calories) may also reduce the risk of stroke. The men who ate the most potassium-rich foods had 38 percent fewer strokes than men who ate the least (less than 4 servings a day).

Want some tips on picking a nice juicy pomegranate? Choose one that feels heavy for its size, this means that it's most likely full of juice. Also, the rind should be bright red, so avoid those with pale skin that looks wrinkled or dry.

For a healthy heart, add Pomegranate on your list of healthy foods!

NLB provides a whole range of eDatabases on Health and Medicine

Image reference: Gulf News, UAE, 18th March 2008, Library PressDisplay

Text reference:Rinzler, Carol Ann. "pomegranates." The New Complete Book of Food. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 1999. (Updated 2004.) Health Reference Center. Facts On File, Inc. Health Reference Center

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"But wherefore could not I pronounce 'Amen'?
I had most need of blessing, and 'Amen'
Stuck in my throat."

Macbeth, Act 2, Scene 2

This symbolises the great guilt that Macbeth feels as he has alienated himself from God, even though he needed to be blessed by God.

Creation of Macbeth:

Painting of Macbeth and the Three Witches

One of Shakespeare's later tragedies, Macbeth was probably written in 1606, the year after the Gunpowder Plot (a failed attempt to blow up Parliament and with it King James I of England), and so would have been especially relevant to contemporary audiences. The play is recorded as being performed at the Globe Theatre in 1611, although it is probable that it was first performed sometime before then. It was not published until the First Folio of 1623. As a play about Scottish kingship, it may have been written to please King James who was also James VI of Scotland, and who claimed Duncan as one of his ancestors. James was particularly interested in the evils of witchcraft and himself author of a work on demonology. He was also patron of Shakespeare's company of actors the King's Men.

The principal source for the play was Holinshed's Chronicles and the character of Macbeth was based on a historical figure, the King of Scotland from 1040 to 1057. Like Shakespeare's creation, the real Macbeth seized the crown after murdering Duncan whose family made several unsuccessful attempts to regain the thrown. The play explores themes of evil and witchcraft, suspicion and mistrust, and the supernatural; set in 11th century Scotland, the action is fast-moving and many of the scenes take place in the dark of night. Macbeth is sometimes known as the Scottish play, especially by members of the theatrical profession. The play has traditionally been associated with bad luck, and there is a superstition in the theatre that mentioning its real name will bring misfortune.

NLB provides a whole range of eDatabases on Language and Literature

Image Reference: Macbeth and the Three Witches, 1855 (oil on canvas). (2003). In The Bridgeman Art Library Archive. Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/3323465 Credo Reference Language

Text Reference: Macbeth. (2000). In Dictionary of Shakespeare, Peter Collin Publishing. Retrieved March 19, 2008, from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/1058950Macbeth. Credo Reference Language

Posted by digitalk team at 04:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There's been a sudden hype in recent months about the value of food we eat.

With so much to choose from it's no wonder we all have to be selective about the stuff we're putting into our bodies. Does pomegranate juice contain as much Vitamin C as manufacturers claim it to have? Are carrots really good for the eyes? What's so fantastic about Cranberries? Does drinking water promote great looking skin? This week digitalk brings you the truth about some of the foods that have been hailed as having exceptional health benefits straight from some of the world's leading scientific and health journals found right here in our eResources. We'll let you decide what's good and what's grot...or maybe simply just not worth a taste at all.

First up today: The tomato.

Tomatoes are generally thought to be good for the skin, but it has other important health giving properties as well. The hot stuff which puts tomatoes in the spotlight is called Lycopene.

Lycopene is a major and very important antioxidant component because of its ability to reduce reactive oxygen species called free radicals that contribute to the natural 'death' of cells allowing newer cells to be produced. Overtime however as free radicals are accumulated in the body, aging becomes more pronounced. That's easy to understand. We're all familiar with aging, wrinkles, crow feet, laugh lines and sagging skin. More than that however free radical damage within cells has been linked to a range of disorders including cancer, arthritis, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetes.

Most of the studies undertaken were to determine the usefulness of lycopene against cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Epidemiological (that's science speak for the branch of medicine dealing with the incidence and prevalence of disease in large populations) studies, however, yielded conflicting results. This study was undertaken to compare cardioprotective abilities of tomato juice and lycopene. Rats were forced fed (tomatoes aren't really a rat's cup of tea don't you agree?) either tomato juice or lycopene for 3 weeks and showed considerable improvements in cardiovascular performance. Other animal studies also suggest that diets containing tomatoes may decrease the risk or the progression of prostate cancer.

The lycopene in tomatoes are a wonderful protection against the harmful UV rays of the sun too. If you have sun-sensitive skin which reddens easily under moderate to strong sunlight, eat your tomatoes. The red fruit has been proven to, within a matter of a week, improve the condition of sensitive skin making it more resistant to the reddening effects of the sun's rays, and trust me, it also means that your skin stays younger-looking longer. This doesn't mean going out without a good dose of sunblock though!

Tomatoes are indeed an essential in your everyday diet. Tomato juice, puree, or just a plain old tomato salad can do it for you daily.

For more on healthy eating, check out our eBook What to Eat: Ten Things You Really Need to Knowto Eat Well and Be Healthy. To explore other eBooks you can go to our website and click on 'eResources'.

Image reference: Saturday Magazine, Ireland, 15 March 2008,Library PressDisplay

Text reference: The Tomato as a Functional Food, Journal of Nutrition, May2005, Vol. 135 Issue 5, p1226-1230, EBSCOhost

Posted by digitalk team at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Smoking is addictive. Find out how to beat the cig with these Health and Medicine collections. Some argue that addictions from cigarrettes to tobacco go beyond peer pressure or depression. Interestingly, there are psychological reasons too.

Here are our top picks on the subject:

1) Relighting Cigarettes, How Common Is It?
By: Cunningham John. A

Abstract:
In a representative sample of 434 daily smokers, half reported that they relight cigarettes at least some of the time. Relighting cigarettes was positively associated with severity of smoking addiction, as well as with being female, with markers of lower socioeconomic status (income, employment status), and with having less education. Smokers contemplating change were less likely to relight cigarettes. Given that previous research has indicated that relighting cigarettes leads to increased harm, the public health implications of this smoking practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taken from: EBSCO HOST Academic Search Premier.
For other titles like it, click here

2) Smoking Behaviour

Psychological interventions for quitting smoking include psychoeducation (information about smoking and health, quit strategies, and group discussion), behavioral skill training (monitoring situations, practicing cigarette-refusal skills, and relaxation techniques), and cognitive exercises such as reframing thoughts about smoking and smoking situations.

The most common pharmacological treatment used for nicotine addiction is nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). NRT involves administration of nicotine in various forms, including a skin patch, a nasal spray, an oral inhaler, and a chewing gum. These medicinal forms of nicotine prevent symptoms of nicotine withdrawal without inducing the reinforcing effects of smoking. Long-term (6-12 months) abstinence rates for treatment with NRT alone are about 20-25%. Higher abstinence rates may occur when several NRT methods are used together (e.g., patch and gum). Combined with behavioral therapy, long-term abstinence rates may be up to 35-40%.

Excerpt taken from:
The Concise Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioural Science
A branch of NLB Credo Reference Library