29 August: Lemon Juice Day

Today is Lemon Juice Day. Here are ten things you might not know about lemons.

1. The word "lemon" is said to come from an Asian word for a citrus fruit.
2. Lemons are thought to be native to India, Burma or China, a hybrid between bitter Orange and citron. Lemons were first mentioned in writing as part of a 10th century Arabic treatise on farming.
3. The average lemon contains eight seeds and three tablespoons of juice.
4. Lemon juice is 5% citric acid. Its pH is about 2.2, which is why it tastes sour.
5. Lemons used to be rare and expensive - kings used to give them as gifts and they were highly prized during the California Gold Rush where miners would pay very high prices for them. In Victorian times, wealthy people grew them on their estates as a sign of prestige, and for the fragrance.
6. Lemon juice was used by Renaissance ladies to redden their Lips. Today, lemon juice can be put on your Hair to give it natural highlights.
7. A lemon tree can produce 600 pounds of lemons each year. The trees can grow up to 20 feet tall.
8. Sprinkling lemon juice on other fruits can stop them from turning brown.
9. Common varieties of lemon include Bonnie Brae, Eureka (the one most commonly found in supermarkets), Sorrento and Yen Ben.
10. Other uses for lemon juice include cleaning Copper, and, when mixed with baking Soda, plastic food containers. It is possible to power a small digital watch by attaching electrodes to a lemon. Lemon juice can also be used as invisible ink - apply heat in order to read the message.

NEW!

Obsidian's Ark

Teenage years bring no end of problems. Daniel Moran's include getting hold of computer games his parents don't think he should have; a full blown crush on the beautiful Suki from Zorostan; maintaining his status as a prefect and getting his homework done. He must also keep from his parents and sister the fact that he is a superhero with a sword from another world.

Trish wonders how to get science whizz Tom to notice her; how to persuade him that the best way to stand up to the school bully is to fight back. She doesn't want her friends, especially not Tom, to know she is a genetic variant with superpowers. Little does she know that Tom has secrets of his own.

Suki struggles to make friends at school when she cannot understand everyday cultural references, and they all suspect her of being a terrorist. She, too, has a secret, but is it what her classmates assume?

When Daniel stumbles upon a plot by an alliance of supervillains to plunge the world into war, he tries to alert the established superheroes, but none of them believe him. When the Prime Minister's only daughter, Yasmin Miller, is abducted, Daniel knows the villains' plan is underway. It seems humanity's only hope may be Daniel and the ragtag bunch of teenage superheroes he recruits. Can he pull together, not only his own team, but the older heroes as well, in a bid to save the Earth from a devastating war?

Themes: 

Superheroes; Coming of age; Leadership; Kidnap and rescue; Aliens; Friendship and rivalry; Terrorism; Secrets.

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