Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 17, 1993 TAG: 9301170215
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BETTY PARHAM and GERRIE FERRIS COX NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEWS
Q: How is it that an American reporter knew about the engagement of the Japanese crown prince and the Japanese press didn't, thereby surprising the whole country? How did he find out?A: When The Washington Post ran a small item about the engagement of Crown Prince Naruhito to Masako Owada, it took the Japanese public by surprise - but not the Japanese press, which had known all along. The Japanese media had been honoring a request from the palace to hold back on stories about the prince's search for a royal spouse in order to provide privacy. Therefore, it missed the dai scoopu (great scoop). When the item appeared in The Post, the Japan Newspaper Association decided to end the self-imposed blackout.
Q: How can I get an official inaugural medallion?
A: The inaugural medallion and all other official inaugural memorabilia are available through a catalog put out by the inaugural commemorative office. Call 800-262-2222 for a free copy of the catalog.
Q: With the burden the Marine Corps has patrolling the world, will its numbers be reduced by military spending cuts? It's still the smallest service, isn't it?
A: The "drawdown" - as the military has termed the call for personnel reduction - of troops in the Marine Corps is expected to take the corps from its current 184,000 members to around 159,000 by 1996, a Marine spokesman said. The Marine Corps is the smallest of the four U.S. military services. It maintains that to deploy its three expeditionary forces around the world, it needs 177,000 troops. The spokesman said that, although it has been suggested that the number of expeditionary forces be reduced to two, in all probability the corps will maintain three, but reduce their size. Each active expeditionary force of about 46,000 members includes a division, an air wing and a force service support group. The rest of the corps provides support.
Q: What is the legal definition of sexual harassment?
A: Basically, there are two types. "Quid pro quo" harassment is when a sexual favor is sought for some sort of benefit - advancement, pay, etc. - at work. "Environmental" harassment is behavior that affects the total work environment, though it must be determined on a case-by-case basis. A lawyer who specializes in the field could provide further information.
Q: What does it cost to mail out the new federal tax forms?
A: Packages cost $12 million to print, $19 million to mail.
Q: What is the Marine commandant's position on women in combat? I've heard that, by law, they can't be sent into combat, but I've seen pictures of women Marines in Somalia with rifles. Do they go out on patrols?
A: They do not go out on patrols. Gen. Carl Mundy, the Marine commandant, is opposed to putting women in front-line positions - such as in rifle companies - said a Marine Corps spokesman. Women Marines in combat zones serve mainly in support positions, such as logistics and communications. But because there is no perceived behind-the-lines area in Somalia, they can find themselves in defensive positions. Their training is identical to their male counterparts', so they are well able to defend themselves with their weapons if necessary.
Q: Are the Cubans who flew in recently considered refugees? What exactly is a refugee and how many there are in the United States and worldwide?
A: Refugees, according to Hazel Wright of the State Department's Bureau of Refugees, are people who have a well-founded fear of persecution - for political, racial, religious or nationality reasons - who have gone to a U.S. embassy or consulate in their own country and applied and been processed to come to the United States. They do not include those who come with visas, who are not suffering persecution, who come to join family members, or who come through an immigration lottery process. They also do not include people who arrive here illegally and request asylum; those people may or may be granted asylum. Cubans, because of U.S. laws passed during the height of tensions between the United States and Cuba, are in a different category. Generally, they are allowed in. In 1993, Wright said, 132,000 refugees will be permitted to enter the United States. (Last year 142,000 were admitted.) The region of origin breakdown will be: ex-Soviet republics: 50,000; East and South Asia: 59,000; Africa: 7,000; Latin America and the Caribbean (mostly Cubans and Haitians): 3,500; Eastern Europe 1,500; unallocated: 11,000. Congress mandates the funding, the numbers of refugees and from where they will be received. And although the Refugee Bureau maintains some flexibility to shift numbers from area to area, if a vast number of people from an area, say Eastern Europe, were eligible for refugee status, the bureau would have to apply to Congress for more money or more slots. From 1980 to 1992, 1.2 million refugees were allowed into the United States. There currently are 17 million refugees in the world.
Q: What is the difference between a Muslim and a Moslem?
A: In today's usage, spelling. Once Moslem was more widely used, but it has declined in favor of Muslim, when referring to the religion, law or civilization of Islam. Also the use of Muhammadan (or Muhammadanism) is rejected by Muslims in reference to Islam or its adherents.
Q: What is the average age of the American voter?
A: Forty-five. Ten years ago it was 37, another reminder that the mean age of Americans is rising.
Q: On CNN, I've heard Marines barking orders to Somalis in English. If they don't understand, wouldn't that be a reason for not obeying?
A: If the order were only spoken, yes, said a Marine Corps spokesman. What viewers might not see is sign language accompanying the spoken order. When an order to lay down a weapon is made, a hand repeatedly points to the weapon and then to the ground in an unmistakable universal sign, the spokesman said. This is routine training because Marines often are in non-English-speaking places.
Q: How can chess king Bobby Fischer be criminally indicted under U.S. laws for violating U.N. sanctions by playing in Yugoslavia? Will opponent Boris Spassky be indicted by Russia, which also is a U.N. member?
A: Fischer was charged with a criminal violation of the U.N. sanctions imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the law used by President Bush on June 5 to issue an executive order that prohibits entering into a contract "in support of a commercial project" in Yugoslavia. The indictment against Fischer marks the first time the law has been used in a criminal case. Fischer could face a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 10 years for "trading with the enemy." Unless Russia has issued the same type of executive order, Spassky would not be subject to indictment.
Q: President Bush soon will be moving out of the White House. How much will the move cost?
A: No breakdown for carting the Bushes' belongings away has been made, but the expenses will come from the $1.5 million allotted Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle for transition costs, which cover more than moving.
Q: I'm thinking of riding the trans-Siberian train this year. I have a million questions, so could you tell me what it's like in the new Russia?
A: We're not travel agents, so we asked Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Colin Campbell, who has been there. He emphasizes that the trip is not for comfort lovers or fun seekers. He took the train ride a year ago with a translator, and communication still was difficult. The trains are crowded but fairly reliable. The quality of service depends on whether you go deluxe, in which case there are only two beds to a compartment. You may be assigned a compartment mate. In first class, each compartment has four beds, which are clean, but the toilet at the end of the car usually isn't. Russians can be very friendly, but many may seem dour and suspicious. Theft is common. The food is poor and the dining cars are dirty, so carry your own food. Getting on and off the train for side excursions can be frustrating. You need separate tickets and compartment reservations.