For those who don't frequent irc <g>, the #loisclark channel 'mascot' is a ficus.
Actually, Labby, I don't go on the #loisclark channel at all. I
might have known this - I have a vague memory of someone explaining the whole ficus thing to me - but I laughed at the Stone Soup reference not because of the IRC connection, but the lcfic mbs connection. "Fact of Ficus?" comes instantly to mind, and I'm pretty sure the ficus has made other guest appearances here on the mbs.
So you don't have to know about IRC to get the joke. At least, I hope you don't.
Hazel