Ask LCC

The first graduate in AgBiotechnology is Tammy Baysden. She graduated December 2007. She is currently working for Cunningham Station, a Division of NCSU.

A degree in Agriculture Biotechnology can lead in many directions in life. The salary for a 2-year degree depends on the employer. I know of one employer who hires at $25 + an hour for a 2-year degree in Ag Biotech.

If you would like to know more information, please feel free to contact Lenoir Community College’s Biotechnology Programs.

Lisa Pitman Boyd
Biology Instructor

The oldest known printed book is the Diamond Sutra, which bears the date 868 AD, was found in a walled-up cave in Dunhuang, north-west China, in 1907, along with other printed items. It consists of a scroll of grey paper printed with Chinese characters, wrapped around a wooden pole.
(http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/themes/landmarks/diamondsutra.html)  Visit this website for more info.

- Katherine Clower

Librarian/ Coordinator of Library Services

Learning Resources Center

From: Chris Sullivan
What book has sold the most copies in the last 100 years.

Various sources state that the Bible holds the record for most sales in the past 100 years.  The Koran follows a close second.  Both are not copyrighted.  The Guinness World Records 2007 website

(http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/arts_and_media/books_and_magazines/best_selling_copyright_book.aspx) states that the most sold copyrighted book is the Guinness World Records which celebrated the publication of its 100 millionth copy in 2003. Guinness World Records 2007 also states that it’s record breaking sales are followed by “the five Harry Potter books to date which have sold over 100 million copies, and Mao Tse-Tung’s Little Red Book which has sold or been given away to around 900 million.”

Records for sales are submitted by publishing companies and are not required to be reported to or monitored by any one source, making accuracy an impossibility.

- Katherine Clowers

Librarian/ Coordinator of Library Services

Learning Resources Center

Sunni-Shi’ite (aka Shia) split originated over who would be the successor (caliph) to the prophet Muhammed upon his death in 632. Shias believe the caliph must be a blood relative/descendant of Muhammed. They do not accept the first three caliphs, none of whom were blood relatives of the prophet. For them, Ali, the fourth caliph, was Muhammed’s cousin and son-in-law.

- Ken Tyndall, History Instructor

The most spectacular things in the sky for the next few days are 3 of the planets.  In the evening, if you look to the eastern sky after 8:45 pm you will see Mars rising.  It will be relatively bright and will be in the constellation Gemini with a slightly red/orange hue.
As the night progresses it will cross the night’s sky and set in the west after sunrise.
In the morning hours again look to the east.  Saturn will be rising about 1am in the constellation Leo.  Just prior to sunrise Venus will be the brightest object in the sky.  At morning twilight if you look to just above where the Sun is about to rise you can’t miss it.  Saturn will be less bright but will be on a line with the Sun about 20 degrees higher than Venus.  It will be brighter than most of the stars and will have a yellowish hue.

- George Davis, Physics/Astronomy Instructor

Earthworks still survive from the Battle of Wyse Fork. They lie next to the railroad tracks within the core area of the Wyse Fork Battlefield which the Historical Preservation group is working hard to preserve.

Several structures used during the Civil War still survive here in Kinston and the surrounding area.
The Caswell Street Methodist Church on the corner of Independence and Caswell Streets was used as a field hospital by the Confederates during the Civil War.

The Beauregard-Nunn located at 210 East Blount Street  was used as headquarters for Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard during the Civil War.

The Cobb-King Humphrey house in the Wyse Fork vicinity was used by Union troops during the Civil War.

Confederate Generals Bragg and Hoke used a house at the intersection of Neuse Road and Highway 70 East as their headquarters (no longer standing)

According to local tradition the Peebles House also known as Harmony Hall was used as a field hospital during the Civil War.

- Coastal Plain and Fancy published 1998.

Rose Sullivan, Learning Resources Center

 I’m not talking about “oldest” in terms of construction, but the route that has survived the longest.

Of course the first road before manmade roads was the Neuse River but the oldest surviving road is a “road that begins at Kinston and goes to Greene County by way of Wheat Swamp”. It was General Hull’s trail in the War of 1812.

- History of Kinston and Lenoir County published 1936

- Rose Sullivan, Learning Resources Center

I watch some NASCAR races on television and see flames shooting out of the exhaust pipes when the cars enter a turn. What’s the cause of that?

NASCAR engines are carbureted rather than fuel injected. On a carbureted engine, there is unburned fuel in the exhaust during deceleration that is ignited by the heat of the exhaust. You don’t see this on passenger cars because the muffler also acts as a sort of flame arrester, but sometimes you might hear an audible “backfire,” which is from the same cause.

- W. Chris Jenkins
Program Head of  Automotive Systems Technology and
Occupational Education Associate’s Degree Program

Which is safer - tap water or bottled water?

- Tap water and bottled water are both safe; however, tap water has a chemical called chlorine in it and chlorine is a disinfectant that kills bacteria. Bottled water won’t hurt you because of the legitimate manufacturers today; however, bottled water is not subject to the same regulations as tap water.

- Pete Onidi

Program Head, Environmental Science/Water Resources Management

How did Lenoir County get formed, when and who is it named for?

Lenoir County was formed in 1792 when Dobbs County was abolished and divided in two (Glasglow and Lenoir).  The decision to abolish Dobbs was political.  After the Revolutionary War the newly labeled “Americans” had a strong desire to disassociate from anything English.   Dobb’s County had been named after a royal governor, Arthur Dobbs, and the now independent area did not want the Tory stigma. Corruption and lawlessness had also grown in Dobb’s County and administering justice was difficult due to the ruralness and size of  the area..  Thus Dobbs was abolished on January 21, 1792 and divided into Lenoir and Glascow Counties. Kingston became Kinston, the Lenoir County Seat.  Lenoir County was named after the revolutionary patriot General William Lenoir.  He served as Major General of the Militia for 18 years after the war, both houses of the Assembly, and was a member of the convention of 1789 which adopted the Federal Constitution.  General Lenoir was an original trustee of the University of North Carolina and president of the UNC Board. Known for his good health, he was active in politics and traveled extensively until his death on May 6,1829 at the age of 88.

- Kat Clowers

Coordinator of Library Services

Learning Resources Center