Now @ MPL...

What do you call a group of crows?

A group of crows is called a murder.

There are many different names for groups of different animals. While a group of crows is called a murder, a group of ravens is known instead as an unkindness. Most people known that a group of lions is known as a pride, but did you know that a group of cranes is known as a sedge?

Some of the group names seem pretty strange, but some of them are definitely appropriate! A group of sharks is known as a shiver, and you would most likely know if an intrusion of cockroaches had invaded your home.

The same goes for the names of baby animals. Most people know that baby cows are called calves. Baby dolphins, hippos, and elephants are also known as calves. A baby hawk is called an eyas, and a baby eels are known as elver.

What city was Winnie the Pooh named after?

How Winnie the Pooh got his name is a very interesting story that starts at the opening of World War I. In 1914, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade left the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The train had stopped in a remote Northern Ontario community and Lieutenant Harry Coleburn noticed a man sitting at the train station with a bear cub tied to the bench he was sitting on. The man was a hunter who had shot the female bear cub's mother. Harry Coleburn bought the cub from the hunter and took her with the brigade to England.

By the time they reached England, the little bear had been named Winnipeg after Coleburn's adopted city, and was affectionately known by the rest of the brigade as "Winnie".

(Original Winnie the Pooh stuffed toys. Clockwise from bottom left: Tigger, Kanga, Edward Bear (aka Winnie-the-Pooh), Eeyore, and Piglet.)

Winnie became the mascot of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Brigade. However, when the brigade was sent to France in December of 1914, Coleburn decided that it would be too dangerous for the little bear cub, and donated her to the London Zoo. She became a popular attraction there, so much so that when Coleburn returned from the war, he decided to leave her in London, though he would continue to visit her throughout her life.

Author A.A. Milne took his son Christopher Robin to the zoo, and Winnie became a fast favorite of his. He named his own bear Winnie after the bear, and Pooh after a swan at the London Zoo.

But if there were, you could find it in the new Grant Resources section of the Milwaukee Public Library's Web site. You can get to it by going to Research Resources, then clicking on the Recommended Links option, from there you can navigate to "Grant Resources".

Whether you're looking for funding to start a new business, or you're thinking of starting a non-profit group, you should check out our Grants Resources to see what resources are available to you on the web. We have done the hard work for you by bringing these sites together and providing a short description of them.

The Grants Resources section contains information on Federal grants, on state grants; it also includes links to websites that will help you put your proposal together. There is more grants information available in print as well. If you are interested in those additional resources, be sure to check them out at the Business, Science, and Technology desk at the Central Library.

What is Milwaukee's Oldest Building?

Did you know that Milwaukee's oldest building isn't even from Milwaukee? It isn't even from the North American continent. In fact, it was built long before Milwaukee was a twinkle in Solomon Juneau's eyes.

The oldest building in Milwaukee is the St. Joan of Arc Chapel on Marquette's campus. It was built in France's Rhone River Valley sometime in the 15th century. It was moved stone by stone to Long Island, New York in 1927. From there it was eventually relocated to its current home on Marquette's campus. Its reconstruction started in July of 1965, and was dedicated May 26, 1966.

For more facts on Milwaukee, and other useful information, check out the Ready Reference Quick Fact File.

What and Where is the last (and still operating) public well in Milwaukee?

The Pryor Avenue (Iron) Well in Bay View, is the last public well in Milwaukee.
It's located at 1700 Pryor Avenue in the Bay View neighborhood. The well was built in 1882 at the site of a naturally flowing artesian spring. Built in 1882 and named for its high iron content, water continuously flows from the pressurized aquifer below. The water is free to the public and water quality tests are performed regularly by the health department and DNR to ensure safety.

For more facts on Milwaukee, and other useful information, check out the Ready Reference Quick Fact File.

Did you know that Milwaukee County is made up of 19 different municipalities?

The population for the county is 915,097 people. Of those about 62% or approximately 573,378 live in the City of Milwaukee.

The other cities and villages that make up Milwaukee County are:
Bayside (pop. 4,518), Brown Deer (pop. 12,170), Cudahy (pop. 18,429), Fox Point (pop. 7,012), Franklin (pop. 29,494), Glendale (pop. 13,367), Greendale (pop. 13,860), Greenfield (pop. 35,476), Hales Corners (pop. 7,765), Milwaukee (pop. 573,378), Oak Creek (pop. 28,456), River Hills (pop. 1,631), Shorewood (pop. 13,763), South Milwaukee (pop. 21,256), St. Francis (pop. 8,662), Wauwatosa (pop. 44,798), West Allis (pop. 61,254), West Milwaukee (pop. 4,201), Whitefish Bay (pop. 13,508)

All population numbers are based on 2006 Census estimates.

Did you know that Wisconsin is the birthplace of six NASA Astronauts?

Chaio, Leroy - born August 28, 1960 in Milwaukee.
Williams, Jeffrey N. - born January 18, 1958 in Superior.
Lee, Mark C. - born August 14, 1952 in Viroqua.
Brandenstein, Daniel C. - born January 17, 1943 in Watertown.
Michel, F. Curtis - born June 5, 1934 in LaCrosse.
Slayton, Donald K. ("Deke") - born March 1, 1924 in Sparta.

Source: NASA - Astronaut Fact Book - January 2005
Date of Verification: September 28, 2007

Did you know that Milwaukee has an official flower?

It's true. Milwaukee's official flower is the geranium. It was selected in 1966. Prior to that, the official flower was the nasturtium, and was selected in 1923.

By contrast, the state's official flower is the wood violet.

MAY FLOWER

Did you know that this year marked the 60th anniversary of the National Thanksgiving Turkey presentation at the White House? The event first took place in 1947 during President Harry Truman's administration. One of this year's pardoned turkeys, May and Flower, will be honored as the grand marshal of the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Walt Disney World. For more information about Thanksgiving at the White House, check out their Website.

Also, don't forget that all Milwaukee Public Libraries will be closed on Thursday, November 22, and Friday, November 23! Happy Thanksgiving!

Where does the term "bubbler" originate?

The origin of the term is believed to date back to 1888 when Harlan Huckleby of the Kohler Company (Kohler, Wisconsin) developed the first modern drinking fountain which was trademarked as “The Bubbler”. To this day, many Wisconsinites use the term “bubbler” in place of “drinking fountain”.
Source: Minnesota Daily Web site

Did you know that Milwaukee Public Library participates in a statewide and national cooperative of libraries providing 24 hour reference service? The Wisconsin AskAway service is part of a national consortia called QuestionPoint which involves librarians from dozens of institutions nationwide.
Log on to www.mpl.org at any time of the day or night and chat with a librarian. Click on the AskAway link found on the right side of the MPL homepage to get started. In addition to live chat, the library also provides e-mail reference service to assist with questions. During regular library hours, call Milwaukee's time honored Ready Reference service at (414) 286 - 3011 for telephone service. Also, don't forget your Central and Neighborhood Libraries for in person assistance.

In honor of the snow we have been experiencing in Milwaukee over the past week or so, here are some quick weather facts from the Ready Reference Quick Fact File. These should help us feel a little better about the weather we have been having this December.

(Weather map from December 2, 2007 showing accumulation of snow across the country. Source: NOAA Weather Maps)

Coldest day:
The record low temperature for Milwaukee was set on January 17, 1982 at negative 26 degrees F. This mark was tied on February 3, 1996. (Source: National Weather Service)

Hottest day:
The record high temperature for Milwaukee was set on July 24, 1934 at 105 degrees F. (Source: National Weather Service)

Records for snow:
Maximum snowfall in a 24 hour period: 20.3 inches on February 4th – 5th, 1924.
Largest single snowstorm: 26.0 inches from February 19th – 21st, 1898.
Maximum snowfall in a single month: 52.6 inches in January, 1918.
Maximum total winter snowfall: 109.8 inches in 1885/1886.
Maximum measured depth of snow: 33 inches on January 27th, 1979. (Source: Extreme Weather by Christopher Burt, 2004, 551.5 B973)

Record for wind chill:
The record wind-chill was set on January 10, 1982 at negative 83 degrees F. (Source: National Weather Service)

Milwaukee Earthquakes

Did you know that Milwaukee feels the occasional earthquake? It's true, in fact the last tremor that Milwaukee felt was on June 28, 2004, and the epicenter was in northern Illinois. There have been at least 20 different occasions where tremors have been felt in Milwaukee in the last 140 years.

So even though Milwaukee lies within one of the zones of least hazard for earthquakes, it still gets the occasional tremor. For more information on earthquakes in the United States and the world, check out the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Center web site.

How long did the Orphan train run?

The Orphan Train Movement lasted from 1854 through 1929. In that time, approximately 200,000 orphaned, abandoned, or homeless children were put on the so-called "Orphan Train" and were relocated to the American West. The Children's Aid Society thought that in this way, these children might gain new families while helping out the pioneers who were settling the frontiers.

The train stopped in 47 states and in Canada. At each stop, townspeople who were interested would gather to inspect the children, and take home those they thought to be likely candidates. After the children had successfully completed a brief trial period, they would become indentured to their host families.

While this program is widely thought of as the beginning of documented foster care, it was not without controversy. Interestingly enough, the controversy came from both sides of the abolitionist movement. Many abolitionists believed that the children were ending up being slaves to their host families, while those who advocated slavery saw it as an outgrowth of the abolitionist movement. After all, who would need slaves when these children provided labor that made slaves unnecessary?

Because there were a large number of children who went west on the Orphan Trains, some genealogists have had problems tracing the ancestry of their relatives who may have hailed from the Orphan Train Movement. There are some resources available for those who are attempting to follow the ancestry of those children. Since so many of them came originally from New York City, many of these resources are from the city.

When is Kwanzaa?

Kwanzaa begins on December 26th and continues through January 1st. It is an African American celebration of family, culture, and community. This holiday has roots in ancient African celebrations of the first harvest. In fact, the term Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza" which means "first fruits." Dr. Maulana Karenga, an African American scholar and activist, held the first modern Kwanzaa celebration in 1966. Learn more about Kwanzaa at the holiday's official Website.

Looking for a fun way to celebrate Kwanzaa? Today, Thursday, December 27, children ages 6-12 can come to Atkinson Library from 2:00-3:00 p.m. or Martin Luther King Library from 2:00-3:00 p.m. to make a Kwanzaa craft to take home.

What do you call a group of crows?

A group of crows is called a murder.

There are many different names for groups of different animals. While a group of crows is called a murder, a group of ravens is known instead as an unkindness. Most people known that a group of lions is known as a pride, but did you know that a group of cranes is known as a sedge?

Some of the group names seem pretty strange, but some of them are definitely appropriate! A group of sharks is known as a shiver, and you would most likely know if an intrusion of cockroaches had invaded your home.

The same goes for the names of baby animals. Most people know that baby cows are called calves. Baby dolphins, hippos, and elephants are also known as calves. A baby hawk is called an eyas, and a baby eels are known as elver.

What day was infamous gangster Al Capone born?

Alphonse Gabriel Capone, also known as "Scarface" was born January 17, 1899 in Brooklyn. He started into his life of crime at a young age, and quickly progressed from petty crimes to more serious trouble.

(Mug shot of Al Capone as a teenager)

He was moved out to Chicago, and with prohibition being in swing, made a name for himself with bootlegging. He became especially notorious for orchestrating what became known as the St. Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago, in which seven members of a rival gang were murdered.

Even though he participated in many heinous acts, he was eventually incarcerated for the relatively minor infraction of income tax evasion. He was tried in 1931, and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, but ultimately only served six and a half years in prison.

He died January 26, 1947, of heart failure.

When did Martin Luther King, Jr. Day become a holiday?

The chronology of this holiday is actually quite complicated.

Dr. King was assassinated in Atlanta April 8, 1968. It wasn't until five years, in 1973, later that the first state signed a law making Dr. King's birthday a holiday. That state was Illinois, and the bill was sponsored by then assemblyman Harold Washington.

A bill was introduced in congress in 1968, after Dr. King's death to have his birthday observed as a national holiday. However, it wasn't until November 3, 1983 that President Reagan signed a bill establishing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a national holiday, taking place the third Monday of each January, with observance to officially begin January 20, 1986.

In 1986, the first time Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was observed as a national holiday, only 17 states had passed bills officially observing the holiday. By 1989, the number of states observing the holiday had grown to 44. In 1999, New Hampshire, the last state signed legislation making Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a state holiday.

In many communities, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is becoming a day of service and reflection for the community.

Are you looking for tax forms or tax assistance?

Here are some tips to help you get started:

If you make $45,000 per year or less, then you are eligible for free tax assistance from VITA (IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance). The Social Development Commission has prepared a schedule for locations in the Milwaukee area. Please consult the flyer for details on where to visit and what to bring.

If you need a specific tax form, visit the IRS Forms link for a list of federal forms to print. Likewise, for Wisconsin State forms --visit the Wisconsin Department of Revenue site.

The Milwaukee Central Library and Milwaukee neighborhood libraries have the most common Federal and State paper forms available for distribution but do not have tax advice capability.

If you need advice on which tax forms you need, call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 for Federal or call 414-227-4000 for Wisconsin.

Do you live in the City of Milwaukee and want to know where to vote on February 19th? Check the Election Commission Voting Location & Representatives Inquiry and type in your address to find out where to vote and who your representatives are. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Also, if you're curious about how your views align with the Presidential candidates, take the Vote by Issue quiz and see your results!

Did you know that February is Black History Month?

An idea proposed by black historian Carter G. Woodson, Black History Month began in 1926 as Negro History Week. Dr. Woodson selected a particular week in February as a time to celebrate African American achievement because it coincided with the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), founded by Dr. Woodson, established Black History Month. For more information about Black History Month, go to ASALH's Website. Also, check out our events calendar for Black History Month celebrations in Milwaukee Public Libraries.

Did you know that Cream City brick is native to the Milwaukee area?

These bricks were one of the most common building materials used in Milwaukee during the mid and late 1800's, giving the city the nickname "Cream City."

According to the History of Milwaukee Wisconsin, Volume VII p. 1505, "The clay from which these bricks are made contain a large proportion of lime and some sulphur. The sulphur gives the creamy tint, which no other bricks present, and the opening of a kiln discovers the condensed flour of sulphur which adheres to the surface of the topmost bricks like a yellow frost."

Cream City bricks are well-known for their durability; many buildings constructed with them in the 1800's still stand today. One example is the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, which was built more than 125 years ago.

Cream City bricks are porous which tends to make structures dark-colored as time passes. Once Cream City bricks absorb pollutants, they are difficult to clean, a problem with which restoration experts in Milwaukee have been faced since the 1970s. Initially, sandblasting was attempted; however, it not only proved to be ineffective, but was damaging to the bricks. Currently, chemical washes are the most effective and accepted method of cleaning Cream City bricks.

What is a leap year?

Every four years, an extra day is added to our calendar year, making it 366 days long rather than the usual 365. This additional day comes at the end of February, therefore February 29th is often referred to as "leap day."

The origins of leap year date far back in history:

In 45 BC Julius Caesar…decided to use a purely solar calendar. This calendar, known as the Julian calendar, fixed the normal year at 365 days, and the leap year, every fourth year, at 366 days. Leap year is so named because the extra day causes any date after February in a leap year to 'leap' over one day in the week and to occur two days later in the week than it did in the previous year, rather than just one day later as in a normal year. (from MSN Encarta)

Part of the purpose of a leap year is to keep our calendar in alignment with the earth's movement around the sun. For more information about this and other leap year facts, check out timeanddate.com.

Daylight Saving Time 2008 - Sunday March 9th

Per the Energy Policy Act of 2005, beginning in 2007, Daylight Saving Time will begin on the second Sunday of March and end the first Sunday of November. In spring, clocks are advanced from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. In fall, clocks are set back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. Recent and future dates are as follows:

2005 – spring ahead on April 3rd, fall back on October 30th
2006 – spring ahead on April 2nd, fall back on October 29th
2007 – spring ahead on March 11th, fall back on November 4th
2008 – spring ahead on March 9th, fall back on November 2nd
2009 – spring ahead on March 8th, fall back on November 1st

Are you working on a term paper or doing original research? Do you need to cite your sources in the APA Style, MLA Style, Turabian Style or Chicago Style? Look no further--give BibMe a try. It is a free resource which will convert your citations into any of the above styles and keep them in a bibliography for you. Available formats for conversion include books, magazines, websites, journals, films and newspapers. So spend more time researching and leave the citation formatting to BibMe.

Zillow.com

Spring is finally creeping into Milwaukee and along with the weather, the housing market will soon be heating up. A really interesting website for researching homes is Zillow.com. It provides comprehensive information on individual homes with charts and data about taxes and valuation as well as aerial views of the home and neighborhood. Look at homes locally or nationally. Whether you're interested in buying or selling a home or you just want to see what's out there, Zillow is a powerful tool.

dMarie Time Capsule is a useful website for providing highlights of a particular day and year from 1800 to the current day. Included are top news headlines, popular songs, toys and books. Find out what may have been on television that day as well as which notable figures celebrate a birthday on that day. The user can choose the quick page option or the advanced page option. The advanced page option enables the user to create personal headlines. This site could greatly assist with homework assignments, birthday celebrations, scrapbooking projects and more.

Does it take more muscles to frown than to smile?

The saying that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile has seemingly been around forever. In fact, the saying has been around for so long that no one seems to be able to figure out exactly what its origins are.

Further muddying the waters on this question is the fact that there seems to be a lot of disagreement as to the numbers of muscles it takes to smile or to frown. The number of muscles to smile ranges anywhere from four to 20, while the number of muscles to frown ranges from 20 to 100.

Some of these numbers can not be true. For example, an article from Psychology Today states that there are 44 muscles in the face. Other sources list up to 53 muscles in the face. Either way, it means that it would be impossible to use 100 muscles to frown.

Some light has been shed on the entire quandary by Dr. David H. Song, a plastic surgeon as well as Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago Hospitals. As someone whose livelihood is wrapped up in the reconstruction of faces, he knows about facial muscles.

It is his contention that when counting all the muscles it takes to smile and all the muscles it takes to frown, that it actually takes one more muscle to smile than it does to frown. He lists 12 muscles to smile, but only 11 muscles to frown.

Wisconsin is famous for many things: cheese, breweries, motorcycles, and of course, bratwurst! Although Sheboygan holds the title of "Bratwurst Capital of the World," Milwaukee is home to many connoisseurs of this German sausage. If you have ever wanted to make your own brats, here is what you need to know. Taken from MPL's Ready Reference Historic Recipe File, this recipe for broiled bratwurst was published in the January 19, 1967 edition of the Milwaukee Journal.

Bratwurst

Combine all ingredients; put through grinder three times. Mix with 1/2 cup water; fill pork casings. To serve, prepare broiled bratwurst. Broiled bratwurst: Cover bratwurst with hot water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat immediately. Let stand in hot water a few minutes until firm. Drain; dip bratwurst into milk. Place in broiler and cook until golden brown under low to moderate heat. Serves four.

Did you know that you have access to the BadgerLink Databases through the library? The Wisconsin State Department of Instruction provides access to several high quality databases through libraries and schools. One place you can find Badgerlink is from the category of Library Databases found in the Research Resources Page on the MPL home page.
Now there are webcasts available on how to use BadgerLink Resources for Kids, Ethnic Information Resources in BadgerLink, Humanities Resources in BadgerLink and Newspaper Resources in BadgerLink. Listen and view these webcasts for a good introduction to learning using these databases. Take your research to the next level and don't forget to call, visit or e-mail the library for more information and search tips.

View the BadgerLink Webcasts

What are the shortest and longest streets in Milwaukee?

The shortest street in the City of Milwaukee is S. Davidson St. It is a mere 55.91 feet long.

By contrast the longest North-South running street is 27th St., which runs 11.89 miles. The longest East-West running street is Oklahoma Ave., which runs 8.33 miles. Finally, the longest diagonal street is Fond du Lac Ave., which runs 8.7 miles.

For other information on streets in Milwaukee, a great source to check out is the book Milwaukee Streets: the Stories Behind Their Names by Carl Baehr. He explores the stories behind their names and provides other interesting facts such as previous names of certain streets.