Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 22, 1993 TAG: 9308220186
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: F-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BETTY PARHAM and GERRIE FERRIS COX NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
A: Yes, all outgoing and incoming car telephone calls are logged into a computer by number and the amount of time the user spends on the phone. Unlike regular phone calls at home, which are not logged or charged individually, all cellular calls are billed by "air time," similarly to long-distance calls.
Q: While watching the Tour de France bicycle race last month, the commentator said that Miguel Indurain had a heart rate of 25 to 28 beats a minute. Isn't that medically impossible?
A: Dr. Randy Martin, cardiologist at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and a runner himself, said it's not uncommon for athletes in superendurance sports such as marathons and the Tour de France to have resting heart rates in the low-to-mid-20s. Martin said that, in his younger days when he wasn't drinking so much coffee, his resting heart rate was in the 30s. The average resting heart rate is about 70.
Q: Why have all the major brands of Scotch whiskey changed the alcoholic content on their labels from 86 to 80 proof?
A: Suzanne Tobia, spokeswoman for William Grant and Sons, importers of Grant's Scotch in New Jersey, said they recently lowered the proof from 86 to 80 because Scotch tastes better at 80 proof. "The alcohol is less `in your face,' " she said. Another reason we've heard is a recent alcohol tax increase in Britain. Lowering the proof allowed distillers to avoid raising the price - but no one is willing to admit for the record that that might be a reason.
Q: Why do golf balls have dimples?
A: So they'll go farther. The dimples create air turbulence that makes for less drag on the ball. Air clings to smooth balls in flight and causes them to drop more quickly. This was discovered in the 1800s when golfers noticed that their older, dented and scratched-up balls went farther than the smoother, newer ones.
Q: When was the last time anyone was expelled from Congress, and for what reason?
A: No senators have been expelled since the Civil War, when 13 Southerners got the boot for "support of the rebellion." From then until now, 10 have been brought up for various corruption, embezzlement, polygamy and disloyalty charges, but none were expelled. Three representatives were expelled for allegedly supporting the South in the Civil War. In 1982, Harrison Williams, D-N.J., caught in the FBI's Abscam scandal net, resigned before expulsion. Of the 14 brought up since then on various charges of corruption, treasonable utterance, assault, insult to another representative, only one was expelled: Michael "Ozzie" Myers, D-Pa., in 1982, after being videotaped taking a bribe.
Q: When the Wright Brothers invented their plane, did they get a patent? Is it still in effect? How much money did they make? Do any relatives still profit from the patent?
A: Wilbur and Orville Wright received a patent on the prototype they called "the Flyer" in 1906, three years after making their historic flight at Kitty Hawk. The patent was on the control system of the engine only. Wilbur died in 1912, and Orville sold the patent to a group of businessmen in 1915, but he continued to be active in aviation. The Wrights were involved in some court battles over their patent rights, but never lost a case. Both became wealthy: Wilbur had several hundred thousand dollars at his death, and Orville was a millionaire when he died in 1948. Their descendants - a great-niece, and a great-nephew who died last year - did not reap monetary rewards from the legacy of their uncles.
Q: Is any agency or group monitoring Baby Jessica to see how she is doing?
A: No. Although the court suggested that Baby Jessica get therapy, it is strictly up to her biological parents, Dan and Cara Schmidt, who are not required to give any information to anyone. They have said "they just want to be left alone," which has been difficult lately because of jeering crowds around their home, hate mail and harassing phone calls. Jessica has not been outside because of that.
Q: How many popes have there been?
A: There have been 265 legitimate popes, according to a World Book list that included both popes and anti-popes (those who opposed the elected pope).
Q: An obituary on Lebanese billionaire Henry Faroun said he owned an original letter by the Prophet Mohammed. What about original texts of the Bible? Do the original letters of St. Paul or other original biblical texts exist?
A: No New or Old Testament original material exists, according to Emory University professor Oded Borowski, who said scholars agree that the final result called the Bible today is based on archival material "written by several authors at different periods who were expressing their faith and belief, and reflecting what was popular and common in their time." The oldest extant compilation of archival material is the Dead Sea Scrolls of the Old Testament, written around 200 B.C.
Q: Canada was the world's second largest country. Has it moved to No. 1 since the Soviet Union broke up?
A: Canada is still No. 2. Russia is the biggest.
Q: Years ago, my dad told me that no cars were manufactured in the United States during World War II. Is that true?
A: Your dad was right. A decree from Washington in January 1942 suspended all auto making for the duration of the war, with most plants converted to making war materiel.
Q: When U.S. service personnel are killed in Somalia, are they listed as "killed in action" or "killed in the line of duty"? Will those killed or wounded there receive the Purple Heart?
A: They are considered "killed in the line of duty" and could "possibly be considered for a Purple Heart, with each case being considered on an individual basis," a Pentagon spokesman said.
Q: How much are astronauts paid?
A: Civilian astronauts are on the civil service scale, usually beginning at the GS-12 or GS-13 level, which is $46,000 to $56,000 a year. They can advance to a GS-15, which ranges from $64,000 to $79,000. Military astronauts are paid according to their rank. There are no bonuses or overtime for space flights. Of the five astronauts aboard the Discovery flight that was aborted Aug. 12, Frank Culbertson Jr. and Daniel Bursch are Navy commanders, and Carl Walz is an Air Force major. William Readdy and James Newman are civilians.
by CNB