FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSWhy Yuba? Yuba! was an expression of amazement in use by certain American Indians living in the northern arm of California's central valley in the middle of the nineteenth century. One day they were approached by an amateur anthropologist who inquired what they called themselves. He repeatedly pointed to himself and said "American!", but the gesture was lost on the native. His own interest was not anthropology, but firearms, and he was quite taken with the newcomer's sidearm. At last he managed to breathe "Yuba!" as his only reply. His tribe was promptly labelled the "Yuba Indians", and the visitor was invited to the tribal encampment. After a fine dinner and some of the local brew, he was persuaded to trade his pistol for a brace of mallards. Ignorance and attendant wonder have dogged the use of the the term Yuba ever since. Later, John Marshall's crew discovered gold in a proposed saw mill being constructed in the Sierra foothills for John Sutter. When Marshall showed a nugget to Sutter, he realized his fortune was made, and he moaned out, "Yuba!" Marshall misunderstood, and was halfway back to the mill before a messenger from Sutter caught up with him and invited him back to Sacramento for a celebratory toast. Unfortunately, by the time Marshall returned to his side, Sutter was too toasted to explain his earlier remark, and Marshall went to his grave ignorant of the compliment. Later, both a city and a county in California were awarded the name Yuba, but strangely enough, they did not coincide. Yuba County is on the east side of the Feather River, and is host to the Yuba River. Its county seat is Marysville. (Named for a young female survivor of the Donner Party, but that's another story entirely. I think.) Yuba City is on the west wide of the Feather River, and is the county seat of Sutter County, in tribute to John Sutter's utterance at the sight of gold.
As an expression of amazement. Usually at the ignorance of people attempting to interface with technology. Not because they don't know what they're doing, but because they don't think about what they're doing. Also, it sounds neat.
Once a week. The ones that appear on the Web site do so about one month after they are available for regular distribution.
Honker. Yuba City High School is known as "The Home of the Honkers." This may be to honor the trade of two dead ducks for a sidearm, or it may just be that the local gentry were unable to think of anything better to call themselves. I vote for number two.
Nothing. You seem to have confused derisive term hoser with the far more dignified name honker. Go back three spaces and lose one turn.
You're a peach! (Yuba City bills itself as the "Peach Bowl of the World". Then again, Yuba City and its sister to the east, Marysville, also bill themselves as the "Hub Cities". Maybe it's an Eastern religious thing.)
Actually, I try to show the humorous side of humans. Technology, whether it's computers or blenders, seems to be one of the better ways to do that. On the other hand, tell me something we humans do that doesn't show our funny side.
See the Yuba OFFline page.
No.
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