What is the World’s longest commercial flight?

Flying 9,535 miles, for a total duration of 18 hours and 50 minutes, the longest non-stop flight is from Newark, New Jersey to Singapore. Singapore Airlines flight SQ21 carries up to 100 business class passengers across 12 time zones. This title will soon change as this flight will be cancelled, as it proved to be too costly.  When the flight from New Jersey to Singapore ends in November 2013, the new record for longest flight will be Qanta’s service from Dallas to Sydney totaling 8,576 miles or 15 hours and 25 minutes. 

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2012/05/19/worlds-longest-flights/

What is National Library Workers Day?

National Library Workers Day or NLWD is a day for library staff, users, administrators and Friends groups to recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers. This year NLWD is on April 16, 2013 which also coincides with National Library Week which is April 14-20.          

Visit our website http://69.16.205.74/ for more information on library programs and services!                      

How did April Fool’s Day originate?

The history of April Fool's Day  is not totally clear. Most people identify the beginning of April Fool's Day to be 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the New Year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. When the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, New Year's Day was moved to January 1.

Since the news traveled by foot, many people did not receive this news for several years. Others refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1. These folk were labeled "fools" by the public. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of practical jokes. This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. It spread around the world and April Fools' Day became an international fun fest.

Source: http://southeast.patch.com/articles/april-fools-day-how-did-it-start-554e2518

Why is the bunny a symbol of Easter?

While there is no mention of a bunny in the Bible, the Eater Bunny has become a symbol of Christianity’s most important holiday. The exact origins of the Easter Bunny are unclear, but rabbits are an ancient symbol of fertility and new life. According to some sources, the Easter bunny first arrived in America in the 1700s with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania and transported their tradition of an egg-laying hare. Their children made nests in which this creature could lay its colored eggs. Eventually, the custom spread across the U.S. and the fabled rabbit's Easter morning deliveries expanded to include chocolate and other types of candy and gifts, while decorated baskets replaced nests.

Source: http://www.history.com/topics/easter-symbols

When was the first Saint Patrick’s Day parade?

The first parade held in honor of Saint Patrick took place not in Ireland, but in the United States, on March 17, 1762. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as with fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.

Source: http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day

* You can see the West Warwick Public Library in the 54^th Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in West Warwick on Sunday, March 17. The parade begins at 1 p.m. at the intersection of 117 and Washington Street, and continues on to Main Street.  

Why are the Academy Awards also called the Oscars?

Officially named the Academy Award of Merit, the statuette is better known by its nickname, Oscar. While the origins of the nickname aren’t clear, a popular story has it that upon seeing the trophy for the first time, Academy librarian Margaret Herrick remarked that it resembled her Uncle Oscar.

             The Academy didn’t adopt the nickname officially until 1939, but it was widely known enough by 1934 that Hollywood columnist Sidney Skolsky used it in a piece referring to Katharine Hepburn’s first Best Actress win.

Source: http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/about/awards/oscar.html

What is the most popular major in college?

According to the Princeton Review, Business Administration and Management/ Commerce is the top major.  Rounding out the top five college majors are psychology, nursing, biology, and education. 

For the complete top 10 list visit: http://www.princetonreview.com/college/top-ten-majors.aspx

How is the wind chill calculated?

 

Wind chill is the felt air temperature on exposed skin due to the wind. Wind chill is calculated by the formula Wind Chill = 35.74 + 0.6215T "“35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16), where T stands for temperature and V is wind speed in miles per hour.

For more on how the wind chill is calculated visit:  http://mentalfloss.com/article/26730/how-wind-chill-calculated

Why is the Presidential Inauguration on January 21st?

 The 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which changed the beginning of a Presidential term from March 4 to January 20, was ratified in 1933, and took effect for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s second term in 1937.

Inauguration Day, normally on January 20, falls on a Sunday this year. Only six times in the nation's history has the constitutionally-mandated date for a Presidential Inauguration fallen on a Sunday. January 20, 2013 will be the seventh time, and following historical precedent, the public ceremony will be held at the U.S. Capitol on Monday, January 21, 2013. In a tradition that dates back to 1917, the White House will likely arrange a private swearing in before noon on January 20, 2013.

Source: http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/about/jan-21

When did Kwanzaa first become a holiday?

Kwanzaa, celebrated from December 26 until January 1, was created in 1966 by Maulana Karenga. He created Kwanzaa as the first specifically African American holiday.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa

What is the best selling Christmas Album of all time?

Elvis Presely’s holiday album Elvis’ Christmas Album is widely considered to be the most popular Christmas album of all time. Originally released in 1957, it has sold more than 12 million copies, allowing it to beat out Kenny G's 1994 smash Miracles-A Holiday Album.

Presley's album logged three weeks at #1 in December 1957, before surrendering the top spot to Bing Crosby's holiday classic Merry Christmas.

To see the top 40 most popular Christmas albums of all time visit: http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/chart-watch-extra-the-top-40-christmas-albums.html

What was the lowest temperature ever recorded in Rhode Island?

The lowest temperature in Rhode Island, -26˚F was recorded on February 5, 1996 in Greene. 

Source: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/wcstates.htm

 

Why are winter storms now being named?

During the upcoming 2012-13 winter season The Weather Channel will name noteworthy winter storms. Their goal is that by naming a storm it will bring more awareness to the storm, make the storm easier to follow and therefore make people more informed and prepared.

For more information on the naming of the winter storms visit: http://www.weather.com/news/weather-winter/why-we-name-winter-storms-20121001

Why is Election Day held on Tuesday after the first Monday in November?

 For much of our history, America was a predominantly agrarian society. Law makers therefore took into account that November was perhaps the most convenient month for farmers and rural workers to be able to travel to the polls.

Since most residents of rural America had to travel a significant distance to the county seat in order to vote, Monday was not considered reasonable since many people would need to begin travel on Sunday. This would have conflicted with Church services and Sunday worship. Tuesday, would also not conflict with market day, which was on Wednesday in many towns.   

Lawmakers wanted to prevent Election Day from falling on the first of November for two reasons. First, November 1st is All Saints Day, a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics. Second, most merchants were in the habit of doing their books from the preceding month on the 1^st and Congress did not want the economic success or failure of the previous month to influence the outcome of the election.

Source: http://www.infoplease.com/spot/electionday1.html