Post something you've learnt today

[Diamond Dog]

Joshua Trees are found in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.

The taxonomic classification of the Joshua tree (yucca brevifolia) is monocotyledonous, defined in part as having no annual rings (similar to the palm). This makes it difficult to determine the age of Joshua trees. On average, they grow about a half-inch per year.

The Joshua tree is the largest yucca and the tallest recorded Joshua tree grew to be 56 feet high, meaning it would be more than 1,300 years old, but that's highly (pun intended) unlikely; most don’t live anywhere near that long, because they’re somewhat precarious, having top-heavy branches and shallow roots. More likely is that growing conditions (heavy rainfall, soil conducive to an extensive root system, lack of insect infestation, etc.) prompted it to shoot up.

That's the case with the most famous tree in the best place to see these ungainly trees, Joshua Tree National Park, a million-acre preserve northwest of Palm Springs in southeastern California: The "Barber Pole" tree, with 32 feet of trunk before it branches, is estimated to be 40 years old.

The trees' maximum lifespan is about 150 years. Wind ultimately causes their demise. Since they're so asymmetrical, when a high wind sheers off a limb, they get out of balance; the next high wind can knock the whole tree down.

The Joshua tree is found only in the Mojave Desert and nowhere else in the world. That's because they require only six to ten inches or rainfall a year, but also freezing temperatures in the winter.

Its trunk, though dry and brittle on the outside, is soaking wet on the inside and is said to contain a "column of water." It's often the only place desert animals can get access to water, even during the driest years and in severe droughts; they gnaw through the bark to get at the moist tissue within. These trees are very efficient at storing water in their roots and trunks and they have very small leaves (hence, the Latin name brevifolia).

The Joshua tree was named by Mormon missionaries traveling from Salt Lake City to southern California in the mid-19th century. The limb-like branches of the plant reminded them of the Biblical story in which Joshua reaches his hands to the sky in order to welcome pilgrims to the Promised Land.

Native Americans used the tough leaves of the tree to weave baskets and sandals; they also ate the flower buds raw or roasted.

They bloom between February and April, though not necessarily every year; it depends on sufficient rainfall at the critical moment in the annual life cycle. The flowers consist of six petals, from a creamy-white to a silvery-green color. When they bloom, the flowers are pollinated by the yucca moth, which also lays its eggs inside the flower. The tree produces a fruit about the size of an apricot; they're edible, but extremely bitter. Joshua trees can grow from seed; they can also sprout from the rhizome (an underground shoot or root) of another tree.

[Dr Markus]

Like "-son" or "-dottir" in Icelandic names?

I think the use of "son" in Icelandic names, Johnson for example, means "son of john". In Iceland I think your surname is made up of your da's first name and then firing a "son" on the end. In Poland, I think it just makes it masculine or feminine. It doesn't mean "son of...". I could be wrong though.

A, I see. It's more like Mikhail Gorbachev and Raisa Gorbacheva?

Don't know about the Russian, I'm curious about the east European countries though where names end in 'ov' or 'ic' for example. Does it mean 'of (enter family name)'. In Irish 'O' is "son of", or just "of" while "Ni" means "daughter of".

[Minnie the Minx]

Worcester Sauce Wheat Crunchies have been wiped from British shops it seems!

[hippopotamus]

It was Wednesday or Thursday last week that Berlin has been unified as long as it was divided.

[Harvey K-Tel]

This ubiquitous (at least in Canada) plaid pattern is called 'Buffalo Plaid':




I'm ashamed to say that I never knew that.

[Harvey K-Tel]

[Diamond Dog]

Fuckface is clearly bored, isn't he?

[gash on ignore]

Arm vagina.

[The Beatles]

to catfish

to be gaslit

[Harvey K-Tel]

Rough day?

[Diamond Dog]

Today :

Log in at 1008
First post 1009
Read "Adverts" thread c. 1020
Hyperventilate for next 15 minutes
'Retaliate' on "Missing Posters" thread at 1038
Trawl internet until 1145
Decide 'retaliation' hasn't got desired response... trawl internet again....
Post on "Adverts" thread at 1152
Post on "Xmas JU" thread at 1224.

Sit awaiting response anxiously..............

[Jeemo]

that the wheels on the bus go round and round, who knew

[Charlie O.]

I just learnt that although The Easybeats came together in Australia, the individual members hailed from England, Scotland, and The Netherlands.

[Samoan]

Hanukkah is from Sunset, 12 December to nightfall, 20 December 2017

Quite a lot more...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

[Dr Markus]

Don't start a job until the cubepop's finished, Obviously.

[Diamond Dog]

Caged Bird

By Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wing
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn
and he names the sky his own

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

[Neige]

like!

[Rayge]

When the Victorians introduced a salt tax to India in the 19th century, effectively trebling the price, it became worthwhile for smugglers to carry it from the coastal saltpans to the interior. The colonialist scum tried various methods stop this, but, in the end, what worked was to plant a hedge of impenetrable thorn bushes about 12 feet high. This hedge, broken only by narrow gaps to let roads through, was 1,500 miles long.

[Minnie the Minx]

Ben Goldacre's mum is Noosha Fox!!!!!

[Hugh]

I don’t know who Ben GoldCre is but I certainly know who Noosha Fox is.