Anyone got really stupid questions that someone else on here might be able to answer?

[AlaskaElfForGin]

I only ask because I have a really stupid question but haven't asked in case you talk about me ...

So if someone else could ask something ridiculous first that would be great!

@Ratbagratty - it's mistletoe

Most traffic cones are orangey red , on motorways there are green ones which I think (? ) are marking the entrance to a works layby but what are the blue ones for ?

Yes to mistletoe and someone pls answer the cold rain question!

Yes @thefamousfiveplusone you’d need to change your name first.

@thefamousfiveplusone if you have any ID in your maiden name you can use that name. If not you’d have to have your name down as “maiden name (also known as married name)”. I think I used my decree absolut and birth certificate. I’m not sure how long a deed poll change of name takes to come through.

Oh I was going to go for the opposite answer to @Clangus to @thefamousfiveplusone question! I thought (unless you formally changed your name by deed poll) then when you get married, you acquire your husband’s name as a second name but still legally retain your maiden name. So if Jane Smith marries Peter Jones she is both still Jane Smith and Mrs Peter Jones, but technically not Jane Jones, though that has become the convention. Would be helpful to know the answer if someone does!

@thefamousfiveplusone this looks helpful deedpolloffice.com/advice/woman-getting-divorced

is pininterest the same sort of thing ?

Pinterest is completely different. With Pinterest, think of it as somewhat of an online 'mood board' where you can save things you like. There's not much (if any) socialising with people you know in real life on there, in my experience. It's also mostly used for home decor inspiration, food recipes, crafts, fashion, makeup, art IMO.

Santa Claus.

In Dutch the name is Sint Niklaas. which is Saint Nicholas.
This is abbreviated to Sint Klaas. That doesn't flow well so it became Sinter Klaas.
It is similar in German, but nit sure exactly.

When Dutch and German families went to America the name became anglicised to Santa Claus.

Which is why (I think) that in UK it was always Father Christmas, but in US it was Santa Claus.

Cold rain. Very, very basically.

Clouds condense and rain falls.

If it's cold enough to freeze the rain, that becomes hail - ie rain that has frozen after its left the cloud.

Snow is rain that freezes before it leaves the cloud.

Again, very basically!

@YorkshireLawyer
@Howmanysleepsnow
@Clangus00

Thank you so much for your replies. I shall have a proper look into it. I've been divorced for years I've just never really thought too much about changing my name back....until now!

I think I can change my name by deed poll online easily enough. It's the changing the documentation which will probably be the most time consuming and obviously we only have 42 days to register the birth!

Thanks fairygodbaker thats useful to know..

bo, hail is formed inside thunderclouds. The rain freezes and becomes hail, but in some clouds the updraftes are so strong that more and more layers of ice form on top of the first frozen raindrop, and that makes the big hail stones.
The hail only falls against the updraft once it is heavy enough. So big thunderclouds can keep really big heavy hail stones up in the air!

Snow forms in much calmer conditions where the rain freezes gently and can form crystals ie snow.

bo?? Not sure where that came from!

Are the red bits on a poinsettia plant leaves or flowers?

Are the red bits on a poinsettia plant leaves or flowers?

they're bracts. the flowers are the yellow/green things in the centre.

Science Mumsnet: if you were in a lift and it started falling from several floors up, could you avoid injury by jumping as it hit the ground, so you were in mid air when it hit? I have always wondered this and once emailed Neil deGrasse Tyson about it but he ignored me. DH is a physics graduate but is no bloody use, he just laughs and says no but can't / won't explain why

well, I know your dh is right, that jumping in a lift doesn't work, as I have heard this question on various things and that is always the answer. But I have never understood the explanation!

Turns out asking the question was all I needed to get me to actually look it up. He is right but let's agree not to mention that to him.
It's to do with momentum. If a lift has been falling for a while it will be going so fast that your jump would make very little difference to your overall downwards momentum. Maybe if the lift only fell one floor it might help, so everyone bear that in mind!

Right, I was just thinking about this earlier. When you hear about surgeons who operate for 8 hours or more, do they get to go and have a wee? Do they pop to a nearby loo whilst the junior keeps the patient alive? Or is a really strong bladder a requirement for a surgeon..... or do they all wear incontinence pads?

I'm going to ask my one now.

I bought a wee pre lit Christmas tree for beside the front door (don't judge me, I love a bit of tat at Christmas) but I bought the wrong one - it says it cannot be used outside and mustn't get wet. The lights are battery operated so I don't really understand what the 'DANGER' is?

@Clymene thank you!

Blue cones are to warn of overhead structures

So the digger driver doesn’t lift up the bucket and take out a bridge or power line

Is it true that if you stuck buttered toast to a cat’s back and it jumped off something high (it wants to jump, no one’s making it) it would spin for eternity?

The blue traffic cones mark low electric cables. (I think!)