Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 20, 1994 TAG: 9401200100
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A: This striking video is better than some of those commercial ditties that echo inside our heads for hours while we try to recall the popular song that "inspired" them.
The original score was composed and arranged for the Marine Corps by Al Capps of Killer Music, a Hollywood production company. (This Al Capps is a modern composer and not cartoonist Al Capp of Li'l Abner comic-strip fame.)
The Latin you hear is not lyrical; it's nine free-standing words and a phrase that describe Marine Corps ideals: "Fides" (honor), "virtus" (courage), "patria" (country), "vires" (strength), "potentia" (power), "animus" (spirit), "fiducia" (assurance or self-reliance), "gloria" (glory) and "vis" (force).
The ending phrase is "semper fidelis," the Marine Corps motto meaning "always faithful."
A radiance that melts ice
Q: A co-worker and I were wondering: How can ice melt at 18 degrees, just because the sun is shining? It doesn't seem physically possible. M.C., Roanoke
A: The ice needs to have the right angle . . . to the sun, that is.
If there's black pavement and a good southern exposure, melting will occur.
The pavement absorbs energy from the sun, and the resulting heat causes melting under the ice.
Surfaces facing the sun draw the most rays. A 90-degree angle is perfect.
Wind chill can blow away some of this naturally generated heat, though.
On Wednesday, the sunshine in Roanoke was enough, even at 14 degrees, to thaw some ice on roofs and other places that didn't get a hint of snow-melting chemicals, grit or shovel.
Fred Altizer of the state Department of Transportation said trees are cut along rights of way to help the sun do this job. He provided much of this information.
Garage stove safety is iffy
Q: Is it safe to put a fireplace or wood-burning stove in a garage for heat while working on automobiles? My concern is that gas fumes may reach an open flame and ignite. T.S., Roanoke
A: Fireplaces, with their open flames, should never be in the same room with gasoline.
A wood stove with a confined fire might or might not be safe. Call your local fire department and ask the fire marshal to look at the garage's layout.
A stove is likely to be dangerous if it's sitting at garage-floor level. A Roanoke Fire Department spokesman said this is a loaded question, with many factors besides the stove figuring into overall safety. An on-site inspection is necessary to make sure that feeding a stove fire isn't opening the door to disaster.
Got a question about something that may affect other people too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.
by CNB